Lots of excuses...

but really, I have no legitimate excuse for not posting in so long. Do you want to hear the excuses anyway? No? Good, because I don't feel like writing them.

I decided I will post according to pictures. I was trying to think of what I've missed posting about and just looked through the pictures on my phone (only working camera we have these days)...they jogged my memory a bit so I'll just throw up some pictures with commentary and then we can move forward as if this whole month-long hiatus never happened. Deal? Deal. (Max always says that to us, "Deal?" and doesn't wait for an answer before he responds with "Deal." I like him lots.)

Let's just get this one out of the way. Tears first, laughter later. He's registered for Kindergarten. I know. I only cried a little when I handed the papers to the nice lady in the office. I would have liked to see the expression on my face when she said, "and the bus will be picking him up from your house." I'm sorry, the what?! That was a little much for me. I didn't know a stinking bus was going to be involved. I only got misty-eyed twenty more times throughout the day when I would think about it. I will get emotional every time I look at this picture for the rest of my life.

Are you okay? I know, it's a little hard to handle. That's why I wanted to break the news and then move on to happier things.

Like this.

"Sometimes when people dance they hold hands like this. Right mom?" Right, Jimmer...errr..Max. I know you were thrown off because he was wearing Jimmer's number. You should have heard the squealing and cheering when Dad brought this home from his trip. Oh wait, you probably did.

This is Everett's favorite game with the kids and I LOVE watching it go down. Everyone can be doing their own thing, but when Ev comes up and clamps his little hands on one of the kid's shirts they know what to do - let the Ev Man push them all over until they run into a wall or door, they act hurt and laugh, then he turns them around and pushes some more. I love it because no words are spoken and they can literally be mid-play, but the clamping of those tiny hands signals fun. Like here, Max and Kelly were dancing, but it all came to an end when Everett changed the game.

Sunshine, blessed sunshine! Waterfront Park...we're baaaack!
Oh my. He came out of the bathroom with his pants like this. I about died laughing. Can you believe those skinny legs?!

Creative carrier. They walked around giggling like crazy with this on for about twenty minutes.

FHE before Conference was all about King Benjamin in the Book of Mormon and how the people pitched their tents with the door toward the Prophet to hear him speak. So we drew some pictures to put on our tent and then pitched it for Conference weekend in the living room (can't take credit for the idea). When I told the kids that we were going to pitch our tent like King Benjamin's people did they asked, "And are we going to fall to the ground too?" There's a part in the story where they all fall to the ground because they want to repent and are so overcome by the King's words. :) I told them no, probably not, but they insisted that they wanted the falling down to be part of it.

Max was a detective solving a crime committed in the garage. These were the clues he found and each one had a hilarious part to the story. I'm sure he still remembers it; this might be on another post in the future.
This is why I floss. You never know when someone is going to take a picture of your teeth. You just never know.
Tyler was upstairs slaving away on school work one Saturday morn, so Max to the Max flashed pictures of each stage of the pancakes cooking and then took them up to Tyler so that he would know what we were having for breakfast and that it was done and time for him to come down and eat.

I love finding pictures like this.
We're Husky fans! That's where Ty is getting his MBA and so we have become full-fledged shirt-wearing fans. Though if BYU plays the Huskies, we are rooting for BYU. Let's make that clear. Tyler went on a week-long trip with the young men from Church and Max wanted to have a Husky day. So we took pictures and sent them to Dad in Utah.
I had to show Ty I was in on the action too.
My baby boy is growing up so fast and he is delicious. Just look at those cheeks! He signs like crazy, is saying a few words and offers to say the prayer by raising his hand and then grunting sounds to repeat what I tell him to say. His favorite activities are throwing balls, reading books, and being outside. Brother seriously LOVES to be outside. Sorry you live in Washington, little man. He's also the cutest hugger and wraps his arms around as far as they can go for a really great hug. He loves making us smile and has a very ready smile for everyone. I maintain what I have stated before...he is a delight.

This little gem of a girl is pretty awesome too. Her standard nighttime song requests are Mamma Mia! and Super Trooper. She sings a ton and loves to play with princesses and be super girlie, but will put on Wolverine claws and kill the bad guys any time of day. Her toenail polish really must be maintained and she is getting much more vocal about how I do her hair every day. I'll post videos of her singing some of her favorite songs soon. Her voice is just so cute.

This dude isn't so little anymore and it's kind of breaking my heart. BUT I really love the boy he is becoming. He can hang with both younger and older kids. He'll incorporate Kelly's princesses into play with his soldiers, which I so appreciate. He is sensitive and absolutely LOVES his daddy. I know that both Tyler and I are going to be super relieved when Tyler is done with school...but I think that Max might be the most excited. I can't wait for the weekend when we don't have to tell him, "Dad's got to go upstairs to do some school work." Luckily, he has an awesome dad who makes the very most of the time he does have with the kids. I am so lucky to be Maxwell's momma and thankful that he is my oldest kiddo.