Easter with Cousins

Holidays are always way more fun with cousins around.  My SIL and her 3 boys came down to visit over Easter Break. I felt like we were just out of school for Spring Break, so it was fun to fill our days with swimming and playing with cousins. My brother, SIL and their 2 boys were also at the same Easter Egg Hunt as all of us. We pulled up in the parking lot at the same time and Lauren and Lindsey instantly grab one of the twins’ hands to show them the way. I love it that Lindsey acts like the “big” cousin. It doesn’t happen very often.

Leprechaun Day

No matter how many times we reminded Taylor- he still called it Leprechaun Day. And at our house, Leprechaun Day is all about the food.

We also played LUCKY Bingo and the kids went on a treasure hunt to find these GREEN desserts in the fridge with gold coins on the bottom. They spent lots of time making a trap for the Leprechaun and tried really hard to catch one.  The Leprechaun left the toilet water green, put green ribbon around the toilet paper. Lindsey who is potty training right now thought that was SO funny. He also left green pieces of fabric on the lamp and up the blinds. Guess he was trying to escape quickly.

Holidays are “kinda” a big deal around here

We had a fun night at home with the kids. We had Shrimp Alfredo w/ sun dried tomatoes, heart shaped red lobster biscuits, red jell-o, pink milk and for dessert pink love potion floats and pink lemonade cookies. I thought the floats would be a huge hit. Umm, they wanted just ice cream in a bowl. Oh well. Since I did Joy School with Lauren last year, this was her first school party. I got to go to her preschool and help out. She loved making her gumball Valentines for her friends. Taylor made Star Wars Valentines for his class party. Last year we started writing Valentine’s for each person in our family.  We got our pails out again this year.  Greg won hands down for writing the most Valentine’s to all of us. We had so much fun reading them. (Click on the pics to make them bigger)

Gingerbread Houses were the theme this year

In the past, I have been known to buy the Gingerbread kits and call it good.  This year my kids were introduced to a much more fun way… packages of graham crackers and bowls and bowls of candy that you can actually chew and eat. They were in heaven.  Our friends had a gingerbread house party and we had a great time. Lauren and Taylor thought the frosting bag was way cool. We missed another party that we really wanted to go to- she makes homemade gingerbread. Oh My!

Taylor and Lauren both had Gingerbread House parties at school as well. Lauren was having so much fun. I love this picture with her blurry hands and eyes shut. The smile was the smile she wore the entire time. And if I had video you would hear her silly little giggle.

Bring on December 1

We are READY!

Candy chains- check

Advent Activity Calendar- check

Lego Advent Calendar- check

July 4th- Part 2

After dinner we got out the Slip and Slide.  It’s pretty much a must to be around water if you are outdoors right now in St. George!  Another first for Lindsey.  She was so cute! Taylor and Lauren were having a great time too!  I love when I get real smiles on camera.  There were lots of real smiles that day!

Each time she ran through the Slip and Slide, she would run over and give Greg and high five.  She also busted out the old bum scootch and scootched through it.  I love how she covered her mouth each time so she wouldn’t get water in her mouth.

Our July 4th- Part 1

We had such a fun 4th with just our little family this year.  Greg and I are always wishful thinking that one day the kids will sleep in.  It never happens! That’s ok, we had places to go.  We were going to Gunlock, Utah.  A first for all of us.
They had a cute little parade that lasted about 10 minutes.  Then they all turned around and came back down the street again.  I think the Bishop was the MC because everyone was referred to by “Sister” and “Brother”.  The little boy in the wheelbarrow was my favorite.  His chicken was painted red and blue and so was his HUGE egg.


Since our kids don’t sleep in we got to Gunlock 30 minutes before the parade.  And we really didn’t need to be there early to scope out our shade, so Greg took the kids for a walk down the main drag before the parade.

It was only 10am after the parade and so nice outside.  So we strolled down to the city park.  There was a reunion at the park the day before and they left the bounce houses up for all the kids to enjoy.  Well, it was just our kids and 2 others.  So Lindsey actually got to go in one for the first time.  She loved it.

And so did the big kids! It started to rain so we headed home for lunch and naps!


According to the kids we had a “feast” that night for dinner.  I just don’t think they are use to having more than 2-3 things on their plate.  We did eat very well- hamburgers, hotdogs, Cheetos, watermelon, corn on the cob, red, white and blue fruit pizza and watermelon lemonade.  Very tasty!

Oh, and the Jell-O!  Taylor could barely contain himself all day knowing that we would be having red, white and blue Jell-O.  Taylor could easily have this entire bowl for himself.  He wants to marry Jell-O you know!

Easter

 This was Lindsey's first real Easter Egg hunt experience.  We had three to practice on.  The first one, she didn't quite get it.

The second hunt she had it down- she knew there was candy in those eggs.

And the last hunt- she was a pro! Even beating out little boys.

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Seeing the Easter bunny (aka my brother) was also very cool.  Lindsey loved looking and pointing to him, but she was not about to stand by him for a picture.

Valentine's Day

We had a great Valentine's Day here at home with the kids.  

Right now they request the same heart shaped pizza we had last year.  

Right now they love eating red jello and pink milk.

Right now they think it's fun making heart shaped rice krispie treats with frosting and sprinkles.

So right now, we spend the evening with them, because there will be a day when they out grow all of these things.

My kids are lucky to have a fun Aunt and grandparents who get them a little something to open.

These are the Matchbox Valentine's that Taylor picked out for us to make.  How can you go wrong with a heart shaped Reeses?

I went to Target and saw the cute little mailboxes, but didn't get them.  Then I was wishing I would have.  So I went back and they were out.  So I got these little pails instead.  Not as cute- but still fun.  I cut out pink and red hearts and put them by the pails.  The week before Valentine's Day we all wrote notes and drew pictures for members in our family and put them in their pails.  After dinner, we read them and it was so cute.  Lauren put a big red "U" on my Valentine for "Utes".  They are trying hard to convert me.  We will defiantly do it again next year.  I will have to cut out a lot more hearts next time.  I couldn't keep up with them.

Halloween

 Darth Vader, Fairy and the Ladybug