March

March means a lot of different things to different people.  It means SPRING. It means March Madness and Basketball.  Some people think of St. Patric's Day or of Easter, but I think of BIRTHDAY SEASON.  This year my kids are all turning even numbers. Caleb and Cara both had the same due date at the end of March, and Ali's due date was two day's before theirs.  That makes Cara and Ali four years apart in age, and this year we celebrated Ali's 6th birthday and Cara's 10th birthday.

Ali has been so excited about her birthday.  I had to include this picture with Miss Sharp, Ali's teacher because she is making this year so fantastic.  Miss Sharp is one of the most gifted teachers I've ever met!  It is amazing how she can speak in almost a whisper voice and the children do just as she says.

Ali and Johnny are little buddies.  They play together so well.  I laughed about this picture because the next one I took Johnny was posed just as Ali is in this one.  He even had his neck sucked in and his hands in his lap.  I am grateful my children are close in age and play together so well.

Ali chose to have a Barbie theme for her birthday party this year.  I put my awesome cake making skills to work and made her this Barbie cake.  (I say that tongue-in-cheek because my skills aren't that great, but my kids always have high expectations.) The little girls liked it.

Ali's friends were so cute!  Taya, Harper, Savanna, Madison, Ali, Kendyl.  They were excited to play Barbies after they "Pinned the Glasses on Barbie," had cake and ice-cream, and opened presents.  Something that has been funny about this little group of kindergarten girls is their love of chasing the 1st grade boys, which happens to be Andy and his friends.  They love chasing the boys at recess just about as much as the boys loving being chased.

Cara's birthday is exactly one week after Ali's.  We waited until weekend to have her party so we went out to all-you-can-eat pizza on her actual birthday.  It is the kids favorite place because of the oreo pizza.  Cara also had her first activity day's with the older girls on her birthday.  They started a counted cross stitch project, and she officially LOVES handwork.

People thought I was crazy to plan a five hour birthday party.  I picked Cara and her friends up from school on Friday and took them to the fun park.  They spent three solid hours playing.  The original intention was to just go roller blading.  They loved that but talked me into letting them play on the soft play, too.  They were just too cute to tell the no. In their words they "ran around like crazy people" for hours.  At one point they started searching for game tokens all around the arcade.  It was a little embarrassing, but they were quite successful at finding them. Eventually they asked me for $5 for tokens so they had 20 game tokens to share among themselves.  Sarah hit the jackpot on a game and ended up with hundreds of tickets.  She was so sweet and they all divided their tickets among themselves so they all got fun prizes.  It was the first time I've ever spent money at an arcade and felt like it was worth it.

Once we got home we only had one hour to enjoy our spaghetti dinner, open presents and eat cake and ice cream.  Surprisingly five hours was just right!   It was a success!!

We wrapped up the girls birthdays this weekend with a trip to the ballet to see Cara's ballet teacher from last year perform as Beauty in Beauty and the Beast.  I'm not a big fan of ballets, but it was at least a story I could follow and the girls really enjoyed it.  I feel so grateful to have my girls!

True Blue!

It pays to know the right people!  This weekend we were invited by a friend to attend the USU Alumni pregame party, before the last regular season basketball game.  It was AWESOME!!  We were hooked up with a fantastic meal, close up time with the cheer leaders and big blue, fun games, fantastic matching tee-shirts, and great memories.  Go Aggies!

Hardware Ranch and wrapping up winter

It feels like every weekend is packed.  I guess I can see why the kids want to stay home and play, but I NEED to get out of the house and save most of my outside playing to do with the kids.  We have taken a few final trips to Cherry Peak for some spring skiing. We decided that we wouldn't be getting season ski passes for next year.  Our kids just don't enjoy it enough, maybe we will give skiing a shot again in a couple of years when Johnny can do better and when everyone is a little more independent.

I have NEVER been to Hardware Ranch, a wintering feeding program for wild Elk up Blacksmith Fork Canyon.  It is only about 25 minutes from our house and we rode on a horse drawn sleigh out to see a few hundred elk.

We followed our trip to Hardware Ranch with a trip to the Ellen Eccels Theater to see Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.  It was SO CUTE.  Defiantly a fun night with the girls!

I am a little sentimental about my last day teaching Joy School.  If things go as planned Johnny will attend the USU lab school next year so after SEVEN years of participating in our neighborhood preschool co-op I'm done! Joy School is something I've enjoyed immensely, but it also feels good to be done and moving on to different things in my life.  My last lesson was a fun one.  It happened to be "P" day and the unit was Spontaneous Delight, something that comes very naturally to children so we had a Pajama Party.  We ate Pretzels, Painted, Popped Popcorn and Partied in our PJ's.  Johnny is so lucky that he gets to do preschool with is best friends. 

Walker, Tyson, Johnny, Myler, Jmo, and Quint

A milestone birthday

It is hard to believe that Caleb turned 12 last week.  It is a milestone because he was given the Priesthood.  It is scary for me because I wonder if I've taught him enough, and if he realizes the significance of the ordnances that he is participating in.  I'm not the kind of mom that gets sad as my children grow.  I love to see the progress they are making in their lives.

I sure missed my dad on Caleb's birthday. (His birthday fell on a Sunday so he was actually ordained on his birthday.) I feel as if my dad was there for the ordination in spirit, but I should would have loved to see him and give him a big hug.  The opening hymn for Sacrament meeting was my dads favorite, "Because I have been given much."  I took it as a sign that he was with us.  Josh ordained Caleb and was assisted by his dad, Lonn, and our Bishop and good friend, Adam Campbell.

Josh's family, Lonn, Sharon, Ethen, and Alexa were there and came over to celebrate after, and my family, Iva, Connie, Colby and their kids celebrated with us too.  It made for the perfect Sunday birthday.  

As always Caleb was spoiled!  He had Friday off from school and it was his friend Carter's birthday so Carters parents took them to Boondocks for the day.  Where they got to play unlimited lazer tag, go carts, bowling and much more.  Most everything a boy could ask for.  Saturday I took him and his friends Carter, Kamden, and Logan out to Pizza Pie Cafe (Caleb's favorite buffet) and then to the jump zone.  Another birthday down!