Five Brown Kids

First practice - jumping off the diving block.  Go Scotia! 

Peaches are in season. Wohooo!!!  Zucchini for a healthy chocolate cake .  Onions that Taye just had to try!  Okra for Taye to fry .  Corn on the cob for supper and fresh salsa for a snack. Heavenly!

I was throwing out a new phone book left on our front step and telling Tyrone that I haven't touched a phone book in five years or more when Jaxon piped up, "What's a phone book?".  Exactly!

School is wrapping up for the year.  Today Jaxon had his final second grade presentation  - he talked about polar bears. Then Taye graduated from elementary school - with a big celebration - student processional, music, a speech, fun/silly certificates, a slide show documenting the last six years and cake of course. Half an hour after that we were sitting at another school watching Scotia graduate from preschool.  Another processional, music, singing and cake and punch. All three brown kids had the same four year old preschool teachers. They were fabulous. It was all wonderful.  My kids are all growing up - no more babies, toddlers or pre-schoolers in this house.

The Only Mommy War Worth Waging

I spent another really wonderful weekend with my favorite friends. Emily picked me up from the airport and we went straight to the Brimfield Antique Show .  It was wild.  I've never seen so many booths and antiques in my life.  I admired a few bigger items (but size and cost were restricting) and ended up purchasing a few pieces of Fiestaware to add to my collection. Courtney and her friends, Stacey and Terri met us there. I loved the colors and feel of this booth. Black, white and beige with a colorful chalkboard.  Perfect! We headed back to Emily's house for dinner and Cape Cod Ragnar van packing.  Up early Friday morning to head to the starting line. The race was a blast.  The scenery was amazing, my races were challenging and I laughed til I cried hanging out with five great women. Switching from leg 6 to leg 7 and van 1 runners to van 2 runners. Courtney with night running gear for an evening run a...

Taye has swim practice three or four times a week plus a two hour session on Saturday that ends in total exhaustion. But when I reminded him that summer neighborhood swim starts in just over two weeks he flashed me one of his big smiles and said, "I can't wait, I love swim team!" Double swim coming up! If anyone can handle twice as much swim it's Taye.

Jaxon won the one-on-one basketball championship in second grade last week - beating his final opponent 10 to 1.  He's been practicing as much as he can talk us into.  He's a man on a mission - I'm just trying to stay out of his way.

Live blogging here... Eaters with a Running Problem

So what's next? Tyrone has clinical all summer. Forty hours a week. Graduation from clinical is in August. Then he studies for the board exam. Work will start in the fall. We've had a stipend from the local anesthesia group - they helped cover tuition and expenses - we promised to work for them when we are done. So we'll be right here. Same house, same ward, same life - just with a paycheck and less stress. Wohooo!!!

Tyrone graduated on Thursday with his Masters in Nursing.  The kids missed EOG's, field trips and Mother's Day Teas to go celebrate with Dad.  We wouldn't have missed it for anything! We arrived for the class picture a few minutes late  - here's everyone cheering as Tyrone walked out of the parking garage with his family in tow.  He did it!!! The ceremony was great.  It was so exciting to see him get his diploma and hood.  You can trust me on that! Afterwards we picnicked on campus and tossed some football and then headed to the  International Civil Rights Museum .  We learned a lot more about the four students who started the famous civil rights sit ins at a Woolworth dining counter.  It was an emotional day and we couldn't help but imagine that those young men and all the students who sat in envisioned a day like this...  and we sure felt grateful that they made it possible. Jaxon and Scotia fell asle...