Happy Easter!

These dashing boys have a hold on my heart....


This one, who is thoughtful, sweet and sincere

This one, who is sensitive, kind and fun loving

Even this one, who was not the most cooperate about the photo shoot...  He is tentative, silly and sweet as sugar

and this tiny one, who is tender and full of mischief and spunk.

they are my darlings....

I love them all... I love every little thing that makes them who they are.  Through the good times and the bad times I love them.  I am not a perfect mom and sometimes I wonder if I am cut out for the task- The incredible task of raising these boys who came straight from heaven... I am grateful that I do not have to be perfect, that they love me anyway...that I can work at it and that my Savior makes up the difference.  I am grateful that because of Him and through Him,  I can be with my family forever and that is what Easter is all about.  That is why it is my favorite holiday.

For THAT reason.... and for several other reasons as well...traditions, spring times, egg hunts, egg dying, egg salad sandwiches, baskets, tulips, colors, candy! All of that wrapped together is what I love about Easter!  Here are a few of our Easter traditions and happenings this year...

Easter Picnic

Every year since I can remember my mom's family has an Easter picnic.  When I was younger we always went up Green Canyon and had a bonfire, a pinata and a Easter egg hunt.  We usually went on a hike and just enjoyed exploring and being together.  But for the past several years (like 10) it has been too cold and snow covered to even think about the canyon and so we have had the picnic at my grandparents house, back by the garden or huddled around the wood burning stove in Grandpa's shop... always with a big bonfire, a hot dog roast, deviled eggs, salads... you know, pot luck style.  The kids love hunting for treats (everyone brings something to hide for all the kids) and we of course still enjoy just being together.  Last year, since my Grandpa was sick we had the picnic at our house...He came and pulled the car right up near the fire but had to stay inside where it was warm.  This year we had it here at our place again and now that Grandpa is gone it is just not the same... that is how most holidays feel around here when we all get together- like something is missing- Grandpa is missing.  Although we know where he is and we still love getting together there is something bitter sweet about our traditions.  There is something bitter sweet about death.  I miss my Grandpa, I miss hearing his voice calling me "Emily girl." At our Eater picnic I missed Grandpa's black baked potatoes hot from the fire. I always miss him.  I am so grateful for the memories and the love- that is what keeps us all together and carrying on these traditions of ours- because life goes on and we continue to build memories even with change... we enjoy, we laugh, we live, we remember and even though things feel different we make the best of it.

 The kids lined up ready for the Easter Hunt...

My cousin Jarin got pretty tricky with his hiding and Eli had to climb high to reach the prize

Elsa and Oliver.  

They are the best of friends. Just four months apart!  

She likes to "help" him and is a little mother already. 

Easter Bunny and coloring eggs

The Saturday before Easter we usually go the local market where they give out treats and get the chance to meet the Easter Bunny.  Gabe was disappointed because it was a "man-bunny" I told him maybe it was a girl bunny?.... and he said "no, mom (duh) a man was inside the bunny!"

Saturday night we made resurrection rolls ( my friend shared her recipe with me!) We talked about the last week of our Saviors life.  His atonement, his death and sacrifice for all of us.  When the rolls were done we talked about the empty tomb ... the rolls were empty inside after we baked them.  We talked about the resurrection as we enjoyed the hot cinnamon caramelized rolls.... they were fabulous and will be added to our traditions every year from now on!

Then we colored Easter Eggs- EIGHT dozen of them...

I love this picture of Ollie

 and this is how he really poses for the camera... scrunched up face, eyes closed all the while saying Cheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeese.... kind of cute but mostly it drives me crazy!

Easter Morning

The boys woke up to jelly bean trails all over the floor....and their names written out too!  They were so excited to start the day and quickly came upstairs to wake Glen and I.  they climbed in bed with us and we read the account of the first Easter from the scriptures.  We talked about that first Easter morning and how the Savior was resurrected... He had risen!  A nice start to the day but pretty soon Oliver and Gabe started getting restless and were ready to GO- so we all followed the jelly bean trails downstairs... 

The Easter Bunny left a few gifts by their names AND the following clue....

They had to go several places ( including outside...brrrrr!) to look for clues in plastic eggs that would lead them to their Easter baskets

They LOVED following the clues and were so excited when they finally found their baskets!

They dumped everything out, ate lots of candy and treats and played for awhile.

Gabe and Oliver have decided that candy is a lot more fun to scoop than sand!  Eli suggested we get a  sandbox filled with candy.... every kid's dream come true!

We warmed the resurrection rolls from the night before and ate them for breakfast.

And then the boys were ready to start hunting for the eggs that the Easter bunny had hidden all around the house...

As I prepared a few things for our Easter dinner that we were having that night with my brother and his family, the boys got out their Easter duds and once we were all ready we headed off to church. The day was filled with lots of love, plenty of fun and way too many SWEETS!...  

A Happy Easter for sure!

I HEART February

February is famous around here for being dreary- But I love February for a few reasons...

#1 my sisters always come in February
#2  the holiday in February is all about LOVE (I really like LOVE)
#3 we usually get our taxes done quickly and get our tax return in February (nice)


see... I HEART February.

Here are the some highlights...

All winter long in Cache Valley mom's just sort of hibernate. (or maybe it's just me?)  We make it through the Christmas bustle and the January blues and then February hits and we just need some LOVE So I decided to host a little LOVE party!  I invited a few girls to come over for a Valentine's Day luncheon.  I asked them all to bring one of their favorite things and we did a little gift exchange and learned more about each other too!  We ate taco salad and fruit.  The kids ate chicken nuggets and then played- it was a fun afternoon and I think we all felt the LOVE! 

a little valentine on the rocks.... from me!

the place setting... my favorite sour melt in your mouth candies.

The set up... a table for the ladies and a table for the kiddies....

The dessert bar...

the favor boxes... one last Valentine for the road!

 The Boys Valentine's Day Class parties...

 

Gabe's first Valentine's for his preschool class.

We made these for all the boys but somehow I only took pictures of Gabe's final product.  Evan and Eli's looked just the same and they all loved the picture of themselves and how they turned out!  Homemade and they weren't even that much work!

Here's Eli home from school with the loot...

and then Evan... He had a Valentine etiquette party that included all of the 5th grade students.  Earlier in the week they had some kids from the local high school come and role play ways to treat the opposite gender.  they talked about manners etc... and then for the Valentine party the kids were suppose to wear their best dress clothes and use good manners.  Evan escorted 2 girls to the party and then had to talk to them as they politely ate some refreshments.  I asked Evan how it went and he said it wasn't too bad.   I asked him what he talked with the girls about and he said they just pretended to talk when the teachers were looking at them.  hmmm?

I am usually aware of most of my boys tricks but I sort of forgot about the Valentine treats and didn't set up a plan for consumption.  A few days later I went down to gather laundry from Evan and Eli's room and noticed that these envelopes of candy were stuffed into their pillowcases... Come to find out they had been laying in bed every night secretly eating candy after lights were out and teeth were brushed!  I was kind of mad.

Starting the beginning of February we set out our "love buckets."  the boys really love this tradition of ours!  We have a "love station" that is set up with supplies- markers, stickers, paper, treats and some other craft stuff and then as a family we ask everyone to write a note to each person in our family every  day leading up to Valentine's day and fill up the love buckets.  They boys love getting little treats and notes and were constantly checking their buckets.  I love seeing what they write to each other and I love the opportunity we all get just to say nice things about each other.  I promise every time we do this- there is less fighting and more loving- its the best!  See how great February is?

the buckets start to overflow and so we spread the love by hanging our notes up to remind each other  just how much we love we have in our family!

These were some of my favorite love notes this year...

I tried to get a cute picture of my little romeo's... but it was the end of the day and they did not cooperate very well... so this is as good at it gets, oh well!   Romeo's?  More like stinkers and rag a muffins -but I sure love these boys of mine...

Still to come... Evan's spelling bee, Valentine date night, Jr. Jazz basketball, milestones and ALL the happenings while my sisters were here... yikes!