Mother's Day 2026

After we celebrated my 50th birthday on Friday night, we turned around and celebrated Mother's Day on Sunday.  Ron and the kids did a great job again making me feel loved and appreciated on this day.  I enjoyed a fabulous breakfast that they made in the morning and opened a few gifts after church.  We then went to my parent's house on Sunday evening to celebrate with them and Eric's family.  We enjoyed a dinner made by the men and watched my mom open a few gifts.  It was so nice to get together with the family, especially since this might be Eric and Rebecca's last time spending Mother's Day with us as they are moving to Spokane this summer.  Sniff.

The kids and I enjoying our Mother's Day breakfast together.  Please note the massive crown that Ella and Emmett made for me that morning.

Posing with my four children before church on the front steps with the freshly potted flowers that they gave me for Mother's Day this year.

After church, we opened a few gifts, including this decorated tile and card that Emmett made for me at school.

Holding up Ella's gift that she made for me at school..

Another mother and children photo while holding Ella's gift and the crocheted flowers that Lia bought for my at school from the Crochet Club.  I thought that this was such a cute and unique gift!

Emmett and Eric watching my mom read our card.

My four children posing with their beloved grandma at the end of the evening in front of one of her beautiful, Dogwood trees in full bloom.

Celebrating the Big 5-0

Well, it's hard to believe, but I turned 50 years old yesterday.  In some ways, I never thought this birthday would come and, in other ways, I totally feel 50 years old due to how tired I am and how much my body is falling apart.  So, as depressing as it is, it kind of makes sense that I turned this old this year.  My family did a great job making my 50th birthday feel special and celebrating with me on Friday night.  Here is a quick run down of the birthday fun I had this week.

This is a sceenshot that I took a few days ago when Lia and I were texting back and forth about this weekend's plans.  I flat out asked her what her plans were for Friday night, my birthday, since I had totally forgotten.  This text conversation perfectly sums up my 50-year old brain and how it doesn't remember everything like I used to in the past.  I thought that it was so funny that I had to take a picture of it and include it in this birthday post.

As always, my mom came down to Puyallup to take the elementary age kiddos and me out for a picnic lunch during school.  She came on May 6th since I was working on May 7th and 8th.  Although it wasn't a really warm, sunny day, we still enjoyed going to Edgewood Park for some play time and a delicious picnic lunch.  We realized that this is Ella's last year joining us which was a sad thought for all of us.

My kids and me on the playground.

On May 8th, I subbed for one of my favorite classes at my kids' school (Resource) and got a kick out of wearing the sash that my friend, Sarah, mailed me and the crown that my friend, Kristina, loaned me.  Here is a selfie that I took in my classroom after Sarah requested that I send her a picture.

After school and work, we all gathered around the dining room table to enjoy a Thai dinner that Ron had picked up at my request.

We then moved into the living room to open a few gifts.  Here are all of the kids posing with me while I am wearing Sarah's sash and tiara that she sent me.

The kids and me opening up a few gifts.

We finished off the evening by eating some delicious cupcakes from my favorite bakery in town.  Here I am with all of my kiddos before they sang "Happy Birthday" to me.

Logan's First 8th Grade Track Meet

Logan competed in his first Kalles Junior High School track meet today.  It was a home meet and it fell on a perfect spring day--not too hot and not too cold.  Unfortunately, I had a sub job today and couldn't get to his meet until 4:20, so Ella, Emmett, and I missed seeing him run the mile.  But we were there to cheer him on when he ran in his second race, the 800-meter.  He did a great job in the mile and PR'd for a second time this season (after running it last week at the Mercer Mile) and ran it in 5:34 which is just amazing to me.  I am so proud of how hard he is working this season at training with both his school and club track teams and can't wait to cheer him on for the rest of the season.  Here are some pictures below of his 800-meter race.

The boys taking off at the beginning of the 800-meter race.  Logan is in the second group of boys from the right.

Logan running past us at the beginning of the race.

Logan running in the pack.

Approaching us at the beginning of the second lap.

Logan passing us a second time.

Logan pushing hard as he races towards the finish line.

Crossing the finish line.

Jogging off the track and onto the field after finishes his race.

Lia's Senior Prom

Lia just attended her senior prom with a bunch of her running friends last night and had a blast!  They started off in Tacoma by having their pictures taken on the Spanish Steps by Lia's good friend, Alyssa.  After pictures, they drove to The Olive Garden for dinner before driving to the Foss Waterway for the dance.  The girls all had a great time spending the evening together and making some fun memories at this last dance  I am so grateful for these wonderful girlfriends that Lia made while running XC and track during her freshman and sophomore years of high school and for all of the great times that she has had going to dances with them over the years.

Since two of the girls in the group are juniors, Lia and her friend, Erika, had to invite them as their "dates" so that they could attend.  Lia decided to make this extra fun and officially invite Willow to prom.  She made a Taylor Swift themed poster and showed up on her doorstep with the poster and flowers.  Here is the Instagram story that she posted after asking Willow to prom.

All six girls lined up together on The Spanish Steps.

From left to right:

Esley, Willow, Erika, Lia, Hope, and Ani

The four senior girls.

All six on the steps.

Lia and her dear friend, Erika, who she has known the longest as they became friends during XC season their 8th grade year and waivered into Rogers High School together.

Lia and her "junior babies."

Lia and Hope, her friend who she calls "Darling."

A solo shot of my lady in red.

The silly picture that they took of them wearing shades with Hope posing with her hands in the air and her back to the camera since she was the one person who forgot to bring her sunglasses.

Mercer Mile Track Meet

Although Logan has been running track with his junior high school and Ella has been running track with her elementary school, they decided to run again with South Hill Running club this spring in addition to Emmett.  They have been attending practice on Tuesday and Thursday evenings and on Saturday mornings since the middle of March.  They have practiced in some freezing cold, rainy, miserable weather the past six weeks, but made it to their first track meet tonight.  Since it was also Lia's senior prom, I opted to stay home to see her off while Ron drove them up to Mercer Island to compete in the Mercer Mile track meet where everyone runs a mile.  All three kids did a great job and all PR'd in the mile.  Logan ran his in 5:39, Ella in 7:21, and Emmett in 6:51.  Although I was so amazed at all three of their times, I was especially impressed with Emmett who has only ran a timed mile once in his life last fall at the one XC meet he competed in while playing soccer.  He shaved off over 30 seconds on a his mile and broke into the six minutes!  I didn't even know 1st graders could run a mile that  fast.  He is such a crazy kid that shines at every sport he does.  Regardless, I was super impressed and proud of all three of our kids.  Well done, gang!

Emmett looking at Ron as he waited at the starting line for the race to begin.

Ella flashing Ron a smile before her mile run started.

Logan running by Ron in a pack of boys.

All three children posing together after all three of their miles were run.

Ella's Belated 12th Birthday Party with Friends

Since we were out of town the first two Saturdays after Ella's birthday and I was seeing Les Miserables in Seattle with Lia and her friend the third Saturday in April, I wasn't able to host her friend party until yesterday, almost four weeks later.  Luckily, Ella understood and patiently waited all of these weeks until we could have her friends over to celebrate her 12th birthday.  Although a few friends were unable to attend, we had a nice party with most of her good friends from school.  We used the same bow-themed decorations from Lia's party and hosted the girls for dinner, dessert, gift opening, games, and some playing outside since we were blessed with a beautiful spring day.  Overall, Ella had a great time and I am so glad that we were able to fit her birthday party into this busy month.

The fireplace and mantle decorated before the party began.

The two tables in the kitchen all decorated in pink, black, and bows.

A close-up of the head table with the cupcakes.

Ella standing by her "welcome" sign before the guests started arriving.

All of the girls enjoying their dinner.

After dinner, Ella opened her gifts with her friends at her side.  Here she is with twin sisters, Harper and Ellie.

Ella with Gracie.

Ella with her dear friend, Vivi.

Ella waiting for us to sing "Happy Birthday" to her.

The group playing a funny version of tic-tac-toe.

The girls trying to drop candy canes into glass bottles.

All of the girls pose for a group photo.

From left to right:

Back row:  Vivi, Gracie, Addy, Ainsley, and Samantha with Ella in the middle

Front row:  Elsa, Lily, Ellie, and Harper

Ella Getting Her Ears Pierced!

Since I have the rule that my girls have to wait until they are 12 years old to get their ears pierced, Ella has been counting down to this day for months now.  But since we left for California four days after her birthday, we didn't have the time to make it to the mall before we flew out on April 4th.  As a result, Ella had to wait a bit longer as we finally made it into Claire's today after school.  She was totally calm on the drive there and while sitting in the chair in the store.  She didn't even flinch when the employee pierced both ears.  Afterwards, I let her pick out a few pairs of earrings before we headed home.  Ella is so exciting to start wearing cute earrings in the next few weeks!

Ella waiting calmly while the Claire's employee made the marks on both earrings with a pen before piercing them.

Ella showing off one of her freshly pierced ears.