MAY

May was a month of not many pictures. But that doesn't mean it wasn't packed with fun! (And thankfully Jim managed to pick up the picture taking (thanks iPhone!) where I slacked off. (Forgive the lack of quality on the phone pics.) :)

{Glenn Beck} The month started off with Jim getting to go see Glenn Beck at the NRE Convention with Mom and Dad Roberts, Randy & April, and his buddy Dan. He absolutely LOVED it! I'm sure it was highly inspirational. One of these days I'll get to do stuff like that again... when I don't have kids so attached. :)

 They of COURSE had to check out all the big guns as well. :)

{Backyard Fun} The kids really enjoy playing in the backyard... especially when the weather is nice. (We had an unusually pleasant Spring this year, which meant a lot of fun time in the yard.) Dixie put Austin in one of the 'big kid' swings, and he did surprisingly well. She was having a lot of fun trying to make him laugh with silly faces and actions (hence her bum sticking out in the first picture). :)

 Buddies for life. :)

And Summer on the tire swing...

{Grandpa Packard's Passing} May 8th, 2013. Grandpa H. Von Packard passed away. Here are my feelings from that day (from on Facebook): 
"I'll need a few days to finally be able to put all my thoughts and feelings into words, but for now I'll just lean on the beautiful words of so many of my cousins, aunts, and uncles. 
My Grandpa passed away today. One of the most spiritual, vibrant, inspiring, and happy men I knew. I cherish the memories I have of him from my youth and regret that I was not able to spend more time close to him in his latter years. I was blessed to live near him as I grew and then again during my college years. I was blessed to be his granddaughter. I was blessed to glean so much knowledge and insight from his strength and testimony. I was blessed simply to have known him at all.
I love you Grandpa. You are missed, clearly. But I am truly thankful to have a knowledge that I will see you again. Until then, I will not forget the lesson you taught... "what have you done with my name?" I hope you will be pleased when we meet again. Love forever."

His funeral was later this month, but I'll do that in it's own post. He deserves it.

{Mother's Day} This was a sweet day. It actually started a few days early with Dixie's Kindergarten class hosting a 'Mother's Day Breakfast'. I dropped Summer and Austin off at one of my VTs house (at 7:45 AM!! THANK YOU CARLA!) so I could be at the school and in Dixie's class by 8:30 AM. (Note to school: An even sweeter gift would be if we didn't have to be there until more like 9:30!) :) But it was sweet to be doted on by my little Dixie. The kids had made a variety of cute cards and what not to give to each mom. I noticed one of Dixie's classmates mom hadn't shown up, so we invited her to come join us. (Poor girl was the only one whose mom wasn't there and she was in absolute tears... turns out her mom had just gotten the time wrong. So sad.) Anyway, I hoped Dixie wouldn't mind sharing my attention, but it was still so fun to have that time together. Thanks sweetie girl! 

And the actual Mother's Day was just as sweet. This may be one of the first Mother's Days I've had where it wasn't slightly tinged with guilt for all my shortcomings. I've been working hard lately at trying to pay more attention to my kids and less attention to things that don't really matter (aka the computer and whatnot). I've been trying to be more of a hands on mom. So this Mother's Day felt good. I was proud of the changes I'd made and the impact it had been having on my family. At church, Summer got to sing with the Primary on stage for the first time (well, first Mother's Day time) and it was so sweet. I absolutely love my kids and being a mom. It is the greatest blessing ever.

{Daddy's In Charge} While I was gone at my Grandpa's Funeral, Daddy was in charge. I had taken Austin with me, so the girls had some good Daddy Bonding Time. :)

 McDonald's...

 Bowling...

Fun Jump...

 The Beach...

I don't think they missed me at all! :)

{Kindergarten Graduation} May 20th. Okay... so I'm not a HUGE fan of this, but it was still cute. Of course. How can it not be with your little kindergartner up on the stage singing "We're on our way, First Grade, First Graaaaaade!" (to the tune of 'New York, New York'). So cute. 

We're so proud of our little Dixie Jean and her awesome accomplishments her very first year of school. WE LOVE YOU!

{Dixie Turns 6!!} May 24th. HAPPY BIRTHDAY DIXIE! Small family fun on her actually birthday, and then big birthday fun on Saturday with friends from church and school at the house for a Splish Splash Birthday Bash. We set up a slip n' slide, had the kiddie pool out, each kid got their own water blaster, water balloon fights, popsicles to your hearts content, watermelon, cake and ice cream... it was a big success and a lot of fun. Love you birthday girl! :)

And I'm sad that I didn't get more pictures from this (it's hard to take pictures and host, and I'm thankful Jim was able to snap these)... I'll have to see if I can get some from one of the other moms... but this is a little idea of what the fun was like. :)

Guests: Dixie, Summer, Ronni, Parker, Alex, Mia, Elizabeth, Ella, Claire, and Caleb

 This was a 'Watermelon' cake. The inside is three layers of red cake (white cake dyed red) with mini chocolate chips to look like the watermelon seeds. :) It was really cute. Again... kicking myself for no picture. Ugh. 

 Parker was anxious to have the candles blown out. :)

Elizabeth, Ronni, Alex, and Summer

{Last Day of Kindergarten} May 31st. *sniff* Dixie was so sad to be done with Kindergarten. Well, it was bittersweet anyway. Mostly she was just so sad to be leaving Ms. Sims. But they sure ended the school year with a bang! The whole last week and a half was all sorts of crazy fun days. There was a splash day (water day out in the field), a game day (everyone brings in their favorite board/card game), freedom day, and the last day was a park day. The kids all went to a park right up the road from the school for an hour or two to just play and have fun. Summer, Austin, and I joined Dixie there. :) It was a good year.

 Dixie and Ms. Sims

 plus Alyssa...

 Dixie and Azalea

 Dixie and Presley

Dixie and Ronni... perhaps her favorite kindergarten friend of all. :) (Ronni's red eyes are due to some tears over a marble she lost. Lost treasures. Sad.)

AND THAT WRAPS UP MAY! LOVES!