Thursday, May 2, 2013

Semi Annual Blog Post

I've decided that blogging has just become a last priority for me these days...which is unfortunate because I am even WORSE at keeping a personal journal.  How will my posterity ever know that I did ANYTHING with my life???
Sigh.
Anyway, I have an overload of pictures for you, and I will try to keep my narratives brief.  The pictures are the best part anyway, right?

Back in February, Jemma's school held a Booster-thon...(when I was in elementary school, it was called a jog-a-thon...I kept calling it that and Jemma was quick to correct me.)  Her school made a super huge deal of it and Jemma kept coming home pestering me to get people to pledge her.  I can NOT stand fundraisers.  They drive me crazy.  I would rather make a donation and call it good rather than ask people to give my child money so she can get some crummy prize.  She ended up with just us pledging her $0.50 a lap.  I know. I'm cheap.
The boys and I went to cheer her on and she did great!  I think she ran 26 laps. 

 Toward the end she got tired and decided to walk with the Vice Principle and her friend Aubrey.  :)

March was a busy month...we even celebrated Easter! I'm always a little sad when Easter falls in the month of March instead of April.  It's like April is getting jipped out of its ONE holiday!  Oh well.
My friend Karrissa organized an Easter Egg Hunt at a park for a bunch of friends.  The kids had tons of fun and even the weather was cooperative!  :)

Here are most of the kids that attended.


 We dyed eggs the Friday before Easter.  If the kids didn't LOVE this tradition, I would bypass it cuz I can't STAND the smell of boiled eggs and dislike eating them even more!

It's a messy business, but the kids LOVE it!

We were fortunate enough to have some of our favorite friends, the Skinner Family, come visit for Easter weekend.  We had so much fun that I totally spaced taking any decent pictures, and the ones I did snap didn't even really turn out!  Sheesh!
Kristina and I went and got pedicures on Saturday, then took the kids to play at a park while the boys talked Optometry and Brandon gave Shawn a tour of the Optometry Clinic he works at.
Sunday morning the kids woke up to find the Easter Bunny had visited!  I think the Easter Bunny out-did him/herself.  There was a ridiculous number of eggs full of treats and fun toys.  Too fun!

 Here are most of the kids (I cannot believe I never got a snap of Kennedy, the Skinner's darling baby girl!) chowing down on their Easter goodies...for breakfast!  Don't worry, we had a second breakfast a little later; french toast with buttermilk syrup, bacon and juice.  Mmmmm.


After church, we managed to get a quick snap of both our families...of course separately.  Lame.   In our defense, I had my tripod out there ready to get a group shot, but our photo shoot got rained out by a sudden downpour. (ps. Carter refused to smile and Gavin, bless his heart, just doesn't know how to fake a smile.) 
We had a ham dinner with the Skinner's and the Rich's and all in all just enjoyed a beautiful Easter Sunday with people we love!
I am so thankful for this holiday and the opportunity it provides for me and my family to reflect on the merciful Atonement of our Savior and of his miraculous Resurrection.  I know He lives and that I will someday have the opportunity to be with Him again.


In April, Carter's school took a field trip to a local strawberry farm.  It was SO FUN!  They had the biggest, juiciest, most delicious Strawberries I think I have EVER had.  It was hard not to eat them all up in one day!

 The boys had a great time and I am planning to go back next year to do it again, field trip or no field trip!  :)


I also had a birthday...kind of a milestone birthday of sorts...I turned the BIG 3-0.  Yikes.  I'm feeling old.  But you know what, I'm really ok with turning 30 because now when people look at me with my three kids (and protruding pregnant belly) and say things like "Gosh, you look so young!  How can you have three, almost four children?"  I can respond with, "I'm actually, older than I look...I'm THIRTY!" :)  I had a great birthday.  The kids were on Spring Break and fed me breakfast in bed, all on their own!  Eggo-waffles with orange juice and strawberries.  SOOO CUTE!  I got a sitter for a few hours in the afternoon so I could meet Brandon for lunch and do a little shopping.  Then we went out to dinner and came home for cake and icecream, after which Brandon helped me re-pot my hydrangea bushes...I got some nice big/tall pots to put them in on either side of the front door.  :)
Thanks everyone for making my birthday special!


 And no post would be complete without showing you a project...I have completed several, but only had a picture of one on my camera, so here you go; a floating shelf.  It looks really little in this picture cuz the wall is so massive, but in real life, it actually fits the space quite well.  And, btw, I should tell you that little green chair was a birthday gift from Brandon.  Love it!


And here's a cute picture of Carter. :)


Phew!  
Well, until next time! (Probably 6 months from now.  Ha ha ha!)