May Shenanigans

I feel like I say this every month, but we had another very busy and fun month. This is going to be a long post....

There were, of course, fun hairstyles throughout the month. I tried to do more since it was the last month of school.

Dallin is Mr. Goof!

Maya loves reading to Dallin.

The girls call this their climbing tree. I'm glad I got this photo because Ryan cut off all the branches they used to climb on just a few weeks later. The branches were too low and it was impossible to mow under it. Eventually the entire tree is going to come down; it's just too close to our house to let it keep growing.

Dallin and Briggs are buddies!

Brianna had a musical recital at school. Dallin and I enjoyed watching her. Her class is so cute!

We went to the park one day after school. Dallin sat all cute in the swing.

Brianna got a bug jar from school. She caught a ladybug in it and was quite pleased with herself.

More fun hair!

When Maya was a baby she did this same thing. A tiny seat for a tiny bum!

I've done this hairstyle before, but loved how it turned out so I had to do it again. Criss cross French braids on Saturday...

and then taken out to reveal gorgeous waves for church on Sunday.

We celebrated Mother's Day. Ryan and the kids spoiled me! I got to take a nap after church, got some fun gifts, and then Ryan made an amazing surf n'turf dinner. I definitely felt loved and appreciated, even more than normal! I have a great family!

Hair for school days...

One evening I was trying to make dinner but the girls wanted bubbles outside. I remembered our bubble machine and set it up for them. Dallin even got to participate in his exercauser outside! I was able to watch them through the window while I made dinner with nobody bugging me. Parenting win.

This is a four strand ribbon braid. I need to practice this one more!

Ryan was moving dirt into our garden box and our neighbors came over to help. Tehya (in the picture) and Konstanz are our regular babysitters. We love the whole family, and we are glad to call them our friends!

Hair!

I think pull through braids might be my favorite. So pretty and so easy to do.

We spent an insane amount of time at Lowes one Saturday afternoon. Maya was at a birthday party and we were at Lowes the entire time (3 hours!). Brianna was absolutely fantastic. These metal poles were a family that she was playing with.

Dallin did really well too. He slept for a little bit in the LILLEbaby and nursed when he woke up. Overall it was an extremely low stress 3 hours and I got in my steps for the day (thank you, FitBit, for making me "need" to take steps).

When we got home that evening we planted our garden! I am so excited to watch things grow and eat delicious garden fresh veggies! 

Dallin wasn't a big help in this endeavor. Effort #1 to keep him occupied: His favorite purple squishy toy thing and a stacking cup. It didn't last.

Maya was great at helping to plant.

Effort #2: Give him empty rectangle black plastic things. Didn't last. Probably for the best. They weren't the cleanest toy.

Brianna assisted by pouring in the fertilizer before we planted.

Effort #3: An empty cardboard box filled with rice krispies, a ladle, measuring cups, and a big Tupperware. It lasted! He was content for 20-30 minutes with these toys. Another parenting win!

Our crops for this year include:

green leaf lettuce,

broccoli,

sweet lunchbox size peppers,

poblano peppers,

green beans,

carrots (likely not to sprout - we planted a little late for them),

and three types of tomatoes - Sweet 100, Celebrity, and Beefsteak.

Our garden! Such love. 

The Sunbeam teacher for the girls is moving to San Diego. Maya and Brianna wanted to make her a craft, so I helped them create this with jute, pipe cleaners, and buttons. I also printed this picture for her to take so she would remember who it was from (and in case someday she decided to toss the craft. As cute as it is, clutter is clutter).

This one was so cute! Upside down French braids into messy buns.

Brianna got a lace Dutch braid headband. I also loved this one.

Maya has this cute friend from preschool named Aliya. They've gone to school together the last two years, but next year for kindergarten they won't go to the same school. 

Last day of school hair do! A spiral lace braid and ladder braid.

Maya and Brianna had their last day of school. Maya was sad to have school be over, but she's over that sadness now. She is SO excited to go to kindergarten! Next year Brianna will be in PreK at Flutterbugs.

The day after the last day of school we went to Elitches with Camille and Emma Parker. It was so fun! We got season passes this year and I look forward to utilizing them.

The girl riding next to Maya was clinging onto her for dear life! I was cracking up.

Maya had PreK graduation. She was the Statue of Liberty and memorized the entire phrase on the plaque of the Statue of Liberty. "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddles masses yearning to breathe free. The wretched refuse of your teeming shores. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed, to me. I lift my lamp beside the golden door." Ryan and I did our best not to ugly cry while we watched her. Papa and Nana were able to come for her ceremony. 

Afterwards the school had Chic-fil-A brought in for lunch. We had a picnic lunch and then we went on home for the day. 

Brianna had her first run with me! She made it to the end of our street, and I continued on for 3.5 miles with her and Dallin in the stroller.

Later that day we went to the pool (no pics. just trust me) and then we busted out the fire pit for the first s'mores of the summer. It was a glorious summery day.

We went to Jumpin' with Camille and Emma. It's a place filled with huge bounce houses. Thankfully there's also a little play area where Dallin got to get down and crawl around.

And that concludes the highlights for the month of May. We plan to have lots of fun this summer!!