Happy 5th Birthday Ailey


Ailey turned 5 years old on Thursday and she wanted to plan her own "day of fun" this year. She was in charge 100% of everything that we did. She did a great job.

We started off at our favorite downtown park. Ailey loves the carousel there and likes to ride it every year on her birthday. She rode it many many times. It is really starting to feel like summer. Lots of people were at the park and things were very festive. We ate Ailey's very favorite snack/treat POPCORN!! This little girl can consume more popcorn than anyone I know!!

Ailey, Kameron, and Reilly in a row

Bryn wasn't impressed. She slept through the whole thing!!

Then we were off to swim lessons at the YMCA. Both Ailey and Kameron are doing great!!

Next stop the mall and Ailey's FAVORITE store Build-a-Bear. This store is like a little wonderland to Ailey. She loves going there and looking at all the animals and outfits. It is a cute store and Ailey loves Christine that she got there once before so this time she decided that she wanted to get another family member for Christine (her ballet bear) but she couldn't decide if she wanted to pick out a sister for Christine or a husband!! She ended up going with a sister. Ailey picked out a dog that she named Sparkles.

Sparkles getting stuffed...

... and fluffed

Ailey picked out a swimsuit and swim goggles for Sparkles

All done and a very happy Ailey

Next stop...the DREADED...Chuck E. Cheese!!

Three very happy kids...and one sleeping baby sister

These pictures are proof that we actually let them come...Tyler and I usually try to avoid this place like the plague...and try to get them to go out for sushi or something. No such luck!!

It actually turned out better than expected. There is a new Chuck E. Cheese in our area and it is clean and nice. The pizza tasted better than it normally does and as we went on a Thursday it wasn't as crowded as usual. It really reminded me of going to Showbiz Pizza in Orem as a kid. Good times!! Tyler and I actually left saying that we had fun and needed to come back again soon. UNHEARD OF.

Then it was home for presents and birthday cake...and the BEST part of her day...listening to all her birthday messages from family members.

Happy Birthday Sweet Girl!! We love you!!

Attention All Relatives!!


Calling all Ellersicks, McClellans and Birches!! Close your eyes. Imagine you are walking from Grandma's house, through the mud room, into Lilac Lodge. Do you see the kitchen? Now walk carefully stepping over piles of junk and go into the living room. What do you see? Now...prepare to be amazed...you will not believe your eyes. Over 30 years of crapola is now gone from Lilac Lodge. I know you are shocked but it is true. If we aren't all dead from the hantavirus you can thank us this summer.

My family's cabin Lilac Lodge that attaches to my grandma's house at the lake has been filling up with junk for years and has needed a massive clean out. There are rooms that are usable and rooms that haven't been like the kitchen and living room areas of Lilac Lodge. Last Saturday my mom, me, Kelley and my mom's sister Marji donned gloves and masks and cleared out years of stuff that had been piling up. We took 5 loads to the dump, there is another full truck load to go, and a gigantic load of stuff to be picked up by Goodwill. The kitchen and living room are completely cleaned out. Imagine a usable kitchen area and living room in the cabin again. Can you fathom it?

It was an absolutely revolting job...and only took about 12 straight hours of back breaking labor. The four of us moved out so much old furniture and boxes of stuff we could barely move the next day.

Check out the mouse house. Truly. Can anyone please tell us why Grandma has been storing vast quantities of nuts in the cabin? This was only ONE cupboard full.

There were a few choice finds...like my mom's book bag from 1st grade. It still had her name tag on it. "Vicki Ellersick". So cute.

An old jock strap...don't know who it belonged to...but my aunt Marji is very brave!!

Reilly and Maklun did a stellar job of watching Bryn and Elle for us and managed to have some fun too. Check out the vintage clothes.

Looking lovely ladies!!

Gabe and Zeke did a good job of keeping Kameron and Ailey entertained. Poor Gabe is asleep behind everyone. We finally finished at about 11:30 pm.

Check out the new and improved Lilac Lodge:

Now who's up for tackling Grandma's basement? Anyone...Anyone?

Busted


Right before all of Reilly's big events...ballet recital, piano recital, 6th grade promotion etc. she broke her arm...on a field trip of all places. All the kids who participated in student government and safety patrol etc. got a "reward" field trip to Roller Valley. Apparently she takes after her mother and was not meant to ever have wheels on her feet because she bit it big time and broke her arm.

She was in a splint for about 5 days for the swelling to go down and is now in a hot pink cast. Just in time for summer. She should be in the cast for about 5 weeks. Oddly enough her BFF Noelle broke her arm the next day at Field Day. Same arm, same break...weird.

Reilly had her ballet recital the next day. She did great but she wasn't thrilled with the big splint on her arm. She said it ruined her "gracefulness". She also didn't love this year's costumes or choreography...not enough glamour. If you're not in a sparkly tutu why even be in ballet...right?

Reilly the poor unglamorous peasant girl!! :)

Here's part of her dance:

Reilly is third from the right

Look who we had to drag off the stage. Here she is taking her bow. She will start ballet next year and she can't wait!

Two Graduates


School is FINALLY out for the summer. June 17th was the last day and they start back on August 27th. That is one heck of a short summer. Before school got out though we got to celebrate two fun graduations.

Graduate #1: Ailey

Ailey with her teachers Mrs. Manning and Mrs. McDonald

Ailey graduated from preschool and is VERY excited to go to Kindergarten. She found out that she will have Mrs. Smith...Kameron's Kindergarten teacher... so she is extra excited to follow in her big brother's footsteps.

Ailey had a cute graduation with lots of singing...most of the documentation of her big day was in video form...not still pictures. She had a great year and a great preschool experience. I really love her teachers and think they do a great job. They were Kameron's preschool teachers as well.

Graduate #2: Reilly

Reilly with her teacher Mr. Nye

Reilly graduated from elementary school and we attended a great 6th grade Promotion Ceremony. It boggles my mind that she is moving onto middle school. Crazy.

The Promotion ceremony was really well done. Great musical performances, speakers, a neat slide show, and an impressive reception afterward. My mom was able to attend so that was special for Reilly to have her grandma there. Particularly as she sang a SOLO. There were several musical numbers and Reilly had a solo part in one. She did a great job!!

Getting ready to sing



It's a little bit hard to hear but trust me she did a fantastic job with her part


Grandma Vic and Reilly

Reilly and her best friend Noelle...trust me...these two are usually up to no good!! ;)

Reilly, Matthew, Mitchell and Noelle. Yep, these are the boys the girls think are dreamy.

Reilly, Kameron and Ailey all did really well in school, got good grades, were loved by their teachers, and had a wonderful year. We are proud of you guys!!

Bryn's Blessing


Yesterday was a great day for our family. Bryn was blessed by Tyler at church on Sunday. It was such a special and sweet day for us. Bryn looked so pretty in her little white dress and she did a great job. No hysterical screaming through the blessing like Reilly and Kameron. Bryn took after her big sister Ailey and was calm and serene.



Bryn wore the same darling blessing dress that both of her big sisters wore. I really need to embroider all the girls initials on the hem of the blessing gown. This blessing dress was made by my mom from scraps left over from my wedding dress.

Reilly on her Blessing day

Ailey on her Blessing Day

Bryn

All three little girls wore a pair of satin booties that were a gift from my Grandma and Grandpa. All three girls even wore the same head band. Bryn also wore a darling bracelet sent to her from her other grandma. She also was wrapped up in the most beautiful white baby afghan made for her by my friend, Lara.

Bryn was good to pose for LOTS of pictures before and after church:

This one cracks me up!! Look at that grin.

The proud parents. In this one Bryn is chortling away. It was a happy day for her.

The whole family

Kelley and Elle came to support Bryn and it was fun to have them there. Those two little girls are such cute cousins.

Yep...it was a good day!!

Memorial Day Weekend


We had a great Memorial Day Weekend. The weather was so beautiful I that wanted to do cartwheels!! On Friday we got things kicked off with my 6 week check. Yay!! I've been given the OK to exercise again but was told to ease into things. That night Tyler, Bryn and I went for a walk around the park near our church. I am sad to say that one mile totally kicked my out-of-shape butt.

Saturday was spent doing lots of yard work that has sadly been very neglected and battling legions of mosquitoes. If it's not ticks it's stinking mosquitoes. But at least my poor flower beds are getting cleaned out and my rose bushes are trimmed...they took one heck of a beating this winter with all the snow. Then that night we went out for Mexican food. Does anything taste better than cold Horchata on a hot day? Then it was back to the park again.



Sunday I ended my "maternity leave" from church. My pediatrician didn't want Bryn going out much until she was 6 weeks old. She did great and pretty much slept the whole time.

Brynnie 's first day at church and in the dress the Easter Bunny brought her.

Monday we took flowers out the cemeteries to put on family members graves for my Grandma. The kids helped and it was neat to talk about our family members who were no longer with us but who still have such a big impact in our lives.

When we first moved here from SLC my grandma asked if I would help her deliver all the flowers on Memorial Day. It was quite a process and took all day. Her suburban would be completely filled with over $300 worth of flowers. I helped her several years in a row. It turned out to be such a neat experience to share with her. I learned so much family history and I got my grandma all to myself for a whole day. We would always stop for lunch half way through and eat hamburgers and milkshakes. This year my mom bought the flowers and Tyler and the kids helped me deliver them. We only brought flowers for our closest family members...grandparents and great-grandparents but it was still a neat experience to share with our kids and we stopped for burgers and shakes as per tradition. :)

After that we headed out to the lake. We had a picnic and a great visit with my Grandma and my Uncle John. My uncle had brought my Grandma out for the day and had taken her to the cemetery to visit my Grandpa's grave. The weather was GORGEOUS and my grandma loved being outside.

We had a great time playing in the still slightly icy water. Tyler and the kids jumped right in but Bryn and I hung out in the shade. She loves being outside and looking around.

Summer has officially begun!!