Big 5 Year Old

WOW! Hard to believe we have a 5 year old and soon-to-be kindergartner. Our Christian is such a sweet, tender-hearted boy. He is so smart, he remembers everything and is starting to sound out words. He loves his friends and family and is so patient with his little brother. He's still into GREEN, although he's been adding a few new favorites to his color palette. He loves everything Star Wars and Super Heroes and video games. I'm holding off as long as possible on getting a Wii because this boy is game crazed enough.
Star Wars Party - 17 crazy kids in costumes, what was I thinking?? It was WILD! Kiddos played Jedi Training games and destroyed the Death Star pinata. However they were most excited about chasing each other with their pool noodle light sabers (and whacking the crap out of each other). And this is creative as it gets with cake making at our house - yep, I actually carved and frosted a light saber cake (using a funfetti cake mix of course, making from scratch would have done me in). I was pretty proud of my work and it definitely pleased the birthday Jedi Knight!

Birthday gaming at Fat Cats with Grandma & Grandpa



Birthday crown and "C" doughnuts at preschool

Happy Happy 5 Years Christian, we love you and are so proud of you!!

Mothers

After a very crazy/busy, yet fun and exciting week at our house, it was nice to spend time focusing on mothers today. I enjoyed hearing about the influence of other people's mothers and pondering the relationship I treasure with my own amazing mother. I thank her for teaching me to be strong, confident, independent and spontaneous. I feel so blessed to be surrounded by so many amazing mothers. I look to so many of my great friends, family members and neighbors as examples of motherly patience (something I always need), nurturing, kindness...and the list goes on. I love being a mother, even though it's completely chaotic and stressful, it is truly the best job in the world. Getting hugs and "I love you's" from my boys (in between wrestling matches and sword fights) and tucking them into bed at night is the greatest feeling. Warm fuzzies all over.

Christian gave me a sweet handprint in a painted frame he made at school that talks about how someday I will miss the smudged handprints on the walls so here is one to last. Priceless. I cry when I think about those days when my little ones are all grown and don't need me anymore. I want to treasure them now and remember how precious they are. I hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day! Thanks for being great examples to me. Take some time for yourself and remember to treasure your little ones (even in the midst of chaos).

ps. I received some very exciting news this week. I'm going to have a daughter. That's right, it's a GIRL!!! The news was hard to believe at first (I truly thought it was a trick) but now that it's sinking in I am thrilled to experience that mother/daughter bond with my own little princess. And I can't wait to shop for everything girly - bring on the pink and bows and ruffles!

HOPPY Easter & Spring Break Sunshine

Looks like Easter BLUES was our color of choice this year...

Many FUN Easter celebrations this year:
- Grandma Jody's annual egg/money hunt where the adults were crawling on the ground and tearing apart the house for cash!
- St. George for Spring Break included a neighborhood egg hunt at the park, Jace's grand backyard hunt with treats and prizes gallore for his 4 grand-kiddos, Art's Festival, fishing, swimming...
- Yes, a full week of beautiful sunshine while it was snowy and cold in SLC. It was heavenly, definitely did my soul good. As if the 80 degree weather wasn't nice enough, we ventured down to Vegas and Mesquite for 90 degree temps at the pool, the Mandalay Bay Beach and Wave pool and Casablanca. Mom & Christian even had a special mommy/son overnight date in Sin City with our good friends to see the Tournament of Knights, filled with action packed sword fighting. It was a little intense but Christian LOVED it and I loved hanging solo with 1 kiddo. Oh how easy it used to be with 1...

Funny moments:

- While some guys were out playing air guns in the open land behind my mom's house, my boys sneaked up on them with swords, guns and a Superman cape like little snipers. Mason ran up and started whacking a guy with his light saber. Hilarious! Then they came back and complained that they guys called them "little kids." They think they are SO BIG! - Running though the splash pad attacking the spraying water like ninjas with swords (okay, my boys REALLY like their weapons).
- Driving the ride-on Jeep like maniacs down Nana's street
THE BEST: Boys were fishing with Daddy, Mason kept asking if the bait (which is bright colored goo) was playdough and we said it was the fish food. So after catching the first fish and it's laying in the net, slowing dying (so sad), we look over to find Mason stuffing wads of the bright colored bait into the fish's mouth. "Look, I'm feeding the fish!" He was so proud.

We caught this beautiful cactus flower for it's 1-day bloom.

GIANT scone at the Art's Fest (and we had already eaten half of it) - Mason had to hold the whole thing of course. No sharing for 2 year olds.

The latest "fighting pose" - apparently the days of cute smiling boys posed for a pic are over.

Look what the Easter Bunny brought us, more Star Wars stuff, imagine that! And yet another "fighting pose." Christian was adament the Bunny hid his basket on the roof, good thing he found it before he found a way to get up there!

Ninjas at the splash pad



Mommy/Date in Vegas - Cheers for the knights!

Showing off our Vegas Beach, is this boy skinny or what?!

Don't ya love our Easter masks?? Grandma Jody has all the best holiday gear...


Let the hunt begin.

Hope you all had a grand Easter celebration as well!

xoxo from our crazy fam