Easter Photos

(see post with Easter/photo explanations below)

Easter 2011

This year we had a good Easter, but quite normal. We colored eggs. I did my annual call to my mom to ask how to boil eggs, then started them heating up and forgot about them. For forty-five minutes. So, although we didn't eat them, they were still dye-able. Each kid did four eggs--one of them for Elise. With the leftover dye we dipped t-shirts in and made cute litte shirts. I don't think they'll stayed dyed, but they looked really cute for one day!

The next morning we found baskets and hidden eggs. That is my favorite part--I love to see them looking all over for their baskets. And too often it becomes a fight, but this year it was perfect. They were all nice to each other, found eggs for each other, took their time, shared, ... it was great. They each got a small something--Weston a Utah hoodie, Aidan a harmonica, Brennan a Thomas coloring thing, and Elise got a "Fur Real Kitty". Then we went to Grandma and Grandpas and again had a great time searching for mounds of candy and fun toys. It was so enjoyable. That evening we put the wii in the basement and played with it on the big screen, which was fun.

Earlier when Omi and Opa were in town we made sugared eggs. I remember making them as a kid with my family and it was so cool. The kids loved it! Auntie Hil made one, too. Each one had a little bunny, baskets, "eggs" and was uniquely decorated.

Sunday we had Scott home for the morning (no meetings!) and then went to church--we sang in the choir, a lovely song. We had dinner with Scott's family that evening. The weekend was also spring break so we got to stay up late and sleep in on Monday. It was a nice, relaxing, non stressful holiday!

(I am going to do a separate post with all the photos!)

For the Birds

Not that lots is going on, but we have finally got something to write about. Spring is kind of in the air, with lots of hints of the winter (it is snowing right now!), but still, the tulips are about to bloom, the daffodils are dancing, and our barbeque has a giant nest in it (with six blue eggs)! Isn't that amazing? I saw birds hopping around near it with sticks, etc and told Scott that I thought a nest was in there, so after a week or so, he checked it out and sure enough... It was beautiful. Of course we wouldn't be barbequeing any time soon. Though Weston did ask if we could eat the eggs--you know because Omi and Opa eat their bird eggs.

So yesterday, I took some photos today of the nest and a few minutes later I looked out and there were two male birds fighting and the female looking on (then she got bored and went into the barbeque). They fought for at least 10 minutes --mean! Pecking each other and turning and clawing. Finally one knew he was in for and took off, the other one chirping after him. The winner got up on the barbeque and puffed out his chest chirping and squawking for a few minutes telling the world how great he is and warning off the competition. Quite a show and I saw it all!

Then today, Scott went out to check on it and all the eggs are gone! I don't know if they moved them (can they do that?)--cause there are no sign of any eggs anywhere near the nest. There was a piece of a broken eggs near the fence. I don't know if somehow we disturbed the nest and so they moved and new birds were trying to move in, or if some new birds tried to take over or what, but since the eggs were gone, we decided to claim our barbeque again. We've gotten rid of the nest (and almost immediately new birds tried to build again!). I thought we would really love have a birds nest in our yard, but then I looked at the raspberry bushes next to the barbeque and noticed how picked on they were... maybe I am glad we won't have birds eating our berries! Still a neat experience for the kids.

March's Happenings

We didn't take many photos this month, and really, not much happened, but we still had a good month and there is stuff to report. Mainly that Elise is walking! Oh what a fun and funny girl. She is so proud of herself. It seems that she decided to do it and now she has taken off. Same with going down the stairs, she is now a pro. And we didn't really even try to teach her. A few times I have showed her how to turn around, but she had never really done it on her own and then one day I left her upstairs and a minute later she was halfway down the steps! She is really growing up in such fun ways. She grabbed a book and headed over to Scott, handed it to him and situated herself on him lap. And when he finished that, she repeated it! Ahhh, cute! She loves to play with her brothers, but unfortunately for them she hasn't learned how to play nice... She is trying to be a helper to me, pulling out pots and pans, trying to clean toilets with her bare hands, and cleaning glass with her tongue. So nice. She also has a really funny fascination with shoes. Anytime she sees a shoe she tries to put it on--at first she'd put them on her hands and crawl around. Now it is her feet. Since she can't necessarily walk well yet, she just puts them on her feet and sits there, or she drag them around. I keep finding random shoes in random places. She loves patty-cake, looking up (I am not sure why), and hugs from mom, and we love her! Brennan has become my little helper. Once Aidan gets off to school we set out to do some projects and he loves to help me. Today we updated the 72 hour kits and he did most of the work! And daily he thinks we are supposed to make some kind of treat. Unfortunately, he is not doing too well on eating dinner, so he doesn't often get that treat. Aidan and Weston are busy in school and have started soccer games. Since it is cold still (there is snow outside right now), it doesn't make me too happy to sit outside every Saturday morning, but it gives me hope that spring is around the corner. Aidan was star of the week and we made a lovely poster for him. He loves being the star! He also hit 100 days of school and there was a big party filled with HUNDREDs of things. We had parent teacher conferences and Aidan is flying high in Kinder. He is really reading well, although he tells me he doesn't like to read. But, still he does well. And since he found out that being a writer when he grows up requires lots of reading when he is a child, he has changed that plan... Weston does love reading and likes to stay up late at night--way too late. Right now he is reading "Half Magic" and he really loves "Calvin and Hobbes". He is doing well in school and finished up the Math Program first in his class. He got to go to a Jazz game with his dad and it was a highlight! He and I also went on a date to McDonalds and IKEA and at the end of the night he said it was the best date ever! With our little family growing--not so little, life is busier and costing more! We run the dishwasher daily, I do a load of laundry a day, and our grocery bill for one weeks food is enormous! We run from thing to thing, trying to make sure the kids are "well rounded" by being part of several activities, but hopefully making time for all the important stuff. Like Mr. Leprechaun. He visited and made a mess as always. But other than that, we are happy!

Elise makes a mess

Big headline. She is so messy! Scott thinks that because she is a girl she won't be as messy as the boys. Wrong!

Dinner time has turned into a fiasco trying to keep her clean. We just hope that she eats by osmosis!

When it isn't going in her mouth.... it comes out!

But here she is bright and clean--with funny and crazy hair!

More Brennanisms

I love to watch Brennan play. He is so fun and funny. For the past hour he has been playing by himself in the toy room --I am not sure what he is playing. He has random toys out, he is whispering to himself and then he plays a bit, runs a bit, whispers some more. He, by far, has the most active imagination of all the kids.

He also really keeps us on our toes about being nice. If I ever use a slightly raised voice (... because I never yell... hmm) his hands immediately cover his eyes, his mouth pouts and he says, "You're being mad to me!" or "Stop being mad to me!" It is so cute, usually that is just enough to calm me down! And, I don't know what to call this or how best to explain it, but if I (for example) remind him to eat his dinner before he gets a treat, he says that he did finish it. Even though it is sitting right there in front of him! Or I tell him he can't jump on the couch, he'll tell me "Dad said I could!" And, if I tell him to do something he doesn't want to do, he'll say, "You're not mom, Dad's mom!" It used to be that I wasn't the boss. He knows "mom" is the boss, so now he is telling me I'm not the mom... :)
He loves to color and spends a good hour of the day coloring. I go through paper quickly! And whenever he colors tape, glue, and scissors are always included! Puzzles are also an almost daily deal. We have probably six puzzles he can do (the big pieces or the big floor puzzles) and we do each one at LEAST once a week.

Although he talks all the time, his speech needs some working on... He can't say an S with another consanant. Such as snake. It comes out "nake". It is so cute! His Rs are a big soft making things even cuter! And he loves to sing (like Aidan) and right now his favorite song is "Eye of the Tiger", which he somehow mixes with the song "I am a child of God". Not quite sure how he does that. We catch him singing some Journey... Instead of "singer in a smokey room" he sings, "I see her in a mokey room."

He loves playing with his brothers and is very protective of Elise. He helps his mom work all the time, especially with vacuuming and dusting. What an absolute LOVE!

Responsible Weston

Weston is growing up. And I don't like it! It is too soon. He was my little, teeny, tiny baby, and now he can't fit on my lap (though he still tries, which I don't mind)! Look at him--he looks like a teenager! He got to go to a Utah Basketball game for a birthday party and he had so much fun and felt so grown up. It was his first night out late without us and although he loved it, I missed him! He is so internally good. The next day was Sunday and he was so worried because he didn't want to go to church with the Ute sticker on his face. He was so worried about it (fortunately I got it off)--not that that would be bad, just he felt it was not quite proper...

He is getting closer to turning eight. One of his friends was baptized and we were able to go (missed the actual baptism, but got there for the confirmation!) and he leaned over and said, "Mom, I am so excited for when dad gives me the Holy Ghost." He is quickly reading the Book of Mormon and is on track to have it all done before he gets baptized. He is so smart and knows the scriptures stories better than me. At times he has corrected me!

School is fun for him and he excels in all subjects (but handwriting.... just like his mom and dad!). He was first in his class to finish his Rocket Math and does great with math. He is also a huge reader--he is half way through "Half Magic" and wants to read the Harry Potter series (he listened to the first one on CD already). He had a great time at his Vday party and really just loves school. He was even chosen to eat lunch with the principal! Way to go dude!

His friends are all good kids and they have such a good time together. They have made their own club and have been recruiting people to "Battletron Universe." He made a bunch of characters with awesome names and cool powers. He posted a sign up on our door about it, and a few passer-byers saw it and thought it was an inviction notice on our door! Nope, we are still here people!

Lately Weston has been so dependable and responsible. He helps out with Elise all the time and quickly does his household chores and responsibilities. It is so nice to have a big brother who loves his brothers and plays with them so well. He always wants them to play with him and he includes them in his big boy activities. He loves Elise and is such a wonderful boy!