Glitter and lipstick...and LOTS of bobbypins

Miss Avery singing to 'because I love you!'

Shaking the booty...she's so darn cute! I love her all dolled up-but she looks so much older with no bangs and mascara!

Waiting for pictures with her little friends.

Trying to avoid a picture...

Her teacher warned me this week that she was 'really good' and what do you know? She IS~~

This was my favorite part of the whole thing! She strikes a pose right at the beginning of her jazz routine, and holds it while the rest of the girls do their thing! She loves it!!!

Totally had to get the bum-her skirt is on backwards, apparently, because her toosh showed and no one else's did!

Two of her beautiful little friends...Gwen and Peyton. Miss Peyton is the FAB b-ball player that motivated Kenna to want to be just like her this year. What a super fun group of girls!

Kenna was ridiculously onery about giving me a decent pic of her and Avery. Don't know why, will get a better one tomorrow. But she's still cute, and so is Miss Avery!

I love this costume SO much. Its the cutest...well worth the pricetag(ssshhh......$65)

HOw can you NOT love this little pink girl? She's just kissable!!!

Easter outfits and stuff

Just a few pics of the Easter outfits and stuff.... This one's just for memory's sake! I found this tonight and it made me laugh. He was such a chubbo baby! I think Nate was making faces at him and he puckered up! Completely makes me miss the baby phase!

He looks like a rat with his teeth! He's a goof....he has us constantly giggling, and freaked out! If we manage to contain this kid it will be a miracle. Thankfully he is super cute and packed with hilarious amounts of energy!

So much for being ready for Sunday. I didn't do laundry so her shirt was dirty, but oh well! I can't believe how long her hair is getting...she's getting so grown up. She is a peanut-a tiny little thing packed with personality and cuteness! Her costume for this weekend is super cute and I'm excited to see her dance!

Love my little lady. She tells me how to do her hair, which pretty much means its the opposite of whatever I had in mind. I am so excited to see her dance recital this week. She is so talented! Her teacher told me tonight she's 'really good, and that's why she is in the front row!' ...I can't wait to see it...she's been teaching Avery and Eli how to shake their booties, so it should be interesting!

Seriously, he is WAY to handsome, and he knows iT! He has had a rough couple of days with mom...we're working on the whole 'listen the first time' thing, and it's so hard to feel like you're riding him the whole time but I know it will be worth it! Yikes! He cracks me up and I know that he is meant to do something important, because he is so smart and sensitive, and mature. And, he loves pink!!!

Whoo hoooo!!! Sunshine!!! So bring out the bikes! Eli has been riding a bike of some shape/color for days now. He is a machine. His favorite is to ride the hot wheel like a scooter out on the driveway and spin out onto the street. He's a riot. The girls are in the background picking the first and only blooming flower so far. Sorry, it belonged to the neighbor!

Eli gives Nate the boot so we can 'nuddle' in bed. He loves the same books over and over again!!! I love his sweet little face!

Freedom...sweet freedom!

I have thoroughly enjoyed the freedom that comes with April 16th! I am a nut, who LOVES doing taxes, but this year was hard! My two little monkies were very vocal about missing mommy and hating daycare...which didn't make it less necessary for them to go, just harder. On the 13th, when the babysitter came, Eli asked, "mommy, where you going?" When I said to work, he made this terrible pouty face and said "NO!!! You leave me....lots....and lots(really he says 'yots') and lots!" Um...hmmmm....mommy knelt down and hugged him and we cried together! So, I've done a big fat NOTHING the last two days. We played, snuggled, watched a movie and rode bikes yesterday. And today, we went to the gymnastics center and lunch with my sister at McDonalds. Thank goodness for the thrill of laziness! I have some long days ahead of me in breaking some of Eli's new habits('stop talking to me mommy'...and other, even worse, things), but I love my job as a stay home mom. I've missed it more than I realized it....and the fact that my babies missed me so much must mean I'm not failing as much as it sometimes feels. That's what I'm reassuring myself with today anyways!

Easter weekend

For starters....isn't this awesome? This was the scene at mom and dad's all weekend. They are missing Cami's 4 little princesses, and Annie's little guy, but the rest of the terrors were wild on sugar highs and the thrill of playing with their best friends. Mom and dad seemed to really enjoy the madness, though they'll sleep well tonight!

I have to take a better pic of the outfits next week...they didn't come through so well outside. But here we are!!!

Oh my goodness, the Easter bunny DID come! Since he slept in(whoops) and the kids ran downstairs only to return a few seconds later asking 'why didn't the Easter bunny come?'...they were SO SO SO happy to realize he had come...outside(he snuck home from church and went to work). So, this was hunt number 2!

When I asked what he was hunting, Kolbe said 'Germans!'....Eli said, 'the Easter Bunny!'

My fierce hunters/ soldiers!!!

Jon's weimarainer pups! So cute...Avery thinks she'll buy one with the six quarters she got at the Easter egg hunt. Um...good luck. The going rate is $800 bucks! Maybe if she flashes this smile uncle JOn will go weak in the knees....

Eli also loved these pups! If they would stay this size...I could handle one. They're so cute...we loved watching them eat. Dad fills a cake pan with dry food and water...and they go at it. They litterally climb in the pan over and under each other, like a game of twister, to just hork down! They come out just covered in it, and stagger around like they're drunk. They kids laughed and laughed, and we had to go back for mulitple feedings!

Kolbe was too big to hunt this year, so he was left to beg goodies off the little kids. Apparently Tyson had a brief moment of generosity!

Run gorgeous, run! She was so cute to watch...she ended up with 4 dollars and some junk food! A real haul....she wants to hit the gas station tomorrow and buy hot chocolate(her big splurge!).

Little Miss getting some extra eggs from the bunny...she did pretty well, but you know, she's a tiny mite!

Bestest of friends! This is the unseparable pair...thankfully, no longer 'kissing cousins'!!!

Eli was very restrained....I expected crazy man to make an appearance, but he was so calm...and he would share the eggs with others...He didn't really understand it yet. This was hunt number 1!

Before the hunt....this is the crew! They were ready to run...Avery couldn't stop looking at eggs to even take a pic!

I had an amazing Easter weekend. But definitely the highlight was the impromtu family home evening on Saturday night. My parents are tending Jon/Jen's boys while they're in Mexico(yeah, feel sorry for them!) So, it was Nate and me and our kids, Jon's boys, mom and dad and Jerry. We started with dad's favorite scripture story...about Enos...and then each of the kids picked a song they wanted to sing...but they wouldn't be limited to one. And what started as a quick scripture and prayers before bed ended up being 45 minutes of the sweetest, most beautiful sound! My parents loved it...as did Nate and I! There are glimpses when life is perfect...all is well, that you see a glimpse of the eternal happiness that awaits us. And what a perfect holiday to have had that glimpse!

s

$3 bucks....

I even let the girls paint them, so they thought mom was 'fun' and letting them do a messy art and craft project! Works for me!!!

So, I realize they're not for everyone, and maybe I won't like them eventually either. But, for now I LOVE my picture frames. I just bought the cheap-o frames at Walmart, then mixed some black/black-green paint and painted, sanded and top coated them until they looked distressed(which is sort of my thing!) I have ridiculous amounts of pictures of the kids that are in the paper slip they came home in...behind my dresser. So, I am very excited that at least 2 of them are on display now!

Does anyone notice the electric plug in? Yah, I know, its missing the cover. We had my dad help switch out the outlets from that yucky creamy yellow color to dark brown, then had to order in oil rubbed bronze covers. They should be in today, I hope. The ones we have look nice. They match the light fixtures and kitchen hardware. Slow and steady....it feels more and more like 'our home'!!!

As just a funny side note: dad didn't think it necessary to throw the breaker before doing this project...sparks flew twice...and he got shocked 8 times. Might I just add I laughed hysterically each time, until I got a shock of my own! Funny....anyways, love my dad and all his help!

Thank goodness they love us so much....

And to think, all this time we thought they hated us! Did you know that today when we took the 4 wheeler out for a quick spin, our 'concerned' neighbors called 911 to let the police know they were worried about the darling neighbor children who were being 'hot rodded' around the neighborhood, carelessly, on the 4 wheeler! ...at least say it like it is. Tell the police that you hope we should get a ticket for riding without helmets on the kids....
Nate had Avery and Eli on the trails(which, by the way, are going to be an absolute riot!!!) and Kolbe and Kenna and I walked to the top of the hill. From the top, we watched the police car ease slowly to the base of the trail and wait for Nate to turn back. Yea, my first thought was 'crap...dad said to get some helmets for the kids!' and then, the 'this is what we get for breaking the Sabbath!' thought occured to me....so, we started down the hill and by the time we got there, Nate was parked at the bottom laughing! He informed me some concerned neighbors anonymously called us in, worried for the safety of our children. We're giggling...seriously. No hard feelings. In fact, if I discover the concerned neighbor, perhaps I'll bake them cookies!

The new 'baby' and other stuff

So, the new 'baby' arrived today! My dad stumbled upon some 4 wheelers and he bought 10 of them...so we got a screaming good price on one. I myself wouldn't have done it...and I intentionally didn't tell Nate about them...and the other night dad and mom went us to get ice cream and dad spilled the beans and Nate slapped the table and said, 'its done. Bring me one.' Now, I have ixed almost everything he wants to buy in favor of saving and food storage, or home improvements...all things VERY exciting to a man...so I indulged this time. The kids were so excited, even though the battery was so dead that it wouldn't start. The horn went off though, so Eli was happy! Even though tomorrow is Sunday I think we'll probably take it for a spin. That big hill behind our house has some super fun trails and we're excited.

This picture cracks me up...can you notice their personalities? Eli is the devil...and Kenna is striking a pose! Anyways, I have been busily repainting the upstairs again...it is spring!!! Most people clean out closets, and I do too, but for me there is nothing more 'spring cleaning-ish' than repainting. My main living room has been the same color for 3 years, but I redid the kitchen last year...so now its all the same color, a nice gold caramel color. It makes me happy. Now to finish the trim...get it painted...and carpet!

Yep...we wore these in public for a few days! How do you tell a 5 year old that she looks like a dork? Avery is a hoot...she has such a funny personality. I'm glad she decided that she didn't want to wear them any more!!!