Kaycee's Four!!

I seriously don't know where all the time goes, but it is definitely not waiting for anyone! Yesterday, Kaycee turned four! It seems like she should still be toddling around. I think of all of our kids, KC has to be the most spunky. She can give the sweetest smile and compliment and just moments later, also give you the fiercest scowl and back talk! Just the other day she says "mom, where are your ears? Are they open?" I respond "yes." Then she says "well then listen to me!" Oh, the sweetness... She's also my little back seat driver - it's kind of funny.

So here's to you, Kaycee, Happy, happy birthday!! We love you!


(She wanted the same cake as Lucy)

Cute girl!

A Day of Golf

Here is our day of golf at the Sanctuary this year, we went last Friday. I must say that I enjoyed myself more last year as this year, the weather was crazy! It started out sunny, windy and chilly, then turned dark and dreary, chillier, and it started to rain a couple times. We finished though with the sun peeking through (although it didn't help the temperature at all). I maybe drove and putted the the ball a handful of times, but mostly enjoyed my time spectating and cruising around in the golf cart with my legs covered with a hand towel. We were sad that Micki and Spencer ended up not being able to come, but Ryan grabbed some buddies and had a great time. Here are some pictures of our golf day this year:

A beautiful view from the first hole

The dark clouds rolling in


Ryan with his buddies, Dan and Eric

My handsome hubby!

It is such a beautiful course, you really have to see all 18 holes!

Lucy's two!

Our little Lucy turned two years old today! I can't believe how fast the time has gone by. She's the first of our children to turn two and not have a younger sibling (not that we didn't try) to take away her "baby" spot in the family, so she definitely knows how to play that card! She is just as darling as can be, and in an instant, can turn that sweetness into sass. She certainly runs the show at our house. We love our Lulu Bean to pieces - Happy Birthday sweet girl!

Blowing out her two candles!

Cool, cool Lucy

Lucy with her loot!

While I'm blogging, Lucy decides she isn't finished with her cake and tries to sneak it away at bedtime.
Too bad she didn't get very far!

And, a happy birthday to my little sister, Reecy who shares her birthday with Lucy. I'm not sure why I always call her 'my little sister,' we're only 17 mos apart, but she turns 26 today!! Love you Reece, hope you had a great day too!

Rylee's Birthday Party

Rylee's actual birthday isn't until the end of June, but she was so excited to plan a birthday party with Grandma Hunt before school gets out. The planning started a few weeks ago and the invitations were sent out. 27 invitations total including her entire school and primary classes and 1 neighbor girl. I had put on the invitation 'Regrets Only' and didn't hear from a single soul that couldn't make it. Whoa!

Grandma, Rylee and I went to work planning a Jungle Safari birthday party. Grandma found fabulous decorations, party favors and a fun monkey pinata (and so much more)! Ryan and I geared up for the games and food with really no clue of how many kids would actually make it. I must say we were a little surprised to find that 20 kids were able to come! We planned about 8 or 9 games in the backyard and thanks to amazing aunts and uncles (Carla, Kyle, Aaron & Angela- you are all angels!!) the party was a huge success! Unfortunately, a funeral took Gma and Gpa to Idaho, but we are so thankful for all of their hard work (and Gma Didi's too) in making Rylee's party such a fun time.

Needless to say after all the kids left, we were all pooped! We had no idea that having so many kids for only 2 hours would be such hard work!! It was all worth it though to see Rylee and her friends having such a great time. (I think though that we'll have the 'friends parties' every other year!) Thanks again to everyone that helped us out - we couldn't have done it without you, especially Grandma!

We tried to snap some pics, but it was such a whirlwind that our camera didn't make it out for most of the party. I'm pretty sure Angela got some more.

"Hippo Mud Puddles" (brownies and ice cream) and opening gifts

As if we didn't have enough going on yesterday, it was also the annual dumpster day in our neighborhood. Six commercial-size dumpsters are brought in and everyone in the neighborhood can come and dump all their junk. And boy, did we take advantage of that! Ryan got up at 6:45am to load our old windows (14), old carpet, about 8 contractor bags of drywall, and wood siding (from the windows) that had been sitting beside the house for almost a year now. Luckily, everything fit in to the back of the truck (only allowed one car load) and Ryan was off by 8:15am to wait in line and dump it all, just across our cul de sac. Thanks to dumpster day, we no longer will have to rent our own dumpster until we re-do the kitchen - yay!

I don't think it gets more 'Hillbillies' that this!

Our Pre-School Graduate

Tonight we attended Clay's pre-school graduation. It was a 30 minute program filled with songs with actions, the pledge of allegiance, a story they acted out and then their graduation procession in their cap and gowns. It was darling! Here are some pictures for you to enjoy! Way to go Clayton!

Clay looking handsome

Clay performing with is classmates (only 4 of them total!)

Taking a bow after his performance as Charlie from the story

Charlie the Caterpillar

Clay receiving the "most energetic student" award not surprising at all!!

So handsome! Kindergarten - here we come!!

So proud!

Clay with his fabulous teacher, Miss Terry

A Productive Weekend

I can't tell you how much I love having Ryan home every other Friday. I think the only thing better would be to have Spencer's set up and get EVERY Friday off. I love it though and this weekend we were able to get SO much done!




First off, Friday morning was Rylee's Field Day at school. It was so fun to watch her play volleyball, do yoga, dance, play soccer and lacrosse. She did phenomenally well with soccer and lacrosse. We were so impressed to see her get right in there with her lacrosse stick and actually caught the ball when the high school helper threw it back in. She is looking forward to her soccer training next month. I wished I would have taken video of KC dancing with Rylee's class. It was hilarious. She tried so hard to keep up and watching her follow the steps was awesome! A lot of the parents got a kick out of her. KC has already mentioned she doesn't want to play any sports, just dance. She was so cute!




In anticipation for Micki and Spencer's visit next weekend, we've been hanging drywall in the basement getting the room prepared for them. We had moved a wall in the Fall and so it has just been waiting to be drywalled, along with the ceiling. After receiving my delicious breakfast in bed on Saturday, we got ready to attend a baptism of a daughter of our friends in the ward and enjoyed a lovely lunch at their home afterwards. When we came back home, we changed our clothes and headed over to Home Depot to pick up some more sheets of drywall. When we came back home, I helped Ryan carry in 3 of the 8 sheets and figured it wasn't worth the strain on my body to get them downstairs, so Ryan being a champ carried the 5 remaining sheets in and downstairs (separately of course - those things are beasts!) We hung drywall the rest of the afternoon and completed the room! YAY!! I haven't posted much of our home improvements, but here are some pictures of the room downstairs. It's hard to see without a wide lens, but where you see that dark line on the floor, that was where the funky wall was before. We moved it over to make the room square and frame the window that is right at the bottom of the stairs when you go through the door. We still need to finish mudding and start taping, put the door back on, and finish tearing the wall paper off, texture and paint, but I can't wait for the end result! Stay tuned.

We really want this room to be complete, so I started looking on craigslist for a queen bed for our guests (and then for KC and Rylee). I came across a king size bed for $50 and decided to go for that one for Ryan and I and then move our queen downstairs. Well, we couldn't go pick it up until after 9:30pm Saturday night, so with sleeping children in the van and Ryan in his dad's truck we went to go pick up the bed. Ryan was a champ again and carried in not only the frame and box springs, but this king sized mattress all by himself. It was the funniest thing I had ever seen as I didn't know that these mattresses were so flimsy. What would I do without such a tough husband?! After we got the bed home I realized that although this bed was a smashing deal, I would have to buy sheets and a new comforter and make a new headboard. So much for my smashing deal. It's all good though.

Sunday was fabulous! I love Mother's Day. I'm so grateful to be a mom and to have such wonderful examples of not only my mom and mother in law, but of my sisters and sisters in law. You guys are the best! My kids got me a new comfy, pretty pink robe and Ryan bought me The Host. It was such a wonderful day finished off with a delicious dinner (and company) at the Hunts. Sorry, no pics. (No pics of me six months into a pregnancy and for about 6 mos after. Trust me, it's just better that way.)

Chickadees

It's been a while since I posted any pictures of the kids. At Clay's request, here are some we took this morning, bed-head hair and all.

He's official!

Almost a week over due, we'd like to give a shout out to our newest brother in law, Kyle, for passing the bar!! He's officially a lawyer now licensed in Colorado. We are so thrilled for him and Carla and wish them much success. Way to go Kyle!!
(and thanks for the picture Christina!)

Ugh! Again?!

Yesterday, we enjoyed a beautiful day at the park in 80 degree weather. Now we wake up to this! It was worse when we first woke up, but it's supposed to be like this ALL day! I get in such a bad mood when we enjoy beautiful spring/summer weather and then the next day we find this! ARG! I must say though that Colorado is notorious for the weather changing in an instant, so luckily when it does snow, it doesn't stick around long. But really, is anyone else tired of this winter weather?? (And if you live in a place that hasn't seen snow in months - you are not allowed to comment. Okay you can, but no bragging!)