Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all you moms out there!  We had a wonderful Mother's Day weekend at our house.  It all started on Friday when I took a (much-needed) day off and went to Sydney's school for Muffins with Mom.  Besides muffins and doughnuts, we got a mani/pedi and a massage, compliments of our kiddos!

The kids made us these flip flops.  If you look closely. you'll see Sydney's little footprints on the flip flops.

This message made me boo hoo.  

Rainbow toenails!

Sydney and her teacher, Mrs. Brenda.  Sydney LOVES her.

Sydney, Raegan, and Mrs. Brenda.

So, after I left the celebration, I had some "me" time!  I ran at the park, went to TJ Maxx and got a few new outfits, did some stuff around the house that I've been putting aside for a while, and got my hair high-lighted.  We chilled out that night.  It was WONDERFUL!

Saturday, we went to swimming lessons (last one!) and later that night, we went to our favorite babysitter's graduation party.  No pictures were taken (cell phone was left in the car), but it was a bunch of fun!  The kids had a blast running around the backyard and they had some really yummy catered food.  

Now we are here to Mother's Day!  I woke up this morning and did a long run (10K this weekend!) and came home to a delicious breakfast made for me, and all the kids dressed and ready for church.  I also was given a beautiful bracelet and a precious card.  We went to church and then spent the rest of the day outside.  It was amazing- we just chilled, the weather was perfect, and we had a blast being together. 

Selfies with my buddy.

Parker's turn.

 I am so unbelievably blessed to have my three babies call me Mommy!  

Lately

Time is going by SO FAST lately!  I think it's something about April and May... we have been go-go-go since April came, and things don't slow down until mid-June.  We've had church events, birthday parties, swim lessons, Stephen traveling, work events, kids' school events, adult parties, and more.  Stephen and I have played the ultimate game of tag-teaming.  I seriously don't know how single-moms do it.  We juggle kids, activities, etc. all the time and barely fit it all in!

Since I don't have the time and/or energy to blog much lately, I thought I'd update you with some pictures.  Hopefully I'll be a better blog-host once school gets out!

Someone is all registered for Kindergarten!

Bowling birthday party.

Parker was all about it.

Matt's engagement party!  He's my "adopted" brother.

Me, Erica, and Matt!

She's so silly.  This was a typical day of going to school.

This was a normal day when Stephen was out of town.  I didn't go running- I just apparently didn't sit down.  Now I see why I have zero energy at the end of the day!

Sleeping beauty, with his hand down his shirt.  I guess I'll take it there rather than somewhere else. :)

Daddy/daughter lunch at the park with Sydney's class.

Parker's first "real" haircut!

Stephen took him to the big park.

Meanwhile, I took the girls to the annual Derby Day Luncheon.

Sydney and Grandmom, parading around to show off their hats.

Me and Taylor dancing.

Tough guy.

Catch Air birthday party.  This was the moment she noticed the costumed Buzz Lightyear come out.

After hurdling over the bench, this is where she landed.  Hehe

She's better now.

She came in like a wrecking ball...

Cheese!

20 minutes later...

That picture reminds me... I want to go to sleep!  

Notes

I think note writing has become a lost art.  With all the technology, like emails, blogging, texting, and typing, finding a good handwritten note is something to cherish.  Well, if it's something worthy.  I have come across several of those lately.

Sydney is really into writing and drawing.  She loves to write in her little journal.  Her sweet little handwriting and her adorable spelling is enough to melt your heart... and then you read her messages that are sweet as pie and your heart stands no chance.  Sydney leaves me notes quite frequently now.  My favorite is when she puts notes in my lunch box.  Some of them say, "Don't get angry today!" (I guess I've told her one too many stories about my students!) or "I won't pull a stick at school".  Some of them tell me that she loves me.  And lately, she has been copying what I do to her lunchbox notes, and she puts a math problem on the back of the note.  The adorable thing is, she puts a pen in my lunchbox so I can answer it.  It'll usually say "Wunt is 100 + 2?"  PRECIOUS.

"frin" = friend

I got her a composition book where she can draw a picture and then write about it. 

So, this past Friday, I was multi-tasking at work- going through a CRCT review power point with my students while I was sorting through old files in the filing cabinet.  The girl who taught this math class before me was in that room for about 5 years.  She and I co-taught together for a couple years in a row before I left to go to Rockdale.  Anyways, she had TONS of worksheets, old work, etc. in the filing cabinet and I have slowly been getting around to weeding through it all.  I came across a folder of little letters she had the kids write at the end of the year, back in May of 2010.  This was the year that I co-taught with her for the first half of the year, and then I was moved to be a regular education teacher at the beginning of January.  I was still in 8th grade, but I was on the other team from these kids.  This group of kids was a great, awesome group- I think something good was in the water that year they were born.  Anyways, back to the letters.  The teacher had them write things they liked about the year, and things they didn't like.  These almost brought me to (happy) tears.

Notes are totally under-appreciated.  They really can bring back some amazing memories.