color run & dance recital

 Armed Forces 5k Color Run. We went a the last minute, and had our first family run! The boys had been at a father's and son's campout the night before, and I was debating going with Claire as it was just up the road and hadn't started yet, but still don't love to run (though I know it's good for me).  They pulled in the driveway and I told them to hurry and change & get back in the car! We had a blast together.

guess who fell asleep during it

back awake!

 There's not much else that can melt your hear like your baby in her first dance recital:

Cuteness overload. They stole the show! I put the video on Facebook, but it's too big of a file for here. If I ever figure it out an easy way to get it on here I'll link it on!

kiddos & mother's day

I am one lucky mom. These are my three cuties.

This was Xander at the school talent show.  He did a great job, and blew the audience away with this piano skills.  He didn't even seem scared at all.   He is smart and talented.  He is funny and witty. He is kind and compassionate. The other day he offered to help a stranger mow their lawn as we were waiting in the car.  It's fun watching him interact with his friends, and I love seeing his personality come through as he gets older.

He loves socializing, animals, roller coasters, scouts, video games, piano, and not doing homework this year lol.  He is in the gifted program and is very capable, but this year needed strong incentives to do his 5th grade school work rather than anything else. It doesn't help that he can makeup anything in a few minutes without really applying himself.  He's really good at math.  He wants to go skydiving and wants us to commit to letting him do it someday.  Wants to be a scientist or engineer when he grows up. Keep getting good grades buddy.

Will is one smart cookie.  Though his older brother likes to read, Will loves to read, and usually starts the day out with reading for an hour.  He has finished series' such as Harry Potter, and many others. This is his fish "Steve" and the hydroponics fish tank he got for Christmas.  The gifted program at his current school doesn't usually take 2nd graders, but Will was preselected at the last school we moved from, and tested, so they put him in on Tuesdays with the big kids this year.  Star of the class (of course it helps that he is the oldest) he had good grades all year, and his teacher always had great things to say.  Doesn't enjoy piano as much as Xander, but tolerates it.
Loves playing with friends, scouts, amusement parks, video games, cooking, telling stories, and Will's talking voice is usually "loud" or "louder."  Wants to be an inventor when he grows up.

I had to go get Claire's last 4 year old pictures, right before she turned 5.  The baby growing all up. These poses were making me laugh- she's a cute little diva.  She's such a little girly-girl with wearing skirts over her pants half the time (and even over her jammies) and loving make-up, hair, nail polish, jewelry and accessories.
Claire LOVES dogs. She's been begging for one for over a year.  She greets every one we come across and asks the owners if she can pet them. At this photo shoot the studio was doing a pet promotion, and the people before had their 2 dogs and she was in heaven playing with them until it was her turn.  She also loves anything to do with art. She makes art projects every day and my tape and paper and staples go missing frequently.  She loves singing, and dance, and dress-ups. She enjoys cuddling, and having books read to her, but gets tired easily of "learning letters" if we quiz her.  We better get the rest learned because Kindergarten is right around the corner in August!  Wants to be a mermaid when she grows up lol.

Blair made me a Mother's Day lunch of parmesan encrusted tilapia and wild rice mmm mmmm. It was a day late because he was working, but worth the wait.

On the mothers day the kiddos gave me coupons such as "good for making a sandwich" from Claire,  "good for 35 favors" from Will, and "good for a back massage," from Xander.

Some favorite answers from the mother's day questionnaire were:

My mom is as pretty as? -a butterfly (Claire)
What is your mom really good at? -making breakfast (Will)
What is a talent your mom has? -singing opera (Xander)
She is smart at? -finding toys (Claire)
Where does your mom like to shop? -Walmart (Will)
If you could buy your mom anything, what would it be? -a big dog (Xander)
What does your mom do to relax? -cuddles (Claire)
What does your mom do while you're at school? -watches my sister (Will)
What does your mom do? -chores (Xander)

Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center

Mr. Moose

We went to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center for the first time.  Gorgeous scenery on the 45 minute drive down, and Alaska wildlife up close from the safety of a fence.

Hey there, we found a black bear up by the fence.

Cute little black bear

A little more intimidating. A brown bear came over close to check us out.

Aaaa really close! I wondered if that little wire fence could hold that grizzly if it really wanted to get to us.

It decided it was disinterested in us, and turned around to go play in the river.

We giggle and laughed as it bathed, then floated, and even kicked up it's feet as it let loose

back with baby

another one out in the distance

Will always spots bald eagles

Musk Ox, with the softest and warmest fur around

Bye bye Mr. Moose

Love the drive!  That's the ocean in the Turnagin Arm which is part of the Cook Inlet

had to stop at a donut shop and watch them make us a tasty treat on the way home

Claire has a new pet-- a live bug named "Spinach."  I'll let you guess why. I'm just glad we didn't eat him by accident!

close call- I could have just as early grabbed the handful from the bag with him in it.

Swings at local Mirror lake the other weekend, just off the main highway

a bald eagle flying around the lake

I pressed some button by accident on my camera, and it boosted the color and made it look like a postcard. Waddayaknow. Maybe I should figure that out and try to edit all my pictures like that.