Mother's Day Weekend

We were lucky enough to have family here for Mother's Day!  My mom flew in the Tuesday before.  She got to stay for a whole week and we loved every minute of it!

 She missed Connor's preschool graduation by just a few hours, but was able to go to the kids' Gallery Night that evening.  The art teachers display art from every single child in the school (over 1,000 kids).  Jacob's is the top picture directly above his head, that has light columns running through it.

 Zach's is the yellow and red piece next to him.

 Savannah was very proud of her red bird.

 The kids had fun every day keeping Grandma busy.  One afternoon Savannah & Zach convinced her to draw mutant food with them (don't ask).  The next day they drew mutant sports equipment.

 Grandma & Landon helped Savannah with homework too.  Savannah had to throw a cup in the air 20 times and see how it landed, to practice tallying.  Landon was very willing to help throw that cup over and over and over again.

 On Friday night my brother Steven and his family came.  They went to my cousin Reed's wedding in Dallas and then drove here after.  My dad was actually in Dallas just for the day, so they got to have lunch with him and be with him at the wedding.  Landon remembered Steven from our trip in March and still adores him.  Steven had a little shadow the entire time he was here.

 We loved meeting Madelyn in person.  She is 4 months old now and super cute.  Savannah is excited to have a girl cousin on the LeSueur side of the family now.

 Grandma loved having 7 of her 8 grandkids together!

On Saturday morning we went to the new park.  The weather was great and the kids got good and worn out.  This swing is Landon's new favorite spot at the park.  In the afternoon Steven took Max, Zach, Savannah & Connor to the Botanical Gardens in Austin.  I don't have any pictures, but I know the kids enjoyed spending time with him.

 Max was in heaven with new toys to play with.  One of his favorites were the "special marbles."  They are magnetic orbs that I only brought out when Landon was sleeping.  I'm still afraid he'll try to put one in his mouth.

 My dad surprised us by sending a box of chocolate covered strawberries to my mom and us girls.  They were beautiful and tasty.

 Sarah and cute Madelyn.

 My kids and I on Mother's Day

 We tried to get a good picture of grandma and most of her grandkids, but Landon was not cooperative.

 

 The girls

 Having Max here made my kids actually play more with some of the toys they haven't touched in a while.  Zach and Savannah made a huge zoo with a "freeway" around it.

 We have two nests on our porch this year.  The first nest of baby birds hatched just before my mom got here, so she got to see them.  They just flew off a couple of days ago.  The other next was built while she was here.  The momma bird is still sitting on two light blue eggs.

 On Saturday Dallin & Jacob disappeared to the store.  Grandpa had made secret phone calls to Jacob a couple of times and we found out why.  He gave Jacob the job of going to the store and buying Grandma flowers for Mother's Day.  He did a great job.

 I got flowers, chocolate, and body spray from Dallin, and nice cards and pictures from the kids.  My favorite quote came from Savannah that she did at school.  It was a fill in the blank, and said "My mom is as tall as...a fridge."  I can just picture her trying to think of all the things in our house and what I'm the same height as.  But she's right, I'm just about as tall as the fridge.

 Steven's family left Sunday after lunch and Grandma left Tuesday evening.  We miss you already!

On Thursday Zach woke up with a fever, and so began Round 2 of "The Strong kids get a fever."  Landon got it again Thursday night.  This was the 3rd weekend in a row that we've had fevers.  Zach was home Thursday with a mild fever and stayed home Friday even though he was fine by then.  They had field day at school and I didn't think it would be good for him to be out in the sun all day yesterday because he was more worried about missing his camping trip with Daddy and the boys.  So he rested up all morning while Jacob & Savannah enjoyed having Dallin at the school helping with field day.  After they got home Dallin left with Jacob, Zach & Connor to go camping with the guys from our ward at Inks Lake.  Savannah and I rented a Barbie movie from redbox, painted fingernails, and made brownies.  Landon got to hang out with us, lucky boy.

Only one more week of school!!!