Kids' Day & Another 5k

After picking up Drew from school we took the kids to lunch at Choate's. Vaughn had a tradition in his family that on the last day of school his parents would do something really special with him and his siblings. We procrastinated our plans, so we decided to just do things around Jerome that the kids would love. So we took them to lunch and it was the first time in what feels like forever that we've gone to a sit down type of restaurant with all the kids. Usually it is so stressful, but the kids are getting older now and they were so well behaved! It gave me a glimpse into the future of going out and actually enjoying the meal and each others company!! 

Drew & Sam

Tays and Mace

When we got home Malita came over and took the boys on a bike ride! They did six miles! We've created a board in the hall that we are keeping track of all the miles that they ride and that I run or walk. We are going to set a goal of miles so we can stay active and if we hit the goal, Vaughn and I have promised them a really special reward!! (We're not sure what it is yet, but we'll try and think of something really big!!)

Sam is still learning how to ride her bike, and so she still gets a little frustrated. For some reason she loves our neighbors house. So when she throws her fits she heads over to his house.

Oh the drama!

After the bike rides we headed over to the park for a baseball game. The boys have been really loving their team sports this year and have been asking and asking if we can go and play. So Malita came with us and we were later joined by the Bleazards and the Millers. We had a great time and the kids got in some really good practice!

Vaughn pitching to Sam with Malita's help!

After hitting the ball, Sam went after the ball, instead of heading to first base! She was so happy when she "got the ball"! Maybe in a few years, she'll be a great ball player!

Sam running the ball over to first base!

Mason was up next and he really liked running the bases. Sam had reached 3rd, but decided she wasn't done yet, so she turned around and headed back to 2nd! 

After a little while she was done! She was out in the field playing soccer with herself! Maybe that will be her sport instead! She was doing really great of getting it up and down the field! 

After the game we decided to split up. Vaughn took the boys to Subway for dinner and then to the drive in movies to see Epic and The Croods! Sam, Tays and I stayed home. The two little ones went to bed and I pretty much got the night off! I think I enjoy Vaughn taking the boys to the movies even more than they do!!

The next morning they were out. I know it is so against the law, but the kids usually drive in the back of the car asleep on the way home. Then Vaughn backs into the garage and they sleep out there all night. It really is a nice set up back there. They take all the couch cushions off the sectional and it is quite cozy! 

After the drive ins they wake up they all crawl into bed with us and try and recover from the long night before! This was the first drive in that the three of them had been too that all three stayed awake for both movies! Mason is usually the first one asleep, so I am surprised that he made it through both!!

Saturday, Alayna and I went and did our 2nd 5k for the season! This one was the Spirit of Magic Valley 5k Run in Twin, and so we got to sleep in a little more than the week before! The weather was nice and we were excited to (hopefully) beat our previous time!

Alayna and I. 

I didn't want to post this, but it was the only one I had. Grrrr. Oh well. 

In the end we did improve our time by 5 minutes! We would have liked to do it faster, but there was a KILLER hill at the end and it really took a lot out of us!!! Now we are looking for our next one and we are going to keep on preparing so we can hopefully improve our time some more!!! 

Last Day of School for Drew!

Drew has completed first grade! Is it just me or did this last year go by way too quickly?! Maybe it was trying to juggle having a baby and getting two kids to two different schools, but I felt like this year just flew by! 

First day of 1st grade 

Sept 2012

Last day of 1st grade!

May 2013

Drew has improved on his reading and math skills and has come to the conclusion that he does not like math. Getting him to do his math homework was sometimes a lot like pulling teeth. He has really developed a love for reading. Most nights he would lay in bed with a little night light reading chapter books. He would finish them and take the test on it at school the next day. Because of all of his testing he was awarded an AR trophy. He was so excited about it and he worked so hard! We are so happy for our little reader!! (I am so glad he got that trait from me!!)

Haircuts!

It was more than time for Taysom to get his second haircut! I loved it long, but after so many people asking if he was a girl or just calling him a girl, even though he was all decked out in blue, I knew it was time!

Cute little Tays! 

Tays wasn't crying because of the haircut, but because it was his nap time and every time we would laugh, it scared him! Guess we were having too much fun!

After Mason and Taysom, Sam jumped up on the chair and said, "my turn!". I was a little reluctant. I may cut my hair and make Vaughn less than happy, but I have been so afraid of the fury that would be unleashed if I ever cut Sam's hair. Like really cut it. She would look adorable, but I just didn't want to find out what Vaughn would do to me if I did it! 

I so love Stacy! She cracks me up and is so so funny!

She ended up just giving it a little trim. Probably the shortest trim in her whole hair cutting days. I think she knew that if Vaughn could tell, I would be dead meat! Ha, I'm exaggerating, but not by much. He LOVES her hair and has made me PROMISE I won't give her bangs or cut her hair short.  

Sam was a hoot. She was loving sitting in the chair and having her hair cut like a big girl! This is only her 2nd haircut in her life. She was about Tays' age when she had her first one, so this one was needed.

So after the haircuts we went home and I put my baby Tays to bed. When he woke up he was no longer a baby! He was standing up while holding the side of the crib!! He fell to his knees before I could get a picture, but I was so shocked! He has never done that before and it was like he literally had just decided that he was done being immobile! 

He's still doing is inch worm crawling, but I have a feeling it won't be much longer before he really takes off! 

Tays had gone over by the windows and was talking to himself, when the other kids went over and sat down by him. I love when I find the little moments when they are all sitting and playing together without any prodding from anyone. They are usually so sweet to one another and it just makes me happy and grateful that they all have each other! 

He then started trying to climb up the couch! I am sooo not ok with this! He is supposed to stay little and on the floor forever!! 

Just like his daddy. Attracted to electronics!

My little boy! Now with his hair cut I think he looks more than ever like Drew! I've almost not liked his haircut because it has taken away his baby look and made him look older! I'm not ready for that!!!

Last Day of Pre-School

Mason is DONE!!!!

Two years of pre-school...check!

Kindergarten of Horizon Elementary... watch out!

First day of Pre-school

September 2012

Last day of pre-school

May 2013

For the graduation the kids put on a cute play! Mason was supposed to be a silly monkey, but really he just acted normal (har har har!). 

The kids were so cute! 

Mrs. Mortensen giving Mason his balloon and his ABC book that they have been working on all year long and a photo album of their field trips and special visitors. That is one of the many things I love about Mrs. Mortensen the cute little keepsakes that she makes for them. She is a great teacher and Drew and Mason have just loved going to her class. 

My cute little graduate!

Mason and Mrs. Mortensen

I'm not sure why, but this graduation was a little more emotional for me. I don't know if it because it seems like big changes are looming around every corner or if I'm just crazy!! Probably just crazy!

Silly Taysom!

This kid loves to laugh. And everyone in the family loves to make him laugh! He can get us all laughing with him!




A lot of people ask if Tays is always happy and yes, he is always happy!

Our Inch Worm

He's so close to crawling!

5k Redfish Lake Lodge Memorial Run

This last weekend two of my bff's and I (along with Taysom) headed up to Stanley, Idaho to participate in the Redfish Lake Lodge Memorial Run! My friend Stacy and my mom were also supposed to come up, but because of conflicts it was just the three of us! We had started out training hard for the 10k and we were doing a great job. Then some medical problems came up with one of the other runners (names will be left out, so I won't get in trouble with the friend!) and our training came to a halt. We decided we would at least do the 5k, since we felt lucky enough to still be going at all. 

Malita, me & Alayna

I was worried it would be FREEZING! It was a little chilly when we first got up there, but before the race started it was actually really nice! 

Waiting for the horn to blow! We were so excited, anxious and a little scared! We've never run at such a high altitude.

A few minutes later and we were off! We walked for a while to warm up and then ran for a bit. Malita wanted to take Taysom and she can't run with her knees, so she stayed back and walked with Taysom. I felt really bad for leaving her when we ran through a couple of spots that were on the beach. It wasn't very stroller friendly. 

Alayna and I finished and then headed back to find Malita. Surprisingly, she wasn't that far behind us! She is a crazy fast walker! And, we are not fast runners in any means, but we are getting better at going longer distances. 

Not only did Malita walk it almost as fast as we ran it, but she was pushing a stroller and for some of it carrying Taysom!! (Yeah, we really need to get better and improve our speed!). She is just amazing!

Malita and Taysom!

After the race they provided a lunch! It was yummy and Taysom really enjoyed the fresh fruit! They also had the Blue Fish Club, which was crazy people jumping into the lake after the race! We saw one girl that had done it and her arms were LITERALLY blue! Maybe next year we'll be brave and do it, if we end up camping and have clothes and a place to change! We'd definitely need a HOT shower after doing that! 

After eating we walked around a little bit and enjoyed the beautiful, fresh mountain air! It was definitely worth the drive and I felt sad that we couldn't stay up there longer. Our original plan was to camp the night before, but Vaughn has just been so busy lately, that we decided that Vaughn would stay home with the other three while I ran up and came back home afterwards. 

Silly Lita! She is a nut! I am so glad she decided to join us! 

I think we are going to try and make this a tradition for the Bingham, Bleazard and Hixson families! Anyone crazy enough to do it or that just wants to join us, is more than welcome!~ It was a blast and we are already looking forward to doing it next year!