The Lovely Month of May

May has been good to us thus far.  The boys participated in the Arizona Study Program where they played their piano pieces for an adjudicator and took a theory test.  They both earned a top score for their level.  Way to go B and C!  Lydia also had a recital for her gymnastics class.  She had an impressive line-up of skills to show off including cartwheels, somersaults, a little balance beam routine and flips on the bars.  She has since coached Eve and sometimes Camille through several recitals here at home.  One of the many things Lydia is good at is teaching.

Brad, Carter and Alex got to go to a D-Backs vs. Giants game last Friday the 11th with Grandpa Matheson.  I believe a good time was had by all.  The night before that, Lydia and Eve joined me at a mother-daughter Relief Society event where we made fleece blankets for a local hospital and enjoyed ice cream sundaes.  It was a fun girls-night-out.  Alex and the kids were very kind about helping me prepare for a party at our house with several of my friends.  We played bunco with a Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego theme.  Other than the fact that Alicen Rapier who was throwing the shindig with me had to leave as it started because her little guy, Colt, broke his leg, it turned out great.  Colt was under our care when he broke his leg on the trampoline and we wanted to help out in some way so we offered to watch their kids while they went on a date.  I stepped out into the garage for about 5 minutes and the kids came running out telling me that Colt had fallen down the stairs.  Our track record is not good. . .

For Mother's Day the kids and Alex let me sleep in and made me a delicious breakfast.  They also let me take a nap that afternoon.  Sunday evening we joined up with Grandma and Grandpa Matheson, the Mulleneaux's and the Stephensons at Monte's place for dinner. It was good food and fun.  Yesterday morning our piano was tuned which was Alex's Mother's Day gift to me.  It sounds lovely.  I was also excited to make some strides in my efforts to learn more about my Great-Grandma Mickey's (aka Regina Bernhardt Todd's) family.  Through the help of  an e-mail listserv for the Volga, Russia area I was able to locate information on 4 more generations of our Bernhardts who lived in Mariental, Volga, Russia.

Brad finished off orchestra for this year with a concert at school on Monday.  I received the Mother-of-the-Year award for missing it because I forgot to check my calendar and thus didn't remember that the time had been changed from 2:00 to 8:30.  Today was a fun day.  Our friend, Cami Johansen who served as a missionary in our ward for about a year got married to Kolby Reddish.  Alex and I were able to go to the wedding and then I went to the luncheon afterwards with our friend Jenn Duffany.  

The boys were supposed to go on the Father and Son's campout this evening but it was cancelled due to forest fires.  Instead they went to watch "Journey 2: The Mysterious Island" at the movie theater.  They just got home and are giving me the run-down of their fun evening.

Brad and Camille had matching Brazil soccer jerseys.  I think Brad's fit better.

Camille trying on Brad's Weblos duds.

Camille loves to read.  Her favorite books are animal ones.  She's very proud of herself because she can say "Da" for dog in one of the books.

I'm trying out some paint colors for our entry and Eve really, really wanted to have her picture taken with them.

Eve

Carter-boy.  The angel Moroni was put on top of the Gilbert temple this week.  We drove by to take a look.

Lydia, Brad, Eve.

Lydia & Milly-Boo with her signature half-eaten banana.