Ah Home Again...

...home again jiggity jig! We had a VERY wonderful Spring Break with lots and lots of playing and fun. I was actually surprised at how much we wanted to do, but didn't have time to do it all. Thanks for coming to see us and playing with us! Sorry to all you we didn't get to see, but don't worry we will be back again in a few weeks I am sure.

I have to say both driving down and home could not have been timed more perfectly. None of my kids have ever liked to travel in the car seats and were known to cry/scream from the time they were buckled in until the time we reached our destination. I was a bit nervous for this trip because I was driving by myself and it was Colt's first time, but with practice (yes we practiced having naps in his car seat) and good timing we made it down with only a couple of grunts going over the passes and I knew they were coming because my ears would pop and he would grunt. Jacey would stick the pacifier in and all was good. On the way home he stared out the window for an hour before nodding off and sleeping the rest of the way home. YAY maybe we will finally have a child that enjoys the car...that would make our trips and desires to travel a lot better!

It is good to be home and will be nice to get back in the swing of things!

Hunting Snipes...

...so last night Dax was getting ready for bed and came up stairs and said most seriously "You guys have got to come downstairs. I hear a crazy sound. I think it is a Snipe." I of course sensing the stall for bed time said "It is just the dishwasher. Go to bed." but Papa the brave man that he is played along and went Snipe Hunting. After hunting for a while and finding no Snipe the kids went to bed peacefully. This hunt (although different) reminded me of my YW days and the first time I went Snipe Hunting at girls camp and then all the years after taking the younger girls Snipe Hunting. It was a tradition and the silly game never got old. If you have never been Snipe Hunting let me know and I will take you this summer!

Enjoyin' It While It Lasts...

...because it is supposed to storm (and possibly snow) the rest of the week. So we got out and had some fun while it was warm and overcast (perfect for pictures). How 'bout some happy yellow.

Skye's favorite line from "Oliver" she says it all the time now

So today we finished planting the strawberries-50 plants total, some in pots some in a bed. I think I broke my toe this morning...you all that have been privileged to see my LONG toes and thought they were goofy looking before you should see it when instead of pointing straight up it points to the side. I actually think they could splint my toes they are so long...at least as long as some people's pinkie fingers. It has no feeling in it though so at least it doesn't hurt. Oh how did I do it...I tripped over the wagon handle while running across my lawn I flew. When I got up Dax asked me why I did that and said it looked silly. Yeah I am sure it did.

I am also in the process of cleaning off my desk...oh wait no I am not I got distracted and am sitting at the computer desk blogging. Better get back to that.

Ah Aint Nothing Better...

...than an early start to an beautiful Spring morning. During the winter months I really would not mind sleeping in until noon (of course with kids that doesn't happen), but when the sun is up and the house is not a frozen shell I LOVE to get up early and get the day started. I woke up with the roosters (and the donkey...holy smokes if that thing ever woke me up during a winer slumber I am pretty sure it would not live one longer) and got some raspberry plants in the ground and soaked through to enjoy the wonderful day we are going to have.



now I realize that my choosen spot is a kill joy for any of you that were planning to come visit me and make mud pies, but maybe just maybe I will learn to make a raspberry pie just for you (next year...can't have raspberries this year).

So until tomorrow...HaPpY sPriNg DaY to YOU! We are planning to have some FUN how bout you?

Spring Break: A Splash of Creativity...

...So the day started in a whirlwind of the hunt for last summers swim stuff (of which we only found half the other half we borrowed). That is right we went swimming today and the kids loved it. We just went to the gym and swam in the lap pool but a pool is a pool right?! I am excited for this summer and plan to spend most of the days at the pool.

Then we went and had our first picnic of the year at a park and then home for QUIET time. I really enforced the quiet part today too. There has been so much going on this past week that the kids (and their mom) needed a good rest. They were so quiet that I think I even fell asleep for a little bit...I love naps! Skye napped for over 3.5 BLESSED hours she really needed it and made up for no naps the past 2 days.

After the allotted quiet time was up for Jacey and Dax (mine and Skye's continued) they went out and created mountains in the lawn. This little project took them a good hour and they were so proud of their creations. They dragged me and my camera out to take pictures of them and then insisted that they be the feature of tonight's blog (they are learning very quickly that mom puts everything on the blog).






Another GREAT Spring like day, another grand adventure had, but tomorrow we really MUST get some of our chores done, even if it is only getting yesterday's dishes washed.

Spring Break: They Made it to the Park...

...since that is what they wanted to do in Utah papa (my dad) made it happen. First we went to visit Grandma Great in Kaysville who is doing great, but misses her town. It was fun to visit with her and the kids loved to play with her "toys" and it is a good thing Grandma doesn't mind noise. She was even encouraging my kids to throw the toys after I encouraged them not too-so not like the visits to my Grandma Great she would try to bite us and then take out her teeth to show us. After our visit we ran out to see my sister in laws new salon and I have to say the stress and hard work they put in paid off, it is beautiful! When we got back papa was there waiting to take the kids for a ride in his chariot (bike trailer) and after a quick lunch it was off to the park.



when you don't have a paper or pen

papa's little shadow





We had such a great quick trip. Thank you for playing with us and sorry we couldn't stay longer, but it was great while it lasted!

Spring Break: Surprise!

We are in UTAH for a few hours (can't really call it more than that) as we will be back home tomorrow, but it was fun to surprise everyone anyways. I didn't tell the kids we were going (didn't want to crush them if plans fell through and because it was funner this way). We headed out with them thinking that we were just going to Burley for some groceries and a treat if they were good, but when we stopped for gas a few treats they started to wonder differently. As soon as we got on he freeway Jacey said "Oh I think we are going somewhere that starts with a 'U'" I deterred that thought by saying "but we didn't pack anything and isn't this the way to Dad's work?" (good thing she hasn't learned direction just yet). As soon as she saw the "Utah" sign there was no fooling her. I asked both her and Dax what they wanted to do in Utah and they decided that they wanted to find a park and have a picnic...haha...luckily I talked them into surprising a few people instead. No one knew we were coming.

Our first stop was to my mom's work and we couldn't have timed it more perfectly she was just sitting down to lunch so we were able to visit with her without disturbing her work day.

then we went to Greg's parents' house to see all the cousins who happen to all be there on Tuesday's for some play dough

and because it was so Spring like and LOVE-A-LEE we went outside and enjoyed the sunshine!






the kids called papa at work-too bad he could hardly hear them and had no clue who he was talking too (dang wind and jets) so he was technically surprised twice.


and then in luau of the St. Patricks Day holiday we ate green jello

my flash stopped working so sorry no more pictures but I think Carrie gets the award for the biggest "gasp" of surprise.

Spring Break: Project Phase I

...am I the only one that gets urges to rearrange the house come Spring? Sadly in this house there is not much I can do about that urge with furniture. There is really only one wall the couch will fit on and with our limitations on outlets really only one place to put the computer. Although I am daring myself to find a way. Until I get it figured out though I have to settle with changing my wall decor around-whoopee.

My magnet board became this Spring Breaks main project and will consist of a few phases. Today give the 2 year old paint job a face lift and then make it look old again. The kids job was to paint it and I got out the sand paper and roughed it up something good. (the final project will be shared later-when it is done)

Skye is more into the directing of the project than she was in actually painting it.
right after this picture she touched the paint brush to her cheek and then started crying because she and her baby doll (always in tow) got dirty...miss priss she is!

Spring Break: Saturday Movie Night...

...it is hard to take the kids to the movies here because we never think about it until about 4:30 and at that time the next showing isn't until 7:30 which is the kids bed time on a usual night so we opt for The Hornet's Nest for pizza (or salad for me) and Clarks for our movie pick and enjoy a nice home-theater-night-in and we all win. The kids still get to bed at a decent time and The Hornet's Nest pizza is wonderful, but my thumbs go up for the grilled chicken salad-YUMMY-if all salads were as good as that one I wouldn't mind eating rabbit food and would probably have a waist line to prove it :)

I just have to add Jacey's odd pizza eating habits. The girl would order a slice of pizza with the cheese on the side if she could. She refuses to eat the pizza as a whole she picks off all the cheese first and then eats the pizza slice plain. How fun is that?



It was a great night and a good end to the perfect Spring day-we even left the doors open for a bit today to air out the winter mugginess.

I took this shot the other day (before all the ice melted) and thought I would post the evidence that things are thawing out look at those melt!

Spring Is In The Air Today...

...yes there's magic everywhere. (if my title-replacing Spring with another word-and first sentence put a specific song in your head you are the coolest person EVER-and possibly a fan of blue nosed Charles Dickens.)

I got me some Spring Fever bad and I think it is contagious so if you don't want it you better stay away from my blog at least until the end of Spring Break. Since we are not going anywhere this year I have had to get my creative juices flowing to come up with some fun projects for the kids to do. Watch the blog because there are going to be lots this next week! I don't have any to show you tonight because today was the "hunt and gather" portion of our preparation, but I thought that since Spring is nearly here I would update my blog from the boring drab background I never did get around to finishing (it was great in my head) to something that will represent this very special change in our lives (no Cares that change is not a new baby in our house it is Spring).

Greg bought me a huge wide screen monitor (that I LOVE) but it is hard to judge width and how the blog will look on other's screens so if you could please alert me to any problems you might see that would be marvelous