Raising Cain

Believe it or not, but I am all caught up on this blog.  What a great feeling.  I was pretty far behind, but I know how important it is for myself and my family to have a record of our wonderful activities, accomplishments and memories.
Now, I have a whirlwind couple of weeks ahead with Kylie's birthday, her party, Lanie's birthday and Mother's day, family coming into town to visit, Sadie's dance recital and Kylie's baptism.
I hope to stay on top of this record keeping now, so that I can make all of these memories into blog books for my girls (and any visitors) to sit and enjoy here at our home.

 Our good friends the Rasbands (Ariana, Jay, Caprice, Katrina and Alexis).  Jay was diagnosed with a brain tumor about 9 months ago.  He has had two surgeries to try to remove the cancer, and will be starting radiation this next week.  His family sponsored a Wear Gray for Jay day on May 5th, since May is Brain Tumor Awareness Month.  They asked everyone to wear gray (the official color for brain cancer awareness) and to have pizza and pazookie for dinner.
We pulled out our gray shirts in honor of Jay.  Unfortunately, we don't have any gray clothes for Lanie.  We were also lucky enough to actually have them visit us on this special day.  They brought pizza and Katrina made the pazookie.  We set up the water slide and the kids ran around, jumped and played in the water. 

They are always such wonderful company.  We appreciate their friendship and wonderful examples.  They are in our prayers and we are cheering you on Jay!  We know you can beat this because you can do anything and have such a wonderful family to fight with you.

 The 2nd graders got to take a field trip to the Zoo.  I volunteered to help chaperon.  There were so many parents that volunteered that I was only responsible for these two crazy kids and their shenanigans.  This is Kylie and her classmate and friend Jenna.
 We walked around the zoo for about an hour and then met up with the rest of her class at the sea lion show.  We sat there and waited for about 45 minutes, just so that we would have good seats.  The show ended up not being worth the wait.  Pretty boring and I checked out when they opened with a lady singing and dancing to "I'm Sexy and I Know It."  What?  I thought this was a crowd of 7 and 8 year olds.  I wouldn't call that appropriate.
 We then ate lunch and had to go to the snack shack because Jenna insisted on buying something, anything there.  Jenna and I got soft serve ice cream and Kylie got popcorn.  When we ran into her teacher, Mrs. Richards, she swiped most of Kylie's popcorn.  Kylie was a good sport about it.  She LOVES her teacher and will miss her so much next year.

 Natalie came to El Paso about 9 months ago, and we will always be so grateful for her.  She has become part of our family and always will be.  Love you Natalie!
Natalie helped by watching our kids when we went on a date or two.  She sat with me at church when Miki was at work and it is always stressful trying to keep my three kids quiet and reverent.  She watched Kylie play soccer while I was at Sadie's soccer game (yet again Miki was working) and she did this a couple of times.  She wrestled, danced, played, read, fed and bathed my kids.  And all with a smile on her face.  She helped me celebrate my birthday and we had some fun on her special day too.  She ate dinner with us, my aweful cooking and eating out at some ok restaurants.  She told me her relationship drama and listened patiently as I acted like her big sister, dishing out the advice.  And to top it all off, she is lending Sadie her keyboard so she can learn to play the piano and is also coming out to visit for Kylie's baptism.

Thank you, thank you, thank you Natalie!  The Cain family loves you and we all miss you!

 The Kindergarten put on a musical Spring program.  Sadie's class dressed as grass with nests and a bird and egg in the nest to represent the song "The Green Grass Grows All Around."
They had six songs memorized and were so cute up there singing at the top of their lungs.  She said that she was nervous, but she did it!
 Here she is with some of her classmates and her teacher, Mrs. Garcia.

 Kylie's good friend, Alyssa, takes horseback riding lessons.  It was Alyssa's birthday and she decided to invite a couple of friends to ride with her.  Kylie was feeling lucky and excited that she got to go.  This was her first time to ever be on a horse.  I took these pictures with my phone, so unfortunately they aren't as good as they could have been.  She had such a good time and now wants to take lessons herself.
I stood off to the side watching her and chomping at the bit (ha ha! like that?) because I wanted to be up on a horse with her.  It has been too long since I have ridden and she reminded me of how much I have always loved it myself.