Farewell.....for 2 weeks anyway.

What is wrong with that Staci girl? It's technically still MAY and her whole blog is decked out for the 4th of July already??

She doesn't REALLY have a cute coutdown set out (that her awesome friend made her becuase she knows her so well) to count down the days to the 4th? And she hasn't actually had it out for weeks now??

YES my friends....the 4th of July is coming quickly! It's my FAVORITE HOLIDAY and I can't WAIT!!!

You see, I am leaving in a couple of days and I won't be home for 2 full weeks. By the time I return, there will only be 18 days left until the holiday of food, family, fun, fireworks and freedom celebration! Squeeee!

So, where are we off to?

First we're heading down to St. George with the entire Starnes crew to attend Tuachan's production of The Little Mermaid:

Then we will continue on South down to behold the magestic Grand Canyon. Which I have NEVER been to! I'm SO excited to see it with my own eyes! I think the boys will really like it too.

Then we will pack our swim suits and join the family caravan down to our favorite Rock Family Reunion destination.....Good ol' Lake Powell!

2 weeks without my man seems like an eternity. In his words...."Well, someone has to pay for all this fun." I'm keeping my fingers crossed he'll be able to join us at Powell...I'm praying that his trial gets dismissed.

 So, no posts for awhile.I don't think I have ever gone 2 weeks without writing anything. I'm sure we'll have MUCH to report upon our return!!

Summer is FINALLY here!!! We're starting out with a bang....and a zillion hours driving in the car. ☺

Lemonade anyone?

The annual "Starnes boys and friends kick off summer vacation" LEMONADE STAND took place today. If there is any ONE positive thing to living on a street with WAY too many cars that drive by (and at speeds that just drive me INSANE) is that the kids were quite successful! Keep in mind that the cups were a steal at ten cents each!

They made $9.80!!!

But if you take out the cost for the cups, lemonade and ice. They really made a grand total of  $2.80!!!

A HUGE improvement from years past!!! This was the first year we actually MADE money! The other huge plus was that it kept the kids busy for hours this afternoon. ☺ Fun Saturday afternoon.

The crazy crazy month of MAY!

Is it just me or has May been the most INSANE month EVER? I feel like I can hardly stop to take a breath with all of the big events we've had going on this past month! No wonder my laundry pile is to the ceiling and my house is in total chaos!

Time for a recap since the last time I posted...and its only been ONE week!

First off, Landon had his preschool graduation last week. We had a breakfast brunch at our house. The kids sang a song and were each recognized and handed a diploma. I also compiled a bunch of pictures and made a video for each child to take home so they could remember all of the work we did these past few months. Again, I am SO glad I asked around to see if any moms wanted to do this preschool Landon has absolutely LOVED it! I'm so glad that he has so many sweet friends now too!

Here are our kids walking in the room in their caps and gowns! So cute!

Tuesday night was the U2 concert! O_MY_GOSH!!!!! It was SO mind blowing and fantastic I can hardly find the words to describe it. I absolutely LOVED each and every minute of it! The stadium was just shaking it was so incredibly LOUD...and of course we danced and sang the entire time! The stage was just amazing with all of the lights, lasers, and smoke. Awesome.

A HUGE thanks again to my dad for the fantastic early birthday gift and also to our dear friends Ash and Shane for watching the boys until 1 in the morning! It's a night I won't EVER forget!

The next day we took the boys over to Liberty Park for a walk down memory lane. My Great Grandparents used to live right across the street from there and we used to walk on MANY a Sunday afternoon to see the pond and walk through Tracy Aviary. I haven't been back since I was a teenager so we thought we would go and see how it looks today.

Here is Grandma's house today:

 I'm happy to see that the house is still taken care of so well. Tracy Aviary has changed a TON since I was little but it was still so neat to walk around with my family and think about my sweet Great Grandparents. I miss them so much.

That afternoon we raced back home so we could be back for the boys last day of school! It was a day filled with fun as the boys had their end of the school year "field day" but had to do it inside since it was SO cold and windy outside today.

Parker has LOVED his teacher Ms. England. She is getting married and moving to Boise this summer! We will miss her!

 Dallin has absolutely ADORED Mrs. Sharp. She is retiring this year (much to my disappointment.) After teaching for 32 years she is finally calling it quits. She has been wonderful working with Dallin and pressing him in ways to help him grow and think more in depth. She knew how to stretch him and encourage him unlike any teacher he has had. Many tears were shed today as she said her good byes. I have to admit, I got a little choked up myself.

I have been so impressed with this school and with the education that my boys are receiving over here in Idaho Falls. I was SO worried when we first moved here and felt unsure about my decision of sending them to a brand new school that is open enrollment...a school that none of the neighborhood kids go to. It has been a huge blessing and I'm grateful to look back and know that we continue to be taken care of....in so many ways. 

School's OUT for summer!!! Let the MADNESS begin!!!!

Feeding Giraffes!

While in Boise last week I forgot to post a couple of pictures from our adventure at the Boise zoo with a couple of my favorite friends. I had no idea that you could actually FEED a giraffe there so we were SO excited about giving it a try! We brought my nephew Carter along for the fun!

A beautiful day spent with a couple of the most beautiful girls I know......on the inside as well!

As we were leaving the zoo we all commented on how great it was to just get together for a low key morning and enjoy some fun girl time with our kids. I sure do miss so many of my friends in Boise. Thanks Nikki and Cynthia....I ♥ you both!!

I heart surprises!

Last Thursday morning we received a phone call bright and early from my mom. "Nat's water broke! The baby is coming today!" We have been planning on heading over to Boise next week for my brother's graduation so I was happy to know that the baby would be there and we could go meet him next week. I would be okay not being there right after my nephew was born. I wasn't there for Carter's birth because I was too far and YES I have regretted it for all of these years. I was facing the same situation again....I just live too far away now and after all...I had a MILLION things to do on this particular Thursday. I had visiting teaching (I've been a slacker so I was proud that appointments had actually been made), I had a huge ice cream activity for my Activity Day girls planned at MY house, I had 2 baseball practices to be at...................blah blah blah.

Then I woke up. I realized that THESE are the MOMENTS in life that can't be relived. This is a big day and I was GOING TO BE THERE dang it! After ditching everything, packing a few items, making arrangements for Dallin, throwing Landon and Parker in the car, we hit the road!

3 hours.......and many LIES later: (Hey...I didn't want ANYONE to know I was coming! ☺)

We totally surprised my family and walked into the hospital room to meet my newest nephew. My parents, sis and I were a little emotional to say the least! The baby's name is Bryan (after my dad) Robert  Bleazard! What an emotional, spiritual, and priceless day. I'm SO happy that I dropped everything to be there. I will cherish this moment for the rest of my life.

NOT a fan of the first bath! What a sweetheart!

 After we left the hospital we went back to my parents house to SURPRISE my youngest brother. You see, it was HIS 18th birthday on this the SAME day of baby Bryan's birth! I was so happy that we could be there to celebrate his birthday and make him feel important! Landon and Parker rang the doorbell and jumped up and shouted "Happy Birthday J!!" when he answered the door.

We went to his graduation party the next night as well. It was fun to be there to support him and show him we STILL love him even though he opted NOT go attend BYUI next year. We wanted him closer to us but I guess USU isn't too far away ☺

One last surprise was actually given to ME while we were in Boise. I've always ALWAYS wanted to go to a U2 concert. It's one of those things on my bucket list! Well, long story short Nate and I were in the running for a pair of free tickets to go to the concert in Utah next week. We had a 1 in 5 chance of winning. Well, we didn't win.....and I was pretty darn bummed.

My dad asked me later that day if I had won the tickets. I told him no. He said, "Are you sure? I heard that you won." I assured him that I did NOT win. With a wink and a smile and told me that I won and he handed me 2 tickets to the U2 concert.
He bought me tickets for my birthday. YAHOOOOOOO!!!!!!!! My dad is the best. I can't wait to go!!!

What a great couple of days. I'm so lucky to have such an incredible family and I was reminded of that over and over again these past few days. I'm also so grateful for a husband who supports me in all of the random crazy ideas that I have. When I told him I wanted to go to Boise to be there for my sister he said, "You'll do what you want to do...you always do! Don't worry about Dallin, I will make sure he gets where he needs to be....stay as long as you need to."

I'm a lucky girl.

And the swim graduate is......

Most of you were right! The swim graduate was indeed Mr. Landon!!

A little quiz

3 cute boys finished swim lessons today! Only 1 of those boys passed his class and received the nod to move up to the next class. The other 2 boys received a kind, "Need to REDO" the class certificate.

Who do you think passed the class????☺

Randomness

I've been meaning to put a few of these pictures up. So here they be!

First off are some photos from when we went to Hogle Zoo with our cousins last month! It was a cold and rainy day but we made the most of it! We always do!

We hung out with the Radio Disney peeps who were on HYPERACTIVE OVERDRIVE because we came over to play their silly games and take their free bags, posters, puzzles and more.

We love our cousins!

Landon thought he could walk the entire zoo but soon ran out of steam. Luckily we came across some wet, unattended wagons and we helped ourselves to one. Landon quite enjoyed that.

Next we have some pictures from the kite flying day at Dallin's school. Ironically enough there was NO WIND the morning of the kite flying which is pretty much unheard of here in Idaho Falls in the spring. About 10 minutes prior to takeoff time, the wind picked up. We couldn't have asked for better weather to celebrate!

 We have a pretty sweet kite I'd have to say. It looks like 2 big pinwheels and there is no tail! Dallin was very proud to show it off to all of his buddies.

I have really loved the boy's school this year. They have had some incredible teachers and I'm so sad to see the school year end because of it!

Lastly we have some shots from our first S'MORE roasting of the year! As you can see, a GOOEY time was had by all! We gave those HUGE marshmallows a try. None of the boys could finish their s'mores because they were too sweet! (Of course I'm so proud to say that I pulled if off without any issue. ☺)

 Check out this boy's sweet BLING! I'm not sure how to get Dallin to stop wearing this rockin' mardi gras necklace without hurting his feelings. It is so CHEESY yet oh so innocently sweet. He tried to wear it to church last Sunday. What to do.......

And that's all.