The last month has been a whirlwind so say the least! Instead of doing 12 different posts I figured I'd clump it all together as the May Review.
This was acutally the very end of April. We got tickets to go to the Payson Temple Open House, and it was just gorgeous. The kids were in awe and were actually very reverent and well behaved inside the temple. It was a memorable learning experience for us all.
It is such a unique and beautiful temple. Everything seemed so open and bright and full of light. The sealing rooms and Celestial Room were of course the crowning glory and most memorable parts. I also loved the wide staircases and was interested to note the marriage waiting room is on the top floor rather than the bottom.
I am so thankful for my little forever family. I let my mind wander inside for a moment and tried to picture my kids all grown up and surrounding me in the temple. What a special day that would be.
May 1st brought the Meadow Walk-A-Thon! This was the best picture I got of Maddie. The girls went around so many times I didn't keep count! Kindergarten was first, but then they overlapped for a while with 2nd grade so it was fun for the girls to go around together a few times.
These are a few of Ella's best buds, Brynlee on the left and Madi on the right.
It was actually warm enough that first Saturday in May to get out the pool and hose! Little did we know that after that the month of May would get record breaking rain! We didn't use our sprinklers the whole month!
Friday May 8th was our 12th anniversary, but it was eclipsed by Father's and Sons for Mike and Ty (Mike's presidency was in charge so he couldn't skip, but we had a date the next night!) and Girl's Night Out for the rest of us. I let the girls plan the activities and they chose to go to Zupas for dinner.
Jake got to join us because we didn't think camping when Daddy was supposed to be cooking for the masses was a good combo for a 2 year old. He will go next year!
Then the girls chose to buy an item of clothing at Justice for Girls. They were in heaven!
We got home and they wanted to beautify our nails. Then the girls snuggled with me in bed and we read our books until 10 pm, and tried to fall asleep all together. I say tried because their little bodies rolled right into mine on both sides! I ended up going to Ty's bed at midnight, and they woke up in the morning upset that they didn't get to "sleep" with me.
Ty and Daddy had a great time camping! They lucked out and the rain didn't start until after their dinner, devotional, and movie. The tent did the job and kept them warm and dry and they came home happy and dirty.
Mother's Day was soon after and I got royal treatment. Mike made me stay in bed and read my book, and he made German pancakes all by himself. He also made his first green smoothie! I was so proud.
After church we played Candyland end enjoyed a nice relaxing day. Mike made the chicken for dinner while I made a salad and dessert. In keeping with our family "No Sugar May" challenge, I tried a new recipe for avocado lime pie with a pecan crust. It didn't turn out quite as smooth as I wanted, but it was pretty tasty.
My Mother's Day request is always flowers for the yard and a hanging basket. Earlier in the week Dana and I checked out a nursery we'd never been to called Kuwahara's off of 90th South. They had flats of 6 packs (so six 6 packs!) for $10 and $12. Seriously such a steal. I ended up buying flowers for my yard along with the rest of our Primary presidency, so the pressure was a little high to find the right stuff while keeping the boys happy, but I felt like a kid in a candy store.
All loaded up... It took up the whole back of my van!
My beautiful hanging basket was only $22! We will definitely be going there again.
Planting the garden was tricky this year because of all the rain. In between storms we finally got the corn rows in.
This is a random snipet but I had to include this accomplishment! Jake thinks he's big enough to ride Ty's bike and sure enough he can get up there and push the pedals all by himself! He has to rock his bum side to side to reach far enough, but he can actually get going pretty fast. It is so cute to watch him keep up with his brother.
Speaking of accomplishments, Ella was told to try pass off's in gymnastics. She was in Level 1 which is usually for 1st graders, but her teacher thought she could move up. She begged to do it, and sure enough, she passed off to Level 2! Great job Ella Bella!
A few days later was Ella's gymnastics exhibition. Here they are warming up.
The theme was "Flip Flop Into Gymnastics" so there were all kinds of fun summery decorations.
Here's Ella getting ready for her vault routine.
And flip!
She was so lucky that her best friend Cambry got to be in her group. They sat together the whole time, which made Ella feel much less nervous.
Here are some still shots of Ella's bar routine, and then her beam.
I only took video of her floor routine, but she did a great job.
Here's our little gymnast with her participation medal. Yay for Ella!
Maddie's gymnastics performance was a few nights later. I didn't get as many still shots of her routines, but she also did a great job in her Level 3 exhibition!
Both girls love gymnastics and can be found doing cartwheels, handstands, floor routines, back bends, etc. every day of the week.
Back at school it was time for the Dance Festival! Both girls had been practicing a lot at school and at home, so I was happy to see the actual dances to music. Maddie did a patriotic dance with streamers on her arms to "Wave that Flag."
Ella did a fun dance to "I Like to Move It." My favorite part was her face when the song said "ants in my pants." She was so expressive and cute!
The following weekend we went on another plant buying excursion and Mike treated me to a load of shrubs and rose bushes. It felt like my birthday!!
This side of the house has long been empty and Mike was determined to get things planted there. We got a fun mix of things including smoke bush, burning bushes, bridal veil spirea, an everblooming floribunda rose, a weeping fir, and even a viburnum snowball bush. Ty was determined to help dig all the holes.
Meanwhile the girls made their own porch swing.
I just love my yard this time of year. All my iris were in full bloom, a rainbow of colors from my mom's house, which came from both my grand,a's houses!
I feel like I'm officially rooted here now that I have my own rosebushes. Like my mom, I have a Queen Elizabeth, a peace rose, and a Mr. Lincoln.
After all that planting Ty was plumb tuckered out and fell asleep in the most random place--on the stairs!
May was also full of the girls soccer games. They each had one every Saturday, and most of them were pouring rain. They were tough and played through it.
Soccer was more social than competitive for them, but I think they had a fun year.
Memorial Day dawned bright and beautiful, thankfully after all that rain!
We set up the yard for a family party and had many of Mike's nearby family join us for a BBQ and games.
Grandma and the boys all wore blue striped shirts.
We played many games of badminton, volleyball, and bocce ball on the back lawn.
Rachel, Rebecca, and Grandma were our cheerleaders with cute sunshades.
I loved spending time laying on the grass and relaxing... I don't do that often enough! Ella wore her "Pretty Like Mommy" shirt so we got a picture together.
The girls (and Mike) put on their rollerblades and had some fun out front with the wagon.
That night after everybody went home we had a Family Home Evening about our ancestors in honor of Memorial Day, Mike told us about some family on the Call side, and I told the kids about my Grandma Bonnie Jensen from some stories I have in a book from a Jensen reunion. I wish they could have met her.... to know her was to love her!
A big occasion of note for Ty was Preschool Graduation! They finished off the year learning about letter Z for Zoo, but with rain challenges (and cost) we decided to have our last field trip to the Bean museum to see the animals.
These 5 made a pretty cute class for our fun year of preschool with Mom.
Kindergarten came to a close next. Ella was the line leader on her last day of school!
Ella has blossomed this year in Kindergarten with Mrs. Kendall. At first she was so shy she sometimes wouldn't answer questions for tests, but she opened up and gained a ton of confidence. She idolized Mrs. Kendall and loved going to see her every day. She will definitely be missed!
Ella also made some fun new friends, especially Brynlee. They are two peas in a pod.
That Thursday BYU hosted a Fan Fest in Lehi and we couldn't help but go! The kids had some cool experiences, like putting on real football pads and helmets!
The girls and Jake (Ty opted out) were excited about getting their faces painted.
Jake amazingly held perfectly still for his Y.
Ty was pretty excited however about practicing his tackling skills.
We got to meet Cosmo and get his autograph on our posters.
The boys were scared of him.
Mike was pretty stoked to meet Taysom Hill and get him to sign our poster too.
The girls were happy to get a picture with the BYU cheerleaders.
Jake spent a whole lot of time throwing basketballs while the rest of us waited in the long a slow line to get balloon animals. In fact we were almost the last ones there. Thanks to Balloon Man for staying for us! Maddie got a monkey, Ella a kitty, and the boys dogs.
Then it was Maddie's turn to end school! 2nd grade was good to this girl. She also loved her teacher Mrs. Scribner and continued to be a smarty pants. She will miss seeing all her friends every day!
Our neighborhood celebrated that afternoon with a backyard party including jump houses, water games, trampolines, and snacks. It was a smashing way to start the summer!
Sure enough, there was one from Grandpa Andrews and Grandma Patti! 
He even got a $5 bill and felt rich.
The boys swapped bikes on the way home.
After lunch I found all the kids piled in Jake's bed to read books together.
I got the birthday preparations done just in time. One fire truck cake coming up!
The kids wrapped the fire streamers around the pillars and Grandma Marcia executed the idea to put fire in the windows. 
Ty was so excited for his first real birthday party and all his friends to come over!
We started the party with a bucket brigade race to fill the end bucket with water first.
Then onto cake and ice cream. I sure love my big little boy!
Ty received three water guns and two dart guns for his birthday... I think he's set for awhile!
Mom and Dad gave him a real fire truck and a fire dog toy, plus lots of summer clothes (Grandma's both helped too).
Grandma & Grandpa gave him his very own razor scooter. What a lucky guy.
