Thank you for the yucky mud

A kind neighbor came and aerated our grass yesterday evening.  Our boys and our next-door neighbor's boy loved watching the machine work it's way across our yard and got a kick out of the "tootsie rolls" it left behind.  When the guy finished, Grant went to give him a bottle of water and Brett yelled out, "Thank you for the yucky mud!"  It was pretty funny.  I love the things that boy comes up with to say.

Brett and his friend settled into the sand box for a little while.

Grant got his tools out and went to work on my bike.  

We are having a good summer so far.  We've been to the library once.  I'm always surprised at how bare those library shelves are in the kids section during the summer.  

We've gone swimming a couple times.  Sadly that won't happen as often as we'd like.  It's just to hard to take 3 kids to the pool by myself.  When they get older and they can all swim that will be a different story.  We'll probably live at the pool then.  Until then we are having fun with our slip'n slide and little kiddy pool.  :)

We're having our house painted this weekend!  It's going to be a completely different color.  Can't wait to see it!

Photo dump

Grant graduated from preschool.  His preschool was so good for him and he's looking forward to kindergarten.  He keeps asking me if he gets to go to kindergarten tomorrow.  

 Brett is 2 and a half.  Oh boy!  Enough said.

Grant is now a part of a junior golf association.  Keith has been loving coaching Grant in our backyard and at the driving range.  This little boy is really a natural.

 Cutie pie.

 Visit with my mom on Mother's Day.

 We're trying to teach Brett how to pedal his bike.

 Fun backyard pool time with cousins.

 End of the season T-ball pool party.

 Roses from the yard.

 Super heroes have been hanging out here lately.

 Those eyes!  Those cheeks!  Those lips!  Oh, this boy melts my heart....when he's not whining.  :)

 Lots of dinners outside.

 Smiles.

 Shucking corn.  Brett started eating it raw and loved it.

 Slip 'n Slide time with cousins.

 More from T-ball.

 Trying to patiently watch the game.

 I love this picture of Brett watching the game with his little friend who's brother was playing also.  Her hair looks to pretty blowing in the wind.

 I started to potty-train Brett and then quickly realized that it was not a good time and we ended that before it got out of hand.  He sure looks cute in those underwear thou.

 Pretty tulips on my kitchen counter.

 Grant's "fly friend."  This fly landed on Grant and seriously hung out on him for at least five minutes.  Grant thought it was awesome.  I thought it was really weird that a fly would do that.  ???

 Brett helping water our flowers.

 Keith built a box garden and we have tomatoes, beets, squash, carrots, and peas growing bigger every day.

 

 We got Camille a Jumparoo off of Craigslist.  She was so ready for this.  It's been a life saver for both of us.

A date with Brett

Brett and I had the unusual chance to go on a date with just the two of us during the day on Monday.  Keith was home sick and so Camille stayed home with him and Grant was at school.  So Brett and I went together to run some errands and, most importantly, get him some new shoes and sandals.  We were lucky enough to find shoes and sandals at the same store in the right size!  Brett was soooooo excited.  He tried them on in the store and ran around to make sure they were super fast shoes.  We payed for them, then cut the tags off and he wore them out the door while he carried his big bag with two shoe boxes in it.  He was so cute!  Then we celebrated our success with a cheeseburger.  

Brett really needed this one on one time, and so did I.  It was so fun to have that special time with just him and me.  He's definitely feeling the effects of being the middle child lately.  So often I'm busy tending to Camille or taking Grant places, so we've been trying harder to give Brett more attention.

When we finally made it home later that afternoon, he fell asleep on the couch while watching a movie.  Doesn't he look comfy? Ha ha ha.

This girl rolled over today!

Camille rolled from her back onto her tummy today!  Wow, I didn't think she'd be doing that for a while.  Congrats little girl!

Easter Sunday

Ever since I was twenty years old, Easter has been my very favorite holiday.  Yes, even more loved than Christmas.  Because the Sunday before Easter that year, all of the Young Single Adult members of our church here in this area were invited to the Mesa Temple grounds for a special morning devotional on the grass in front of the visitor's center.  My friends and I loaded in a car together and we all arrived at the temple on that beautiful, peaceful morning.  I don't remember what was said at the devotional, but I do remember the feelings of that day and how I "got it" that year.  Easter is celebrating not only the resurrection of Jesus Christ, but the fact that he loves us so much and that is why he was willing to suffer in the Garden of Gethsemane and give his life for us on the cross.  And then he arose after three days.  And because of him we all will be resurrected some day too!  Isn't that great?

Now that I'm a mom, I try to help my kids love and appreciate the message of Easter also.  I think I've reviewed the whole reason for celebrating Easter with my boys at least 5 times in the past week, once in the parking lot at Costa Vida after they brought up the the topic.  I really want them to know that it's not about candy and treats.  I want them to have a reverence for the day just as I do.

I'll never forget this Easter when Grant was barely three years old and still didn't have much of a vocabulary.  This is what I wrote about it:

"The sweetest was when Grant came out of his nursery class with a little paper cut out of Jesus and a tomb.  We were walking down the hall to go get Keith and somewhere along the way Grant's little picture of Jesus fell and was lost.  He was devastated.  Luckily his teacher was still at the class room and she had extra.  So when we got home and I was getting things done, I noticed Grant sitting by his room with his little cut-outs from nursery and he was talking to himself.  So I sat down by him and he went on to tell me, in his little 3 year old way, all about how Jesus died and then was put behind a rock and then after 3 days he was all better.  It was such a sweet moment.  I was so proud of him."   

Of course this year when Grant was asked by someone what his favorite thing about Easter is he said, "The candy!"  He is five after all.  But we will keep teaching and giving our children opportunities to develop their testimonies as they grow up.  Usually we go to the Easter Pageant at the Mesa Temple, but this year Camille was still getting over being sick and it just didn't work out, but it is always a great event to go to and feel the Spirit teach you about the life and love of Christ.

Here's the boys this Easter morning getting ready to wind up their strings to find their Easter baskets.

The family after church:

I came across this beautiful free Easter print online.  It printed out really nice on card stock on my own printer.  I got a 2 pack of cheap frames at Michaels and placed the print inside.  Then I decided to use the extra frame to give one to my mom.  She loved it.  You can download yours here.  I know it's after Easter already, but maybe you can tuck it away for next year.  Or just have it out all of the time.  I also printed out this free Easter Banner, put it together, and hung it above our sliding glass door.

Going for a stroll

I kept Grant home from school for one more day so he can get over this cough of his.  So we went out for some fresh air this morning.  We went a good distance & it was warm enough out that I even broke a sweat.  I'm afraid that the warm weather is here to stay.

 We stopped at the rose garden for a quick peek at the beautiful blooms.

After we got home we had lunch and then we ALL took a nap (that never happens) and we slept until 4:00!!!

 And here's one of Camille just for fun.  Oh, that girl's smile lights up my days!