Random Thoughts...

School starts on Monday. We have been school shopping this week to update the kids' wardrobes in an attempt to send them to school and not have Child Services called regarding their Oliver Twist like appearances. I think we've succeeded. We've found some clothes and shoes and they can now walk out of the house with their heads held high and reflecting well on their parents, which let's face it, if we're totally honest that's our goal in buying school wardrobes right? Can I just say, what the heck happened to being able to buy an entire wardrobe for around $100? Seriously, when I was a teenager my parents gave us each $100 and we made it work. Anyone remember Mad Man Magee's? I'm not even going to tell you how much I spent this year on clothes and shoes for my kids, and I found some pretty good deals too! Anyway, we went and got shoes today and Madison's feet are now a Women's size 10! My 10 year old's feet are officially bigger than mine! Are ya kidding me?!

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Speaking of school...Thomas got a teacher this year that I have heard terrible things about. Even the other teachers I have talked to don't like her. I filed a teacher change form back when he first got assigned to her and found out this past week that he didn't get picked in the lottery to change teachers, but his little friend next door did which makes it even worse because he was excited to be in her class. Yesterday I went and talked to the office ladies and to the principal and still couldn't get him changed due to district policies stating that there couldn't be more than a 6 student spread between the lowest and highest class populations in the grade, which there already is. I even asked about changing tracks but ran into the same problem with policies! I know from what I have heard about her that she and Thomas will not be a good match and I am afraid that his love of school will take a big fat nose dive! I am SO FRUSTRATED!!! He has always loved school and always loved his teachers and I don't want that to change. It makes me sad. We've been thinking about putting them on the waiting list for a charter school that we heard about and maybe this is the motivation we needed...but that doesn't help us this year ya know? He's still on the waiting list for the teacher change so hopefully we'll get some good news soon! At least Madison got a GREAT teacher.

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We said goodbye to Nikki today, well until September anyway. It was sad. September isn't that far away but it'll never be the same now. We're used to seeing her at least every other Friday. By the time we left Em was tired, hungry and grumpy and wouldn't hug Nikki goodbye and that made me sad because I know how much Nikki adores her and Emilia adores her right back. Em walks around the house sometimes calling for Nikki or randomly talking about her. We will miss her so much...*sigh*

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We took family pictures last night out on our front porch. We wanted one with Maya before she leaves us and we needed one with Em in it since she's TWO and we don't have a family picture with her yet...embarrassing! So I arranged us on the porch and my sweet sister took the pics for us. It was quite an adventure! Em wasn't exactly cooperative and we had a dog to work with too and at one point it started raining but I think we got a few good ones and really, that's all we need so when I get them edited I'll put them on here. I do have one done of all of us so without further adieu...

Whaddaya think? I wish Em had a real smile on and my eyes are a little squinty but 

otherwise it turned out ok I think... 

Anyway, Madison's bestest friend (that moved to Texas last year) is coming tonight to sleepover and go to Lagoon with us tomorrow so I'll have fun pictures and stories next week to blog about. Have a good weekend and thanks for stopping by!

Pictures with Nikki...

Much to Nikki's dismay (she hates having her picture taken) I forced her to sit with my children so I could take some pictures of them all together before she heads out. These were some of my faves and I promised a few people I would post them so they could see. So, here ya go...

(I know Nikki's gonna LOVE this one! She was teasing Thomas about kissing her cheek...)

Happy 18th Birthday Nikki!

This is Nikki. She is our FAB-U-LOUS babysitter! She has faithfully watched my children for the last 6 years, first every Friday night, then every other Friday night (give or take a few due to sickness, vacation, etc.). Now I know when I say "babysitter" you all think of some teenage girl who you hire to watch your kids for a period of time, hoping she does not spend the entire evening watching TV and ignoring the kids, and then leaving a mess for you to clean up when you get home from Date Night. That is a babysitter, I am talking about my kids' surrogate mother. Granted, she is a teenager, but we would gladly leave her guardianship of our children in our Will if we didn't know that it would seriously complicate her future ability to find a husband should Matt and I both kick the bucket together. Now this all might sound crazy so let me explain...

Back when The Hubster and I got married we lived with his sister and brother-in-law in a beautiful basement apartment. We attended their ward while living there and that's when we first met Nikki, a cute little 7 year old girl with a blond bob. Fast forward 5 years. We had since moved out of that home, had 2 children, bought and sold our own house and were now living in my parents' basement while building the home we are in now. Matt and I wanted to go on a date and we needed a babysitter. We couldn't find one in my parents' neighborhood so we called his sister (the one we had lived with who also lives about 10 minutes from my parents). We asked her who she got to watch her kids and she told us Corey, Nikki's older sister. We got her phone number and made the call. Corey informed us that she could not babysit that night but asked if we would like her sister Nikki to do it instead. We agreed and went to pick her up. She came out of the house, no longer a little girl but a beautiful 12 year old with long blonde hair, holding a box full of activities and games for my kids. From that first night my kids ADORED her...and so did we!

I have never had a worry with leaving my children in her care. She loves them as much as I do! I even left Em with her when she was 4 weeks old. People thought I was crazy....but they didn't know Nikki! She has always gone above and beyond to love my kids. They have colored Easter eggs and decorated sugar cookies. They have made Piñatas for Cinco de Mayo. They have made homemade fortune cookies, and origami and a homemade Chinese dragon out of blankets and construction paper for Chinese New Year. They have gone on Ghost hunts at Halloween and made Valentines each February. She has given them birthday presents and Christmas presents. She has kept track of them at Lagoon (a local amusement park) and was even supposed to go to CA with us but for some reason her and her parents thought that Finals were more important....priorities! She has sung songs to them and read scriptures with them, she's prayed with them and kissed them good night in my place.

She has served me countless times too. She has helped with birthday parties and cleaned my house for Em's blessing day. I never worry that my house will be a mess when I come home from a date night. When I get home my house is always cleaner than I left it and if there's any mess still out she won't leave until it's clean (even when I try ordering her to stop cleaning). When I was pregnant she would do my dishes and sweep my floors while I was away. She reminds my children to speak more kindly, to choose the right and to say please and thank you. I could go on and on but mostly I just want to her to know how much she has meant to our family.  She isn't "the babysitter", she's one of us.

There are two reasons I am sharing all of this. Number one, today is Nikki's birthday. I cannot believe that she is 18 years old (makes me feel old...Although this does mean she can now legally stay overnight with the kids, which means, vacation here we come)! Yay us! The second reason is because she will be graduating from High School this May/June (with her diploma and her Associates degree with straight A's I'm sure cause she's cool like that) and leaving for college in the fall. It hurts just to type that. A member of our family will be gone. Sure, it will be a pain to find a new babysitter and we will never be able to find one as good as her, but more than that we will just miss her. We've tried to talk her into letting us finish our basement and having her move in but for some reason she wants the whole college experience...go figure!

So Nikki, I know how you LOVE to have everyone make a fuss about you and your birthday but....Happy 18th My Dear! Words cannot express our thanks for what you have been to our family. I know you don't actually leave us for another few months but I still want you to know how much we love you. I have to admit, I can't wait to leave the munchkins with you for a weekend, or a week, or if worse came to worse, a lifetime (hee hee hee...) but more than that thank you for being someone I trust them with. I've always said that if my kids turn out as good as you I'll consider myself a success and I mean that. You are an example to them and you are an example to me of kindness and  honesty and service. 
                                                                            
Thank you just isn't enough but.....thanks. We love you!


                                                 Love- M (&M&M&T&E)


P.S. Good luck in the marathon this weekend! You're my hero...crazy!....but my hero.


Matt added (in the comments section):Nikki is all that and more. She is the big sister Madison doesn't have, someone to look up to, to learn from, and to be loved by. I am so grateful for the wonderful, love filled, example that she is to our family. She makes all of us want to be better people. We love you Nikki, and hope you know how great you really are!