Oregon, part 1

So, did you wonder if I was ever coming back? I've wanted to catch up almost everyday, but I have been crazy busy with hair appointments since I walked in the door from our trip and I've been trying to help Samm get ready for her pageant next week. Did I ever mention Samm is going to be in a pageant? I can't remember. There's also the small matter of having four kids that need to be fed and such. Anyway, I'm tired. Let's just leave it at that.

I was going to blog the whole trip at once, but our Internet is on the fritz and I can't sit here for an hour while it uploads my pictures so I guess I'll break it up. The whole reason for our trip to Oregon was for my Grandma's funeral. I would never just up and drive across the country with four kids just for fun, but I wasn't about to miss my Grandma's funeral so I gladly got in the car even though we had just gotten home from a trip out to Oklahoma two days earlier.

The service itself was a beautiful tribute to a truly beautiful woman. There wasn't a dry eye among any of the grandchildren. I know we all feel so blessed to have her as a Grandmother.

The sun even came out just a little bit at the grave site and I have no doubt that it was in her honor. She really was that great of a woman.

Samm and James with cousin Ava, and my Brother Tomas

I love her one tooth grin..although now it is a two tooth grin.

My Grandma was a very classy lady who always dressed up and always wore a scarf. Jenn had the great idea of all of us wearing one of her old scarves in her honor. It was really fun to see them all and the memories they brought with them.

My dad and pregnant sister Krista

This is my favorite picture of Macy with my Grandpa. So sweet!

My cuter than cute nephew Ezra!

Always a free spirit!

I don't really have that many pictures from the rest of the vacation, and honestly the only reason I have any from the funeral is because my brother in law took the camera from me and walked around, but hopefully I can get those up soon.

I am poem

It's going to be several days before I am fully recovered from our incredibly long, but very worth it trip to Oregon. It seems like the more I unpack and clean, the more there is to unpack and clean. Tonight as I was sorting through the mess on the kitchen counter I came across Samm's writers notebook from school this year so I decided to flip through it a little. I love her confidence, and the fact that she likes her name. I worry about that sometimes.

I am...pretty.

I like...ice cream.

I am...smart.

My favorite dream is...for everyone to be kind.

I woud like to talk to...God.

If I had enough money I would...help my family.

If I could change my name I...would not change it. I like Samm.

They really do love each other

I wish I had lots of exciting things to blog about and great pictures to show, but I don't. I have been so busy the last few weeks trying to help Samm make hair bows for a fundraiser and make her a dress and make James a tie for his class play. I still have a long way to go on the dress and bows, but I did finish James' tie yesterday and I couldn't be more thrilled with the way it turned out! I didn't really need to make him one, he just needed a tie that was either red, white, or blue, but I was so proud of him for getting the lead role of Mr. Freedom, that I wanted to make him something special. I love a boy in a white shirt and tie!

And as I was doing my final tuck in of all the kids tonight I happened to over hear this conversation between James and Samm

James "Sometimes when you are mean to me in my life I say something in my head, but I don't want to tell you because you will cry."

Samm "It's OK. You can tell me. I won't cry."

James "I say I hate you."

Samm "I know, I say the same thing. But then we apologize and we regret what we said."

James "OK. Can you read me a chapter of your book?"

I have no idea why he felt the need to tell her that since I didn't notice them fighting today, but it was so sweet the way they were talking to each other. Made my heart feel glad.

It's that time of year again

The weather has finally warmed up enough for some backyard football. Today's teams were Samm and James versus Macy and Dad.

There's no touch football in this family. It's tackle or nothing.

Penalty on the play. Unnecessary roughness on the defense.

You just can't have a game of family football without some tears. It's in the rule book.

These two are pretty much alike in every single way possible.

See! I told you.

Me and Laila in the spectators spot.

Looking forward to many more warm nights!

A week in the life...

All my blogging energy is going to be over Here this week. If you care to see what our day to day looks like than come on over.

What girl wouldn't swoon

This morning we were having out family favorite Saturday morning breakfast of waffles with buttermilk syrup. We don't always have waffles, usually it's french toast or pancakes, but I do always make buttermilk syrup. The kids love it, so it has become our Saturday tradition. Anyway, Macy was sitting on Josh's lap and I asked "Why do you want to marry Dad someday?"  Something she tells me frequently she wants to do.

Her response. "Because he" (Points to the hair on his arms)

Yes, she wants to marry her dad because he has hair on his arms.

I'm seeing a very hairy husband in her future.

As a disclaimer, Josh is not overly hairy, but he does have dark hair on his arms.

Car Conversations...we're in trouble

Last night the kids and I were on our way to the ward talent show when out of no where James says "OK guys, you can't tell ANYONE, but in Mrs. (?'s) class, I have a crush on Ava."

Me "Why do you have a crush on Ava?"
James "Because she has lipstick, and she's beautiful, and she talks beautiful, and she has beautiful   hair." (pauses for a second) "And I can see inside her and her spirit looks really fun!"

Me "So she wears lipstick huh?"
James "Ya, but I can't ask her to marry me because when I'm ten we are moving."

What is a mother to do!

For those of you (you know who you are) who weren't quite sure if Josh was really a doctor

Pretty cool, huh! Sometimes it's still weird for me to hear him talking doctor stuff when the nurses call. Around here, he's still just dad. We don't ever get to see him in action so it's always fun for me to see pictures. Only certain ones though! I'm pretty squeamish.

By the way, that leg he is cutting on belongs to a 500 pound woman!

Spring is teasing me

Last Saturday we were out running errands and had a few hours before James' floor hockey game so we stopped at a park to enjoy the sunshine. Laila had a great time, but was such a little stinker and would not look at me for a picture.

Samm is starting to make the transition from little girl to tween. I'm not sure how I feel about this.

And Josh was tired, as usual. He ended up with a nice rosy skin color!

A few days later I looked out our sliding glass door to the sad sight of snow flurries. Oh Michigan, please make up your mind! And please choose spring!

Hello Again, Happy Easter

Wow, its been almost a month! And I have to admit, the break from blogging was really nice. I don't know how something as simple as documenting our family goings on can be stressful, but somehow I manage to make it that way. I wish I had a whole bunch of pictures to show from the last month, but I honestly haven't  turned on my camera all that much. I even took a trip to my sister Jenn's house a couple weeks ago with Macy and Laila and the only picture I have is this one I snapped on my phone of Macy walking through the airport. She looked so grown up wearing her little backpack and pulling her own suit case.

I finally dusted off the camera today to take pictures of the kids in their Easter clothes. So, for the three people left who actually check my blog still, Happy Easter from the Rollins Family.