Enchanté

My Eden.

Completely enchanted.

Loved by all who cross her path.

I get a phone call from her school stating she has won the character award this month for "Initiative" for her classroom. It's a surprise so I can't tell her.

Look at my amazing kids!
Being awesome!
Getting character awards!



At her little enchanted school they present the awards at a school assembly.

All of the parents sneak in the back and hide behind a curtain.

Each class's character pick is presented individually with a little snippet about how awesome the award-winner is, then their name is announced, the "Rocky" theme plays over the speaker system, all the kids scream and whoop and clap and holler, the parents run out from behind the curtain and meet their child (who is running toward the curtain)




then they child and their family all walk together down a "red carpet" to their awaiting teacher who presents them with their "character olympics medal"



Then the winner climbs onto the medalling stand with their torch



the Principal gives them the sheet their teacher filled out stating all of their amazing attributes and qualifications for said award, plus a bag of awesome goodies.





It was seriously the cutest assembly I have ever attended!



Such enthusiasm and school pride!
I love that!

This school seriously is the B-E-S-T!



So incredibly proud of you my sweet E!




After the assembly we went back to the classroom



Where everyone signed the back of E's medal.



And then loved on her



It's tough being wildly popular!



Everyone loves sweet Eden.

How could anyone not?!

She's just enchanted like that.

It's a gift.


Love,

The Mrs.

The Mother of All...

...these beautiful babies!




The greatest thing I've ever done...



Could ever do...



Will ever do




Is to be your mother!


Thank you so much for giving me the most perfect little angels and the greatest life a girl could ever dream of!



Happy Mothers Day to all you other extraordinary Mamas out there!!

And give an extra hug to all the extra-extraordinary people who helped you get there!

I love you MOM!!

Love,

The Mrs.

Throned

Hey everybody!

Ada here!

I've been super busy lately teaching Mom how I can potty in the big potty.

It's taken her a little bit to catch on, but it's ok, I've been super patient with her.

I'm thoughtful like that.

I think the most important thing to remember always is...
um, you might want to write this down...
It's ok,
I wait...

Ready?

Ok...

The most important thing to remember always is that you can be fancy even when doing "ewe" things like pottying.



True story.

Now to bring my message to the world...


lovies and passies,

ada

Red In The Face

So we get all of our littles in bed, tidy up the last little messes and now Mr. Kiggins and I are enjoying a little
*ahem*
closeness- if you will.

We're in the throes when I think to myself;
'I'd be a little more comfortable with the bedroom door closed'
and nudge the Mr., who jumps up to close it, when we suddenly see a little Connor walking past our doorway in the direction of his room.

Um...how long was he there?!?

Mr. Kiggins and I exchange very big-eyed panicked looks, throw on bathrobes and run to begin an immediate inquiry.

Me: "Um... whatcha doin bud?"

Connor: *nonchalantly* "Nothing."

Me: "Why are you up?"

Connor: "I left a paper for school on the desk in the loft. I was getting it."

Me: "I put you to bed over an hour ago.  You had to get it now? When you're supposed to be asleep? "

Connor: "Yes. I didn't want to forget it in the morning."

Me: "Connor. Were you watching Mom and Dad?"

Connor: *nonchalantly* "No."

Me: slightly and completely irrationally hoping he was totally oblivious to his parents private actions.
"Did you see what Mom and Dad were doing?"

Connor: "Yes."

*heart breaking*

It's one thing being sighted alfresco, but this???


Me: flabbergasted "Why didn't you say something?!"

Connor: *matter-of-factly* "Mom. I didn't want you to be embarrassed. So I got my paper and came back to my room."

Me, consumed by uncontrollable and slightly hysterical laughter.

Connor joins in.

After a solid 3 minutes straight of my own personal fit of the vapors, I finally compose myself.

Me: "Buddy, I'm more worried about you being embarrassed. Do you understand what Mom and Dad were doing?"

Connor: casually "Yes."

Me: "Do you have any questions about anything."

Connor: yawning "Nope."

Well, *pat on back* I guess I did a pretty good job with his birds and bees chat.

He's so analytical and literal. Such a scientist. He probably took one glance our way and thought "huh, so that's what that looks like" banked it for future encyclopedia-type-reference and then went on with what he was originally doing.

Me: "Well, that is a very private thing that husbands and wives who are married and in love do. We don't talk about it to other people, but you can always talk to your dad and I if you have questions. We will always tell you the truth. Because it's our job to teach you. No one else's. Understand?"

Connor: "Yep."

Me: "Ok. I will try to be aware, in the future, of closing my door."

Connor: casually nodding "I'd appreciate that mom."


Huh.

I really thought being caught in flagrante-delicto by one of my innocent offspring would be a little more traumatizing for them.

Apparently I am raising a very well rounded and confident young man who is not easily shaken.

I, on the other hand, am pretty much completely traumatized by the evenings events.



This is far too much for my delicate sensibilities.


Love,

The Mrs.

What A Character

Seriously, he's such a character!

A perfect blend of smarty and sassy all rolled into a dashing little 2 dimensional frame of awesomeness who just received this award for his exemplary character and acts of responsibility and respect!



That's my boy!

I mean, I knew you were going to be incredible... how could you not be
*pan to Mr. Kiggins swiping invisible lint off his shoulder*

But that could never prepare us for just how incredible you truly are!



You continue to astound and amaze us THE WORLD every day!

And just when I think my socks couldn't be blown off any farther than they already were...



Another straight A report card!

And...

AND...

His teacher just informed us that they did practice End-Of-Grade testing and Connor only missed 1, and got the highest score in all of the 4th grade!

*eek*

You're the awesomest little boy I have ever met!
Seriously!
Being your mom aside... no one else even comes close!

Sorry other little boys, it's a true story.

I am so proud of the young man you are becoming!
That no matter what you will always do your best. You always stand up for what is right. You follow the rules, no exceptions expected. You stand for honor, honesty and virtue. You don't care what everyone else is doing, or even what they say, you are who you are, with confidence, and that makes you the greatest!



It's tough being a parent. You constantly feel inadequate. But when your Dad and I look at who you are and who you're becoming, it is very clear that we are on the right track!

We're so proud of you my darling!


Love,

The Mrs.

Tangled

20 minutes and a half bottle of detangler later...



I think it's time to make you a satin pillowcase my darling.




Now let's see if we can do something with that chocolate all over your face...


Love,

The Mrs.

Ride Like The Wind

The day we got back from SoCal Mr. Kiggins decided it was high time for our little E to kick her training wheel habit and ditch the quadra-cylce and join the ranks of us happy bi-cyclists the world over.

Eden, being the completely amazing and perfect child she is, was all excited for this new adventure, and was super brave as long as her Daddy was right by her side.

I was not quite prepared for her total amazingness in this task.
This is her very first attempt:



Seriously.
She got right on, and with only a little help from Dad on the beginning mechanics, she was off.

By the end of the day she was steering, starting, stopping and speed-demon pedaling all by herself like a real biking pro!

I really couldn't believe it!

She seriously is one enchanted little creature!

She doesn't just "do" something, she perfects it!



Look at that focus!

I'm super excited because she's outgrown her old bike (as you can clearly see...tall little thing!) but I wanted to wait to get her a new one until she didn't need the training wheels anymore.

check.

Now I'm thinking she needs a cruiser like her Mama's!



Yup!

Love,

The Mrs.

Since It's So Late...

SoCal was completely divine.
Though our homecoming weekend reversed any R&R we may have incurred while there.
You can read about our homecoming drama HERE

The night after the crazy events, our neighbors asked us to come over so they could hug us and thank us for all that we did.
It was about 7 pm and Mr. Kiggins was playing baseball in the backyard with Connor, E was watching cartoons, and I was getting Ady ready for bed.
We took Ady with us and told the older 2 kids that we were going to the neighbors for a minute and that they could watch cartoons and play baseball until we got back.
The neighbors had lots of hugs, and thanks and questions about our religion which we all became deeply engrossed in conversation with until next thing we knew it was 9:30!

YIKES!!

I said a quick prayer that my children would be ok and not freaking out.
Connor would be living the life, sitting in Dad's recliner with hands behind his head and a huge grin on his face enjoying his freedom from oppressive rule enforcers, whereas my sensitive E would be sitting on the floor cuddled up with her blankie silently crying while gazing longingly out the window for her parents that abandoned her.

We said our goodbye's and ran back across the street where we found this taped to the back glass door:




And this in Connor's room:



And this curled up in, of course, our bed, snuggling with her blankie and mom's iPad mini:
(at least she was entertained)




Have I mentioned what absolute angels my babies are?
Well, that's something one can never say enough!

What amazing little perfect darlings I have!!

Love,

The Mrs.