End of School

You may remember as soon as Jonah learned how to sit, Carson eagerly plopped him in various items and obsessively pushed him around the house. The fruits of his labors became apparent quickly after Jonah figured out how to take his first steps. 

When you get four boys sitting still long enough to successfully relay a story for Family Home Evening, you take a picture. 

Mother's Day happened! I kept saying all I wanted was one of those forms kids fill out about their moms. I finally got my first one and it was everything I wanted it to be. 

You guessed it. I figured the one day I could get away with making my boys don flowers was on Mother's Day. Not a one put up a fight about it.

Eli earned a prize at school and picked this Canadian bear because it reminded him of Grandma and Grandpa Excell. 

The Clintonites gathered one more time before we temporarily scattered. I say temporarily because I know we'll find a way back to each other!

Lincoln was quite proud of his first mustache.

My sister asked Jeff and me who is currently our hardest child. Jeff calmly and without question replied, "Lincoln is public enemy #1." It's been my favorite summary of life with a 3-year-old Lincoln.

Jeff and Carson fixed up a few damaged basement ceiling tiles. Hard hats mandatory. 

On the first day of school I accidentally signed up to help with field day when I was actually trying to sign up to help with a field trip. Big difference. I realized what I had done just as I was looping the last "l" of my name, but what was I going to do? Scribble it out?

Nah. Instead I was just going to casually ignore all the phone calls I would receive about field day. Luck appeared to be in my favor when I found myself lounging in bed the day before field day without a single text, phone call, or note home reminding me of my responsibilities. I had escaped my accidental obligation without so much as a hint of confrontation.

Then I got the text. The text saying why hadn't I responded to any of the emails and they really needed my help and how could I let all the children of the school down and who was going to spray them with a hose on the second to last day of school if I wasn't there? One text is all it took for this people-pleaser to throw all my plans (of laying in bed all day) out the window, find a babysitter (thanks, Becky) and go melt all morning at field day.

I knew Carson wasn't going to be there because he had afternoon kindergarten and was...with me, but I thought he would enjoy coming with me to help. What I didn't know was that Eli didn't have field day until the afternoon...so I went to help with field day at the time when neither of my kids were even there. Like a gosh darn fool. I really gotta switch around some numbers on the school forms this year when I fill out my phone number. I mean yeah, my kids might be stuck puking in the office with no one to pick them up, but if it gets me out of volunteering at field day again, it might be worth it.

Last day of kindergarten!

Last day of 2nd grade!

This is not a triple stroller. 

Cookies for our last day of school celebration!

And a quick run to the store while our older kids were at an end of year party. We survived another school year! But will we survive another summer...??? DUN DUN DUUUUNN!!