Joseph and the Amazing...Production

Last weekend we went to see a local production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. I remembered the music from my college days because my roommate loved show (and most other musicals--miss you Kelli!), but I myself had never seen the show. I think I can speak for our whole family when I say that we LOVED it! The Johnsons came along with us and were equally as impressed. Owen's teacher, Mrs. Smith, had told us months ago about the production. Her daughter was one of the narrators and is Kate's new idol. Seriously. Kate was dancing in and out of her seat. I hope to always remember how she looked...focused expression on her face, watching and imitating every move that Gabi made. She could have cared less that there were people sitting all around her. As an added bonus our friend Blake was also in the show. So fun to see him in action as well.
Fun friends...thanks for joining us Beth and Shae!
We borrowed the soundtrack from Beth and Shae and the kids have been listening to it ever since. Kate and Gracie (who wasn't even there mind you) dress up and dance around the family room while Kate sings at the top of her lungs. Even I wake up in the night with, "Jacob, Jacob and sons..." running through my head over and over again.

Below Davis is demonstrating his signature dance move.
And now for an added treat Kate will show you a little something that she learned from this life-changing experience. I took this video after we got home from the show.

Things that have made me laugh recently...

Gracie--Need I say more? I was working in the yard and this is how she came out to tell me something. So funny. I laugh just thinking about it!

She also came crying to me this week after hitting her head on the counter. I asked her what happened and she said, "The counter attacked me!" Can you tell she has older brothers?

Davis-- Just for "fun" he wanted to compare how much we weigh (sounds like fun, right?). He was thrilled that he weighed more than 50 lbs...then it was my turn. I got on the scale and he yells, "Wow Mom! You weigh twelve hundred pounds!" I can tell we still have a ways to go with number reading.

This Week...

Last Sunday Jed sent the kids on a treasure hunt

(he made a map and everything).
They had to...
twirl around fifteen times without falling down.... play leapfrog on the front lawn...go through the jungle while watching out for tigers...take a trip down the twisty slide...
And then finally they reached the treasure...
The blackberries are finally RIPE! Yum!

In other news this week...
Davis' sunflower has bloomed! Yeah!
Isn't nature amazing?My respect for working mothers has recently increased. One of Jed's assistants quit to go back to school, so I have been recruited to work at the office several times this month. I dusted off my scrubs and name tag and have found that I am a very rusty assistant in some areas, but other things have come right back to me. I am glad that Jed and Tyler are being careful about who they hire (it is better to wait for the right person), but I will admit that I will be happy when they are done with the hiring process. I am sure that the ladies at the office would agree with me. They are all working hard to pick up the slack.Finally, we have one monster fort in the boys room. I love watching their imaginations going wild as they make fort building plans. Let's be honest though, the clean freak in me is always happy to see them come down...As of today it is still up, but I am coping with the mess (you know that it is now not only filled with blankets, but by 600 books and 2 million Legos)....just shut the door and walk away I tell myself, they are making memories.

Happy 90th Birthday Grandpa!

Last week we returned from a week in California with my family. This year we were also celebrating my Grandpa's 90th birthday (okay, so the actual birthday isn't for a few more weeks, but we thought we better have a party before school started). It was a great party with lots of old friends, family and of course great food (oooh, I am craving that homemade ice cream as I write this!). Several of my Grandpa's nieces and nephews flew in from other states, his fours kids were there and lots of other relatives made sacrifices to celebrate with us. What fun. I loved hearing the experiences that people had had with my grandpa and looking at old photos (my Bro, Matt put together a video). A photographer friend of my parents took photos, which I will have to post once we get them.

The party wasn't the only fun part about our trip to Cali. We also spent a day at Pinecrest lake, visited a friend's ranch, spent some time at my Grandpa's home, had an adults night out, etc...
love this photo of Gracie cracking up at my brother
my beautiful niece, Emma, can't believe she is going to be in Middle School--Emma, STOP GROWING UP! :)My handsome dad...when I think of Pinecrest Lake I always think of the time that I dropped his BRAND NEW camera into the lake from the dock...ugh. Thank goodness we have new memories there now, right Dad????
To all of you this picture of the boys may seem like an odd choice, but in looking closer I can almost hear Owen, Davis and Hunter giggling.
Kate totally zonked out while riding in my lap in a Kayak. Luckily Jed and Davis were in the back. If I had been rowing by myself with her sleeping on me, I still might be in the middle of that lake! Poor girl I kept bonking her on the head with my oar. Apparently, it didn't bother her.
Doesn't this paddle boat full of girls look like fun? Seriously fun cousin time. Kate is still missing them.
I had to take a pic of this moment. I walked through the family room and noticed my bro-in-law having a chat with Davis about all of his favorite things. I was so grateful that he would take the time to hear all of Davis' ideas and ask him questions about things that are really only important to a 5 year old. Seriously, the cutest guys ever...David and Jed.
Davis with Donald Davis...I am so glad that Davis is able to have so many interactions with his great-grandpa.
I wonder if Grandpa has any idea what Gracie is saying to him.
All cowboys have water guns, right?
I was laughing while taking this picture. When my sister was 14 the saddle that she was sitting on broke and she fell off a horse, she was terrified of riding after that (nobody blamed her). So proud that you have come so far Amy!
Kate kept oscillating between being terrified of the animals and loving them.
My sweet Mama...she's always so happy when everyone comes home. Wish we could do it more often.

A few things that I think are beautiful...

Cherries from our yard.Caterpillars on a blueberry bush.

Water balloons--they take so long to fill up and then are gone in just a few minutes, but they sure look pretty in the bucket!

In the last 10 days we have...

Sent Jed and Owen off on their first overnight backpacking trip (below you will note 3 outstanding Dads--do these kids know how lucky they are?)...(Owen could not stop talking about their adventures when he got home)

Felt sorry for Davis who was wounded while climbing down from a kitchen counter during our "art class"...
Talked about food groups with "lunch on a stick" (it takes so little for them to be entertained)...
Witnessed Gracie's artistic talents, once again ON MY WALLS--ugh!
Picked 35 pounds of blueberries
(Thank you Miss Pam! We LOVE your farm!)...
Revisited Gracie's love of animals with the dogs at the blueberry farm and with Penny, the Preschool's guinea pig's, 4 day stay in our home...
Dressed up like princesses...
Witnessed Owen's competitive side during a watermelon eating contest at a church activity...
And FINALLY crossed "Go to 7-11 for a Slurpee" off our Summer Bucket List!