Happy Earth Day!

 We are very blessed to live in such a beautiful place...

 And have great friends with beautiful yards...

Who are willing to share!

 We are soaking up this gorgeous weather right now,

 Because it is going to be too hot and too humid before we know it!

 We hope you are all enjoying the earth

 wherever you might be.

Happy Earth Day from our family to yours!

If anyone has questions...

I am now an expert!

 Look at these tomatoes I have growing...it is amazing what happens when you water!

 Aren't they gorgeous!?!

If I can keep the birds away, I will be a very happy girl!

Hurray!

After 36 hours of no eating, throwing up every fluid we could get down, a 3 hour urgent care visit, scary heart rate, scary fever, scary breathing, 2 blood tests, one catheter, one shot, tears (mine, not hers), and a priesthood blessing...

 We are very happy to see this little girl eating again.

What is the deal?!?!?

 This poor girl has been cutting 4 molars and 4 eye teeth all at the same time for the last month.  Then she got a double ear infection and bronchitis....now she has the stomach flu and a high fever.  WHAT THE HECK!!!

It is so sad when they are this little.  She just lays there and whimpers.  It breaks my heart when there isn't anything I can do to make her feel better.

Mark brought her mattress down to our room so we would hear her throw up last night.  It breaks his heart too!

Lesson, Shmesson

Family Home Evening...

Enough said.

Poor Baby

Parker got a 12 hour flu bug on the day of his school field trip.  Poor kid!  He even tried to be tough and go anyway, but it didn't work.  I was chaperoning, I had made it into Houston (the field trip was at the Houston Museum of Natural Science), and the school nurse called my cell phone.  Parker had thrown up at school before he could even get on the bus.  What a day to be sick!  Bummer!

Never Grow Up

 Addison took dance with her Aunt Angie again this spring.  She had such a good time.  Last session we couldn't get her to anything because she was so shy...this year she loved every second.

 This is Addison with her cousin Lauren.

I can't believe how fast Addison is growing up.  The song, Never Grow Up by Taylor Swift,  that Angie chose for their little dance, was so perfect!  I will admit, it made a few tears come to my eyes.

Here's the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GhHEm3E-ok

The Latest and Greatest...

My kids have decided making "chalk sand" is the best thing since sliced bread.

 They take the chalk and grind it down on the cement to make chalk dust, then they scoop it into ziploc bags...Then I get to have bags of chalk dust everywhere, occasionally throwing one or two away unnoticed so they don't take over my life.

 This occupied 5 little girls for literally almost 2 hours...who knew chalk sand was so exciting?!?!

Warning:  what I am about to tell you could be hazardous to your house and consequently your day...but I also brought out a bucket of water and some old paint brushes, they made chalk paint with their dust...even more hours of entertainment!

My sidewalk, garage, brick grout, and fence will never be the same! :)

Better Late than Never

 During spring break I took the kids to the rodeo with some friends who were willing to brave the "kids free" day.

 I think if you go expecting a big crowd, it's not as bad as you think it is going to be.

 The kids loved the petting zoo...

 Reilynn wasn't even scared of all the animals.

 I don't know what exactly this large disgusting thing is, but it was pretty dirty and hairy...HAND SANITIZER!!!

 Then because we got in for free, the kids all received 10 tickets to spend on the rides of their choice.  Sadly, that was only 2 rides at the most, but they enjoyed every second.

 I like the rodeo.  I like all the animals, all the kids walking around in FFA jackets, running the stroller through cow manure, smelling anything and everything you can possibly fry...however, I think I am partial to smaller county fairs. 

If you haven't ever been to a county fair, I recommend you try. 

Don't get me wrong though, we had a great time at the rodeo.  We will be going back next year.  My goal is to have a great pair of cowgirl boots to wear next year.  YeeHaw!

Budding Artist

Kasidee made this list, took a picture of it, then took pictures of people to match...

1. Happy

 2. Sad

 3.  Angry/Mad

 4.  "Sprised"

 5.  Scared

 6. Sleepy

 More sleepy...

 Sleepy again...

 7.  Dizzy

 8.  Silly

Dog-"Sitting"

"Mom, look, I trained both dogs!  They listen to me!"

"Good job baby, you did train them...and it definitely doesn't have anything to do with the big box of treats that you have already given them half of."

Little Slugger

(No, I didn't hit one of my children...I am offended that the thought would have ever crossed your mind!)

Parker was so excited to receive the game ball last week. 

 He is having a hard time getting the hang of hitting from a pitching machine.  But he is slowly learning.  He has had some amazing coaches who have been putitng in a lot of time teaching the boys. 

I don't know how much I love baseball (the long games, long practices, no confining walls to keep little sisters in, consession stands with snow-cones, multiple practices and a game every week), but Parker is having a good time, and that is what matters...right?!?

YeeHaw!

 Parker and Kasidee's 1st grade preformed the country line and square dances they had learned in music the last few weeks. 

 They were pretty cute (minus the mid-blink pic of Parker)!

Bow to your partner...Jump, jump, jump Jim Joe...

Shake your head, nod your head, and tap your toe...

Spin around...

 And around...

 And do-si-do...

Take another partner..

And we Jump Jim Joe!