Long time no blog...Jackson in Spring Baseball...

Someone started baseball for the first time ever; and loved every minute of it. I am so glad we decided to put him in baseball this early. I was told with Tucker to wait and I know once he started, he always felt that the other kids were so much better than him. They really just learned the basics today and I forgot that you really have to start from square one and just tell them how to hit, throw and where to run even!

Jackson's coach is Steve Raab, his buddy Blake's dad and he was so good with the boys. Like really good! I feel really fortunate that he is so invested in teaching these boys a thing or two.

There, of course, was a lot of playing, too. You have to with boys at this age! :)

Taylor even got to get in on the action and play catch with him for a bit. Parents and siblings were invited to play with the boys. It was a lot of fun! Made me totally wish we had done this with Tucker.

Practice was at Morningside Park and it was so fun to run into so many friends while we were up there. Tucker has been begging for years to move up there because he is so social, and wants to be close to his friends; and being up there and seeing so many friends made me really consider it tonight, I love the community feel!

On the road again...

The very next weekend, we headed down to Milton-Freewater for Stormee's baby shower. I always love going to Milton-Freewater because it brings back so many childhood memories.

This guy was being a stinker the whole way. Man, I don't know what I'm going to do with him. I love him so much but he is BAD. He laughs when he gets punished and he does things exactly the opposite of what he knows that I want him to do.

 

Also, the weather decided to get REALLY hot the day we left so I had to turn on my AC for the first time of the year. Of course, when I turn it on, it doesn't work. And it was 78 degrees! We had to ride the whole 3 hours with awful heat in our van. It was a nightmare.

 

We finally got to M-F and met grandma at McDonalds to have some nice cold Ice cream cones after being in a heater for three hours.

Grandma took the kids for a few hours so I could immediately go meet Stormee for her Maternity photo shoot. Grandma took the kids to the park while I was gone and I found out after that they did some fishing with a random guy named 'Lebron James'! haha

 

My mom took these pictures and I was a little concerned that this man was helping my child so closely fish in this random nasty pond.

 

But Tucker caught a fish and he was SOOOO excited! Totally legit way of fishing, too with a stick and a string and all!! :)

 

 

Meanwhile, this is what I was doing....

 

 Ben thought that this maternity outfit was totally ridiculous; I thought it was fun and I've seen a lot worse. He's not used to seeing things like this. Anyway, I thought Stormee looked beautiful. It was just fun to spend the evening with Jr, Lisa, Stormee,Trinidy, Larissa, Allee and Shalisse.

 

 They were all there and we were having a great time at Lisa's parents house in their orchard taking the pictures, but I did notice that one MAJOR person wasn't there, Nick.

 

 Allee, Grandma Scudder, Shalisse, Trin, Stormee, Lisa and Larissa:

 

 Anyway, Lisa told me later that Nick and Stormee were seperated, that Stormee kicked him out just the week before. He was totally abusive and had threatened to kill her and all this nasty stuff. I felt so bad for her. I mean, not surprising, but just sad. This time of her life should be happy for her, and I could tell she was just sad.

Anyway, we took that little fish back to Scott and Kathy's and Papa and Uncle Scott taught them how to gut a fish. They were pretty impressed....haha!

 

 

 

 

The plan was to fry up those fish, but then Kathy told us that the fish from that pond are so dirty they shouldn't be touched. So, we quickly threw that thing away and Tucker totally understood! :)

The kids love Uncle Scott so much. Uncle Scott and Tucker always stay up late and eat ice cream together  when we stay there. Tucker looks forward to it every time. We had a nice relaxing morning and Stormee's shower was in the afternoon.

 

 

 

 

Stormee's shower was so nice, it was at the Walla Walla Country club and it was so nice. Larissa, Lisa, Shalisse, Allee, Storm and Trin are so fun. I rode over with Kathy and Kathryn and we had a great time. They made me drive my dads truck and that was an adventure. :)

 

 

Me, Stormee, Kathy and Kathryn; just some Campbell girls...

 

Stormee & Kathy...

 

And Stormee with her two grandmas:

 

And cute Trinidy and Aunt Kathy...

 

And that's really when when the shit hit the fan, so to speak. The rest of the weekend kind of sucked. My mom watched the kids again while I was at the shower, and after I called her to see where we could meet up so I could get the kids back. Also....on a side note; Mr. Kramer had told Tucker that he should go to 'the Modern' for dinner while we were there. He said he used to go there as a kid with his grandparents. And it was so crazy because as soon as he said he wanted to go there and what Mr. Kramer had told him, I had the exact same memory from when I was a kid. We used to go to the Modern with my grandparents when I was a kid for like birthday's and such. Anyway, my mom kept on telling Tucker that she would take him and we had decided on Saturday night. So, after the shower I called my mom to tell her we were done and she tells me that she wants to take the kids to Randy Michelle's house for a BBQ. WOW. Long Long story short. I was infuriated. I didn't even know if I was invited, I felt like I was put in a really awkward place and that she knew about this BBQ all along and was just stringing us along telling us about going to the Modern. So, I told her that but she was already on her way to the BBQ, and so the kids went, and I didn't really have a say. The BBQ started at 6:30 and it was 6 and they were on their way already, so we decided that she would stay there until 7 and we would meet then at The Modern. I really didn't care about going to the Modern, I was just pissed that she railroaded me. I went into the weekend really wanting to be ok with her life and wanting to be open to being a part of her and her husbands like and maybe getting to know him, but after this weekend, I realized that I need more time to digest everything (even though it's been years)! 

Anyway, we had to get a picture with the sign to show Mr. Kramer. And luckily the kids still had a great time doing whatever, and they were clueless about anything going on.

 

 

They ended up spending the night with grandma that night because it was already arranged, but I think that in the future, I will just keep these guys with me when we're in M-F. 

But we did meet up with everyone and go to the Maple Counter in Walla Walla, and it was really good!

 

 

The whole gang: Jr. Kathryn, Dad, Kara, Tucker, Scott, Kathy, Jackson, Mom and Taylor:

 

After the night before I was ready to get on the road and get home. I love my family but I was just feeling so negative, I was ready to get home. It really was so fun to see Scott and Kathy and spend time with the Campbell's. The photo shoot and the baby shower was so fun and I love that my kids love my aunt and uncle so much. And I am glad that they got to spend time with my mom, I just wish it wasn't so awkward with her and I wish I didn't feel so deceived.

Half Day's...

The next week was half days for conferences for the week before Spring break. Which, by the way, I hate! It just is such a hassle having to plan around half days and entertain the kids for half days knowing that spring break is the very next week! But anyway, the week was full of this naked boy. He had to wear that hat all day long this week. It was so cute. And, of course, always shaking his booty.

  

He is so fun! I love having him be my little buddy all day. He is just so funny; he does his own thing, in his own way and just chats and chats all the while.

 

I just love that naked booty!

T&T also had a dr. appointments. Can't believe that these boys are both so big. Every time I walk into the 'Valley Little People's Clinic' I think of Tucker when he was a newborn and I had no clue what the heck I was doing and I always had so many questions and concerns about his growth. Now, we go in, and Dr. Simmerman is like family and things are usually really good and easy. I am lucky to have happy and healthy kids!

 

On Tuesday we had Morgan and Jason come to Sky High with us. They didn't open until like 1 or 1:30 or something, so we had to kill some time. I took the kids to McDonalds to get ice cream cones....these children don't know how good they have it.

Cute Morgan and Taylor:

 

And Jason & Tucker:

 

We met up with Tristan and her girls there. So we all had good friends! :)

 

 

Jackson, of course, found the basketball hoop right away. The boy is OBSESSED with basketball!

 

Taylor & Aidree:

 

This boy just wanted to play pool the whole time. Stinker kept on asking me for moneys! :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tucker & Jason doing a double flip into the foam pit:

 

My cute little athletic lady. She loves her athletic clothes these days and I had to get a pic.

 

And I had a few more mornings to hang with this child:

 

This is what our mornings look like a lot of the time. Playing with the selfie stick:

 

 

This is also a common view for me these days. I love listening to Tucker play the piano and I love that he loves to play it. Now we just need to get a better piano!

 

And this is what your laundry looks like when you own your own business:

 

So...mother of the year award. On Tuesday when we went to Sky High was the day of Tucker's parent teacher conference with Mr. Kramer! I was stuck downtown with extra kids. I'm so dumb! So, I had to cancel and I'm sure he wants to call CPS on us! On Thursday I went in with the kids for Taylor's conference with Mrs. Beschta and I was going to sneak in after real quick to talk to Mr. Kramer, but he was with a parent the whole time. Anyway, while we were at the school, Taylor was so proud of her artwork that was on the wall, so she had to get a pic with it.

 

 

 Luckily my two smarty pants had great meetings. Well, one great meeting, and Mr. Kramer and I ended up just emailing, because he said that would be fine with Tucker because he's doing just fine. Lucky I got two good, smart, happy and pleasant kids. Their teachers love them and know them and appreciate them and that makes me so happy! So, Ice cream it was!

Thursday was a full day because I also grabbed this guy real quick and took some pics of him for his Eagle Scout Court of Honor Invite. It was a quick half hour session up at camp Caro. It was quick and easy and they turned out great! Max Skidmore is one of Tanner Christensen's good friends and his mom Shannan just wanted pics like Tanners and didn't want it to be a big fuss.

 

Also on Thursday night, after the photoshoot, this started:

 

Taylor was so excited! And so was I, it meant that we can finally get outside again and the spring is upon us! I sure do love Taylor's soccer coach and that she has found a little team. I guess coach Jeff is going to get back surgery, he messed it up during Christmas break, and so Brenda, Ali's mom is going to be the coach this season. She is awesome though, so it should be a great season. It was fun sitting and chatting with Tristen and Malia again! :)