Calvin observed: It’s so much easier to relax when you’re eating ice cream.

He is really coming into his own. His head is full of deep thoughts that he shares on occasion with startling candor. His heart is the most golden of any child I’ve ever encountered. His faith is perfect, his kindness sincere. He’s discovering that he is a big kid, able to use his body for great adventure . . . climbing, running, jumping, riding. He still is in love with his mamma and daddy, and asks for cuddles as a favorite pass time.

This is my little boy in March.

Today he came in alone, talking out loud.”Who are you talking to?” I asked. “Oh, Heavenly Father” was his casual reply.

Yesterday with the sunshine embracing us, and despite the cold weather, Calvin and Daddy decided to practice riding his bike again. In only one or two turns Cal told his Daddy: “Let go of me, don’t hold on!” And just like that, he was off, riding his bike, even into the dip. He has found the freedom that will be his for all of his youth.

A few weeks ago we sat in church. A very nice musical number was played intermittent to the talks. When it was over, Cal came over to me, looked up, and with a soft voice said: “That music was so beautiful, it made me cry.”

In companion to riding his bike, Calvin discovered that he can climb trees. He and Olivia have discovered that the neighbor to the East has a tree just the right size for their climbing abilities, and they are in it constantly. I have to scold them every once in a while to stay out of the tree (I don’t know those neighbors particularly well), but at the same time, it warms my heart to see my children in it’s spread branches. I spent hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of hours in trees growing up, and was an active climber well into college, so of course I’m thrilled to see my kids finding such a great activity to fill their time.

Last night Calvin turned to me, shovel in hand, grin spread ear to ear, and said: “Mommy, I’m going to dig straight! Straight to China!”

A few minutes later Calvin had made — a hole — and as I approached to take a picture of his efforts I overheard Olivia tell him “I’m so proud of you for digging such a big hole!” – And I am proud of him too!

“No I didn’t. It’s more of a statement than a question.”

On Monday they spent the afternoon preparing our valentines – signing their names, over and over and over again, each one for a different friend.

For Family Home Evening we made sugar cookies, and decorated them with pink frosting. Each love frosted their own. Everett had patience for only one shmear and set about eating his. Olivia made sure the frosting covered all the cookie real estate in neat even strokes. And Calvin spread his thick, thick and globby.

The next morning, with Olivia at her kindergarten party, valentines autographed from the day before, a special treat for her teacher to boot, and Cal and eJo happy to play with Ila who came to visit, we set about making more cookies. Because who doesn’t need more cookies?

Chocolate chip to be exact, Wyatt’s favorite.

Later, Olivia, Calvin, Everett (and Ila) went to a neighborhood valentines party. More signed goodies, more treats coming home! During the break I took Wyatt a little gift of home made cookies. We promised no valentines – but home made definitely does not count. (And then he broke the treaty and brought me home tulips. Two Lips – it makes me smile).

And then the little loves finished their party, and home we went for a sugar crash. Daddy came home early to play, and with a little dinner in our tummies, we set out to give valentines to all the friends in the neighborhood we had missed.

And when it came bed time the kids went to sleep without a peep, happy and high on sugar, exhausted on activity.

That was Valentines Day 2012.

“What is that?” I asked.

“It’s a picture of a snowman. I put it in here so it won’t melt.”

Calvin and Everett were fighting in the car. Calvin was whining at the top of his lungs:

“He won’t give me personal space, he won’t give me personal space!”

I turned around to see Everett sitting in his seat, but turned around, looking at Calvin. Next it will be “stop breathing my air!” Good grief.

Calvin said: “Mom, what are you doing?”

“I’m cleaning out the fridge” I said, a little proud of myself.

“Oh, well that’s not what I would be doing if I were you.”

“What would you be doing?” I asked – I should have know better.

“Well, I would be playing with my kids.”

Suddenly my clean fridge and cabinets did not seem so spectacular.

Point taken.

Today we’re going to do Thanksgiving and Christmas art projects to our hearts content.

I bet the kitchen gets really messy.

Because, well, you know.

My boy Cal has started preschool. While I consider today his “first day” there have been a couple prior events that were important too.

1) Back to school night – we got to go meet his teacher, Miss Sheri, and see his classroom and all the fun things there are!

2) “First Day of School” (but I don’t count it) where the parents are invited to attend as well. It was more of an open house to let the children play while the parents are able to get to know one another. I had my sister come babysit Ejo & Roo while Cal and I went to this. Afterward we went to McD’s for Happy Meals and ice cream cones. Did you know McD’s won’t serve happy meals before 11:00? LAME!

So Cal settled for a sausage McMuffin, which is not the same. But we enjoyed ourselves all the same.

3) Today – Cal’s first, real, drop him off and wave good-bye, day of school.

It was a mixed emotion for me. I’ve always planned to hold Cal back a grade, his birthday is the end of July. So by going into preschool now, he’ll have two years of preschool, instead of the one that Olivia had.

I chose to only have O go to one year of preschool because I felt (and still do) that kids need as much time with their mamma’s as they can get. There will be plenty of time for school and real-world later.

But with Calvin, I chose to send him now, even though it will probably work out that he does two years . . .

I made a different decision for him because there are no other boys, or children for that matter that are his age in our entire ward. His primary class consists of him, and one other boy whose family actually lives in Herriman. Calvin has had a lot of fun playing with his older sister, and her friends, these past four years, but with her going to school daily now, and him getting older, I think he needs to find some other friends his own age and start learning the social graces of four year old boys.

He has been so excited for school. Last week we went school shopping for him. He loved that part. And this morning he wanted to take his treasure box to show Miss Sheri. She was appropriately thrilled. I am so excited for him to have this new adventure that is all about him.

At the same time, those couple hours he was gone were so weird! I kept wondering: “Where is Cal? What’s he getting into? Why is it so quiet?” Oh dear, it was strange. I missed my fun little boy with that mischievous grin and heart of gold.

Calvin: Mommy, it takes a long time for you tummy to get small. As long as it takes for a new baby to get here.

Me: You’re right. But my tummy is already a little smaller right? (I mean, didn’t he notice?!)

Calvin: Yeah, (then, pointing directly at my chest) but those aren’t smaller!

Conversation between Olivia and an older couple admiring baby Andrew and baby Mason:

Old man: Those are sure cute babies. Where can my wife get one of those?

Olivia, matter-of-factly and nonchalantly: At the tummy store.

Calvin and Alexa after primary:

Calvin: Alexa, we learned about sharing in primary today. It’s important to share.

Alexa: Really? (Alexa’s mom is Cal’s teacher, and she knew that the lesson was on friends, not sharing.)

Calvin: Yeah. So you should share your candy bar with me. It’s good to share.

(All I can say to this story is: Is that Wyatt’s kid or what?!)

Calvin seems to have (FINALLY) moved out of the stage where he needs constant supervision. He seems to know the rules, and doesn’t destroy everything in his path (very often). But just as he’s moved out of that stage, Everett is moving right on in.

Last week I was upstairs feeding the baby, while everyone else was downstairs. When I came out, I heard water on. I went into my bathroom to find the water on, the sink clogged and water spilling over the sides, down the cabinet and onto the floor.

I went downstairs to find Wyatt and found that it was raining in my downstair bathroom (directly below the upstairs one).

Last Saturday night Wyatt and I went downstairs after the kids were “in bed.” When we came upstairs we found a trail of Fruit Loops down the hall, culminating in an entire spilled box in front of my bedroom door.

The next morning I was half asleep, but heard Calvin and Everett get up. Remembering what happened the night before, I got up, and went and tied up the cupboards and fridge, before returning to bed to sleep in.

Later Wyatt got up and got the kids breakfast – cereal and milk. But he forgot to tie up the fridge when he was done.

Later he found Everett, covered head to toe in sour cream, an entire block of cheese in his room, and an entire box of margarine (that I had just bought the night before for Dutch Oven Brownies that we were supposed to have later that day) in various clumps around the house.

Well, lovely Wyatt cleaned the boy and mess up, but he forgot, again to tie up the fridge. Later, just as it was time to get ready for church, I came around the corner to find eJo happily cracking the last of a dozen eggs on my kitchen floor.

Good times.

Not only that, but my buddy, SuperCal will start pre-school. I will miss him so much.

So it has been a busy two weeks trying to get them both ready for their new adventures while taking time to enjoy my little Roo and also their last few days of freedom.

I started a tradition last year of a back to school dinner. It was a lot of fun to do last year, and so I planned another one this year. But, are you surprised, it was even BIGGER this year!

The theme for our 2011-2012 school year is “Seek Learning” from the D&C – because the first step in education is wanting to be educated. I know Olivia and Calvin both have a thirst for knowledge and a pride in their progress, so I think this will be a great focus for our year.

This year’s dinner featured:

Lime Chicken Tacos
Spanish Rice
Summer Salsa
Corn on the Cob
Watermelon
Raspberry Lemonade (real raspberry lemonade)
& Summer Peach Pie a’la mode.

YUM.

Our theme is "Seek Learning"

I decorated the table with all things kids - and I laughed at this vignette.

Our beautiful flowers were provided by my dad.

Our table with Olivia & Cal's back to school gifts - friendship balls. (I made the gift boxes myself!)

Olivia and Cal opening their gifts.

Kids in their back to school crowns.

Something was funny . . .