First Train Ride

 My mom surprised us with tickets on a train ride that was going through Bartlesville.

 This was the kids' first time to actually ride a real train, and I was so excited for them!  Naturally, I picked out their outfits for today!  hahaha!  Avery was a good sport! :)  She's kind of over the matching stage so I appreciate her obliging me on this day.  It was probably because tomorrow is Mothers Day!

 We got there a little early so I could take pictures of the kids.  Here's Avery...

and here is Austin.  I'm a sucker for pictures by a train or train track!

 And here is Addie...

and Ashton, standing on very safe tracks.  I promise, these trains they are taking pictures by are stationary and never move!

But they are fun to get inside of!  

 We met up with their cousins Mika and Sora along with my sister and Nana at the Bartlesville Depot.  

 Here's a cute one of Nana with the grandchildren.  Such a great idea, Nana!  So glad you thought of it!

 And then we got on the real train!

 The conductors even came around and punched our tickets!  It reminded the kids of the Polar Express!

 Here's Sara with Austin and Sora.  The train didn't go very far.  It stayed on the west side of Bartlesville which isn't very attractive either but it was fun and memorable.  And the best part was who we were with!

 I absolutely adore these sweet photo shots of Ashton with my mom sharing some fun stories and scenes on the train.  It made my day!

 Afterwards we went over to my moms to celebrate Mothers Day with her.  I'm so grateful for my mom and all she has taught me.  Especially about family and faith, the two most important things in this world.  I love you mom!  Happy Mother's Day!

Go Rams Glow 5K

 No, I'm not turning into a runner.  I do wish I enjoyed it more, but again there was a reason Randy got me to run in this 5K.

 Top reason was because his sister Julie was one of the main people in charge of putting it on!  And the one that pushed me over the edge... this one wasn't being timed!  It's so much pressure!  

 I think that's why Avery chose to run it too!  She doesn't like the pressure of everyone knowing how fast... or slow we are running.  She also ran with one of her friends, Jaydn.  Randy kept teasing Tanner that he was going to beat him.  Of course Tanner killed us all!  He's a great runner with lots of energy.  

Here are the fans!  We bought glow paint so the kids could feel like they were part of the action.  The race was actually over before it turned dusk so even though we had glow in the dark shirts, you couldn't tell until later in the evening.

And our other biggest fans: Addie, Taylor and Ashton.  Actually, after the race was over I kind of wanted to know what my time was.  I came in pretty fast and strong, I don't know how!  Randy still left me in the dust but I didn't mind.  This course had a lot of hills and I was just happy I never walked.  It was a great evening and I think Hoover Elementary raised a lot of money for their school!

Spring Soccer

 This is probably our last year to have all four kids play soccer.  Ashton enjoyed a season off and has come back to play on the Sounders again.

 I think she enjoyed it, but she said she doesn't want to play anymore.  She got the ball a few times but her aggressiveness in the game has slowed down.  She scored a few goals but the older they get in co-ed the more aggressive the boys get and for her it didn't make her try harder.

 I loved watching her play, and she had a couple friends on the team.  I think she's wondering why Thomas is sitting on the ball!  And Sam is getting a kick out of it too!  When Avery was this age, I always pushed her to be more aggressive.  But now that I have the more aggressive older kids, its fun to watch this age and see that they are still just having fun!  Isn't it funny how our perspectives change with time.

 Addie took a season off too, but said she would play if I would come to all her practices and STAY!!

 Addie is naturally good at soccer and I love watching her play, but she's so nervous about us leaving her, and I'm not sure where this has come from.  We've never left her anywhere!

 I really wish she enjoyed soccer because she is really good at it.  However, she also has voiced her opinion as to not playing so we will be taking some time off.  Hopefully we can find a sport that she enjoys because she is very athletic.  Don't you love the tongue hanging out?  Reminds me of her brother!

 Austin is at the age where competitive soccer has began and since soccer wasn't at the top of his favorite sports, we chose not to go competitive.

 He played on a recreational team this season and really enjoyed it.  I was surprised at how well he did after taking a season off.

 He even scored a few goals!  But practice started overlapping with baseball so we missed a lot of practices toward the end of the season.  We decided to take a break after this because we want him to be able to be committed and dependable which is hard when the sports are overlapping so bad.

 Avery has been our one true soccer player.

 She is still playing up a level and still playing competitive.  She is the captain of her team and shows it on and off the field.  So proud of her and her accomplishments!

She has a great coach and enjoys the game so much!  Won't be long til she will be playing for the high school team.  Oh how time flies!

Happy Easter!!

 Happy Easter!!  We hope everyone had a great Easter weekend!

We started our holiday with Nana making Easter Eggs!  The kids love doing this so much and Nana is so sweet to continue this tradition with them.

They also love hunting Easter Eggs!!

It was nice to spend the day with my mom, my sister Sara and her girls!

No matter how much they are growing up, they still love to hunt Easter eggs!

 And they also love a visit from the Easter Bunny!!

They had just a little time to look through their baskets before we had to get ready for church!

Avery Madisen John

Austin Edward John

 Addison Elise John

 Ashton McKay John

Spring Events

I thought I'd just talk about a few things that happened this spring in one big post!  Yes, sadly still catching up but almost there!  We've had a busy spring but have enjoyed many memorable moments.  Randy and I attended a Mardi Gras event that supported one of our friends nonprofit businesses in town, Mary Martha Outreach which was started by Susan Murphy.  We were happy to be there with Kevin and Kelly Murphy and help support this organization.  It was really dark in the Community Center so the flash was blinding... hence the "I wear my sunglasses at night" pose by Randy!  hahaha!

I found my sister too!  Her mask was so adorable and we handled the flash of the camera like pros!  

Addie will be turning 8 this year and we attended a "Great to be 8" fireside where she received a lot of instruction, a new white towel with her name on it and some cool cookies!

 We also enjoyed a special moment with my mom remembering our wonderful Grandmother.

 Ashton has such a fun personality.  On April Fools day, riding home on the bus, she asked Austin if he would like her to make him some brownies when they got home.  Well, of course!!!  She ran to her room, and came back out with a paper full of brown e's!!  APRIL FOOLS!!  She got him good!

 Austin has always been really good at drawing so I wasn't surprised when he told me some of his artwork would be on display at the mall.  It was fun going over there and finding his work among other students from all the elementary schools in town.  Great job buddy!!

 We love attending all the Bruin basketball games possible!  Ashton loves that we get to sit with one of her close friends, Kate Hubbard.  I used to watch Kate when she was a baby and Megan was still working.  I'm wondering if some of the John genes rubbed off on her!  hahaha!  I call these two my twins!  Kate is actually a year younger but they look so much alike!

Ashton and I attended Avery's induction into NJHS, National Junior Honor Society.  

 Here are all the inductees from her grade.

 We are so proud of her and the hard work and effort she has put in to her schooling.  She knows how important her grades are and I love how responsible focused she is!  Keep it up, sweet girl!  We are so proud of you!!

 Randy would have been there but he was down in Houston for a business trip.  Work all day, play all night!!  Randy's parents happened to be down there as well, and Randy got some really great seats to the Houston Astros game.  This picture of Randy, Ed and Robert was actually taken from the television.  They were on ESPN that night.

Ashton was able to help out with Senior Night again this year.  But this year was extra special because my cousin Mariah is a senior this year, so she got to walk with Mariah.  Kaitlin also plays on the soccer team.  Mariah scored 3 goals this game!  I was so happy to be there this night and see both of them play, they are amazing!

 Garrett Hartzfeld is also a senior this night.  Ashton has walked with Garrett through many of these nights but this night they had him lined up with someone else.  He still wanted a picture with Ashton and also bought her a little gift.  He's such a sweetheart.  He will be serving his mission as soon as school gets over and we are so proud of him and the example he is to our children.

 Ashton's Kindergarten performance was so great!  They sang lots of patriotic songs, of course my favorite was Oklahoma!  

 Ashton also had an Authors Night which was so fun.  We began in the auditorium and then they took the students out while we listened to the principle and then we were able to go find our "authors" and read their books and see their biography on themselves.  I teared up when I saw her book called My Mom and Me.  Such a fun night!

 And then of course there was the highly anticipated track meet!

 Here is Austin with some of his buddies.  Ranch Heights did great against the other schools.

 Randy and I were just excited that this year Austin competed and the 400 yard dash and the 200 yard relay!  Much better than the team walk and softball throw from last year!  hahaha!  We love this kid and I love how his confidence is growing!

 Last choir performance of the year!  The Spring Concert is always my favorite because it's not so formal and the songs are a little more upbeat.  This year was all things Disney!  The girls had a hard time not singing along!