Otters

I took the kids to the zoo today.  A zoo.  Funny.  Zoos are kind of a novel concept to my crew of desert dwellers.  The only zoo they've ever been to was the San Diego Zoo....yeah, like a six hour drive from Vegas....and they were each so young the two different times we were there, they don't really remember anything.  So this was kind of like their maiden voyage into zoo-ville.  It was fun!

These otters were my favorite.

:)

Last Day of School and First Days of Summer

Sigh....back again at last.  Only a few (thousand) things to catch up on here.  Here's the short version.  Less words, more pictures.  Both the boys finished school on June 7.  Here's Clayton before heading out for the last day.  He looks like an almost 4th grader, right?  (Or maybe....6th grader!)

First day of school--August 2011

Thomas's school had a graduation ceremony this past Friday for the Kindergartners.  Here he is afterward with his teacher.

Posing with the fancy certificate.

Mom and Dad and our 1st grader!

The fab four!

T just had to take a photo of us.

Last Monday, Clay did a three-day long football camp at UNLV.  I think it was one of the best experiences of his long nine years.  He learned a ton, got to work with real college football coaches, meet some of the players, tour the locker room (he reported it smelled like feet!  Ha!)  The staff did a really great job of giving the kids the full picture of being a student athlete.  Pretty cool, except that he's ready to go to college now.

There's been lots of reading so far this summer.

Some playing too.

LOTS of backyard swimming.

Some bathing suit modeling. ;)

Did I mention the reading?  (Love her foot on him.  Read--I own you!)

Some kisses with Daddy....in public!

And we've fit in some cooking too.

It's been a busy first couple weeks of summer.  Tons of camps right at the get-go and then....nothing.  The boys are both doing camp/VBS at our church every evening this week and Clay's doing a model car camp today through Thursday as well (right before VBS).  Sprinkle in a couple doctor appointments too, and feeling a little chauffer-ish these days.  Anywho....that's what we've been up to.  Catch up with you soon!

My bookends and me.  Love them so.

Mother's Day 2012.

I Am SO Blessed

I am one blessed mama.  This rocked my heart yesterday morning....

We're on our way to take Clay to school.  Only been in the truck about a minute or so, barely out of our neighborhood.  Thomas says, "Mommy...."

"Yes," I answered.

"You're the best mom ever!" (He's not my sensitive one, so comments like this from him really touch me.)

"Aww, thanks, honey.  That makes me feel so special."

Then Clay adds, "It's true, Mommy."  Oh.my.heart.

"Thanks, other honey," I say.

And Gaby from the backseat is saying over and over, "I'm so happy!  I'm so happy!"

Elena's along too, of course, and just having her with is special.

Sometimes, life is just that sweet.

My Loves

and their Daddy too.