March misc

 Here are some random memories from March.

James, Lydia and Henry were doing sit ups during family night.  Kind of silly!

I was asked by Ms. Dorbeck (Alex's 3rd grade teacher) to make a photo prop for their pod.  It was challenging and fun!

Lydia gave up on naps but sometimes the afternoons just exhaust her!  I love finding her like this.

We had the Mathewson boys at our house one Saturday.  James needed to finish a hike for Webelos so he took James and Colton for a hike in the desert.  They had a blast!

They did a service during their hike by picking up trash that they found.

We remembered to celebrate pi day this year!    The boys requested chocolate cream and banana cream.

I've been wanting some sort of pie sign for my kitchen for ages.  I found a sign at Hobby Lobby that read "eat cake for breakfast".  I immediately knew I needed a "eat pie for breakfast" sign so I created one!

Lydia looked so cute in her brothers' old jammies!

I had the chance to attend stake youth conference.  Our theme was Peace in Christ.  For part of the conference we hiked up to a peace sign on the mountain above the temple.

 Lydia and I tested out some spiral curlers. Her hair turned out super cute!

For Rich's 40th birthday I asked people to write thoughts and memories to him.  I then attached them to 40 balloons and filled the living room.  He was super surprised and touched.

That afternoon Rich took the boys and headed to Arizona for Spring Training.  They said they had an awesome time!

 

While they were gone Lydia and I kept busy.  We went to the ward Easter Egg Hunt.

And we watched Tangled (and Lydia insisted on wearing her Rapunzal dress... of course.)

We even wore our "matchy" jammies.

The last week of the month was Spring Break.  We kept really busy!  We dyed Easter eggs.

We checked out the new exhibit at the Springs Preserve.  The boys really loved the snowboarding part.

 Lydia had fun at the library.

Everyone loved making rice krispie treat nests for their peeps.

And of course the Easter Bunny paid a visit on Easter Conference Saturday.

James's birthday celebration!

James is 11!  When I asked to take his picture that day he decided we were taking mug shots.  Silly kid.

This year he got to have a birthday party.  He invited all his buddies and we just did some low key minute-to-win-it games. 

Afterwards they just played outside and hung out.

They played would-you-rather as well.

On James's birthday we had a low-key celebration at home. 

For his dessert he requested cheesecake.

We are so glad to have James in our family.  He is so awesome!

One-one

James is eleven today!  He is such an awesome part of our family—so easy going and easy to please. He is such a great helper around the house.  He is responsible with his time and you can count on him to be on time because he’s always setting alarms on his watch to keep track.  The younger kids claim that he is the preferred babysitter—he’s so awesome and even changes diapers!  James loves to hang out with his friends (and especially ride his bike with them to the gas station for treats).  Happy happy birthday, Jamesy!

What is your favorite...
color? Blue
food?  ribs
toy?  
show? Gravity Falls
animal?  wolf
book? The Lost Hero (by Rick Riordan—Heroes of Olympus series)
song? Whatever It Takes by Imagine Dragons
What do you like to do?  playing legos
Who is your best friend?  Colton
What do you want to be when you grow up?  myself
Do you have a girlfriend?  NO

I am - the best

I am afraid of - nothing

I like - money

I like to eat - pizza

I don't like - William scaring me

I know - math

I want to be - awesome (which I already am!)

I like to watch - Gravity Falls

My hero is- Spider-Man 

I cry when - I get hurt

Mom gets mad when - I don’t do what she says

Mom is happy when - I obey

I can't wait for - my next birthday!

Something Mom says to me - “Stop”

Something Dad says to me - "Welcome to Family Meeting"

My favorite place to go is - Yogurtland

My Mom and Dad make me laugh by - telling jokes

I know my mom loves me because - she says “I love you”

I know my dad loves me because - he says “I love you”

February

February is the shortest month and we jam-packed it full of goodness! James and Alex were able to go to the fire station for Pack Meeting.

Friday night Scott and Rachelle got back from St. George and we had a fun time chatting after the kids were in bed.  Saturday morning we took the kids to the dinosaur park.  When William got home from his camp out  to Warm Springs we headed up to Mt. Charleston to play for a little while.

Lydia loved having Peter come with her to Primary on Sunday.  She loves her new "cousin buddies". On Sunday afternoon we worked on some Valentine's.

We had a lot of fun with the Pessetto's while they were visiting!  I took Rachelle to IKEA on Monday.  On Tuesday we all walked to the park near the school and played for a little while.  Then Rachelle and Scott went to the temple.  Lydia had a fun time playing with her "cousin friends" all afternoon. 

Rachelle made some delicious pizza for us with cauliflower crust and after the kids were in bed we went on a little date to Trader Joe's and a Cinnamon Bun place that was really yummy.  Henry went on a field trip to the Smith Center to see a play.  He had a really fun time.  

During the day I took the Pessetto's to the Springs Preserve.   

That evening we went to see James perform in the talent show.  He and his buddies performed this Studio C Skit: https://youtu.be/qPeZEO6Ses4.    

Wednesday night we stayed up and ate popcorn and played Dominion.  It was so much fun!  Thursday morning the Pessetto's left.  We miss them!  William commented that morning that he wishes they could stay longer.

My friend and former roommate, Crystal, was in town this weekend for a gymnastics meet (her daughter was competing and she was coaching).  She got in on Thursday morning so I drove downtown to take her to lunch.  It was so much fun to catch up with her!

Saturday we spent some time with one of Rich's old friends from college, Scott, who was also here for the gymnastics meet.  

Alex did a biography project on Thomas Edison and was very proud of his bottle person.

  

Elise and Austin came to town!  We met Elise and her kids at a new park and played for a few hours.  It was such a fun park... we will have to go back.  It had tons of climbing structures, a few different zip lines, and even grassy hills to roll down.  

We went back home for lunch and let the kids play while Elise and I talked all afternoon.  Elise left around dinner time and William went to a party.  We had Chinese food for Chinese New Year at James's request.  Lydia especially loved the fortune cookies and kept calling them "PAC man cookies".

Saturday Elise and kids came over again and we had fun playing around the house.  We went to Hobby Lobby and found some great fabric for Elise as well. Sunday it was fun to have all the Burnett's at church with us and to spend the day with them.  We made some lemon cream pie from the lemons from Elise's tree. The Fitz's came over for desert that night to say hi to Elise and Austin.  It was a LOT of noisy kids!  The Burnett's left this morning and we miss them already.  The boys are already asking if we can visit them this summer and go to the beach.

Monday we said goodbye to the Burnett's and everyone was sad to see more cousins leaving.  It was nice to have Monday off from school again.  It was a really nice long weekend.  

I love finding Lydia asleep during the day.

Spring has sprung in Las Vegas already!

Thursday we had a crazy day.  Alexander got to go on a field trip to the High Roller down on the strip.  It is huge Ferris wheel like the London Eye... and it is the tallest one in the world.  He said it was pretty awesome and they learned all about the construction, etc.  They were supposed to go in the Fall but it was schedule for the week of the shooting downtown so it was rescheduled. 

In the evening we first had pack meeting.  James was awarded his Arrow of Light.  I can't believe he's almost out of cub scouts!  Immediately following pack meeting I had a RS meeting and William went to a last minute fireside where Hank Smith spoke.  He said it was really good.  I wish I could have gone!

I just had to get a few pictures of Lydia in her adorable coat before the weather warmed up and she grew out of it.

We borrowed some pudding from a neighbor but when we checked the expiration date it had expired 7 years prior!  Rich and James were the only ones not chicken enough to eat it.

We also finally took care of our pigeon problem.  They were nesting under our solar panels.  Occasionally an egg would even roll off and break on the patio.  The Pigeon Man came and hosed the whole thing down.  This is the poop that came raining down from our roof... and even a dead baby pigeon.

At the end of the month Lydia finally started potty training!  Hooray!  

For mutual this week with the Laurels we followed a step by step painting tutorial.  It was really fun!  I think I might have my kids do it during Spring Break.  I didn't think my painting turned out that great but Alex told me that he thought I bought it because it's so awesome... so that made me feel better.