Kite Flying & Cupcakes!

This weekend we had one of those rare and wonderful Saturdays - the kind where there is nothing you Have to do, only things you Want to do! It was great! It seems like things have been pretty busy lately, so it was nice to have Scott home all day. We worked in the yard, finishing up all the the little jobs we've been putting off for another time. It felt great to get them done. That evening we went to our nephew's birthday party at the park. We had a great time with our family. Rebekah always makes such wonderful meals - it's as good as any restaurant I know! The little kids love playing with their cousins and seeing their aunts, uncles, & grandparents! But let's be honest - is there anything in the world as good as a cupcake with LOADS of frosting? Top it off with a Scooby Doo Ring, and you've just made any kid's day! Our kids were in Heaven, and their faces showed just how great it was! We also flew kites. It was the perfect day and was so much fun. I can't even remember the last time I flew a kite, so it was fun for me, too! Everyone was able to get them up and flying -- what a great way to spend a Saturday night. It was so fun. Thanks Clint, Rebekah & the kids! We had a wonderful night!

Ahhh...Spring!

I must admit, I love Spring the most of any season. Fall is a close second, but there's just something wonderful about watching the snow melt, the grass turn green and see the first flowers of spring come from the ground. It always puts us in a good mood when we see the first daffodil or tulip pop through the ground. I love the smell of freshly mowed lawn, the scent of the blossoms in the trees and the sound of neighbors and kids out on walks for the first time in months! I love to chat in the front yard as they all walk by. I really love the rain! Maybe it's something from my childhood in Seattle, but I really love a good rainstorm. Now I don't proclaim to be one who loves yard work or knows all kinds of wonderful things about plants and trees, but I do enjoy having a pretty yard to spend time in. I do get quite a bit of satisfaction after working outside and pulling all the weeds, planting a garden, and watching the progress of all our plantings grow. It feels good to just stand back and look at all the progress we made. I like working outside with the kids, and they seem to like just having me out with them. Last spring and summer we were just putting in the backyard, so this is the first spring that we've had a yard here in our new home. I love it! It feels so great. The kids like to be outside and I love being able to let them out and not worry about them. Here are some pictures from the trees and flowers in our yard, blooming for the first time. I really love spring!

Batter Up!

So both Grace and Garrett have been playing tee ball this spring. They have had such a great time. Both of them like to bat, but Grace likes to play in the field, too! After every game she tells us how many balls she fielded and what they were like. She has really loved playing and something she wants to continue. It has been fun to see so many people at the ball park, too. We've bumped into people from our ward, our extended family, and even people we worked with 10+ years ago. It's been great to catch up with people. I will admit, however, watching 4 kids at a huge park filled with hundreds of people has it's challenges, too. Keeping Mitchell and Bryson occupied for 2 hours is one of the biggest! By the time we head home, everybody's exhausted, but happy to have been outside playing. I love spring!

Lucky Me!

I was thinking about my little family before we went to church today. I had to teach RS about Righteous Traditions, so I had been thinking about our kids and family all week. Yesterday all the kids got new haircuts and look so handsome & cute. After they were dressed and ready for church I stopped and just looked at them. In between the melt downs, the runny noses, the spilled cereal and all the commotion, I got this tiny peak at the amazing potential they each have. They are each so different, so unique. I wonder what they will be like as they get older. I wonder what each of them will become. One thing I know for certain is that they are very special. (I know, spoken just like a mom!) I know they have many things to accomplish and much good to do while they are here on Earth. I hope that Scott and I can create righteous traditions in our family so they can gain testimonies of their own and do all they have been saved for this time to accomplish. It's very humbling to think of the responsibility we have to teach and train and love them. I am so grateful that I have this opportunity. When my kids found me today after church, and I saw their happy, smiling faces, their untucked shirts, and tried to focus as they all shouted at once all about what they learned in Primary, I just had to think to myself, "Lucky Me."