Happy 5th Birthday Hayley!

(These pictures are from two different parties. Family one and friends one, to clear up any candles on dessert confusion.)

How could she be 5?!

I can tell you how:

 She is so determined, has her mind made up and knows what she wants. She always wants to know her schedule, she is very much enabled by rules and guidelines, she yearns for structure and thrives best when she can predict what is going to happen. She is totally ready for kindergarten, loves to work on projects, and write cards and letters to send to everyone and anyone. She can be the sweetest big sister and also a great helper to Mom and Dad. She's a lefty, she has the cutest freckles under her eyes and is always excited when she finds a new one anywhere on her body...or anyone else's for that matter. She is so close to telling time and reading I wish I could push her over whatever speed bump that's holding her back from doing so. 

The last five years haven't flown by like everyone says. 

Each day has been a journey. Each day I've learned a new secret to Hayley. 

Constantly I learn what makes her tick, when her favorite colors changed from pink and purple to pink and yellow. When she decided it would be ok to not only wear stretch pants but that corduroy and cotton pants would be ok too. Still working on the concept of jeans though.

She is all girl and always begging for new "play"dresses for everyday wear instead 

of pants and t-shirts (which is my go-to outfit).  She loves to feel pretty and has great confidence. 

When she protects her brother, and knows when he's timid but Mommy is tied up. 

She steps up. 

Skyler is in Nashville at a conference this week so he had a friend bring by a balloon bouquet for him. They were a huge hit. 

Hobbes also loved the balloons Daddy had sent from afar. 

He didn't get to get down after cake to play with the balloons, it was a straight to the bath situation, so I tied one to his tray that he bopped up and down laughing and giggling.

Hobbes wasn't sure about sharing his ride on car with his cousins.

Frozen is sort of a big deal around here.

We love you Hayley and are so excited for the next 5 years. 

Easter

My parents and my sisters family came to visit for Easter and to celebrate Hayley's birthday early.

It was so fun to have visitors. We went out for pizza at Gambino's in Moscow on Friday. 

Saturday we went to the town Egg Hunt, it's so fun living in a small town.

They had it very well organized by age and everything roped off with 6,000+ eggs. 

Afterward we hit up Sunnyside park, let the kids run off some energy, saw the ducks/goats/sheep/llamas. Hobbes was very excited about the ducks and kept trying to get them. 

We did another small egg hunt at the park.

That afternoon we had a Primary activity at the Wacker's house. 

Which looks like a barn. It's pretty cool.

We made egg carton Easter FHE story kits. The kids loved putting all the little elements in the eggs.

Then we sang Primary songs on the wagon.

That night we had traditional fare with my family before they had to leave after church Sunday.

So glad everyone could visit, it sure made Easter fun.

(Logan, Adriana, Paxton, Alyssa, Caleb, David)

Spring

Winter is finally over, we've been getting out for walks and park visits just about every day it isn't rainy. It's tiring for some ;)

Our fourth year in Pullman and she can now master this giant climbing structure at Krugal park. 

She was very proud of herself.

Our little bookworms.

We don't usually play April fools pranks but this year we decided to do some friendly ones. 

We made "sushi rolls" with fruit roll-ups, rice krispies treats and mini swedish fish. I also put out orange "juice" for dinner. Which was orange jello in glass cups so nothing comes out when you try to drink.  haha

This is my on going project I started over Christmas break. Making family fridge magnets. But once the pictures were laminated the magnet wouldn't stick to them, so I used easy to remove velcro strips so the kids can role play with family members. 

It's so nice to see everyone everyday since we're so spread out. 

 Love them.

Hobbes gets pretty excited about bubbles.

Pullman is so bittersweet. I wasn't expecting to still be in pullman to have to say goodbye to these three lovely ladies, nor do I want to. It's so tough to say good bye. I've really cherished all the laughs and funny stories and sweet friendships we've made over the last years. 

(Raccoons, bear Spray, birthing stories...what am I missing?!)

SEINFELD!

Seinfeld actually came to Pullman. Beasley coliseum. We couldn't believe it since he's like big time, travels the world and all. And just to be fair the first bits he did were ABOUT Pullman...and they were hilarious/true just the same.

We saw him in Portland probably 5 years ago and sat in the very last row up top at the Arlene Schnitzer. Let's just say that this time we were WAY closer and laughing/crying for an hour straight. 

He is hilarious. 

Too bad the lighting was such that made getting a decent picture impossible.

This site has some video bits and better shots if you want a taste of humor from the show that night.

Every so often you gotta get out there and do something big and fun and out of the norm.

On an unrelated note...

Hobbes also got his first official haircut, not by mom. 

So he got to sit in the big chair with the fun cape.

He was not sure what to think, my friend cuts hair from her home and he's quite familiar with her and her kids but pretty much held this expression the whole time. Not sad, not happy, didn't really try to get down or wiggle, it was funny. And yes, his hair is still perfectly strawberry blonde "ginger" as people say. Just like his Grandpa Dave.

We love him!

Tubes

This little guy got tubes put in his ears! (They also took his adnoids out) Finally, after many ear infections and not talking which we assume because he can't hear himself.  It worked out that surgery fell on the weekend that Sky was already volunteering at the NCAA tournament in Spokane. So it was me and the kids, braving a hotel stay and doctors. 

Luckily they were on their best behavior most of it. And thrilled to be in a hotel. Hayely says "where am I going to sleep, and after a long day and drive up to spokane I looked around and realized I hadn't thought that part through. So I said well. either with me or on the window bench. She said "I won't get in trouble for being up there?" Haha and she loved it.

(I did put a couple chairs next to her so she couldn't roll out.)

Hobbes couldn't eat breakfast, so I had to sneak out while they were sleeping to get myself a bite from the lobby and bring Hayley back a plate.  I wasn't gone long but I guess she heard me leave and was curled up next to the door mewing like a cat "Mommmmmyyyyy." (Cue heart breaking now.)

Hobbes was in heaven and took a long bath while we ate and packed up and didn't even realized he didn't get food. Thankfully.

Hobbes was a champ and had no idea what was going on, he did look pretty darn cute in his little gown and slippers wondering padding around the room.

 I found it funny that his name, like the tiger in the cartoon Calvin and Hobb's,

he had tigers on his gown. 

Such a ham.

He was pretty crabby when he woke up from anesthesia but he did great. Took the kids to DQ for ice cream and lunch before heading back to Pullman and he was back to normal by bedtime that night.