Catch Up

Seems like it's time to catch up! We've been busy taking advantage of the nice weather and I haven't been the best at taking pictures. Here's some of the things we've been up to lately...

We have been frequenting the park. It's nice to let the kids run around and burn off some energy!

The kids love the "baby" swings at the park! Jace is way too big for them but I don't really care!

We had an Easter Egg hunt inside the day before Eater since there was snow on the ground outside (yuck!).

The kids loved searching for the eggs and loved even more what they found inside them!

Sunday morning the Easter Bunny hid some more eggs.

By this time the kids were pros at finding the eggs!!!

They were thrilled to find out that the Easter Bunny brings presents too!

The kids have been loving their new bikes and are getting really good at riding down the street!

We've been playing a lot with bubbles too! We got a fun machine at Costco that automatically blows the bubbles, so we can just sit and watch!

Trevor and Wes went to Moab for a WEEK so Tara stayed over and we took turn watching each other's kids so she could do her exercise group in the morning, and I could work in the evening. It certainly made us realize how much we love and miss our hubby's when they're gone!

The kids have loved having Daddy home, especially since he makes cookies usually once a week!! He's such a great Dad!!!

In other note-worthy news, Trevor graduated from PN school a couple of weeks ago, and has just finished his first week in the RN program!! He will be taking his boards for his LPN early next month and should graduate with his RN in December! We're so happy and proud of him!! And I'm especially excited for him to take over my role in the working department!!!

Spring Festivities

I have been procrasti-blogging for awhile because I keep forgetting my camera when we do things, and I keep forgetting to get copies of the pictures my sister/brother-in-law get. Anyway, last weekend we went down to Tooele to celebrate Dylan's 16th birthday (I know, I can't believe he's 16 already!). Again, I forgot my camera, but at least we got copies from Marc!

Jace and Brooklyn in their Easter dress-up.

Trying to kiss for the camera.

LOVE this picture of Jace whispering to Brooklyn. Seriously, they're such buds.

Showing their "I Love You" signs. They're so sweet and always telling me they love me in sign-language.

The only cousin shot we got. I don't know where Dylan & Rylan were...

Kylee showing off her Easter Dress. She looked beautiful! I can't believe how big she's getting!

Rylan showing his skills on the skate board.

Sweet little Noah...drooling and teething...poor kid..

It's kind of funny that there's no pictures of the birthday boy! He was down stairs on the wii or computer most of the time! It was great to have an excuse to get together though!!!

Super Man!

Brooklyn & Jace love to wear their superman capes around the house, especially when they watch movies. They're such little buddies! They always want to be the same and are always together. I love watching them talk, play, argue, tease, and learn together. They really are best friends and always watch out for each other. Jace has to make sure that Brooklyn gets what she wants...even if she doesn't know she wants it yet! And if Jace cries for a toy, even if it's Brooklyn's turn and she's having fun playing with it, she always gives in and gives it to him. They still act like siblings some of the time...but like best friends most of the time. I LOVE it!

SIX Cavities!

We took Jace to the dentist a few weeks ago and found out he had SIX CAVITIES! Yikes! Especially considering we don't have dental insurance since Trevor's been laid off. Yeah, that hurts... They did half of them on his initial visit and finished the rest this week. Jace was very brave, unlike me, because I made Trevor take him both times. I get teary-eyed just thinking about it. Jace said that this time he had "a little cry and a big cry" but was happy to be done with the dentist for awhile. We're happy too.

Here are Jace's teeth. I kind of feel a little trashy with all that silver in his mouth, but why pay the extra money for white fillings when he's just going to lose these teeth in a couple of years. Trev said the dentist had to pretty much do the equivalent of a root canal where the silver cap is. Poor Jace. I hope he doesn't have bad teeth for his whole life. We've definitely stepped up on the oral care and he's a lot more willing to let us brush his teeth now that he has the threat of the dentist if he doesn't. I feel like a horrible mommy...like I could have been doing more to prevent this. Good things kids are so easy to forgive!

Pink Snakes

Although the weather is getting warmer, there are still days where it's just too yucky to go outside. We're trying to fill this time by doing less TV watching and more of the other stuff. I have found with my kids, if I don't keep them busy, than the messes seem to add up a lot faster. Although, sometimes the things that keep them busy are even messier! Any way, yesterday the kids patiently sat in the cart while I shopped at Hobby Lobby (LOVE that store!) so I let them pick out a craft to paint. They chose snakes! (Of course they chose the same thing, and if they didn't, I probably would have made them. I've been a mother of two long enough to know that I'll have some melt downs and tantrums if they don't have the same thing.)

Here is Jace painting his snake. Of course he had to start out with his favorite color, pink!

Such concentration!

Brooklyn's favorite color is pink too!

The kids had a lot of fun, and it wasn't as messy as it could have been! I think we'll have to get the paints out more often, the kids were very proud of their art-work, and have carried the snakes around with them every where they go!

When the boys are away...

This past weekend Trevor, Wes, and Marc worked their behinds off in Tooele, putting tile in Shelly & Marc's 3 bathrooms and kitchen so the girls all got together to hang out with the kids. I'm sure once Marc catches his breath (he had a crazy schedule with church meetings and work all day yesterday) he'll post pictures of their handy work here (right, Marc?!?).

Anyway, I had fun with my sisters...and we realized that things are a lot more challenging with 5 kids! Shel's kids are so great with the younger cousins and Jace & Brooklyn have been going through withdrawals since they left.

Kylee, Brook, and Jace took a bubble bath, and after turning on the jets there were TONS of bubbles!


Jace & Brooklyn hugging. (I guess they do like each other once in awhile!) This kind of shows how many bubbles there were. I was constantly having to get water from the sink to poor over their faces and hands!

Noah joined in the fun after we let some bubbles out. He loved them too!!

Jace Face playing in the bubbles. As you can see he has a black eye. He slipped on the tile earlier in the week when he was getting out of the tub. Poor kiddo!

My beautiful Brooklyn!

The kids love playing with the Ry Guy too! To those of you who know Brooklyn know that getting kisses from her are like gold...because she hardly gives them out. I think she must love Rylan.




Shel and I did some crafts over the weekend too...hopefully the flowers will start blooming soon! I am so happy it's March!!

Big Boy Bed

Jace has finally graduated from his crib (which we sold yesterday on KSL!) to a big boy bed! I'm sure most kids graduate a lot sooner, but we enjoyed the fact that he was contained in his crib, and didn't push the whole "big boy bed" thing. Although he could climb in and out of his crib easily, Jace never would get out when he woke up from a nap or in the morning. It was bliss! Well, we finally decided that if Jace had it his way, he'd probably start kindergarten in his crib, so we (meaning Trevor & Wes) set up his new bed (which I bought almost a year ago and has been sitting in our garage in a box.). Anyway, we set it up and Jace loves it! We thought it would end our days of child-imprisonment, but we have been pleasantly surprised that Jace doesn't get out of bed in the morning until we come and get him! He still naps too! And has only fallen out of bed twice. He's doesn't really like sheets, and isn't sure about the whole pillow thing, but loves his new bed!

Here are some pictures of the sleeping beauty...

There's nothing sweeter than a child sleeping....