Awards Assemblies

May 31, 3013

Our kids really excel in school.  I am so proud of them!  We have been so pleased with our new school, Somerset Academy.  It's given our children exactly what they need. And the best part is that they LOVE school.  No whining and complaining about having to get up and ready in the morning.  They worked hard and it showed.  

Natalya and Branson both earned the highest honor you could receive: the President's Award for Academic Excellence.  That means that they have maintained straight A's throughout their schooling experience.  Well done!!

Natalya earned the President's Award for Academic Excellence, the A Honor Roll Award, and the Citizenship Award.

June 3, 2013

Branson's award assembly was a few days after Natalya's. (They hold them according to grade level.)  

My favorite picture.  He warms my heart!  I love the look of pride on his face.  He sure does love his  mom - Branson always beams at me when he knows he's done a good job.  

Branson earned the President's Award for Academic Excellence and the A Honor Roll Award.  

Way-to-go!! Your dad and I are SO proud of you both!

Bubbles

May 29, 2013

I was making dinner and Annika asks for bubbles. She found a nice piece of shade and plopped herself down. I took these pictures through the kitchen window so as not to disturb her.

There's nothing cuter than a baby in a diaper. Especially when soap is dribbling down her belly.

Last Day of Preschool

May 28, 2013

Irelynn is officially ready for Kindergarten! She had a wonderful preschool experience and a fabulous teacher.  Now she can't wait until she joins the big kids at their school in August.  

They had a darling performance to showcase all the songs they learned throughout the school year. My favorite was, "Crazy Color Creatures".  

 Irelynn earned the Starburst award for being a shining star.

 Irelynn with her sweet teacher, Mrs. Brown.  

Irelynn and Addy leaving school for the last time! 

Well done, Irelynn!!

Saturday Morning Car Wash

May 27, 2013

I remember being a child and waking up to the sounds of lawn mowers and leaf blowers. That's how I knew it was a Saturday morning.  Then I always looked forward to helping my dad wash the car.  

Maybe that's why I still love the Saturday mornings that we all wash the car.  

Good Daddy

May 25, 2013

Annika really wanted her nails painted.  Daddy obliged.

I love that Brian's wearing an apron that Natalya made - because he always wears an apron when doing the dishes. Annika has an apron on too - which means she wanted to be just like Dad. Too cute.

Were You Surprised?? Surely not.

May 24, 2013

Annika has struck again.  This time she just wanted to help make breakfast. Good intentioned?  Yes. Another mess for mom to clean up? Yes again. She reminds me of Little Critter from the story books...

I know what you're thinking, doesn't she watch her children? Of course I do. Like a hawk. But if I turn my back for one second, like to use the restroom or load the laundry or help someone with a homework problem, this is usually what transpires.   

Time Out.
One of her first phrases ever was, "Sorry Mom".  

We Have a Real Pool, I Swear

May 24, 2013

We have a pool and we swim all the time.  The kids LOVE to swim.  One day I filled up the old baby pool to act as a giant fill-station for the kids' water guns.  I was inside cleaning the kitchen and peeked out to check on them.  This is what I saw...

3 big kids 

in a baby pool 

with their squirt guns.  

This sight was too funny not to take a picture.  Where's Annika, you ask??  Taking a nap.  

"Welcome to our fancy dinner!"

May 23, 2013

The kids were being ornery and needed a distraction. So while I was making dinner, I suggested to the kids that we have a "fancy" dinner tonight.  They latched onto the idea and went to work.  Before I knew it, they had the dining room cleaned up and the table set with fancy napkins and glass cups.  (We don't normally let our children use our good dinnerware, lol.)  

Natalya printed name place cards off the computer, Branson lit a candle, Irelynn plucked flowers from the backyard, and Annika even put a bow in her hair.  I suggested to the kids that they put on fancy clothes and rehearse "Welcome to our fancy dinner" for Daddy when he comes home.  Brian was very impressed.  We even reviewed proper table etiquette.  Their manners were excellent!  It was such a nice evening.  And I loved seeing my children work together.

Let's do this again.

Nutella and Sprinklers

May 22, 2013

It was 7:00 in the morning and I found my 2 year old running around in the sprinklers, soaking wet, with a Nutella and Go bread stick snack that was also soaking wet.  

She was completely at peace.  If we all started our mornings like this, would the world be a happier place?   

Annual Work Retreat

May 17, 2013

Brian's firm plans an annual business retreat to Phoenix, AZ.  We look forward to it every year!  Despite his meetings and conferences, it's a nice little get-away. It feels like an extended date.  We went shopping, caught a movie, worked out, and sat by the pool.

We stayed at the JW Marriott.  Gorgeous!!  Here's a view from our room.

We seriously just sat on the balcony and read our books.  The weather was beautiful. 

I got a mani-pedi and felt quite pampered.  

We attended a black tie dinner for the firm.  Brian still fits in the tux he wore when we were married.  I found a dress I wore on homecoming court in high school.  Haha!  We will have to call it a classic/timeless look.  

It was a whirlwind weekend but ultimately worth the planning and effort.  Nana drove down from Utah to watch the kids - we were so grateful for her sacrifice to be here.  Thanks, Nana, for making this possible :)

"I stuck!"

May 16, 2013

Annika was wailing about something but she appeared to be fine.  Finally, frustrated, she yelled, "I stuck!  I stuck!" and then I could clearly see the problem. She managed to twist her hand in a hole in the chair bottom.  It's oval shaped so once she squeezed it in there and twisted, it was surely stuck!  I suppressed a laugh and seeing that she was okay, grabbed the camera...

It took me only a few seconds to free her.  

I think she learned a great lesson today: don't do that again.

"Mom! A bug!"

May 15, 2013

I hear, "Mom!  A bug!" from Annika on a regular basis.  She usually mistakes a piece of string or wad of lint for a bug, but I always check it out.  This time she was correct - a cockroach was upside down and dying by the baseboard where the bug man sprays.  I grabbed a can of bug spray from under my kitchen sink and hosed it.  While I was waiting for it to die, Annika grabbed the broom and took matters into her own hands.  After a couple good whacks she beamed at me proudly!  

She's my little firecracker.  

I couldn't resist taking a picture!

Vocana's Visit

May 12, 2013

The Vocana's came to Las Vegas for a visit!  We were so lucky to have them in our home. Our kids picked up right where they left off :)

Left to right
Natalya Reeve, Annika Reeve, Karson Vocana, Branson Reeve, Irelynn Reeve, Karlee Vocana, Kyler Vocana

When we were taking this picture, the adults in the room were cracking up at Annika posing for her close-up.  Haha!  She's so darn cute.  

Father's and Son's Camp Out

May 10-11, 2013

Brian took Branson and our two nephews to the ward's Father's and Son's camp out.  Branson had a great time with his cousins.  Dirt, fire, s'mores.  A boy's dream.  

Branson and Zach playing with flashlights

 Friday night

 Saturday morning

Their faces still plastered with smiles.  I'd call that a success! 

The Busiest Child. Ever.

May 5, 2013

I don't take pictures of a fraction of the trouble she gets into.  Here's just two more instances...

Isn't it frustrating when you try to break the tape and it doesn't tear properly?  This tangled mess occurred in less than 5 seconds.

She decided to clean and plunge the toilet.  How thoughtful.  

Soccer Stars

April 30, 2013

Irelynn participated in her first soccer season!  And Branson decided to join soccer again for his 3rd season.  I am very proud of both kids.  They were excellent team players and tried their best.  Both improved throughout the season and had fun too.

Irelynn's last game...

Left to right:
Coach Mike, Eva, Mara, Ethan, Coach Rico
Kaden, Ethan, Dakota, Isabelle

Irelynn's throw-in

She didn't love soccer the entire season.  There were some days I thought she just signed up for the cute uniforms and cleats.  But she learned to love it.  The funny thing was that during the last game, she couldn't stop smiling!  Haha!  She was grinning in almost every picture I took.  I'm so glad she didn't give up early in the season.  She stuck it out and learned a new skill - and even enjoyed it.

Branson's Final Game

Branson is naturally good at soccer.  Although he's not aggressive at home, he can be really aggressive on the field.  Branson loves to play on offense. 

Here's the play-by-play... 

Aiden, the goalie, has the ball.  Branson and Eric are moving in for the steal.

Branson makes his move!

He steals the ball!  He shoots!

HE SCORES!!  GOOOAL!! The crowd goes wild!

Then of course he searches the crowd for his mom, their eyes meet, and he seeks her approval.  Mom acts slightly crazy, clapping and whooping.  

What a great way to finish the season!  Well done, Branson!