A Morales Minute

Both Lindsey and Olivia didn't want to do choir or sing in front of others. They both were part of some amazing choir experiences this year and they both LOVE to sing and be in choir now.  Olivia was selected by her music teacher to go and participate in a day long "choir camp" type thing to sing with kids from all over the district. Choristers from middle and high school came to work with the kids.  There were so many kids! The musical numbers all sounded so good. Lots of talent in this group.  While Olivia (and Emily) spent the day at choir, Jaime and I and the rest of the kids were at a lacrosse tournament with Aidan. Luckily it was in Kennewick so when it was time for the choir concert I was able to leave lacrosse and go watch Olivia. When it was over I took Olivia and Emily back to the lacrosse tournament. These are the eight students chosen from Olivia's school.  After Aidan's game it was already past dinner time and we neede...

Before During After Georgous!!! We ran the new floors throughout the main floor except for under the stairs and the bedroom. Now we just need to find someone to put in the new baseboards we want to get. 

We have done a lot of hunting around and looking at houses. Met with multiple realtors, looked at different house plans and areas to build a new house, weighed pros and cons to moving. Honestly, I don't want to deal with building a new house right now, I like the location of our current house, and we've decided it'd be cheaper to make some of the changes in our home to things we liked and wanted if we built a new house.  So I took a few pictures of our house as it is before changes.  As I look at this picture I think "How did I live with that?" I don't like the way it looks at all from the look of this picture. I'm not quite sure how I'll change this up but I hope to be able to. The piano is not something fun to decorate around.  Furniture is all moved out and the carpet is now ready to be pulled up. Yes it's vacuumed. :) Jaime's parents are planning on taking the carpet to replace in a couple rooms at their house  Carp...

I went to Muffins with Mom at Olivia's school this morning. They do it for Mother's day and in conjunction with the Spring book fair.  While sitting down eating our muffins music started and all the kids who are in choir stood up and started singing and signing a song for the moms.  Emily and Olivia My 5th grade daughters I love both these girls. I'm glad they aren't embarrassed to be seen with me. They both have hearts of gold. I love their friendship and I love that Emily lets me love her so. She gives me a hug before school every day, just like Olivia. Why not celebrate Mother's Day early! This was perfect. I believe I get to go to the boy's school Mother's Day morning event soon too!

Lindsey is really enjoying tennis. None of them at this age are able to keep the ball going for very long but I like how Lindsey still enjoys it and wants to get better. I'll enjoy watching her improve over the next few years and hope she plays into high school.  Today Lindsey had a tennis match (home thank goodness!) And down the road from Lindsey's match Tyler had his first baseball game! He is so ready for this. This is his sport. What he wants to do most. I really hope we can help him develop this skill he wants.  His first at bat he had a good hit! I think his second one he walked to base. I think he's going to have a good swing once he really gets this down.  Just our luck there wasn't a coach for Tyler's team. Last minute Jaime volunteered to be the coach. he recruited his PE teacher, Mark Garza who played baseball in college, to coach with him. I'm grateful to both of them to help these kids out and help them learn. Jaime being coach...

Aidan had his first jamboree in Hermiston. The day was perfect for it. Rain just makes it miserable for the players and spectators.  Right now at this stage they're mostly just learning what each position does so the coach puts kids in different positions throughout the game so they learn what each position does.  All his gear. My sweet, sensitive Aidan is getting in to a sport that's not so sweet but can be pretty aggressive. He's doing better at "getting in there" and not just standing back when there's a pack of boys getting the ball.  Lacrosse is a lot more fun to watch than I thought it'd be. And at the beginning stages too! You'd think it'd be really boring with such littles learning to play but it wasn't. Bel and Chris came and Marty and Diana also. It made for a fun afternoon to watch his two games. Afterwards we all went out to lunch together. I'm not sure Aidan will be in this sport for the long haul,  b...

With Darin and Christy moving to Columbia, South Carolina we tried to get visits in with them when we could. Their home was packed up and they had movers constantly in and out packing stuff that I had them over for dinner when I could or watched Elise.  Elise didn't always go to us so when we saw her cuddling with Aidan on the couch watching TV we all thought it was precious and had to get a picture.  Now that she's accustomed to us they move. Seems to be how it'd work out for us right? lol The day before they flew out I brought Elise home with me to watch her so Darin and Christy could finish the last of what they needed back at their house.  She was a lot of fun. I'm grateful for the 18 months we had with them. It was fun seeing them in church and having dinner with them and being able to celebrate two Christmases with them. They're going to love it in SC I'm sure. They stayed Thursday night at our house and I took them bright and ...

I don't particularly enjoy doing school projects with my kids. Ok, I'll be honest. I don't like it at all. So when I got the note that Olivia had a home connection project where we had to help her build a replica of a 13 colony I was not thrilled, to say the least.  But I felt bad that I didn't seem to put much heart in Lindsey's same project a couple years ago so I did better this time. We've had so much going on this week though, sports or choir concerts every night that Wednesday was the only day we had! School lets out at 1:40 on Wednesdays so Olivia came straight home and at 2:00 we got started on her project. I had bought some supplies for her colony in the morning while she was at school.  I pretty much built the structures and Olivia and Lindsey painted, drew, glued and set up everything else. I'll admit, my heart wasn't in it to begin with but the more I got working the more I couldn't stop and was enjoying working with Olivia. It took us...

We spent this morning just on the beach. Jeremiah was back to work and Emily's kids were back in school. It was nice she let them stay home from school yesterday so the kids could have a good day to play and explore together.  I love this rock with the single tree and lighthouse on it. It makes for some pretty pictures.  Aidan likes to construct things. He was trying to build another teepee. Later Jaime went over to help him. There wasn't enough tall logs to make a good one but the project and thinking is still good for Aidan. I wish I could see the future with this one.  Sisters! and a little tot in there too. :) We would just walk slowly along the water visiting. Quite the peaceful morning.  After going to the beach we had lunch at Emily's before we left. But before we could go Tyler needed a chance to hold Rachel.  He loves babies so much. I almost feel sad that's he's my baby. He'd be a great help if we had an...

We were so ready for Spring Break!  I do have to record how much I love this area. I know we don't have tall trees every where you look but we get sunsets and clear night skies like no one else because we don't have those trees. With windy dirt blowing around sometimes it makes the pretties scenes for sunsets as well. I saved this photo someone took and posted to the news Facebook page. Its untouched and shows just how beautiful Tri-cities is. It looks like a painted canvas with so many different colors. The fields of farmers provide a lot of texture and color. I like that we get to enjoy all four seasons. I don't like tons of rain, or fog, or heat, or snow year round but I do enjoy being able to experience it all. Now, make the wind of the area stop blowing so much and we'd have 100% perfect weather for me. But, living in the basin of the river causes all that wind.  I'm grateful that our city provides lots of care to grass and trees along our streets. Thi...