Weekly Update

The kids started their first week of swim lessons on Monday. With their school schedule and their daily differing swim schedules, I knew this was going to be an exhausting week. The kids were excited because they didn't have preschool and had something new to do:

Since Liam is also doing swim lessons with the same teacher, Stevie picked Tenley up from school and even brought her a cake pop. Cake pops and a car ride with Jackson had this girl in Heaven:

(Her cheeks are full of cake! Thanks for the help, Stevie!)

The lessons are private and no one is allowed outside for 30 minutes. Thank God for Stevie's friend Patty for allowing us to do our lessons there as well because her pool was in the 90s and the kids loved playing in her beautiful house:

Tenley is finally on the letter 'Z' and the finish line is in sight for her last year of preschool:

While at PBH on Monday, I finally found another person with crocked pinkies...I thought this day would never come:

Swim really exhausted Ev and when I went to wake her up for school I found her sleeping like this:

Tuesday was Pearly's 13th birthday!!!! I remember when Ed bought her for me on the 4th of July in 2004. We went to look at puppies and I fell in love with her. We went to the movies after and I kept whispering to Ed how I missed her already. We went back after the movie and called my mom to come meet us because I knew she couldn't tell Ed no when she saw how cute she was! Now she is such a big part of our family. Tenley has been planning a "party" for her for months so as soon as everyone woke up she made me take their picture in their party hats:

Ev and Wes also started their week learning about the letter 'Z':

Day 2 of swim lessons went okay. Wes cut his 5 minutes short because he swallowed water and didn't want to use his last 5 minutes to play. Luckily, the girls love the water:

Before bed we sang 'Happy Birthday' to Pearl and Wes insisted on holding the Kong that had a candle in it:

(Happy birthday, Petey-Lou!!)

Wednesday T did her Rainbow Writing and said she tried to make her 'Z' look like a zebra:

Wes did not want to swim on Wednesday. He was screaming, crying and wanted nothing to do with it (he hates everything that has to be done without me). I finally got him in the pool by having him take a 'Flash' toy with him:

Wes was a nightmare from the second he woke up on Thursday. He kept shutting himself in his room and crying about how he didn't want to go to school or swim. He kept saying, "me just want to stay home with you mommy, ok? Promise?" Ev was so concerned and kept coming in, patting his back and saying, "calm down, Wes-wee. Group hug!" He was pushing her hugs away and she kept looking at me and sticking out her tounge like, "listen, cry baby, suck it up 'cause I'm gonna hug you anyways!" I just love the way they love each other:

I finally got Wes to agree to school, by agreeing to no swim after (but not meaning it). While at school they did their Rainbow Writing:

The girls did so well at swim on Thursday. Patty bought them all donuts for after their lessons; which had Wes racing to the pool. He said, "me swim like Flash, mommy!":

(You're the best, Patty!)

Wes woke up smiley on Friday; which is rare. He always wakes up cranky so I knew it was going to be a good day:

While T was in school, the twins and I had a "twin play date". We met the Poe boys and Stephens girls for some fun in the sun and it was so much fun watching them all play together:

Tenley finished up learning about the letter 'Z' and made me a beautiful card at school on Friday:

The girls are learning so much at swim and Miss Juliet even said Wes was like a new boy on Friday:

After my class on Friday, we headed to Parkway Tavern to surprise our client/friend Alexis to celebrate her completing her Master's Degree:

(Congrats, Alexis!! You are a freaking rockstar!!)

The kids were exhausted from their BUSY week, but the show must go on! Our Saturday was extremely stacked so we had to wake everyone up early for Tenley's Kinder Registration. The Twins were impossible to wake up:

Lindsay's mother-in-law, Pat, is a Saint and watched the twins so we could focus all of our attention on Tenley Bear. She was so nervous, but we planned on meeting Stevie there so she got over her nerves as soon as she saw Jackson! When they called her back for her evaluation she came running out yelling, "I answered everything right, mommy!! I knew all the questions and I even got Smartees!!" The office staff and Kinder teachers were so sweet and Tenley loved them all; which made me feel extremely at ease. I just can't believe she'll be starting Kindergarten in 3 months:

After registration, Ed took the girls to their dance classes like a champ, while I headed to Green Valley Ranch for Pure Barre on the lawn. We had a great turn out and it was so amazing to be around so many people who have a love for Pure Barre, a love for the sun, and a love for empowering others. It was a great way to start the day:

Tenley has been telling me I have to sleep in on Mother's Day so she has enough time to "prepare". I slept in past 8am and yelled "Tenley, I'm up!" She came running in, screaming "Happy Mother's Day!!" and sang me 'Home is Nevada'. Ed and the kids brought me breakfast in bed (scrambled eggs, turkey sausage and blueberries) and presents! While opening my presents, Wes asked if he could eat some eggs and finished it all by the time I finished opening my presents:

After breakfast in bed, we took the kids to the M pool. They were so brave and trying to swim everywhere. Wes was in his element with us in the water and kept going under. I swear he swallowed more water than he's drank all week. The wind picked up; which made the kids super cold and called for snuggles in the sun:

This Mother's Day was perfect! Ed and the kids made me feel so special and appreciated. I'm so grateful that these kids chose me as their mommy. I'm so lucky to have so many amazing women in my life that help me through this journey. I feel so blessed to have such a strong mother in my life who has taught me everything I know, such a selfless and loving mother-in-law, our grandmothers, our aunts and my girlfriends who keep me sane daily. It really does take a village to be a mom! 

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms- YOU ROCK!!

Until next time! :)