Callie...I'm almost done!

Hobbies. It's about time.

In order to do better at something you have to practice. Practice takes time. Time is something I rarely have. I feel like I could spend everyday cleaning the house and taking care of my childern and that's all. And I still wouldn't have time to do that as well as I want. Lately my friend Rebecca has cost me a clean house and made my laundry room look like a bomb hit it! She has sucked my back into sewing again and somehow made me think it would be "fun" to run a half marathon! So, since time isn't something I have in excess, something has to give. That would be the laundry and the bathrooms.

Now that I'm sewing and running again and my house is a disaster why not try to squeeze in some photography! I need to keep taking pictures so I can improve. My problem is I would so rather take pictures than clean. Besides, I'm already really good at cleaning. I don't need the practice. So these are some pictures of my parents at their house. My dad just finished his waterfall, and the yard is gorgeous with everything in bloom! My parents love to work in their yard and have such a great eye and talent for it. I thought I would experiment a little with the pictures.

(I wanted to do a green thumb picture. I couldn't make it exactly what I wanted, but kind of cool anyway.)

I also had a chance to do a photo shoot with a friends daughters. Very photogenic, almost too easy! This is how a couple turned out. The rest are on my photo blog.



I love to take pictures! And I love a clean house! I just wish I had a little more time!

The Merry Merry Month of May

Is is June ALREADY?! The month of May went by soooo fast! It was packed with so many activities I haven't even been able to keep up with my laundry, let alone my blog. So here is what we were up to, as my poor memory serves...

1.Our back patio. I spent most of the spring moving plants getting ready for it. Then in May we spent a week ripping out sod, leveling the ground, dumping gravel, and getting concrete supplies. Finally we were able to pour it. We had the help and wisdom of my Dad of course, and the help of our friends on the concrete day. So after 5 years we finally have a beautiful patio! Our BBQ and picnic table finally have a home! I love it!

2. A trip to Bi-Zi farms with Olivia's preschool! I took the boys along and we got to see the baby animals, learn about bees, and plant a strawberry plant. Olivia's favorite part was the morning when we packed lunches for everyone with special treats. She loves to get organized and pack things for a trip. You just have to mention that we are going somewhere and she is already packing a bag with the things she thinks she will need for the trip. Nathan was in a clingy mood, so it wasn't relaxing at all. But Cody was so excited about the little animals! I picked up the rabbit and it scratched me a little bit and the kids were sooo concerned about it, every day they wanted to see if it was getting better.

3. Kindergarten roundup. Olivia got to go plant a seed in the kindergarten class and get to know the classroom. Us parents got have a meeting about school next year. They changed Kindergarten to all day, 2-3 days a week. We get to choose Mon. & Thurs or Tues & Frid. and then we also go every other Wednesday! I think it is nuts! I am so scatterbrained, I just hope Olivia doesn't miss too many Wednesdays! I think this is going to be stressful for me. Nathan starts preschool next year also, he goes m, w, f. I chose pm for him thinking that it would match up with Olivia's kindergarten. That was a waste! I just think next year instead of the time I thought I would have with just me and Cody, 3 days a week, I won't know if I'm coming or going. Wish me luck...

4.Casey took the kids camping (Brooklyn, Olivia, and Nathan) I stayed home with Cody. Now that WAS relaxing! The kids had a blast. They roasted marshmallows and he took them on a hike in the morning. The girls were especially excited because they felt ripped off that they don't get to go to father's and sons. Casey said they kept changing their clothes every time they got dirty, and decided that they needed their pj's on at 7 o'clock. (I wish that would happen at home.)


5. We helped Grandpa plant his garden. After years of struggling to get my garden to grow, I've admitted defeat. It was just too small and and hard to water. So we decided to put our efforts into helping with my dad's garden by buying some of the plants and helping to plant it. Brooklyn was an excellent tomato planter and Olivia started out well with the pumpkins and corn, but fizzled out and had a melt down saying it's too hot to be outside. Nathan, he was Mr. Invisible. He disappeared several minutes after we got there, but reappeared as soon as he heard the tractor start up.

6. Memorial Day weekend May/Dyer camp out. We haven't gone for a couple years, but this is something we did every year growing up. Thanks to Callie's persistence we were able to get a campsite and go this year. The kids are really loving camping! And it is getting easier now that they are getting a little older. My mom and dad went up first early Friday morning, and took Brooklyn with them. Then a few hours later Callie and I drove up together with all the kids. (Casey and Brandon had to work so they drove up together later.) At first we were pretty proud of ourselves for getting ready and up to the site without the men. But, as I needed my dad's help putting up the tent (I had to take care of Cody) and realizing that I forgot my dutch oven, griddle, a lighter, dish soap, paper cups, etc..... I realized that, "although slow and dangerous behind the wheel, husbands can serve a purpose!" Yeah, it is alot easier with Casey's help! On Saturday morning I was able to go for a run with Rebecca, then we took the kids to the fish hatchery and then to Panther creek falls. So beautiful!

7.Casey's Birthday! This was on Monday, Memorial Day this year. We started out the day with a ward activity. "The Amazing Scripture Scavenger Hunt" was a hike around Round Lake on Lacamas Lake. It was alot of fun, and I can't believe I had never been there! After the activity we went home and I made a couple Strawberry-Rhubarb pies, my mom made some ice cream and we had a pool party at my parents!

8. Fathers and sons campout. For the 3rd week in a row Casey went camping. This time it was just with Nathan for father and sons. Nathan loved rubbing it in to his sisters that no girls were coming.This campout required a little more planning since Casey is in the stake Young Men's pres. He had to buy all the food and stuff for breakfast for the whole stake.

9. Olivia's soccer party. She and Porter had been playing soccer with a group of kids from my parents ward on Tuesday's. They had a nice little end of season party with trophies and a slip and slide.

10. Brooklyn's "Bug Extravaganza"! Her first grade class had an "informance" for the music class. She got to be butterfly. She so excited. She told me exactly what she was going to do for her part. I was pretty excited too, since last year, I had just had Cody and missed it, thinking it was the next week. I felt horrible! She was so excited to see me and my mom there. She kept waving at us when we made eye contact. I brought her pack of gum that said, "Brooklyn you are a butterfly "sensation"!"(fruit sensations gum).

11.A visit from Jess and Lacy! We were so happy to have them come visit! Jess hadn't been out since Brooklyn was born. We love to have visitors, especially Casey's family! We did a little shopping in Portland and then went out to Seaside. Jess and Lacy saw a clam bubbling up in the sand and were able to dig it up. Nathan just thought Jess was the coolest! And Olivia even warmed up to him.(It helped that she was in her own territory) I hope I sold them on the Northwest so we can get them to move here! Casey would be stoked!

Daisy Diva

Brooklyn outgrew her Barbie bike. (Her knees were practically hitting her chin when she pedaled.) We went back and forth on what bike to get her, then I found this. Daisy Diva! It has old fashioned fenders, a basket, and seat with springs. Plus it is baby blue! Sooo cute! I ordered it and the whole family was excited to watch Casey put it together. It took Brooklyn a couple tries to get used to a bigger bike (she got a little emotional and almost gave up.) but eventually got used to it. Olivia was excited too, because we added a basket to her bike also. (She just learned to ride without training wheels last month. Now everyday that it isn't raining she gets her bike out and rides around the back yard. She can often be found riding her bike, wearing her swim suit, suede winter boots up to her knees, and her helmet.)

We took the kids to "the jumps" on Monday. (an empty lot with a ditch about as deep as I am tall.) Casey kept telling Brooklyn that her bike couldn't do jumps because the handlebars are so big. But I thought that was what they were all like 20 years ago. So we went. Nathan can't go because he has training wheels. Then he runs in front of Olivia, so crashes and her handlebars come loose. Then before I can finish with her, Brooklyn crashes. So I'm helping her, and Olivia crashes again! (Casey couldn't help because he had Cody on his bike.) This was my first time at "the jumps". (Casey has taken them a few times, and they go on and on about what fun it is.) Let's just say it wasn't what I expected.

Cody's 1st Birthday

It's been 1 whole year! I can't believe it! I wish being pregnant went that fast! Cody celebrated his first birthday with his cousin Evelyn who is 7 hours older than him. The weather was nice so we had cake, pie and ice cream out on our new patio (I'll post about that later). Cody has been walking for about 2 weeks now. He is still very wobbly but is always carrying something while he walks (I guess he likes a challenge). He got a cute little ball from the kids for his birthday,they also gave one to Evelyn. He can palm it and loved walking around holding one in each hand.

Cody started to walk a couple weeks ago. So he got new shoes for his b-day.

It was also mother's day, so I ended up getting the first half of the day off, then I got busy making 2 strawberry rhubarb pies. They are totally worth is though, they are my favorite! For mother's day the kids and Casey brought me breakfast in bed. Olivia made a cute heart pin at preschool and drew me some beautiful pictures. Brooklyn made a cute paper plate craft at school. The kids and Casey gave me a sprayer for my plants and a little shovel. The kids were so excited for mother's day, they were busy all week preparing all their crafts. When the girls got home from school they both ran in the house and found special hiding places for their gifts and told me not to look there.

I'm 3 now I'm 4

Nathan's birthday was 2 days after was got back from our cruise. He had been planning his 4th birthday since last year. He was very specific about what is should be like. " I want a Transformers Optimus Prime birthday with Gabe and Hiram." So I decided that since it was a beautiful day I just threw the party together that day. We had the family over and his two friends. We had a barbecue outside and played some games. It went really well, I'm glad I didn't wait until later in the week.

So here's a bit about 4 year old Nathan. He's been telling us that he is not Nate-dawg anymore. He says,"When I was little I'm Nate-dawg, I'm 4 I'm Nathan." He's excited about learning his ABC's. (poor thing, I forgot to even try to teach him them, I was still working on Olivia.) We'll have to work on them this summer. He loves pineapple and to ride his new bike, Rocket, and got a matching helmet from grandma May. He can be the sweetest little boy, but he loves to drive people crazy. He loves to tease people until they snap. I'm his sunbeams teacher and let's just say I'm exhausted. He is very particular about where every thing goes. He remembers where they came from and will correct you if you try to put it in the wrong place. He is so stink'n cute all he has to do is smile and I just makes you want to squeeze him! (And he know's it!)

THE Cruise

This is really wordy, but it IS my journal too.
So we had the May Family cruise 2009 on March 30-April 3. It had been long anticipated. Planned as my Dad's birthday presents and as our Christmas gifts.
We were all prepared, shopped til we were exhausted for the perfect cruise attire, and saved all our cash for our Mexican souvenirs. Family had been flown in to watch kids and last minute medical emergencies adverted (thanks to our family friend, who is also a doctor! Thanks Sherilyn! I thought Olivia was getting a staph infection, Logan was getting bronchitis, and Callie had questions about the Dramamine patch, so we all called Sherilyn within a half hour of each other the night before we left.)
We left at 5 am for the airport. So far so good. When we arrived at the Long Beach airport we met up with Heidi and Ryan. They said that Ryan found out that his driver's licence was expired, but was able to get on the plane anyway. Whew!
We were all so stoked!
Then we waited for our vans that would take us to the ship. And we waited. And we waited.




This is the only picture I got of Heidi.
After about 2 hours we decided to take a couple taxi's. (We did get some nice pics with the palm trees. It was a beautiful day!)
When we arrived at the ship Casey and I got in line and continued through, but nobody else was coming. So we went back and Brandon told us that they won't let Heidi on because she is pregnant! We didn't believe him. It was true! The woman looked at her and said congrats, and asked if she was due in July, when Heidi said "Yes. Thanks! Here's my doctor's letter." the women said, "Well you can't go then. You can't go if you are over 24 weeks." (Heidi was 26 weeks.) And that was it. We tried everything. Having doctors fax letters with a different due date, and trying to have them call people higher up (which I don't think they really did.) It was unreal. 3 hours later we had to come to terms with it. Heidi and Ryan would not be coming with us. It was like they had died. We were all sobbing! I'm sure every one was staring. We had to board, and the cruise line said they would get Heidi and Ryan a flight home. So we left. In the mean time, they told Heidi that the new plan ticket would be $500, and they never even offered her anything to eat even though it was 5 pm and no one had eaten since the airplane at 8 am. They were completely incompassionate! Like machines without feeling! Unbelievable! Carnival Cruise Lines are the worst!
Needless to say it kind of killed all the excitement. We were pretty wiped out that night. But was tried to make the best of it for the rest of the cruise.
So this is our FIRST cruise. As told by my pictures:
This is our dinner that night.


And this is the two empty chairs at our table we had to see every night! (Heidi and Ryan were supposed to be in them.)

That night Ashley had a Titanic "moment"...

The next morning we were in Catalina. We got up an had breakfast then went to leave the ship. We found a line that wrapped around the stairs and up a floor and down the halls. Casey, Callie and Brandon didn't want to wait in line. It made me feel claustrophobic and I insisted that we wait, I needed off the ship. I was also feeling a little sea sick, I wanted some solid ground under my feet.

So this is Catalina:





I even snapped a picture of the "Baywatch" runners. It was funny! They were just running through town, in matching outfits....I thought it was funny.

That evening we stuffed ourselves with dad's favorite part of a cruise, SOFT SERVE ICECREAM! By the end of the cruise dad was able to stack his 7 layers!


The next day was at sea. So we played some games on the ship. Win lose or draw, sports trivia, and Casey and Brandon entered a free throw contest. No trophies in this family.


That evening we enjoyed some virgin drinks, gotta have the umbrella. And played our own version of bingo while waiting for a show to start.



The next morning we were in Ensanada, Mexico. We took a 3 hour tour and saw this building a winery, and some shops. We bought our Mexican vanilla and realized that we were close enough to walk back to the ship. (It was a weird tour.)

That evening we had our formal dinner. While getting ready Callie and Ashley realized they both matched. (Of course Callie used her robe! A little piece of home!)





The whole cruise dad just wanted to have a little quiet time an read a book. I think we all talk too much.

The next day we we back in Long Beach. Casey insisted on having breakfast, and left me with the bags and waiting in line to deboard! We had a few hours at the airport til the plane left so we ate lunch at the restaurant and just hung out. (Over all we spent more time at that airport than we did in Mexico. Crazy!)