Great Grandma Bonnie

 We were so lucky to have Grandma Bonnie at our home these last four days.  The kids loved having her around and I loved watching them love her.  She is their great-grandma and my dad's mom.  Whenever she comes to town she spends a few days with each of her family members.  Part of me thinks that would be exhausting, but I am so glad that she has the energy to jump around like that and I love that she wants to see us all and spend time with us.  She came to the boys' soccer game, took us out to dinner, supported me in my talking at church and then just hung around and talked and played.  We even got her to play Dixit and watch the kids one night so Greg and I could go out.  Callie especially has been enamored with Gramy Bonnie as she likes to call her.  I look forward to many more visits with our Grandma Bonnie.

Catching a Leprechaun

 This year Annabelle was the only one thinking about St. Patricks Day.  She kept asking me to help her build a trap.  The boys the past couple years have done it on their own, so I finally stopped and made time to help her.  She did a great job.  She colored her box, made a ladder and then we put sticky tape and coins stuck to the bottom to lure the leprechauns in. 
Unfortunately three leprechauns found the trap and then used their hats to climb out when they realized the coins were stuck to the bottom.  Oh well we will try again next year, the kids loved the hats and played with them all day.  We all wore bits of green.  Nathan taped some green paper on his glasses at the last minute becasue I told him someone would pinch him even if he "wasn't playing the silly game."  We had green milk in our cereal, green jell-o for lunch and our favorite, corned beef and cabbage for dinner.  For dessert we had these yummy coconut-lime floats.  They were fabulous!!

Meet The Author

Brandon Mull was at Costco on Saturday and since both boys have loved Fablehaven and Candy Shop Wars, and Nathan is loving Beyonders, I thought we should go and meet him.  We took all the books we have that he wrote and he signed all of them.  The boys asked a few questions and we got a couple signed posters.  I have read some of his books, too and have enjoyed them immensely.  I can't imagine being the author of such imaginative stuff.  His head must be swimming with all the crazy worlds that he comes up with.  Both boys are excited for the next series he told them he was writing.

Battle Of The Books

 Last week was the culminating event from an activity Nathan has been working on all year.  The Battle of the Books.  At the beginning of the year kids volunteered to be put into groups and then given a list of 20 books to read.  Some read all of them, some divided them up.  Nathan read 15.  Then, finally, last week was the battle.  The teams faced off like a game show and tried to answer questions about the books.  It was really fun to watch Nathan read so many different genres of books.  Some books made him a little leery because of the cover, but he really liked all 15 books that he read.  I got a baby-sitter for both days last week and was able to help with the battles.  I got to read the questions.  I loved it.  I also loved watching Nathan.  Sometimes he got the answer wrong, but mostly he got it right.  Thanks to my encouragement he got ALL the authors right.  His team did really well, but unfortunately were not one of the top 2 teams to battle in front of the school.  Nathan said he was okay with that becasue it would be hard in front of the school, I know he would have been awesome.  It was the first year and I look forward to both boys doing it next year. 

 On the first day I had to stay at the school through lunch since I help in the book room during that time.  I got to go out to recess and hang with Annabelle for a little bit.  She struggled learning how to jump rope, but she is awesome now.  She can even go backward.  I am so glad she didn't give up. 

Clear Creek

 The first week of March we sent Nathan on an overnighter with his school.  He had been looking forward to it for a couple months and was SO excited to go.  I can't believe how old he is getting, it really makes me sad sometimes.  I am so proud of this boy and I love how when he came home he had SO much to tell me.  I had to beg and convince him to bring boots and snow pants, but he was grateful we packed them since Mom was right and there was snow all over the ground.  Our bishop was up at camp as one of the parent volunteers and snapped this picture of Nathan.  I'm so proud of this growing young man!

Pinewood Derby

 Ryan was very excited about doing the Pinewood Derby race this year.  I wasn't in on the discussion where they chose to make a hot dog car, but I loved the idea and I think it turned out great!  We had hot dogs the night of the race to celebrate.  Ryan may not have had the fastest car, he knew that going in having picked the hot dog design, but he was smiling all night and having fun.  I love how supportive Nathan is.  He was worried his own scouts would keep him from watching and was very happy when it got cancelled so that he could watch his little brother race.

Farewell to the Pass of All Passes

 For the past 2 years we have had the pass of all passes.  This has allowed us to go to various places in the valley for "free".  It has been nice.  We have gone to baseball games, water-parks, miniature golfing, laser tag, so many fun things.  But I have decided that we weren't going to renew them this year.  I thought I had until April, but when I took the kids last Monday I learned that they were already expired.  Luckily the lady was really nice and let us stay.  We brought friends for each of the older kids and we all had lots of fun.  Some places have let Callie come into laser tag with me, this one did not.  Luckily Nathan and Cannon watched her so I could take Annabelle and Annmarie in.  While the other kids did laser tag for a second time, Annabelle got Callie up into the play-place and she even got her to go down the slide.  Callie also went of Frogger for the first time.  Her face was hilarious.  I felt bad laughing, while her face showed fear and terror, but I knew she was safe and just unsure of what was happening so it was kind of funny.  We all had fun and while part of me thinks we should suck it up and buy the pass again, I am looking forward to finding new and different places for us to play.

Happy Birthday Greg

 Greg's birthday was March 10.  He doesn't like a lot of hoopla, he has even removed his birthday from Facebook so he doesn't get a bunch of birthday wishes from people that normally wouldn't know or care.  Anyway, I like birthdays and I like to make my man know how special he is for our family.  This year I finally got him a bike.  He has been refusing the offer for years, but the kids are getting bigger and I felt it was finally time.  Buying a bike for him was tricky.  Since he hasn't had one in years and doesn't really have time to ride it a lot, I wanted to just get a nice enough bike for the occasional bike rides with the family.  I am happy to say that Greg liked the bike enough to keep it, phew!  We hid the bike at a neighbor's house but Greg always seems to guess my surprises.  Luckily he is a good sport about pretending for me and the kids.

 

 I made quite a feast that day.  For breakfast we had egg sandwiches.  During church I cooked a corned beef so we could have Reuben sandwiches, complete with Rye bread and sauerkraut.  Then for dinner I made this yummy honey-mustard chicken with bacon and cheese on top.  For dessert I made two of his favorite cakes since we had some family over, a cinnamon bundt and a pineapple-upside-down cake.  I was definitely stuffed by the end of the day, and exhausted.  I think I did a little too much but Greg was happy and grateful for his special day.  He works so hard for us that he deserves a day all for him once in awhile. 

Family Home Evening

 For Family Home Evening on Monday night Nathan made a Tree of Life trivia game.  I was so impressed with some of the questions he came up with: "Is the Nephi in 3rd and 4th Nephi the same Nephi in the 1st and 2nd Nephi?"  or "How many pages did Martin Harris lose?"  or  "How many times did an angel come to Joseph Smith and tell him about the gold plates?"  They learn so much at church and I hope some at home!  Then Ryan was in charge of activity and so he used his new paper airplane book to teach us all how to make a dart airplane.  He was a great teacher and the airplanes worked really well.  One even knocked a heavy thing off a shelf.  I love family home evening.  I love being together and learning and watching my kids be in charge and teach us.  Great times!

Teeny Tears

 The last few weeks I have been working on a little service project for my friend, Melissa and her family.  She lost a son 6 years ago and for his birthday this year she wanted to make a bunch of little diapers for babies that pass away.  A company called Teeny Tears gives a pair of matching diapers to the surviving family.  One for the baby to be buried with and one to keep.  When my kids asked what I was making and I told them, they got really quiet and sad.  The diapers really are teeny and my heart goes out to all of my friends who have experienced such a loss.  I can't even begin to imagine what people go through in this circumstance, it was a very humbling project as I have 4 beautiful and healthy children.  I hope that my teeny diapers can help many families in their time of need.

What a Weekend!

 What a busy weekend!  Ryan and Nathan had their last basketball games of the season and then had their first indoor soccer games of the season.  Basketball went really well.  Both boys were on undefeated teams.  Both boys scored baskets throughout the season.  Ryan scored a few more, but whose counting?  (The boys could probably tell you, but I can not).  While we wish that Nathan's coach taught him a little more about the rules instead of just assuming he knew what all the basketball terms meant, Nathan loved being on a great team and the baskets he did make were the highlight of the game.  Ryan's coach was fabulous and named him the "funny guy" on the team, probably because of his dancing, or because of a cart wheel he did after a basket one time.   We have never done indoor soccer, but we have had 2 games each so far and it is quite exciting.  Greg is coaching Nathan's team and even has some twins that were on his team when he coached Nathan as a kindergartner. 
We also had a baptism on Saturday, congratulations McKenna!  It was a gorgeous March day and the kids played outside at Sarah's house, and then stayed outside the rest of the day.  While my sisters' were all enjoying 80 degree weather down in San Diego, my family was ecstatic with the barely 40 that we were enjoying here.

 

 Every year my crocuses and daffodils come up early.  I love seeing the color and the springiness, but it always makes me sad when they inevitably get covered in snow.