Life Lately

...according to my phone

New walpaper that I've been wanting forever.



A crafty Daddy.

A family day. Movies and dinner.

 A visit to the new temple construction site. So excited for this temple! It is so close.

 Park days with friends.

Our anni.

 Libby's gingerbread house that she made at school.

 Libby and her best friend, Kayle, going on a choo choo train ride.

 A Christmas package.

 A gingerbread party with my friend Erin and her family.

 Christmas Sunday with my boisterous, but handsome/ beautiful CTR 7 class.

Life has been super hectic lately! This week I had two preschool parties, scouts (i am a wolf den leader), shopping, wrapping, gift giving, parties, package mailing, park play dates, cookie making play dates, temple lights visiting, preparing for my Sunday school class, and making their gifts! I think December needs to be two months long just to comfortably squeeze all the merriment in! I cant believe Christmas Eve is TOMORROW. Oh my! I need to get on wrapping, grocery shopping, cooking and baking. We have Shawn's family spending Christmas day with us. Then my Mom will spend the rest of the week with us until the new year.

 

I am not sure who is more excited for Christmas morning. Shawn keeps asking if we can open presents! Libby talks non stop about Santa, and "when is Lovey visiting?" I always worry about all the presents that I've picked out. Did I buy enough? Did I get the right thing? Will they love it? Will they know how much i want them to have the best Christmas ever? Oh my, it so much pressure to have everything just right. There are breakfast requests, dinner requests. Did I get enough batteries to go with the presents? But somehow everything always works out. And everyone always has a great day. So I am crossing my fingers for another successful year.

 

And I'm looking forward to the day after Christmas when my Christmas woes will be over. And the kids can just happily play with all their loot, and I can just listen to squeals of delight and laughter. (HOPEFULLY!) And my favorite part shopping the day after sales and start planning for....next year.



Preschool Time

Welcome to my new classroom! This is my three year old preschool class. If you follow me on pinterest you may have already guessed at my new job. Possibly because of the bombardment of all the preschool activities that I've been pinning. Sorry! I am teaching two classes, and both of my classes are so great. We just started on Monday, and I've already received lots of hugs and even a declaration of love! Preschool is decidedly the BEST! Last year I was teaching at the high school so I am loving all the genuine sweet love in the room this year. We definitely still have some attitude, but at least there aren't any swear words being tossed around the room (my ears appreciate it). I just got the job two weeks ago so it was a mad rush to get my classroom pulled together and organized before the "Meet the Teacher Orientation" last week. Thank goodness for my Mom and Darryl; they came to my rescue. We spent several long days, and one long night where everyone was being quite silly, I think we were tired because everything was funny, cleaning and hanging up bulletin boards. I had so much fun with them and seriously could not have done it with out their help.

I think this job is going to be a good fit for me right now.  I am home in the morning and can help the boys get ready for school, and I am done by nap time for Libby. And...Libby gets to go to preschool too. An added bonus! Although it still costs an arm and a leg for her to go there. It is great program. She will have two days of Spanish (Si!), and two days of gymnastics! As I was putting together my lesson plans for our first week of school, I realized how fun preschool is. I get to sing songs, do crafts and play! All my favorite things! We are going to have so much fun this year. I'll keep you posted on fun activities that are worth doing with your toddler.

Doing something new is scary! I feel completely out of my comfort level for sure. I've been filled with self doubt, questioning my ability to do this. And I keep thinking that is why I need to do this. Its my ammo. Just to prove it to myself. Is that the wrong reason to do something. Maybe. But I will be a good preschool teacher. So watch out. (a little overboard? Ya, probably. I'll tone it down in the future.)

School and A Birthday

Back to school shopping and lunch at our favorite place.

Waffles, whip cream and blueberries!

Cupcakes and ice cream. Everyone is focused on dessert.

Oh man it has been a busy end of summer. I can not believe how fast summer vacation flew by. Blah. I hate that. The last few weeks of summer were spent swimming, hanging with cousin Xander, and Lovey and Grandpa Darryl. It was a great finale for a fun summer.

Monday Ethan started 7th grade, at a new school. He changes class every period, and has a locker! Big stuff. He already really likes it. Hayden started 3rd grade. He really likes his teacher, but I think he misses having his brother at school. And Libby started preschool. My babies are all growing up. (Sob, sob!)

Tuesday was Hayden's 8th Birthday! He brought treats to school to share with his friends, and we had Grandma, Poppa, and Noah over for his special dinner. Hayden was very excited about getting a new bike, a football and even some cash. We are having a "Glow in the Dark" birthday party next week with his friends. And he will get baptized in September. Eight is a big year! I love you Hayden. Happy Birthday!

Graduation

Ethan surrounded by girls, and was so embarrassed when I asked him about them.

Ethan is attacking his cake.

Ethan had his graduation for sixth grade last night. Can you believe my baby is going to middle school now? Crazy. I think I might hold him hostage and not let him go. I am just not willing to let him grow up. Nope, not gonna happen. I know I've said this before but I just adore that kid. He is the sweetest 12 year old I know. At the end of the ceremony they had the kindergarten class, all wearing black sunglasses, sing "Hit the road Jack, and don't you come back no more!" It was so funny. So I guess Ethan is moving on to bigger and better things. Good luck in middle school Ethan! And don't change. (does that sound like a year book post?)

After the ceremony we went to Red Robin and celebrated with bottomless fries and root beer. Ethan ordered off of the adult menu, which was a first for him. He was so excited about all the choices. Grandma and Papa came too. It was so fun, other then Libby pushing her high chair into the aisle way the whole time (never a dull moment with the Hancock's) the evening was awesome.

Father's Day

 Father's Day will be here before you know it!!

Find it here, at A Lovely Party.

One Year Older

Shawnee is one year older! Oh my! We celebrated his birthday weekend with his parents on Friday night. We had lasagna, his favorite, and a gigantic chocolate cake, also a favorite. If you really are what you eat, then Shawn would be chocolate, through and through. No joke! Shawn had to work on his birthday, (Not right!) but he made it in time for Ethan's flag football game. Phew! It was a good game. Then we hit the lake for a few hours. I thought the water was freezing but it didn't stop the kids from all jumping in. Although that might have had more to do with the fact that I bet them beforehand that they wouldn't. They made sure to rub it in that I was wrong. It happens. Then we hit date night. And we might have made our friends wait an hour for us, oppse!! It was a crazy busy day. Can you believe that we are still friends? Thank goodness they are forgiving.

Happy Birthday Shawn. We love you.

Spring Flag Football

This season has been a blast so far. The best season ever up to this point, I think. Both of the boys are playing hard, and they have great teams. It is fun to watch them get into the game and do their best. Hayden gets to be one of the quarterbacks for his team and he loves it. He is taking his position very seriously and is outside throwing the ball around every chance he gets! Although I am not sure how good of practice it is throwing the ball around with silly old Mom, but hey it is fun! Ethan is fast and has pulled lots of flags. And every time he does he does a little dance and he swings the flag over his head. Yes, we are working on being modest, but admittedly it is pretty funny to watch and inwardly I am doing a little dance with him! Shhhhh don't tell!

On a different note Shawn is getting ready to do a job for clowns. No seriously two real clowns! He came home with a bag full of balloon swords, poodles, ladybugs and hats. It has entertained all three of them all day long!! Who knew a balloon sword could be so entertaining?

Best Weekend Ever

My Mom and Step Dad, and Amberly and her family and dont forget Becca Boo, all came out this weekend to celebrate Ethan's birthday. It was so nice of them to come out even though they were only able to stay for a short time. I loved having them here and was plotting ways of making them stay longer. Slashing tires, locking the doors, kicking and screaming? But summer is right around the corner and we will be making a trip out there soon. It was fun packed weekend, as always. Ethan had a flag football game, there was a fun shopping trip to target, lots of eating, late night conversations and laughing, lots of jumping on the tramp, a walk to the park. And the highlight of the trip (next to Ethan getting the preisthood, who can compete with that?) was going to the movies. Ethan, Shawn and I (and even becca on one car trip) read the Hunger Games together. We have been waiting for over a year for the movie, ever since we found out the movie rights had been sold. And we were not disapointed. It was so good! And to make it even more of a perfect night we ate at Chipotle, Yummy!

 For Ethan's Birthday I wanted to make a banner that was more boyish and less fussy then my normal. So for this banner I used washi tape, a SMASH pad of paper, and just used clothes pins to attach to a ribbon. It was the easiest banner ever. Using more washi tape I put up several pictures of Ethan over this last year.

 My adoreable nephew Radley, ating yummy banana chocolate chip pancakes...made by Amberly. Yum!

 I put these two ladies to work cooking and baking! We had lots of hungry tummies to feed!

 Amberly made Libby the cutest birthday box. Inside the box is a list of questions that we will ansewr every year on her birthday to see how much she changes and grows over the year. I love the idea. She also gave her the cutest little pair of yellow shoes. I want some in my size!

The girls made a trip out to Target. My happy place! Yes Libby is entertaining herself with soda and popcorn. What? Dont judge me! JK!

Taryn and family we missed you...Next time you have to make the trek out here!!