Last Day of School

Charles' preschool has a tradition of walking to the park for lunch after their last day of school.  The parents meet the kids there and Georgia gave Charles a happy greeting.

These two women have been the teachers for all three boys (except Jack who had one different one), and in the fall Georgia will be in their class.  They are simply marvelous women.

Picnic on the lawn at the elementary school.  What a great community we live in!

"Prizes" from Mrs. Wintheiser, my favorite teacher of all time.  Can I say that on a public blog?  She really is something special.  

Wow, it's been a LONG time since I've posted anything, so looking back at the last day of school seems, well long ago.  There's nothing like walking out of school into the sunshine of a promising summer.  I remember it well and it matters not what grade you just finished, it always feels free.

Good Bye Bay Ridge

We moved.  It was a stressful process, selling and showing a house with four kids, but we did it!  I am going to miss that cute little house.  That was Charles' and Georgia's first home and we lived in every inch of that house, but it feels great to move on!  We love our house now and I wouldn't go back, but I do wish I could move all of our old neighbors to our new block.  We miss them!

Real Men Wear Aprons

Thank you, Storheim cousins for the darling aprons!  The boys decided to make cookies one Sunday and felt very official in their aprons.  Now Charles asks daily as I make dinner, "Can I be a chef?"

Their first birthday cake

I turned 32.  No big deal, not a noteworthy age, but gosh it made me feel old.  Every year I face the realization that in a family it's the mother's job to decorate, buy gifts, and make the ever important cake.  So when it's mom's turn to be queen either you do it yourself or you wait for the store-bought cake to come the following weekend.  Don't get me wrong, Christian always treats me well around my birthday, but there is something to be said for a cake on your birthday.  Janet had the inspired idea to start a tradition: the children make the cake.  I helped them this time and I'm sure I will next time, but after that I'm hoping the tradition will stick and I can let them take over.  

I really only had decent pictures of Winfield because it turns out they needed a LOT of help (eggs are tricky!) and it's hard to do that and be cameraman at the same time.  Doesn't he look cute though?

They were so proud of themselves and although the cake was not one of the best, it was such a wonderful feeling to see them doing something together so cheerfully.  It was the best birthday present.  Oh look, Georgia thought she was turning 1 and dove right in with both hands.  Your day will come, little one, and before you know it, your babies will be baking your cakes.  Now there's a thought to make me feel old...

We went to dinner and left the boys to decorate the cake with the babysitter.  It was quite the presentation topped with licorice, m&m's, chocolates, sprinkles, and caramels.  Wow!

Oh How They Grow!

First day of Kindergarten

Last day of Kindergarten

"Baby" turns 2

It seems every time we have another baby Christian has to remind me it's time to stop calling our youngest "Baby."  I know it has to go, but Charles still seems so little to me, so huggable, so cuddly, and so cute.  I will be sad to say goodbye to my littlest boy and turn him into a true toddler.
Some highlights of his toddler-hood (we think he is hilarious):

Me:  Do  you want some milk/crackers/pancakes/any food?
Charles:  Me, me, me! (while jumping up and down)

Favorite words: Bacca (Chewbacca), DarRex (T-rex and Dinosaur), Tops (triceratops), "Is hot?" (the question before every meal), "Byyye Mommy" (accompanied by a wave when leaving my room each morning after waking me up), "Diaper on.  Is yucky." (on = off).

Favorite songs: Star Wars theme (which he sings perfectly), I am a child of God (he can sing nearly the whole thing), ABC, Follow the Prophet (he gets very serious and wags his finger on the words, "DON'T go astray!"), Twinkle Twinkle (which he hears on the Suzuki violin CD every night of his life).  Not to boast, but this kid can sing!  It does a musician and mother proud.

Favorite people: Jack, Winfield, Mom, Dad, cousins Jane & Audrey, Charlie across the street (he's 5).  In that order.  Someday Charles will realize he is 2, not 6.

Someone is excited for cake!  Isn't it grand that Charles has no idea that we celebrated days after his real birthday and that I just slapped on the plastic Cars tablecloth I used on Winfield's birthday?

A true blow, but a little close to those candles.

This is serious inspection.  Charles had first dibs on the gummy bears, but as you can see on Jack's face, the boys helped me frost and decorate the cake.

Ahh sharing.  This is the way a 9-month pregnant mother did the birthday shopping: a trip with just Charles to Toys R Us to pick out a toy.  No wrapping paper, no surprises, and guess what?  No disappointment on his part.

Thanks to Gammy and Paddy, we did have at least a couple wrapped gifts.  Thanks for coming through for us.  He was very into unwrapping.

Don't let the cute face fool you, this kid has perfected weapon sounds - guns, light sabers, swords, you name it.  He even says things like, "A DarRex kill a Tops" (can't believe I'm admitting that my two year-old knows what kill means).  Like I said, he thinks he's six and we love him.  Happy Birthday, Baby!

Jack Attack

Finally Jack has a real uniform, a real team, and real games!  He could not be more thrilled.  This was his first game and it was wet and very cold.  He is easily one of the biggest kids on his team and actually really good.  Next to him in this picture is Rocco, the "biggest boy in my class, but I'm actually faster than him."  I think our son has some good competition in him.

They only play 3-on-3, so it gives them a really good chance to learn passing and teamwork.  Can you believe there was actually a kid talking smack at Jack's game?  They are kindergartners for crying out loud!  He loves to tell the story of the "tall boy" that said to him, "You're not going to get the ball!" then just as the kid swung his leg to kick, Jack stole the ball from him.  He is so proud of that moment in his first soccer game and I can't blame him.  I'm pretty proud myself.  

That is Jack's Russian coach in the black, behind him.  These teams are coached by parents, but we really lucked out with this guy.  He says things during the game like, "Are you dreaming or playing soccer?  Run!" which is kind of harsh on a 6 year-old, but he is also very nice and playful.  Every time they score he says, "Celebrate!!"  I'm grateful Jack is getting some good coaching.

I had to add this photo after all of the soccer pics because Jack said to me the other day, "Mom, I really like soccer better than violin."  Oh boy.  His teacher just told me he is one of her best students.  At least he is learning and doing well.  Thank goodness his friend, Seojun is still taking lessons (not that I really care, I mean let's be honest, it's still up to me and so he's taking violin.  Case closed.), so at least group class is fun!  I'm really proud of Jack.  He is a hard worker, no matter what it is.  I think he gets it from Christian...

Daddy Time

I just love the fact that the boys all crowded around to be on Christian's lap instead of spreading out on the couch.  They get all worked up when they hear him coming in the door each night and their favorite thing to do with Daddy is to jump on him when he's laying down (usually on one of their beds).  It's great to see the wrestling side come out in Christian.

At Winfield's preschool they had a Dad's Night where each dad was presented with a portrait and description of themselves.  Here is a little of what Win said about Christian:

"I call him Christian Mitchell or Dad.  He is 100!  He's huge, and his hair is white, but I have blond hair. His eyes are blue like me.  He's at work.  He just works.  He just does some things.  Dad wears worker clothes - white pants and a black shirt.  When he comes home from work, he plays Lego Star Wars with me and Jack.  He is good at Legos.  I like to hug Dad, and he does like that.  Dad likes to eat cheese.  He eats cheese a lot, and that makes his tummy bigger.  Dad and Mom like to go on the computer and set up PBS Kids for me.  I love Dad because he is so cool, and so is my mom."

Yeah, I love that last line.  I love the whole thing.  I have to add my two bits that Christian really IS a wonderful dad.  I'm so lucky that my boys have such a steady, loving, and hard working father and he really is the love of my life.  I can be sappy on my own blog, right?  Love you, Babe.

Oh, and I just have to add a funny side note.  See the hat Christian is wearing?  That is a fleece-lined hat that he wears inside the house.  It's cold here and we have a very drafty house, what can I say?  But, the best is to come to bed at night and see him reading in bed, pajamas on, and a snow cap on his head!  Our house isn't that cold!  Or is it...

A Green Day

Charles found the tops of the green cupcakes the only part worth eating.  He got through three before I found him, guilty with chocolate all over his face.  

Thanks to our Paddy, the kids had a ball with the motorized bubble machine, running all around the driveway.  It was a warm-ish day, amazingly, and everyone relished those few hours of sunshine.

Jane and Audrey sporting Leprechaun hats.  Audrey wouldn't take hers off, she loved it so much.

Our three Irish Mitchell boys

What fun are bubbles if you can't add a light saber to them?

I love this action shot of Jack catching the bubbles in his hat.

  It's great to have Irish heritage on both sides of the family.  Raise your hat to St. Paddy!

Super Heros!

Here is my public apology to Adam and Laura for letting my boys' love of all things Star Wars rub off on Jane. She can duel with the best of them. Let's just hope they drop the obsession before they become teenagers.

Nana and Grand Dad have the perfect yard for light saber wars. (The heavenly Utah nights aren't bad either).

Winfield and Anders. Don't you just love the bulging shorts under Anders' costume?

Littlest Sailor

On Memorial Day weekend I grabbed Jack after school Friday and we all headed to the Sailing Center downtown for possibly the most picturesque sail we've had as a family.  The wind was perfect, the sky was a gorgeous blue, the sailboats were out in force, and to top it all off, it was Charles' first sail.  He had no fear of anything to do with the boat or the water, or even his life jacket (which made it a bit tricky to hold onto him when we were heeled over).  It was a fabulous sail and hopefully the beginning of a long summer of sailing for the littlest Mitchell.

Seasoned Sailors.

Christian got creative when we had to tack - he and Charles would hold the tiller while I took care of the jib and shuffling the kids to the other side of the boat.  

East Egg Hunt

Yummy marshmallow Peeps.

Yea! I found my first egg (while my brothers collect every other egg in the entire yard).

Such an adorable crew of cousins, all ready for the egg hunt. Christian and Adam hid the eggs (one unfortunate one got stuck in the BMW tailpipe - Christian's not-so-great hiding place)

I love these boys. They are my life (if I could just photoshop Christian into the picture). I am so grateful to be a mother and I could go on and on about how lucky I am, but I think this picture says it all. How could you not love these boys?