April showers brings spring break

April showers bring spring break for us!  We had a great week this week!  Lots of sleeping in, no schedules and less structure - it was really nice!  We had movie nights, went swimming, went out to get frozen yogurt, did activities and art projects, played a lot outside, went out to dinner one night. 

 

Monday was April Fool's Day and I always do a little something.  This year, I hid blue food coloring under the kids' toothpaste on their toothbrushes.  Cal was the first to start brushing and he was laughing so hard!  I told him, "April fools!  Gotcha!"  And then I told Emma to go brush.  She did and got the giggles too!  They thought it was pretty funny.  It was a pretty good prank, I'd say.  It came off mid-day, but they had blue teeth and lips still when we went to the Y that they had to explain to some.  :)

But, the kids got the last laugh.  I told the older kids they could stay up a little later, with spring break and all, and went to put Lucy to bed.  I fell asleep as I was trying to get her down for bed, and the next thing I knew, I felt something on my face and heard giggling children.  Emma told me that I had to go see myself in the mirror.  This is what I saw...  Ha ha!  The jokes on me, I guess!  Emma actually was planning on doing this to Daddy, but he woke up before her, so that never worked out. 

We went bike riding one afternoon.  We've been working with Em for a long time on riding her bike without training wheels.  She gets so scared and will stop her bike once she figures out the balance thing.  But this day, she was determined and would not give up until she got it!  She tried and tried and we cheered her on and then got it couldn't stop riding! 

 

I was so excited she learned how to ride her bike I started screaming and she was laughing at me.  But it's really exciting to see something your child has been struggling with finally get it!  These little milestones are exciting for a mom.  :)

Cal and Luce also had fun riding bikes.  Cal likes this big wheel (pink and purple, oh yeah!  Note: we buy mostly gender neutral stuff like that) and was doing all kinds of crazy tricks on it.  But, he kept taking off his helmet, so he had to go take a little time out and stop riding for a bit.  He is so funny!

Lucy rode a while, and then would run around.  Doesn't she look so cute in her little Weber State cheerleading outfit?  The Wildcats played this day in their tournament, but unfortunately, they lost. 

The first half of the week the weather was so nice and we were outside most of it.  Then, toward the weekend, the rain came in.  So we had fun inside.  We did some rain art pictures, a few little crafts, and this day, we did tiny masterpieces with little pieces of paper and tiny paint tools.  They all love getting messy in the name of art. 

The weekend brought LDS General conference, which we thoroughly enjoyed.  The messsages were inspiring and encouraging, and I heard a few things that I felt were just what I needed to hear.  The kids did pretty well listening for some of the time too.  We played lots of Bingo, conference coloring pages, our jelly bean game, and had blocks and other toys on hand to keep them entertained.  I'm so thankful to be able to hear the words of the living prophets and to be a part of this Gospel!  What a blessing!  I know it's true!

 

Saturday we celebrated Dave's 31st birthday!  We had a Pete's Dragon birthday party for him, since that's one of his favorite movies.  Emma stayed up late Friday night helping me make this Pete's Dragon Elliot cake.  She did a great job helping with the fondant - mixing, rolling out, cutting, shaping.  We had fun, though I got a little tired and cranky towards the end.  We had the Bennetts and the Halleys over to celebrate with us.  

We decorated in purple & green and had candles on the water for this brazzle dazzle birthday. 

For dinner, we had salad, garlic steak fries, purple and green grapes, and breaded talapia, melt-in-your-mouth salmon, garlic pepper salmon and chicken, and Doc Terminus' cure all elixer to drink (black cherry, root beer and orange soda). 

The kids had a fun time at the party and laughed (and tooted) a lot around the table!

The adults (we're so grown up now) had fun too.  We sat around and visited and laughed (but didn't toot) as well.  This was too funny!  Hana kept trying to take her moms drink. 

Then we had the cake, Dave put the candles in to look like Elliot was breathing out fire. 

Singing happy birthday to the birthday boy!  He's getting a little distraught about being "so old".  I can't wait until he's 51!  Ha ha!

Then we watched Pete's Dragon, the friends stayed for part of it, but then all had to leave because it was so late.  Dave, Emma and I stayed up and finished watching it together, singing all of the great songs.  Dave had a brazzle dazzle birthday for sure.  He's so cute!  That day, in their prayers, the kids thanked Heavenly Father for Daddy and that we could celebrate Daddy's birthday. 

Easter Excitement

Happy Easter from us to you!  We got going a few weeks ago when we decorated for Easter and started our Easter puzzle/activity from the Friend magazine.  On Monday night, we made an Easter block with different pictures from the life of Christ (particularly the atonement and resurrection) and let the kids roll it and then we teamed up to find a scripture that went along with it.  Then we decorated ginormous Easter bunny cookies. 

We went to an Easter egg hunt playgroup with some friends this week.  The kids had so much fun playing with their friends and eating a lot of candy!  We also went that day to the downtown park, which was fun.  It's getting so warm (well, like the sweltering 60's) the kids want to take off their jackets and pull out the sandals and shorts.  Ha ha!  It is so nice having the sun out again! 

Cal had an Easter party for preschool too.  Check out these cute bunnies!

We also dyed Easter eggs with our neighbors.  The kids came up with some clever designs, and this year, we dyed the eggs in Kool Aid. 

On Saturday, we decided to kick off Spring break with Couer d'Alene.  We went and walked along the boardwalk, went to play at the park, and went to a yummy Brazilian steakhouse.  It was so beautiful, like always!

Then we went on the Journey to the Cross tour.  It was like a walk through the Holy Land recreating the last few weeks of the Savior's life.  We went last year as well.  It was neat for the kids seeing it brought to life. 

Sunday morning, we woke up and had bunny cinnamon rolls for breakfast.  Then the kids came down (Emma even woke up early by herself!) to check out the goods.  Emma was cute the night before and made signs so the Easter bunny would know whose basket was whose.  They were excited and loved all of the good stuff. 

Then it was time to get ready to go to church.  The kids looked so cute in their new Easter outfits!  I actually finished the girls dresses and petticoats and Cal's tie, which I didn't know if I would.  Emma picked out the material for it.  I think she did a pretty good job!  Church was great, the focus was on the Savior and his Atonement and forgiveness and the Resurection and the hope of the gospel and our own Sacred Grove moments.  It was wonderful.  The Primary kids also sang a few numbers and I got to play for them.  They sang "He Sent His Son" and "Easter Hosanna".  They were so sweet and the spirit they sing with gave me the chills. 

After church, we had some quiet time.  I love that time to reflect, read and pray.  Then we got dinner going in the oven.  We then went on our egg hunt in the backyard.  Daddy hid them, as he always does, and tricky as he might be, the kids found them all!  I love our Easter traditions. 

Emma helped me make these cute cupcakes and we took some around to neighbors and visited with a few of our neighbors. 

Then we had dinner - ham, cheesy potatoes, asparagus, homeade rolls, and strawberries.  Mmm!  After that, we watched the He is Risen video.  It was very touching and these Bible videos are so well done.  It was a nice Easter!

I'm so grateful for the hope and determination that the Atonement and Resurrection of Christ gives to me.  I absolutely know he died and rose again so we can too.  What a marvelous gift!  I love Him and I'm so grateful for what He did for us all! 

My Students of the Month

Last week, we were invited to our girl Emma's school for an assembly for student of the month since she was chosen for March.  She got to go up in front of the school and get a certificate, pizza certificate and pencil from the principal, which she thought was pretty cool.  Her teacher read this about Emma:

"Emma is an outstanding student in all areas, a good person through and through.  Emma is sure to include all her classmates in partner work or games.  She also never has a bad thing to say, she is always kind.  She takes her time and puts effort into her work.  When she is done, she looks to help others.  Emma leads by example, even when I have a guest teacher in the room, I know Emma is one I can always count on to be on her best behavior.  Thank you Emma for being so trustworthy and such a hard worker."

She kept looking over at us during the assembly and tried hard not to smile.  Funny girl!  When she got home, we got her a balloon and made her a card.  We're so proud of her.  I also had her parent teacher conference this past week, and the teacher told me she isn't supposed to pick favorites, but told me she just couldn't help it.  Emma's freckles and kindness to everyone gets her every time.  And she's doing really well academically as well.  Way to go, sweetie! 

My other student of the month is my husband, Dave!  He has been working tirelessly on his paper and project for his graduate work for months and months.  He finally got it submitted and approved this week!  Hooray!  Now all we have left is to defend, which will happen in about a week.  So proud of him and the quality job he has done!  Here he is one morning, sleeping in a bit.  He deserves it!  He was up most nights until 2 or 3 trying to get this thing done and done.  Isn't he cute!?  He's probably dreaming of his research during this, that would happen.  The topic and his paper was always on his mind, even in his sleep.  Now this is the face of a man who has been working hard!