Extreme Business

This week we had something big every night and most days.  But, we three had 20 minutes to plant some free Home Depot flowers indoors.

 Ryan and Molly were very helpful.

 Maddie had her choir concert. She sang very well and smiled very big.

 She was delightful to watch.

 We do nap every afternoon.  First we read books and sing songs, but then Molly cries a bit before she climbs out of her crib and falls asleep.

 I found her on the floor by her bed.

 Thursday and Friday our teachers were on strike, so the kids were home!  We cleaned out four bedrooms.  We did find a few relics -- like these pants I wore on the first day of 12th grade. 

 Maisie loved wearing all my platform shoes.

 Friday morning Austin paused from his heavy workload and made q-ba maze with the littles.  They were content.

 Friday night we had the scout fundraiser at the church.  Andy performed interpretive sketches.  The crowd went wild although it was just plain dumb.  Austin laughed so hard he had tears.

 Saturday Nick had football.  Grandma and Grandpa came to watch.  We sure love them.

 Sunday we took after church photos.  Eddie was not having it.

 I matched my three little ones.

 Sunday we landed the afternoon at the grandparents' home.  Grandma nurtured us very sweetly, included birthday ice cream and gifts for last week's birthday boys (they were in Phoenix with chemo round number seven.)

 PT demo.

 Lift lessons learned from books.

 Hop scotch tutorial.

 Meg came in the evening and brought all her medals.  She has soooooo many.  Way to run, Meg!

Sunday Birthdays -- Austin and Nick

Early this morning our birthday festivities began because Austin needed to be to church by seven.  We ate juevos rancheros and the birthday boys opened their gifts.

 After church we ate lunch and celebrated with an ice-cream roll cake. 

 Maisie and I found three candle packs with 14 candles each = 42.  But, we couldn't put them into the frozen cake. So, we found a #4 and used Nicks two #1 candles.  4 and 1+1= 42.

 

 After shorts naps for some and a game of "Life" for others, we gathered to play "Catan" and "Clue."  Molly helped the big birthday boy win, but not the little one.

 Then, lots of visitors came.  After a couple hours of chatting in the driveway, we found ourselves huddled under one blanket and graciously Meg took a selfie.

 Family scripture study ended the lovely birthday Sabbath. 

We went around the room and said things we liked about Nick:
Molly: gave him kisses
Ryan: "I like when we jump on the tramp."
Eddie: asleep
Maddie: "He plays lots of fun games."
Maisie: "He's a good sport.  He likes to play the games I make up."
Andy: "He's tough."
Meg: "He's the best sharer in the family."
Mom: "He knows how to check off a list and get things done."
Dad: "He works hard to do the right, but he can find himself in a pickle."

We then went around the room and said things we liked about Dad:
Molly: growled in her deepest voice
Ryan: "I like it when he wrestles me."
Eddie: still asleep
Maddie: "
Nick: "He makes mistakes, but he fixes them right away."
Maisie: "I think Dad is very handy and can fix anything."
Andy:
Meg: "Dad taught me how to work hard to accomplish both big and small things."
Mom: "I like how he sees both sides of a problem and using logic to solve it."

Our boys mean the world to us.  Nick knows just when to make Molly happy.  He knows how to get his jobs done.  Austin knows just how to make everyone happy with his quick wit and pinches.  He helps us get all our jobs done.  We are blessed they are forever ours.

Mid-April

Monday morning scriptures always come early.  We are soooo lucky that the suns awakens the littles before six every morning now.  Eddie seems to know that he is the luckiest.

 Ryan and I are working hard at blending sounds.

 Our weather is really quite nice - mid to upper seventies.  Eddie took Molly for a ride after school.

 Ok. Ok.  Monday night we ate BLTs for dinner and then served milk shakes for dessert.  All my people were in heaven.  Maddie then gave the FHE lesson about the First Vision.  Grandma and Grandpa B. came to be with us.  That was such a treat -- we've missed them.

 Wednesday Andy and Nick ran some races (Maisie was injured).  They both won ribbons.

 (Andy is in black tights.)

 Austin harvest the fennel he planted from seed last August.

 We roasted it for dinner.  It was so mild and sweet.

 Maddie took her earrings out and changed them for these dangling ones.  She was very pleased and very darling.

 Andy was home sick two days.  He is very easy to please -- quesadillas and ramen keep him happy.

 Saturday was Meg's meet (at the same high school in Prescott). She placed first in both the 400m (58 seconds) and the 800m (2:20) and third in the 4/400 relay. 

 We sat in the hot sun for four hours and survived without a stitch of sunburn.  (We to be super dorky with big hats, sunglasses and lots of sunblock.  No cancer here.)

 Here is our winner post-meet.

 The missionaries then came to dinner.  Once they left, I actually sat for five minutes and all of these came and found me.  I sure love my peeps.

 At Nick's football game earlier that morning Ryan fell off the slide and scraped his head.  Yikes.

 Today at church these two twinners were very reverent. 

 These triplets all matched in their lace dresses and summer sandals.  (Meg matched but had already changed at this point.)  They did look very pretty.

How blessed we are that our days are very full.  How blessed we are when we begin each day reading scriptures and praying as a family. 

No April Showers

Maisie spent hours building with legos.  

 I did, too!  I made that sweet pool and pergola to go with her house.

 Sunday morning Nick put shoes and socks on this pixie.

 I'm so wrinkled when I get home.....I hold someone on my lap for three hours.  I never have time to take a picture before we go, but, oh, well.

 Twinners.

 Nap time was surely needed.  #nofilter.  JK.  #everyfilter

 Ryan and I made cookies.  Ryan and I ate all the cookies.

 I ran a 9.5 on a HIIT treadmill workout.  I have never run that fast -- I was pretty excited.

 Wednesday was a five hour track meet at Mingus.  They all three ran the 1600m and 800m.
Andy ran a 5:58 mile and 2:39 half.
Maisie ran a 6:24 mile and 2:54 half.
Nick ran a 6:30 mile and 3:01 half.

Meg took the some littles home, but Molly stayed strong to the end.

Andy was disappointed in his 4th place finish.

 I made a sour dough bread in my dutch oven; it made a lot of hungry people happy.

Meg had her track meet Friday at Mingus.  She ran a 1 minute 400m.  She beat all the girls in her heat by 100m. 

Rylie made her a cute sign.

Grandma B. came to support.

Afterwards we ran home and had 30 minutes to get her ready for mormon prom in Flag.  She was set up on a blind date with Ryan.  They did look pretty cute together.

The couples.

Saturday was three football games.  We spectators sat on a cozy blanket in the shade and ate popcorn.  All three games were favorable for the boys.

(Eddie refused to be in the group shot.)

Grandpa B. came to view the games -- he shared his snacks as well. 

Someone snapped this shot of my backside.  I found it on my phone.  Nice.  A little funny.  A little revealing.  A little humbling.

Sunday came around again and Molly went to nursery for the first time (she's one week early).  She was very brave and only fussed a little bit.

It always makes me tear up -- loosing my baby to nursery.  Well, I guess I need another baby.