Our Week in Pictures

Kristen took Audrey for lunch, manicure/pedicure for her birthday.

Grace decided to color her legs with a black marker, she colored Joel too, I just didn't get his picture.

We made 9 jars of homemade dill pickles.

Grace cleaning the kitchen counter, it's a full body workout.

Haircut day...cuts for all the girls. Getting ready for school to start August 16th.

since the last time I posted...

I got away for the weekend with my girlfriends to Walnut Creek.
Lisa and Audrey...Lisa (my older sis), Hannah (my niece) and mom came to visit for a week. We occupied ourselves with a trip to the zoo, playing with the cricut, eating Fresno State farm corn, and a trip to Bass Lake.

Audrey in her swimsuit she bought with her b-day money.

Joel and me.

My mom, Lisa, and me took the kids to the zoo.

Grace got her cast off!

I took the girls and Joel to the beach for a couple days.

We celebrated Father's Day.

Papa made Joel this amazing motorcycle for his 1st b-day.

Olivia finished pre-school, she is headed to kindergarten in the fall.

Audrey finished 3rd grade and will start 4th grade at Manchester Gate in the fall.

Ellie finished 1st grade and is ready for 2nd grade.

we celebrated Audrey's 9th b-day with breakfast at ihop

Joel turned one!!!

It's June already...

I rarely write a post without pictures, but today I will just write....In Fresno, it's getting warmer and the weather is starting to look more like summer than spring. Audrey, Ellie, and Olivia have 2 weeks left of school then summer vacation will officially be here. I'm not so good with sentences, but I'm okay with bullets so this is what's going on around here:

• Grace broke her arm last week. She broke 2 bones in her forearm, she's in a splint, and should be getting a cast this week.
• I'm desperately trying to lose the rest of my "baby weight." It's been a long, slow road, but I'm getting there. Every time I'm at the gym I wonder why I let myself eat everything I did when I was pregnant. I'm not known for self-control when it comes to food, so that makes putting weight on incredibly easy and taking it off incredibly difficult.
• Joel will be ONE next week!!!
• This really should be a post in and of itself, but I have solved my laundry problem, I am no longer complaining about the loads and piles all over the house on here and facebook. I found someone (thru some moms at school) who washes and folds ALL of it. If you want details, e-mail me. This has seriously changed my life (for the last 2 weeks).
• Ellie turned 7 a couple weeks ago and got a retainer. She is growing up!
• We had a pair of doves nest on our front porch. They had 2 eggs and they hatched. They have since flown the coop, but we enjoyed every second of them being here. Wondering if mom and dad will be back or if they'll find a better place to set up their next nest.
• I'm going to be in a friend's wedding in August in Oregon. I'm thrilled and motivated to keep going to the gym, but it does feel a little weird to be a bridesmaid again. I'm excited about our trip to Oregon, we've heard Portland is awesome!
• I signed up for the Disney half-marathon in September with my friend Kathy. I signed up and there is no turning back. I haven't really started training yet, and I'm not sure how that's going to work with all the kids home this summer, but I do believe my body is strong and I'll endure.
• I didn't get to plant a garden for the second year in a row and I'm a little sad about that. Not sure why, but before I knew it it was June and there are no tomatoes or zucchinis in the ground. I will definitely make this a goal for next year.
• Summer is going to be pretty uneventful. The girls are signed up for vbs one week, and I hope to make a trip or two to the beach with the kiddos, but other than that we are going to sleep in, play in the sprinklers, eat outside, BBQ, take walks, stay up late, and swim as much as we can.

That's it for now....happy June!

YouTube - Jason Gray - More like falling in love

I love this song...the words speak to me. Life can be so busy and noisy, many times I think God uses music to speak to me. This song did that....

YouTube - Jason Gray - More like falling in love

Mother's Day and other May happenings...

May is always a busy month for us. This month I have been to women's retreat, Josh and I went to a wedding in Carmel, and we celebrated Mother's Day. There are lots of birthdays coming up, and we're excited it's springtime. The longer days and nicer weather make playing outside one of the girls favorite things to do. We are counting down to summer and looking forward to lots of fun family times. Here are a few pics of what we've been up to, forgot my camera at women's retreat and the wedding. Got a pic of my kiddos on Mother's Day, but none with me and the kids, oh well...

My 5 favorite kids.

Our Mother's Day dessert (compliments of Whole Foods)...cheesecake

silly girls...


My 2 favorite guys.



Joel taking a bath in the kitchen sink and watching his sisters outside.

Audrey's Flying Machine

Audrey's 3rd grade class project (for open house) was to make a flying machine. It doesn't really have to fly (thank goodness!). Josh encouraged her to draw a picture of what her machine would look like, Grandma let us rummage thru her recycling, and then they got to work creating. Can you see the lego girl inside the cockpit? Good work Audrey (and Daddy)!

Easter 2010

Not sure where March went, but it's April now. Easter has come and gone. Blogging has taken a back burner to life, children, facebook, laundry, and everything else I'm doing...

I think everyone is sorta smiling :)

Grace posing in front of her playhouse at Nana & Papa's

Family pic, not such a good one, but show's how diificult it is to get everyone happy for a shot.

Papa and Joel swinging

Olivia

Josh, Joel, Pops, Papa (4 generations of Wilkinsons)

Josh, Joel, Papa (not sure what that look on Josh's face means)