Last Hurrah, Part 2 (a little out of order)

It seems kind of funny to post this now, since we are in full swing of our school year. However, on the Friday before classes started (less than a week ago), Stefanie and I decided to take the afternoon to have our official "Last Hurrah" before the real crazy schedule had begun. So, we simply packed a lunch and got our kids together at the pool. Most summers we do many beach and pool days but the last 2 summers were different. Last summer I had a newborn and she was pregnant, and this summer was just plain crazy for both of us. I was gone almost all summer until the end of July and she had lots of people in her life that were moving and she needed to spend time with them. So, this is only our 2nd official day getting together all summer....pretty amazing. Although, we email things night and day so we are in touch constantly....

Anyway, Stefanie and I grew up next door to each other from the time I was in 2nd grade and she was in 1st. We went through high school together and lived in the same dorm at Masters College. All of our kids are about the age, only staggered. They have paired up so amazingly with each other and have become the best of friends. We are so thankful for how much they love each other and how well they play together (or now "hang out", as teens do). We got some sweet pictures that day....which was important to me, as they seem to change so much from year to year. So, as a record, I wanted to post them. (sorry there are a lot again....I am not learning to cut back very well). :)

Josh and Jaden

Joshua and Jaden

Olivia and Julia

Jonah and Isabella

Luke and Jake

My Jeremy and Josh, Her Jaden and Luke

Jaden and Josh

Our oldest: Jeremy, Andrew and Christine (the teens) !

Jeremy and Andrew: they are crazy about each other

Julia, Christine and Olivia (Christine is such a sweet helper with them)
Mini-Me's!

Happy!

My dear friend, Stefanie, grows the most beautiful Hydrangeas. No matter how hard I try, mine never look this good or get this big. We swear she slips them steroids, but she claims to do nothing to them! She generously shared a few stems with me the other day (since she had so many to spare). They make me happy every time I see them! :) I had to take a picture and share them. I told her that a steady flow of these all year would be so wonderful! Maybe she will get the hint! ;)

Spring Break Field Trip-The Science Center

So, our homeschool co-op group has slowed down quite a bit this year. I ad a new baby and Stefanie was on bedrest for the 1st semester. Then, she had her baby 2nd semester and the kids started attending 2 days of classes, rather than 1. All of that to say....meeting every Friday was a bit too much this year. (How did I manage to do it last year-pregnant for the whole school year and working for 2 schools?-so crazy). Anyway, we started out with the intention of meeting every other Friday and this semester, it has become about once a month. We love the book we are using...it allows for almost no prep-work. We look forward to it so much! Weeks are just so full and we would have no days to homeschool if we did it every week! The 1st year of co-op, we took like 4-5 field trips. The kids remember those most. This year, we just took our 1st (and maybe last) one. It makes me sad because the kids love them so much! Anyway...we studied the human body this year. The CA Science Center has some really cool stuff in this regard, so that is where we went. We chose to go during our spring break from classes, rather than cram it into a week with 2 days of classes. It was lots of fun. I really hope we will plan more next year! :)

Funny how our group continues to "grow" yet no one new has joined! :)

Even cute Jonah got to participate and daddy came this time, which was a treat! :)

There was this cool "ecosystem" exhibit. It bag with a "film" and our group pretty much took up the whole room!

Isabella Mae

So, the long wait is over and Isabella Mae is here. After seeing Stefanie have such a rough time with this pregnancy, I couldn't wait for her to arrive (although, probably not as much as Stef couldn't wait)! I had the privilege of seeing her in the hospital and holding her....Here she is...in the blanket I got her and with her "Auntie Andrea" (Who looks like a drowned rat since I visited on the rainiest day of the year!...enough about me)! xxxooo

Baby Shower

A couple of weekends ago, I was so blessed to have a shower thrown for me by one of my closest, oldest friends, Stefanie. It was such a fun and special day. I loved visiting with all the girls and seeing all the adorable baby gifts they "showered" me with. So many extra touches went into my shower. I am truly blessed!

Such a cute dessert table with such a touching, special collage that Stef made of my children! I love it and will cherish it always!

So many young girlies came to celebrate...including my sweet Julia. Funny thing is, I remember being at the shower for most of them before they were born. so crazy. Where does the time go?

Mary, Me, Stef....standing in front of the cute hanging polka dots that matched the invitations!

Candy bar party favors with cute paper and a picture of the baby's ultrasound! So sweet. What a fabulous day!!!

Magic Mtn for the 1st time!

Our friends' daughter had a birthday party at Magic Mountain. Our kids had never been. They were so excited since they talk about the roller coasters every time we drive by it on the freeway. They had such a fun day with friends from church!

Brace Yourself for the rest of April!!!!

Well, here I go again.....totally behind on my blog. This is becoming a way-of-life. I needed to sum up all of April so bare with me....sorry for the plethora of pictures! Then, I need to move on to May. What is going to happen to my poor, neglected blog after this baby is born?

The yard project continues!.......Jeremy is a good worker and did a lot to help prepare the garden and plant.

Daddy and Jeremy are laying the sod!!!!yeah.....no more dirt!

Julia is working real hard while the yard work is being done!

One coop day at Stef's house. Does Josh look like he is loving life?

Our Reagan Library field trip. We just got finished studying the Magna Carta, so we wanted to see it while it was still on display there.

The kids had a fun day! It was a really great fieldtrip!

In front of AirForce One....

Yard work in the back also! I had to take this picture to remember Jeremy's determination. He needed to dig up this plant that was entangled in tree roots. He was so persistent and would not give up...all the while mumbling to the plant to "say your prayers" etc. until he finally got the plant out about 30 minutes later. I was quite proud that I got to witness his hard work and refusal to quit!

We started a fruit and vegetable garden. The kids were so excited to get a "Topsy Turvy" (upside down tomato planter). they love to check daily for new tomatoes.

Julia was so excited to find her 1st strawberry of the season!

Josh's 8th Birthday morning.....he got to wake up to a counter full of presents! Lots of fun. This year, his party will be a month or so late....we are doing a combination party for Josh and Jake because of the baby being due the day before Jake's birthday.

The boys are very impressed with his new Bakugon.


We also celebrated at co-op.

Loving all of the attention....

Easter "Saturday".....we had a celebration at one grandma and grandpa' house while Louie was off on Saturday.

Our little "Easter Bunny" playing the piano

After the 1st Easter Celebration, the kids were exhausted. We went to tuck the kids in and couldn't find Julia.....she was passed out in Josh's bed with her "muffin hat" on! (Her little hair net she sleeps in when she sleeps in curlers!)

Easter Sunday at Grandma and Grandpa Johnson's.......

Easter Co-op

Co-op was really fun the Friday before Easter. For science, we studied creation vs. evolution so the kids read through creation in the bible. For History, they studied the Crusades. Then, we had a fun snack and craft for Easter.

We made Rice Krispy treats into Easter eggs (which sure beats hard-boiled eggs)!

Then, the kids got to dip them half-way in milk or white chocolate, and decorate them with sprinkles!

These plates were not actually "posed" in a very cute way, but each kid ended up with 3 eggs and jelly beans to eat in the end.....happy kids!

We also made a craft of Easter Lilies and the flowers were actually created out of the kids' hand prints. (I'm a sucker for anything made out of their hand prints because it is so touching to look back on later!)
The end product was really cute. here is a bouquet of all of my kids' lilies in a vase!!! Fun Day!