sand dunes and pants

so we went to the sand dunes over the weekend and had a wonderful time. We first tried a spot that was WAY too windy, but then moved to another hill and had fun sliding down on the sleds. Here are a couple of picts. Also, I had to share the little pants I made for {a} recently. Aren't they cute??? :) Check out the details at the bottom of the legs. Awww! :)

summer plans

so starting the first of June, I will officially be my own boss! :) I have told the mom of the two little boys that I tend that I am done tending the end of May. I am really ready to be done. So, with this decision made, I have been busily making plans for this summer! I have registered {A} in swim lessons, and since {K} is too young for swimming, he is signed up for "Amazing Atheletes". A cute little class for 3-5 year olds and they get to learn about half a dozen sports through active play. I think it will be fun! I also have our Zoo pass, and I signed up for free bowling passes at the local bowling alley. The movie place usually offers free movies all summer long. We have a couple of reunions to go to and one big vaction planned. We're heading to gma's for a week and nestled in the middle I hope to hit the pool and library lots. This is the first summer I have had with just my kids. I am so excited! Any suggestions of more to squeeze in?

Easter

Please take a moment when you hve no other distractions an watch this. It is part of my favorite talk at Conference and it is so appropriate for this Easter Season.

You can watch it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpFhS0dAduc

bej-tabowes

so we planted some Peas quite a while ago, and they have just started peeking through the dirt the last couple of days. {K} and I were walking the rows and I was showing him all the new litle starts. He says to me, "it's neat!!". Then a minute later he says in a cute little squeeky voice, "I'm so excited!!" "We need some bej-tabowes".

Cute!

a whole lotta nothin....

today is Monday. I am once again feeling a bit of spring in my heart. Not spring like boing, boing spring. Spring like renewal, rebirth, fresh, new... I love my family.

Yesterday, I enjoyed a wonderful holiday with my family. I was keenly aware that H&L and their kiddos weren't there, but I was also grateful that the rest of us are healthy, nearby, we enjoy each others company enough that we WANT to be together. I don't feel an obligatory "showing" from anyone. I am especially grateful for C for picking up the location assignment last minute. Again, grateful. I know that we all have our trials, but I also know that with Jesus Christ, His atonement and His resurection all things are possible.

I made mention at the dinner party that we need to do this more often. Well, we do! I don't see my brothers often enough, and I need to. I feel a deserate need to reconnect with them and their wives. I am SO excited for summer when H&L come to visit. I can't hardly stand it! I miss them desperately.

I look out the window and see a beautiful blue sky peeking out from behind fluffy white/grey clouds. I plan to gobble up every spring day that is offered me this year! I have a strong desire for lots of "sweater weather".
I am feeling something deep within me. A change, perhaps? I hope so. I long for closer friends, deeper relationships. I dream of friends that don't move away. Or that I don't move so the friendships I do have don't wrinkle a bit out of lack of convenience. I am not sure that any of this is poinant to anyone but me, but today I feel a soul bearing is in order. I am now going to leave this post at that, and head off to hug my beautiful 3 year old!

Easter Egg Hunt

so I heard that Alb by me was hosting an Easter Egg Hunt. I thought it would be a small little affair in the parking lot, right? Not so much. They actually set it up right there in the aisles of the store. They blocked off 4-5 aisles, and had one for 0-2, 3-4, 5-6 and I think there was an aisle for bigger kids too. They had gobs of candy strewn all over the ground, and then they took paper towels and put them on the ground at the base of the aisles. Hiding behind the paper towel rolls were Easter eggs. In the eggs were treats and in some were notes telling them they could redeem a certain prize. I got there just before it began, and so I kinda pushed {A} in front of all the parents standing in front of the 5-6 aisle. Then I stood and waited with {K}. My friend was there with her 3 year old too, so she took {K} and her boy and got to the front of the 3-4 aisle. It was such a relief that I could then focus on {A} and help him. They said go and then the madness ensued!! All the kids stormed into their aisles and made a total mess! :) {A}, true to his nature was a bit reserved, so I tried to talk him through it. I tried to get him to go past the mass and get to the center of the aisle. I then took {a} and wanted to let her pick up a few pieces of candy. But, that aisle had all the parents plus the kids, cuz it was the 0-2 aisle. It just wasn't worth putting her down. I then found {K} and he only had a few pieces of candy in his basket and no eggs! I found {A} and convinced him to share an egg with {K}. {A} had gotten 2 prize eggs, so I asked him to share one. Then the chore of finding where to redeem the eggs. {A} got a boy Easter basket. It is really cool! The basket is sitting in a camo bucket hat, and has tons of army tons in the basket. {K} got bubbles-which just thrills him! {A} has played with his army guys all afternoon! Poor {a} had to resort to stealing treats from her brothers! :) She's getting good at that. Sorry boys, when you leave your basket on the floor or on the couch, expect her to rummage through your basket! :) I am glad we went. A perfect result for only 15 minutes of discomfort! :)

update

I know, no pictures, again!?! But, when I don't take pictures, I don't have any to share... Conference was wonderful! I especially enjoyed Elder Hollands talk on Sat AM. This year I think I listened more than I have in quite a while. It helps now that the boys are a bit older. {A} had fun coloring the ties of all the Quorum of 12. We saw all except Elder Packer, I think that's pretty darn good. :)

Easter is just around the corner, and I can't wait! Family dinner is at my house this year, and I am really hoping for nice eat-outside-weather! I worked the boys extra hard this morning, and since {A} doesn't get to go to school today, I made a batch of sugar cookie dough and we're going to bake and decorate cookies. It will be fun. Oh, why doesn't {A} get to go to school today? He would be embarrassed if he knew I was telling you.... he doesn't want anyone to laugh at him... he threw up at school yesterday. I was there volunteering, and they had just gotten cupcakes for a birthday and he turned to me and told me he needed to throw up. So I ran him to the garbage can and let him do his business. Poor guy. The school rule is no kid back at school for 24 hours after they throw up.

UPDATE: I just called the school, and the secretary said he can go! So, I told him I will save some dough for him to bake later today! Yeah!

DH got the second part of the fence finished this week. He works SO HARD! The 3rd side will get done next year. The neighbor wants to wait and we're ok with that. Next project: painting.

Not this weekend, but next weekend, we're heading to B for teeth cleanings and for DH to replace his mom's shower--to convert into a tub.

{K} has also been throwing up this week. Once during the night--all over himself, and once yesterday all over {a} and ME! Poor guy, he knew it was coming, I just couldn't shuffle him, and {a} out of the way to reach for the bucket fast enough.

{a} finally cut another tooth. She now has 5. also, I made her wean this past week. She hasn't been too happy about it, but I was SO ready to be done. So, I just quit nursing her. I put up with full breasts and didn't give in. :) Bless her heart. In addition to that, I have made her cry herself to sleep for the past week, too. But, now she is weaned and now she is sleeping through the night. AHHH!!! Life is good. :) Don't get me wrong, I love to nurse, it was just time to be done. :) {giggle}

Ok, that's all for now. Off to get a certain little 6 year old to school.

picture updates

So here is the promised picture of {A} receiving his Citizen of the Month Award the other day ot school. I didn't tell him until we were there and sitting down. DH came too, and {A} didn't even question why he was there. So, I told {A} that his teacher had picked his as CoTM and he kinda freaked out. He was like "no, she doesn't do it til the afternoon." I said, "no, he will call your name and you need to go up and get the paper" well, that didn't go over well. Then I suggested that he and I go sit by his teacher so he would be close. That was fine til we actually went up there and I told him he would have to sit on the floor and I would sit on the chair literally 3 feet from him. No, that wasn't good either. I was so frustrated that I literally had gotten DH and we were standing in the hall ready to go home, cuz he wouldn't commit to going up and taking the paper from the Principal. I wasn't going to be there just to have him not go up. His teacher suggested that he sit by his cousin who is in the morning class, and that she would go with him to get the paper. So, he finally sat down, cousin sitting next to him and when they called his name, his teacher said, "go {A} it's your turn. He stood up and walked right over to the principal. I was a little shocked after the whole "I'm scared" routine he gave us, but alas, he is the CoTM for March and we are very proud of him. He is such a different boy in school than from home. (which I am grateful for...) he is kind, and thoughtful (he gave a cute girl in his class a starburst that his dad had given him the other day). He is quiet and respectful of his teacher, always waiting his turn, raising his hand... you get the picture. What a nice little boy.This picture is of {K} who had taken his curly straw and put it part way down his shirt and was "playing" it like a trumpet. Very cute.Here are 3 quick cards that I made recently. I haven't shown anything creative in quite a while, so I thought I would tonight. I love the way these 3 turned out, I just don't have very clear pictures of them. :)

sorry, no pictures

but I will update as well as I can. First, I have to say sorry to my faithful watchers... sorry Dad, for not posting more often. I am not sure what in my life has been very exciting lately. Yesterday was St. Paty's Day, and the leprechan colored our milk green! :) I "noticed" it and went to show {A} and this is how the converstaion went.

me: {A} look at this milk did you do this?
{A}: I didn't do it...
me: (faking surprise) oh! Today is St. Patricks Day, maybe the leprachan did it!
{A}: (smile)

me: {K} look at the milk, the leprachan colored it for us.
{K}: yikes!
me: isn't this fun?
{K}: I suppose.

too funny!

So, what else, we have all been cisk. Well, let me clarify, {A}, {K} and I have all had the cough, etc. {a} is crouping up at night now and I am sure it is only a matter of time before DH gets it too! We were going to go to DH Mom's house this weekend to install a tub for her, but his brother can't come to help, so we're waiting til april to go. We are going to replace the back fence, and oh! WE are now officially DEBT FREE!!! Can you hear me, I am screaming!!! WE ARE DEBT FREE!!! I know we're supposed to call Dave Ramsey and scream it on his show, but I don't think DH would go for that, so here I am sharing with the world that we only have a mortgage payment for worry about. Now maybe I don't have to tend anymore. Wouldn't that be wonderful? We'll see...
I signed {K} up for preschool staring in the fall. 2 days a week. There is a gal in my ward that is a certified teacher and she has taught preschool before. She is having a baby in May, so when the baby is about 4 months old in the fall, I am going to trade her for part of {K}'s preschool tuition and watch her baby during class time. I think this will work out nicely. It'll just be me and {a} and her baby for a couple hours a week. He is so ready for the next stage of learning. I am amazed at all the letters he knows already!
Let's see, what else? {A} has been chosen as the Citizen of the Month for March for school. So on Friday, we will take him to the school so he can receive the award.

help!

I am seriously tired of {a} being constipated, any suggestions?

attention Elani and Mo

you have to Pay it Forward before you receive your goody from me... :)

spring

today I am feeling renewed. I am holding my children a little closer today. My spirit is feeling refreshed. I am ready to take on March and all that it offers me. ie. spring break, painting the front room--and possibly the bathroom. I am especially excited that March offers me flowers. today I am renewed.

only 2 more days...

I am only offering the first 5 PIF for 2 more days... then it goes bye-bye... :)

first 5--PIF

OK! So this is how this works...the first 5 people to respond to this post will receive something made by me for you.my choice.made especially for you.of course there are some restrictions and limitations:~

1. I make no guarantees that you will like what I make!
2. what I create will be just for you.
3. It will be done sometime this year.
4. you have no clue what it will be... it may be a story. It may be poetry or an article on properly cleaning your face before a masque. I may draw or paint something. I may bake something and mail it to you. Who knows? Not you, that's for sure. ;-) But you do know that I neither paint, or write, right? Just a little bitty clue...
5. I reserve the right to do something extremely strange.

The catch? The catch is that you must repost this on your own blog and offer the same to the first 5 people who do the same on their blog.The first 5 people to do so and leave a comment telling me they did will win a FAB-U-LOUS homemade gift by me!!

Oh! And be sure to post a picture of what you win when you get it!