3rd of July

On the 3rd we went to my Dad's house.  Just like last year he had the boys wear their safety glasses- a definite COOL factor.

Riley and Jeremy's favorite part was getting to light them and run.  They took that very seriously as you can see below.

Tyler liked watching the fire works but was totally freaked out by the sounds.  We put some ear phones on him and that seemed to help but he preferred to enjoy them from a distance!

Garden Progress

This year we decided to start a garden for the very first time.

It is doing so well and we are really loving it!

San Francisco & Muir Woods

Fisherman's Wharf in San Fran was tons of fun!  When Jeremy saw this tie down anchor Jeremy stops and says, "TAKE MY PICTURE!"  Not quite sure why he was so excited about it or why he wanted to spread his legs into the space but he did.

There were some awesome break dancers down near the pier.  We all loved watching them.  
Muir Woods-

Cousin Katelyn, Spencer, Riley and Jeremy

On our way down to California for our family reunion, we stopped in Ashland, OR to camp for the night.  They had this great park too.  The boys loved climbing on that thing.

this is my favorite part.  I don't know if you you can see Tyler's face on the uploaded version of this video, but try, it's worth it!  He kept telling us the fire was HOT-ot-ot-ot!  He is so darling!  We all had a lot of fun camping that night!

Boys first Fishing Trip

Jeremy caught 3 fish!

Riley caught one but he was more interested in finding the salamanders.

Never mind Jeremy obviously needs to go potty!

Have you ever seen a white peacock or maybe its albino?  Not sure!

It's official

After 4 years of undergrad and 4 grueling years of dental school,

Dr. Lane Cook

Lane's parents came down for the graduation.  You can just see how proud they are.  Lane graduated with clinical honors and he was the only student in his class to graduate with high honors!  Wooohooo!  

Now Lane is going to kill me for posting the rest but I'm going to do it at his brother Vaughn's request.  He really wanted to know about the awards that Lane got as well as several of his other siblings.  He asked me to post them on my blog so he could read about them.  Since he didn't get to make it I am going to fulfill his request.  For the rest of you all go ahead and skip it.

Honor Society:  Omicron Kappa Upsilon, Delta Chapter

Alpha Omega Scholarship Award

awarded to the student attaining the highest academic  average over the four-year curriculum

American Academy of Oral & Maxillofacial Pathology Award

Awarded to the student who has demonstrated exemplary aptitude and achievement in oral and maxillofacial pathology.

American Academy of Oral & Maxillofacial Radiology Achievement Award

Awarded to the student who has demonstrated the greatest interest and accomplishment in oral and maxillofacial radiology.

American College of Dentists Award

Awarded to the student who has displayed honor and integrity, influencing and promoting the highest of professional standards.

Certificate of Merit AAPD Predoctoral Student Award

Awarded to the student who shows the most promise in pediatric dentistry.

School of Dentistry Alumni Association Award in Memory of Stephen P. Peglow

Awarded to the senior dental student who posses those qualities most desirable in a dentist including integrity, humility, compassion, skill, sensitivity to patients needs, and dedication to service;  nominated by the senior class, then selected by the class and faculty.

Since he wants to be an orthodontist we have 21/2 years more school left.  He starts his Orthodonic residency on July first.  Then I can start counting down until we're done with school.  Yeah!!

One of a Kind

On Sunday afternoon I had this conversation with Jeremy,

Jeremy:  Look at my sliver Mom!

(holding up the palm of his hand to show me)

Me:  Oh did it fall out?

Jeremy:  No I squeezed it out.  It persecuted!  And I did it!

So the next time you have a sliver that persecutes you Jeremy can help you out with it.

Jeremy is one of a kind.  He cracks me up!  When he is at his best there is no one sweeter.  Likewise when he is at his worst...well let me just say I try to persevere.  My very favorite things about Jeremy is that he loves to pray and when he does it comes straight from his heart.  He is a spiritual giant.  Another thing I love about him is that he is so determined.  Once he makes up his mind there is no changing it.  I'm figuring that as long as we can get and keep him on the right path, he'll be steadfast.  

His favorite color has always been orange.  And this is his favorite super hero getup.  He likes to mix up all of his costumes and he called them "mixed up superhero's."  The ensemble he is sporting in the picture above is an astronaut jumpsuit, The Flash mask and a blue lightening bolt cape.  He loves it but is somewhat self conscious about it.  He doesn't wear it out in public too often.   I just love Jeremy!  He is such a special boy!

Jeremy's 4th Birthday!

This year Jeremy wanted a Star Wars Clone Wars birthday party.  He really wanted a pinjata and since I couldn't find the right kind, and because they're now made out of cardboard and don't really break, I reused an old one from Riley's.  Jeremy was quite pleased.
Tyler's face was priceless when all the candy fell out.

Happy Birthday Jeremy!  We Love you so much!!

Tulip Festival

Several weeks ago we went to the tulip festival.  I am so behind on blogging.  It was beautiful and we had a great time.

There were several booths and one of the booths was a bird rescue.  The boys got to hold them.  Riley was very eager and Jeremy had to work up the courage.  Riley loved both but ....

This green quaker parrot was his favorite.

More Riley projects

This one was a creation out of our recycling.  Their are several room and all of them connect by tunnels or doorways.  It's hard to see in the picture I know.  There is a movie theatre room and a massive bowl of popcorn(made out of paper)  and an ice skating rink to boot.

I know this has some resemblance of an athletic cup.  Trust me!  It is NOT!  I don't think he's ever even seen one.  It's part of a large plastic egg from easter and a head strap made out of tape and crayons.

Two mondays ago we had a family home evening on being a peace maker.  For the activity Lane made cutouts of Doves holding a branch and we pasted them on a canvas and the boys painted everything but the birds and the word peace.  (lane did the finishing touches on the doves)

While we were painting, Riley was so excited and said to Jeremy....

"We will never forget this even when we're Grandmas!"

Yes you read that right, even when they're Grandmas!  : )

If you didn't have a Mom

Riley and Jeremy were playing make-believe so nicely together this afternoon.  Then Lane and I hear Jeremy say,

"Oh, I have no Mom!"

Riley:  "You have no Mom?"

Jeremy:  "Yeah!"

Riley:  "WELL THEN, you can do whatever you want!"

Lane and I just started busting up.  I love to hear what they think.  It's us Mom's standing in the way of what they want to do.

Today's invention by Riley

Monday after Family Home Evening, while the kids were eating snack, I ran upstairs to grab a picture to show them.  When I came downstairs Riley was gone.  I asked where he was.  Lane told me that he saw the cover of the new Friend magazine and his wheels were spinning.  He was in the garage gathering supplies to make his very own pulpit the following day.

He even made a cupboard in the back for his lesson materials.  Since it is spring break Lane is home.  He let me sleep in.  When I woke up I came downstairs and they both had pulpits and a talk to give me.

Still potty training

Potty training Riley was a breeze.  He basically woke up one day and was potty trained day and night with rare accidents.  Being the first time parent that I was, I of course attributed the grand success to my wonderful parenting.  : )  I know anyone who has more than one child knows what I'm talking about.  

Potty training Jeremy has been a trial.  Is been an on and off process for a year and a half of optimistically trying, giving up, and repeating the battle.  I'm giving it another good try taking Melissa's advice on using the "potty whisper's" technique.  So far so good.  We're on day 3 and he's been dry for about 20 hours.  I"m keeping my fingers crossed!  

The purpose of this post however is not to tell you about his potty training.  Riley has been such a good big brother.  On day one Jeremy was excited after having just thrown away all of his diapers and wearing underwear.  He kept running up and down the hall as fast as he could.  He told me that he was running faster now.  Riley piped in and said,

"Your running faster because underwear are stretchy!"  Then he kept letting Jeremy beat him.

Riley then went into the garage to get a box.  He then started making "presents"out of paper for Jeremy because he was potty training.  Riley is very creative.  He one of those kids that collects, well if I'm being honest, Junk.  He sees a potential invention or use out of absolutely everything.  He filled it with a lot of stuff that he made and was so excited for Jeremy to open it.  

At Riley's request I"m including a list of the things he made for Jeremy.  " Glasses (as pictured below), spider with a little hook under it, paper airplane, a thing that you throw it and it splats over each other (I don't know), hockey game, a telescope, a paper sword, butterfly, an instrument with a bow on it.  I think that's about all."  Everything he made out of paper, not just drawings but cutouts and more."

Way to be such a GOOD BIG BROTHER RILEY!!!