Our new room called: THE HAPPY PLACE

The girls got a room makeover thanks to my talented friend who does part mural, part velcro boards (her own creation and design, it's amazing!). It transformed the girl's room into a place I never want to leave. :)

Thanks Shauna for bringing the happiest place on earth to our home! (no need to go to Disneyland now!)

She painted the walls with the hillside and then added the trees and animals that she created at her studio. Here is the first tree, owl, leaves that she applied to the wall with velcro.

These features have velcro on them and can be taken off and even sold later as a set to go with the Target bedding.

It is such a sweet little room. I had no idea you could make a room so cute! See how the bedding and walls coordinate. Amazing!!!

If you want to make magic happen visit Howell Creations and talk to Shauna. She can even ship the wall art so you don't have to live in Spokane area!
http://www.howellcreations.blogspot.com/

Also, I made a cute clock with a Heritage Makers scrapbook page to match the room decor. Check out how cute this is... I just have to put it on a clock that you get at a craft store. (I am so proud to contribute to the room in my own way.)

Happy 1st Birthday Ryder

This was such a fun birthday.
Thanks Daphne, for all your help, couldn't have done it without you.
Thanks to Van Steenkists and Liz and Sara too!
Thanks to Breanna for the cake. It was perfect...super delicious!
Thanks to Jen for the cute outfit!
Thanks to Don for putting on a GREAT magic show!
Thanks to Jan for taking tons of photos-- at least there's photos before the wind storm took my decorations away.

Thanks everyone for coming (and for your donations to give to Children's hospital)...You are our family here!

I think these pictures say it all!
(big thanks to Grandpa, for the water park in our backyard!)

The perfect game

Trent told me the other day that in baseball one of the greatest accomlishments is to pitch a "perfect game." If I understand it right that means that no one gets a hit off the pitcher. They are very rare. In the history of baseball only 20 "perfect games" have occurred.

What does this have to do with anything? Well, I was thinking how each day, as a mom, I wake up and try to have a "perfect game." Maybe today I won't burn the toast. Maybe today the puppy won't pee on the carpet. Maybe today we will get the kids to bed before 9:00. The perfect day would be a happy, bustling home where no one yells or whines or blames or cries. Those days with a team consisting of a 1, 3, 9 and 11 year old is as rare as the baseball statitic. But each day, just like the pitcher I try and even when the day is all BUT perfect I realize it is pretty wonderful too.

Testing my new feature

Testing

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Candace May" <candacemay@gmail.com>
Date: Jul 12, 2010 11:48 AM
Subject: Fwd: Testing my new feature
To: "candacemay.teague99@blogger.com" <candacemay.teagu99@blogger.com>

> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: "Candace May" <candacemay@gmail.com>

> Date: Jul 12, 2010 11:47 AM
> Subject: Testing my new feature

> To: <candacemay.teagu99@blogger.com>
>

> This is supposed to let me update my blog via email. Awesome. Hope it works. This is me and my swe...

A HIT

TEAGUE GOT A HIT!!! (not this picture... note closed eyes).
He got a hit!!! Prayers are answered!

This is how it came to be...

Trent and Grant (assistant coach) noticed Teague was swinging 10 inches above or below the ball. They both said, "He can't see it!" Teague is blind in his left eye.

So Trent told Teague, "You are now going to be a left-handed batter."
and he started hitting the ball!

I don't know who is more excited Trent or Teague (or me).

This was a great idea... A trip to Coeur d'Alene Beach for the day! Ryder ate sand, Ryleigh floated, Gabi dug, and Teague looked for living things.

Isn't he pastey white?
I actually had to buy sunscreen! haha I HAD sunscreen, but I have to admit I don't use it on the chocolate kids.

The chocolate kids.

This is the life!

Let go of me so I can go play!

Sunday Photos

Baseball season has arrived! This is our FIRST year of baseball and softball with Teague and Ryleigh. This is Teague and Ryleigh's first GAME. Trent called Teague to pitch in the 3rd inning. He did a good job for 2 innings. He stuck out three batters. Ryleigh did great. I saw her field a ball at shortstop and throw it to third. She also got some hits! Teague is praying to make contact with the ball in his next game. They both really love it and Trent works with them and is really enjoying that!


The tiniest one on the team. Cute little thing!

My mom was here last week. We had such a great time! The kids LOVE her to death!!

Gabi sings the song "You can't always get what you want" from the Glee sound track. Here is the modified version:

You can't always get what you want... (unless Bella is around)...

I love you mom! Thanks for your great example of love, giving, positiveness, service and fun!



Father's Day 2010 was the best ever. This year the WHOLE family (all the kids) are in the yearly photo with dada!

Teague and Ryleigh both wrote him awesome letter about what a great dad he is. That was the best gift, and Ryder chillin with him on the couch watching the US Open.

Content.

If I could pick one word to describe my current life I would choose, "contentment." I feel more relaxed and at peace than I have for some time. I have a fabulous best friend/husband who I love. All my children are here and healthy and I am crazy about them. I do what I love (stay at home and run a successful business with amazing, like-minded women). I like my home and area. I get to run 3-7 miles a day and I am finally shedding my baby weight. The weather is mild this winter! I have great friends & neighbors. I enjoy my mom and sister. I just had to record that I truly feel blessed and content.

The photos that follow show what a snapshot of life is like for us recently.


I am a more relaxed parent of #4. If he falls asleep on the floor (like he does daily) that is where his nap will be! PJ's are okay to wear all day, who is going to see him, or me for that matter!


Team Canada won the gold at the Olympics so these two had to rub it in at school by dressing in Team Canada gear. Grades 3 and 5 now!! T has started to really like and get good at hockey. He went from not being able to skate backwards to skating backwards faster than anyone on his squirt team!


Gabi... my little friend when the big kids are at school. She is my "sunshine" here is some things that make me laugh. Gabi tip: Save calories... just lick off the frosting of the cupcakes.


She is addicted to Disney movies and will fall asleep watching. When I question her, "Did you fall asleep upstairs?" She will say, "No, I was watching a movie." (thinking she really didn't sleep for 1.5 hours).


Naps make her not want to go to bed when the kids do at 8:30. She makes up 100 reasons to come downstairs... water, one more hug, work out with Daddy, hungry, to show how she can go down all the stairs without hanging on to the rail, one more kiss, etc.


This is Daddy's new ipod DON'T touch.


This is the very look that gets her 98% of whatever she wants. If this look doesn't work she will give me a wink or say, "You the best mommy in my whole life."

When asked if she is going to grow up and get married someday she responds, "No, I am going to stay with you guys for-e-ber." Trent says that is perfectly okay with him.


Speaking of best mommies... I often see my mom for work. Here we are in Bellevue in Feb. racing to Nordstoms between sessions. There is always time for Nordstoms. Work isn't work anyway. We write books that celebrate family stories for heaven's sake!!

Trent isn't pictured here, but he has loved the Olympics. We enjoyed curling (HARD!) and hockey most. He IS the best in MY whole life.

Angi came for a visit! It was fun and we did a lot of retail therapy. Nordstoms takes my dad's credit card number. We only use it when we are together so we can blame each other.

I am so happy for her. I think she is doing great as she is going through a hard time. Isn't she cute!!!??


This video is to remember his little-ness and it is going away too fast! Funniest thing lately is how he cries pathetically as possible to get his way. He is learning from Gabi. He just became a good sleeper and so that might explain my recent "contentment" (sleep can do that).

Photo of Ryder

This is my sunshine. He has blond hair and brown eyes, weights 18lbs. I love this little guy.

Kids call him "Coo" or "Toot", so I do too. He says "MaaMaa" not "DaaDaa". He wakes up happy and likes to bounce and swing his arms.

'Heritage Makers Business Showcase'

'Heritage Makers Business Showcase'

Priceless

If I could write a Mastercard commercial it would sound like like this:

Toys $250
Lego he begged for $100
Frozen pond found in backyard on Christmas day (toys left under the tree)... priceless

Have a Yule that's Cool

Christmas favorite things:

Picking out a tree
12 days of Christmas gifts from Bella
Ryder! All we want or need this Christmas
Trent building his rink
sub-zero temps (for the rink)
"Sparkly lights" -- Gabi
Mary's song on the CD player in the car "This is Jesus's mudder's song!" -- Gabi
The "big kids" catching the vision of what Christmas is all about
Teague reading the 12 days of Christmas stories each night
Granny is coming to town!!
Cancer days are long forgotten as we hug our boy full of health and strength and wisdom
New friends
The classic movies: Grinch, Elf, Christmas Vacation, and It's a Wonderful Life
Wondering what Trent could possibly be surprising me with?
Thinking of others
Dark evenings so I can't see that I haven't dusted
Ryleigh already negotiating how early she can wake us up on Christmas morning
Ryleigh waiting for Santa's letter back to her
This:




Quote: "Cleaning a house while you have children is like shoveling while it is still snowing!"

Like winning Lord Stanley

This weekend we went to Missoula MT for a hockey tournament. It was Teague's team, the Spokane Jets. His first year, his first tournament. They earned their way into the championship against Idaho Falls (who beat them earlier in the tournament 9-4). It looked as though they would lose a hard fought battle again as Idaho Falls carried a 4-2 lead into the final 10 minutes. But the Jets soared in those final 10 minutes scoring 3 goals, the winner with 25 seconds left to hand Idaho Falls their only loss of the tournament and earn the championship!! Teague said it felt like he had just won the Stanley Cup.

I never knew that coaching could be so rewarding and that I could feel so happy for that group of 16 kids who worked so hard and were so excited. It was fantastic to see Teague feeling that sense of belonging with his teammates and accomplishing something difficult to do. Every second I see him on that ice is like a miracle to me and I know that it is just the beginning of many more miraculous memories to come. It was difficult not to think of the last time I saw Teague pointing skyward when he was going through a battle of a different kind. This time he points his finger skyward with joy in his heart for the success he felt...this time like any 10 year old boy would feel.