right now...

Curt:

-got a promotion and is really enjoying the new department he's working with
-reads and mows the lawn and is the fun parent

{went up to Curt's work to have lunch at a nearby park one day back in April}

Carmen:

-just got called as the Primary President at church. (For those unfamiliar with Mormon lingo, our church is run by members, we each get jobs called callings that usually last a couple years. The Primary is the children's organization, we have almost 90 kids in our ward.) 

It's a little bit daunting, but it will be good.
-thought I was done with house projects, but have concluded that it's just a way of life for me.
I will find new projects always.
Doing now: piano room, powder room, starting to mess with the yard.

{we've had several bonfires to clear out yard stuff}

Des:
-finished up pre-k and will be starting kindergarten in the Fall, he's so ready
-doing swimming lessons
-is in the 97th percentile for height.
Where the heck that came from I don't know, Curt and I are both short.
He gets mistaken for being several years older than he is all the time.

-We're reading the Nancy Drew books for bedtime stories, he loves it.

Evie:
-is finally potty trained. I'm such a weeny at this, but the good part of waiting so long is that they have good control. No messes and a short transition time.
-loves to bug her older brother and can reliably evoke crazy rage reactions, ugh.
-is super strong willed.
I'm trying to not beat this trait out of my kids because I think it will get them places in life, but man oh man it's sometimes like riding a bucking bronco.

McKay:
-is cutting his final tooth that he has room in his mouth for, all four eye teeth just came in at once
-runs and jumps and dances and climbs, has a melt-your-heart smile
-is getting quite the simple phrase vocabulary
things I can think of off hand: catch, don't, button (as in belly button), see, ear, ut-oh, mine, let go, down, bite, mama, daddy, there you go, phone, oh there it is, got it
-can understand most things said to him and answers yes/no questions (yes is usually emphatic nodding)
-is a lot more petite than Des was at this age and has really good fine motor skills
-I'm thinking his eyes might actually stay blue?
(all the kids have started blue, Des' turned greenish, Evie's now have streaks the color of her hair, pretty neat and unusual)

{just applied for this little guy's passport, he's so cute}

{I've been making this a lot for dinner, simple and yummy}