Easter Fun

We had a great time at our annual Easter hot dog roast and egg hunt...

Here are most of the kids lined up, ready to run....

and they're off...

Gabe was so focused

little Ollie, he LOVES treats

Dying Easter Eggs

so serious...

We colored a LOT of eggs.  Ollie and Gabe only broke a few as they tossed them in cups one right after the other.  Oliver insisted on stirring the eggs and was so excited and would show off each of his eggs holding them up for his brothers to see "look how cool guys!" he would say every time he spooned one out of the cups! We had lots of fun decorating the eggs with crayons and stickers

Eli's "watermelon" egg

and his BYU egg were his favorites

awwww... so romantic!

We had to include little Simon too

 Evan's favorite was his Green Bay Packers Egg

Gabe and Oliver liked ALL of the eggs they dyed!  Gabe wanted to put some of his eggs in his "special box" which is where he puts all his treasures and favorite things.  I had to explain what would happen to his eggs if he put them in his box and saved them for awhile... pee-ewe!  None of these boys like to EAT the eggs and a girl (me) can only eat so many hard boiled eggs right?... so most of them ended up in the garbage several days later but that's ok- it's one of our favorite Easter traditions!

Spring Break- first week in April

The first week in April was a blur... It was Spring break and we were looking forward to a mini trip to SLC at the end of the week!  Just when things in our life finally seemed to be falling into place after a 3 year struggle for us with uncertainty and hard times for Glen concerning his job and the tremendous stresses there, he was just getting settled into his new job and we were starting to look back at the years and the situation and see some good. Like, Our time living in Hyde park which we loved, we made some wonderful lifelong friends.  We grew and learned many life lessons, we were able to see that the timing of adding Simon to our family was meant to be and such a blessing when at first we weren't sure how we were going to be able to do it! - it had all worked out and we were finally able to start thinking about our future and security and dreaming and planning for things to come instead of waiting for life to get better and wondering day to day how to make ends meet! We were feeling so good about life... and then our world came crashing down with the terrible news that Glen was being let go from his new job! Seriously!?? It was very hard to say the least... so that week of spring break- was a blur and we were both just kind of numb!  I can't really remember what we did those first few days but I do know it included tears and lots of talking, hoping for some kind of peace of mind!  We decided to continue with our plans to spend a few days in Salt Lake... we both just needed time to wrap our heads around the situation and we needed to get away from life and pretend none of it was true for a few days!  We headed to Salt Lake on Thursday and we went straight to the airport to welcome my cousin Tate home from his LDS mission to Suriname.

missionary mom's get the first hug

his family gathered around

It was sweet to see all these boys admiring Elder Tullis! I think they were all thinking about being missionaries themselves!  I am grateful for Tate's example, I know that his example of serving a mission makes an impact on all these boys.  They look up to him and see his decisons and choices!  Being there with all my boys, I couldn't help but think about all the emotions that are ahead for me as a mom who hopes (how will I bear to say goodbye??)  to send out five missionaries!

Elder Tullis with his family

We stayed overnight in Salt Lake and went to temple square, the flowers were beautiful!  We also went  to the new City Creek Mall- it was fun, but REALLY crowded!

Temple Square

City Creek

Evan watching a movie with Simon

We had a fun time away but it was hard to push the thoughts and worries away of "why?" and "what now?"  Those first few days and weeks I would wake up most mornings feeling... tired from being up all night with Simon, of course, but usually I woke feeling happy and normal and then I would remember "oh ya, we don't have a job" and then my heart would drop...  Still the days are hard and it has sunk in and it is always there reminding!!  The last time we were going through the job search (pretty much all last year) and dealing with lots of stress I felt stronger and more faithful... This time I am having to dig deeper... I am frustrated and tired.  I was talking (whining, complaining, crying) to my sister Sara a few days ago and she helped me feel better. (both of my sisters ALWAYS know just the things I need to hear- I know their words are not coincidence!) Sara reminded me that life is not about just being here and making the best life that we can for ourselves and having it easy- but that the whole purpose to this life is a test and everyone will have trials.  Our test is how we will handle the trials- will we remain faithful and not waiver in what we know to be true?!  My friend Cheryl gave me a mini book for my birthday- "Created for greater things" by Jeffery R. Holland.  I have almost worn it out- I find myself sitting a lot lately, nursing my sweet baby and sitting leads to thinking and it's nice to have this little book to grab and read little thoughts from- its gives me lots to think about!-I love it and I have read all the thoughts a bunch of times- what Sara said reminded me of one of the thoughts I keep coming across in my book and my stubbornness in thinking "poor me"  was finally softened.

"On this upward and sometimes hazardous journey, each of us meets our share of daily challenges.  If we are not careful, as we peer through the narrow lens of self-interest, we may feel that life is bringing us more than our fair share of trials-that somehow others seem to be getting off more lightly.  But the tests of life are tailored for our own best interests, and all will face the burdens best suited to their own mortal experience.  In the end we will realize that God is merciful as well as just and that all the rules are fair. We can be reassured that our challenges will be the ones we needed, and conquering them will bring blessings we could have received in no other way."

I know there will be ups and downs during this time but I am going to try better to focus on the ups and remember those last few sentences of this quote that remind me to see the blessings and to make life happy in the meantime!  Another favorite quote- "Some blessings come soon, some come late, and some don't come until heaven; but for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come."

I need to do better and remember to be patient and let go of what I can't control and just ...trust!

Well... this post was supposed to be about spring break and ended up being kind of deep and an outlet for some of my feelings! I was supposed to keep things short and easy and get caught up... sorry for rambling- I am getting close, but gotta stick to the plan!  Coming up is the rest of April and maybe I will actually write about May before May is over!- wish me luck

The first month

Simon's first outing was to Adam's Park.  He was 9 days old.  The boys had the day off of school and I was getting a little stir crazy.  I wanted to do something "normal" since up to that point I was not functioning too well because of the headaches I was having! (see previous posts) It was a beautiful day so we decided to get out! I remember looking in the rear view mirror on the way to the park and seeing that almost all the seats behind me were full of boys! Suddenly I panicked and wondered if I was really going to be able to take all five of them out and survive! I wondered How I would chase after Ollie with a baby in my arms? What if one of the kids got hurt and needed me? I may not be bale to help if my hands were full holding the baby?  What if the baby cries the whole time? I was nervous as we got out of the car but Simon slept like an angel the entire time we were there!  Ollie didn't run away, no one got hurt, I had a relaxing time soaking up some sun and the boys loved running and playing!  I felt a great sense of accomplishment as I drove home... I did it! We had survived our first of many outings to come! I decided then that maybe having five kids was not going to be so bad... :)  I have since learned that life with five is not quite as EASY as I originally thought after that first outing...but we are figuring it out a day at a time!

 That first month Simon was a typical newborn and was oh so sleepy- such a handsome little dreamer!  I think I took a million pictures of him just sleeping, looking like a little angel!

 Simon's first BIG outing was a trip to Ogden for his first (of many) soccer games!  Simon was about 2 1/2 weeks old.  He and I both needed a change of scenery so we all decided to go and watch Eli play!  Me and Simon cheered for him from the car! 

 I love this picture... Simon looks so tiny laying on grandpa's chest

St. Patrick's Day... the boys painted treasure boxes for the leprechauns to fill...

The Leprechaun's saw the treasuse boxes in the moonlight and filled them full of goodies!  they left a leprechaun's favorite cereal for breakfast, made a trail of gold and played some tricks along the way too!

and everyone wore green... so no pinching around here! (ya, right!)

Simon loved his first bath given by his daddy in the kitchen sink!  He was two weeks old and so tiny!  He has since graduated to the bathtub!

When Simon was 3 weeks old I decided I better try to pretend I was photographer and set up a photo shoot.  I wish I would have done it sooner because  by three weeks he was already bigger and more alert... harder to move and pose, but I got a few good ones considering!... minus the shadows and  bad lighting and blurriness- I have a crappy camera and do not have photographer skills! but you get the idea... he is super cute!

It was our 15 year anniversary on March 28th!   Glen took me and Simon out to dinner at Chili's.  I actually got dressed and fixed my hair for our night out!  We had a great time... just the 3 of us! We took some pictures when we got home to document the occasion but I had already changed into my pajamas because I could not stand another minute in my TIGHT fat size jeans (sigh)

At the end of the month we drove down to Glen's sister Carrie's house in Layton.  His other sister Holly and her kids were in town visiting from Montana and his sister Sarah, his parents and his brother and family were all there too!  We wanted to see all of them and let them meet little Simon!  We ate dinner and had fun catching up and hanging out for the evening.  I wish I would have taken more pictures!  This is the only one that I got... good thing it's a cute one!- Simon with his grandma and grandpa Huber!

Well, that pretty much covers our first month of events since adding our sweet Simon to the bunch! I have about a million more pictures and I want to write all about the boys and their love for Simon, hopefully I will get to that soon!