April and May 2014

A summary of what was going on in the Mott house during April and May:

April

Henry’s first tooth loss!  He pulled it himself, which is just how I like it.  I’m not sure how I feel about him growing up this much, though.                                                                                

Best friends.  Although, really it’s more like Rachel is Cindy’s second mother.  Cindy always sneaks into Rachel’s bed at night, and whenever the kids are watching a movie and Cindy gets tired, she moves over to sit by Rachel before she falls asleep.  I guess Rachel is her comfort object?                                      

More soccer:                                                                                            

Somehow Cynthia won our family’s March Madness competition this year.  With her prize money she chose to buy the movie Frozen, and also a box of doughnuts (to share with the other kids).  I’m not sure which thing she was more excited for. 

In the middle of April we drove up to Dallas to go to a Mariners game (they were in town to play the Rangers).  Daniel also used the trip as a chance to meet with some of the people who work with him up at the Dell site in Plano.  The kids were getting bored and restless while we were hanging out in the hotel room that morning, so I played a little memory game with them.  I set up 20 random things that I found around the hotel room on a little table, let them look at them for a few minutes, and then covered them back up and had them write down how many things they could remember. 

Oliver beat everyone by remembering 18 of the things.  He won a little prize (some sort of treat I had in my purse?), which is why Cynthia looks so depressed in this picture.  She was devastated that she didn’t win.  I think she remembered 11 things. 

After our fun little game I took the kids out to lunch before we went to pick up Daniel from his meeting and head over to the game.                             

We always make sure to get to the games as soon as they open the gates for batting practice, so we can catch balls, meet players, and get autographs.  Henry was very pleased to get his Justin Smoak card signed.

Cindy kept making funny poses, and then saying “Mom, now do I look like a good football player girl?”  (She gets her sports mixed up sometimes.)                                                                                                

Meeting Robinson Cano:                                                      

And signatures from our favorite pitcher, Felix “The King” Hernandez:

Mostly it’s pretty hot in Texas by April, but sometimes there can still be cold days.  It was freezing cold in Dallas that day.  I am wearing sweats under my jeans in this picture. 

Here is my goofy little Rachel with a fake milkshake made out of dirt.  She made it at the playground near Lizza’s soccer practice, and was so excited to bring it home and try to trick Daniel and the boys with it. 

Tristan and Henry drawing together.  Tristan put together lots of “how-to” drawing sheets for Henry, with step by step instructions.  So helpful. 

Rachel and Lizza were inspired by the face painters at our ward Easter activity, and decided to try it out on Cindy’s cheeks. 

Cindy wanted a snowman, like Olaf from Frozen.  I think Rachel might have a future in face-painting. 

On Easter I finally got a picture of the kids in the famous Texas bluebonnets.  It only took me 8 years to get around to it:    

Happy Easter.

Oliver wanted to make an egg that looked like the Earth.  I’m not really sure how he did it, but I’m pretty sure that is North and South America.    

One of the best things about April was my Sister Trip.  I have five sisters and one sister-in-law, and we get together with our mom every year (or every other year, depending on the schedule) for a weekend of relaxing, talking, eating, shopping, etc., with no husbands and no children (except nursing babies).  

This year we stayed at my youngest sister Christine’s house in South Weber, Utah.  Even my sister who is living in Malaysia right now was able to make it. 

We started right off with some shopping.  Here we all are, minus Rebekah (taking the picture), and Christine (in the background, getting her baby situated in the stroller).  She was the only one to have a baby this year, which was different (some years we have all had a baby with us). As fun as it was to be able to hang out without worrying about napping baby schedules, I was glad there was still one baby available for holding and squishing and cuddling.    

This is what shopping with sisters looks like (all of us in the same dressing room, lots of trying things on and then passing them around, sending sisters out to get different sizes, etc.)  The best way to shop. 

A lunch break at Café Zupas:

What we brought home:

When we saw all our bags together on the couch, we thought it would be fun to take a picture, and then we thought how alarming that would look to our husbands if we sent it and pretended we had bought it all ourselves, so we each took a turn pretending.  We are so funny. 

Every year we do sisters gifts for each other.  Christine surprised us by arranging for a private Bikram yoga session for her gift to us.  I love doing yoga with my sisters.  (I’m in the back on the right)

Some of the other sister gifts included a glass water bottle, a cool mesh bag from Malaysia, a bear claw back scratcher, homemade postcards and gift cards, some essential oils, and some homemade cream/salve for first aid. 

My youngest brother, David, was just getting ready to leave on a mission to Finland, so my dad and brothers met us up in Salt Lake so we could get the whole family together for family pictures.

Mom and Dad with the nine kids:

Just the kids (youngest to oldest, left to right):

David, Victor, Alex, Christine, Marian, me, Eliza, Rebekah, and Laura:

The Sister Trip girls (Alex’s wife Lindy is on the left): 

Dinner at Chipotle after pictures:

All the sisters saying goodbye to David (it was the last time for us to see him until he’s back from his mission):

Victor was taking the pictures for us, and at one point he got really down low to try to fit us all in, and as any girl knows, pictures should not be taken from below.  We immediately were all yelling, “Nooooooo!, not from below!”.  And so of course it turned out way worse than if we had just smiled and let him take it.  I can’t look at it without laughing now.

Noooooo!                           

That’s better.  (he stood on some chairs for this one)                             

The next morning we went to Music and the Spoken Word at the tabernacle. 

And then hung around at home being crafty before we had to get all packed up to go.  Here we are making wool dryer balls.  My kids had a hard time finding which one was me in this picture:

 

May

Henry and Cindy doing some weeding in the backyard (I wasn’t even making them; they’re just at that age where they still think weeding is fun)  

Rachel at a Mariners game in Houston (Daniel took the older three). 

More baseball:                                                                       

And more soccer:                                                                                               

Christina Perri concert in Austin.  I’m glad we went, not just because it was a great concert, but also because it was the first time we heard Birdy (she opened for Christina Perri).  Birdy is my new favorite singer now. 

Mother’s Day.  The kids were so excited to get all their cards and pictures and homemade gifts all set up for me to see when I woke up.  Someone had even made little labels for each kid to put their stuff by.

I am a lucky mother. 

Over Memorial Day weekend my mom flew to Texas to watch the kids while Daniel and I went to San Francisco (that trip will probably need its own post).  I’m grateful to my mom for doing this for us every year!  The kids love having her here, and I love knowing that we’re leaving them in such great hands. 

After we got back there was a Fathers and Sons campout scheduled, but there was lots of rain on the forecast, so Daniel took the boys on their own little Father and Sons adventure.  They went “Exploring” down by the pond near our house.  Henry’s one goal was to find some sort of animal.  He came home with 2 toads, one fancy caterpillar, and a snake.  Success. 

After their exploring adventure they got some dinner at Bamboo Garden.  Also a success. 

The end.  Next up, San Francisco trip!