June

Jaxon and Tiki bird.

Before bedtime snuggles.

Excited about painting!

Look out!  Jaxon's behind the wheel!

Our new addition to the garden this year.  It doubled in size!

The first black cap is ripe.

Guess who got to eat it?

June's beauty.

My happy florist.

We started off the month with a cold that lasted weeks with a nasty cough.  It's June, no more germs right?  Despite many sleepless nights and some rough days we still managed to enjoy some outside time.  Plants are going in the garden, we've been enjoying some berries, and it looks like we are going to have a great grape crop this year.  The cherries are coming along nicely as well, as long as we don't get heavy late rains like we did last year.  I love summer so much!

After much research and thought, we decided this month that we are going to send Sierra to Philomath for school. I was seriously losing sleep over trying to decide, but Philomath is going to let me send her to school for only half a day.  Apparently only 3 out of almost 100 students will be doing the half day, but it finally made me breathe a little easier.  Maybe after the first week we'll decide she's ready to go to full day, or she might stay half a day all year.  We will probably be assigned work to do at home together, which I'm totally on board with.  Despite the relief I feel about her going to school part time, I'm still really struggling.   I'm not ready to give her up.  A huge part of me just wants to keep her home, but I feel like that would be a disservice to her.  She loves people, new places, different things.  I realize I could give her some of those things from home, but what my heart is telling me is that school is right for her.  I know I've talked about how rough age 4 has been, but even on the very roughest of days, when I go to put the kids to bed I am so grateful that I've been here to watch them grow and change EVERY day.

May

Sure do love the children that these legs belong to!

Cousins with matching leggings!  Thanks Beatrice!

Also cousins, but Jaxon stayed glued to my side for the whole visit until the last 15 minutes.

Making Mother's Day stepping stones.

Jaxon loves to ride his tricycle..... into the fence.  Yes, I make him wear a helmet.

He also enjoys gymnastics :)

May flowers, but still some showers!  Bring on the puddles!

Big sisters are awesome!

Archery lessons

It's May and summer is coming!  We're ready!  The kids have enjoyed a few of the showers that we've had this month.  They love to stomp in puddles.  Last year I could hardly get Jaxon near a puddle and this year he's flying!  The kids got along well this month and I've enjoyed watching them play.  Sierra is working hard at being helpful, but I'm telling you, 4 years has been a challenge ALL the way through.

Jaxon continues to expand his vocabulary and still loves his numbers and letters.  The most common phrases from him right now are "ick up" which means pick me up.  He's in a phase of wanting to be held a lot.  He also says "Look!" when he wants me to watch him and "Just this mommy" means watch this mommy.  We continue to deal with him only wanting to eat a few things and he is still very unwilling to try new foods.  I try to remind myself that Sierra went through a picky stage too, but now she will try just about anything - including oysters.  So hopefully, Jaxon will learn to like more foods. 

Despite his limited range of foods (he does eat his fruits and veggies well as long as they are raw) he is growing well!  Everyone always thinks he's at least 3 and most of his 2t clothing are just barely long enough.  Both of the kids are at the top of the charts in height, and around the 50th to 75th in weight. 

I'm sure looking forward to summer this year.  I'm excited at the prospect of actually being able to garden this year.  The kids are at a stage where I don't have to hold their hands every second.  And Sierra can be very helpful if she wants to be.  :)  Here's to sun, garden veggies, berries, and all the other bounties summer has to offer!