Rykers 7th Birthday and End of the School Year

My Ryker Boy turned 7 this year!! He woke up bright and early with excitement and came and got in bed with me. Shaun was already up getting ready for work so Ryker and I laid in bed and I told him about the day he was born. May 18th 2005 changed my life forever.

His birthday was on a friday so he stayed home from school to have fun with this family. Shaun was able to take a half day from work and we meet up with him to have pizza for lunch.

Then we headed home and we let Ryker open his presents from us. 

Ryker didn't waste anytime opening up his new Lego sets. They got right to work putting everything all together.

Then Millie and I headed over to Nana and Pas to get things set-up for his birthday party. We invited a few families to come over and swim and eat BBQ with us. I didn't get any pictures of kids swimming but here they all are jumping on the tramp.

Ryker loves his chocolate cake.

Riggy-boy eating some cake too.

Sweet Sister enjoying her popsicle.

Sellards clan

 Opening a few more gifts.

This is a random picture of Rigdon. Check out his cereal crumb goatee.

With a few days left of school Ryker's teacher invited me and 2 other moms in to have pizza with the class as a thank you for helping all year long. The 3 of us came in each week the whole school year and helped in the classroom. I loved going to help.....it reminded me of my days working at Finley Farms in the KG classrooms. It is also a great way to get to know all the kids in his class really well. So I had to bring Rigdon with me and he sat and acted like he belonged. It was really cute.

Then right after that we went over to pick up Amelia on her last day of preschool with Ms. Johnson. She normally LOVES to sing and dance but she was acting super weird and wouldn't get up and sing with her class. I think she was sad that it was the last day. Oh well, as soon as we got home she sang all the songs for me.

Ms. Johnson and Amelia

The next day was Ryker's class party. Ms Born gave the kids these awesome yearbooks that she made. It was fun to celebrate with his class and all the parents.

Her is a picture of Ryker's closest friends. They are all great boys and I'm pretty sure all they talked about is Mario Bros.  Ryker is really going to miss them!

Rayce, Ryker, Truman, Tommy and Jordan

Well, we are soooooo ready for summer time and can't wait to have so much fun. We get to put away the backpacks and bring on the swimsuits and flip-flops!!

May 1st- May 17th

Now that is it getting hot, the kids are loving to play outside with a hose and blow-up pool.

I walked outside to check on them and Ryker had put the blow-up pool on the tramp. This is exactly what Abe and I use to do when we were kids. I was a proud mama.

Shaun is the best husband EVER and is very supportive in my love for politics and he lets me go to different meetings such as this TeaParty meeting. I go often but I REALLY want to make it to this particular Tea Party meeting because this amazing artist from Utah was going to be there to speak to us. I stumbled across his paintings a few years back and fell in love. Since then he has received much more media attention because he has been doing more political paintings. They speak the truth and I love his passion. He is using his talent to "Wake-up" America and hopefully we will be able to restore this wonderful country that we live in.

Jon McNaughton and Leah

Seriously, this boy is so stinkin cute, I can't get enough of him. 

One random day we had a major rainstorm...lightning and thunder inculded. My kids just stared out the open back door as the rain came down.

Ok, this little guy is just so funny!! He loves to put his face up on glass and the shower door and makes the silliest faces. I laugh so hard everytime.

More swimming.

I'm sad I didn't get more pictures on Mothers Day but this was the only quick picture we took right after church. They gave me flowers, cards and gifts cards. But my favorite was the sleeping in :) Then Ryker brought me a bowl of Chex cereal in bed. It was way sweet and cracked me up. They know I'm not a breakfast eater but Ryker still wanted to serve his mom.

Amelia had 3 weeks of swim lessons with Ms Whitney. (Ms Celeste's daughter). Ms. Celeste hurt her neck so her daughter filled in for her. Amelia did a great job and is swimming really well. She doesn't go to far from the steps but I know this sumer she will be a little fish like her big brother.

It is so fun to drive by and see the progress of the Gilbert Temple as it is being built. We heard that Angel Moroni was being put on top and wanted to check it out. We missed watching them actually lift it up with the crane but as we drove on the freeway to the site we saw Angel Moroni glistening in the sun.

May 17th was my last day of preschool this year. It is always hard to say good-bye to such sweet kids. I really enjoyed this class and they really were a great bunch of kids. 

 Daddy time!!! These kids love to play with their Dad. He is a good sport and gives lots of horsey rides. My favorite is when Rigdon decides he wants off and just bails off without any warning. Good thing Shaun always seems to catch him.

The rest of April

Ryker had a school carnival. It was a freakishly cold and windy day. So I just took him and Shaun stayed home with the younger 2 kids. They had this fun bouncer thing and Ryker had a blast! HE was hooting and hollering the whole time.

A random day I let Ryker stay home from school and we picked up a few of our friends and went to the park and played. Some days are just to nice to be stuck indoors.

Amelia loves to get dressed on her own but sometimes she comes in wearing some crazy outfits!

Ryker and Amelia wanted to play school so I got out some of my preschool stuff and they were so funny to listen to. They said and did everything like I do it.

Our first swim of the year! It was April 20th, the water was still cold but the kids didn't seem to care.

I love my boys. Yes I try to buy them as many matching outfits as possible. I'm a weirdo like that.

Rigdon LOVES salsa. He wants to eat it all the time and with EVERYTHING. Whatever he is eating he will dip in his salsa. Chips, cantaloupe, cookies.....it really is gross.

He also loves his green smoothies. I try to make the kids a green smoothie every day. It has spinach, pear, banana, a little OJ, ice, water and some liquid Omega-3 stuff. It is the only way I can get them to eat their greens for the day. But Rigdon loves them and it is so cute to watch him drink these. He usually makes a huge mess and is covered in green smoothie.

Shaun's parents took us to see Glenn Beck. It was very funny and inspiring all in one. Glenn is a great speaker and has done lots of good things for this country.

Almost every year for the past several years I have been able to go on a quick girls trip with my High School friends!  We drive up to Show Low (where Natalie has a cabin) Friday afternoon, eat dinner at El Rancho then stay up talking the night away and then drive home Saturday afternoon. It is just enough time to be with friends and let the dads have fun with the kids. We missed Alissa, Linds and Heather but Megann flew down from Idaho just for the trip :)

Megann, Morgan, Natalie, Rhona and Leah

Ryker's kindergarten class had their little performance for the year. The Barnyard Hallabaloo. The songs were adorable and the kids did great. 

Here is Ryker with a few of his buddies.

Ryker, Truman, Rayce, Aiden and Jordan

We love popsicles!!!