Easter, belated

I got to help out with the Easter party at Sissy's preschool. The kids had a fun little Easter egg hunt (okay, and rush-into-the-room-and-grab-8-eggs hunt.) But they had fun. Here is Sissy making her bunny ears.

Here's the kids with their Easter baskets after church. Picture time at my house apparently means "make a silly face." This is the best picture of them that I got in their Sunday Easter clothes. Isnt' that sad?

We did have a great egg hunt in our yard the saturday before Easter.

We also colored eggs, of course, which the kids really enjoyed. We tried to teach our kids the reason behind Easter, and I'm not sure if they got the message. Too much candy and excitement. We did have a good talk about it though and a good lesson for FHE. I think Ammon does get it. I suppose there is hope for the other 2. They are still young.

Personally I really felt extra gratitude for my Savior this Easter. I am so thankful for the atonement and resurrection. Without them I certainly would be a lost soul.

Happy Easter, a little belated. But it's still April!

Someone learned how to use my camera!

dirt

Big dirt pile+ new trowels in their Easter baskets+semi-nice weather = happy children, and a sink clogged up from washing off mud.

The next day, the poor little tike must have just worn himself out playing in that dirt.  This is what I found when I looked out the back door:

Pics and stuff

I didn't get me camera out much while we were in Utah except for wedding stuff.  But I did manage to snap a couple of pics.  Here's the Barfuss family's newest addition, Dessa May.  Isn't she cute?  Above is little Boaz.  He's grown so much!

The girls had so much fun together.  Talia is still talking about the other Talia.  I hope they can grow up knowing each other well, but that means we need more visits!   The girls are certainly different in looks and personality, but they sure had fun together!
I snapped a couple of pic on the airplane on the way home.  Not sure why BJ was being picture shy.
The kids had a good flight, but when we landed Sissy woke up and started crying that she wanted to go back to grandma's house (she never did figure out that it wasn't grandma's house.)
Our trip was fairly uneventful other than all the wedding stuff.  We got a short trip in to the discovery center in downtown SLC, and got rear-ended in our rental car.  It was good to spend a little time with family.  Since my mom is moving to Salt Lake, hopefully we'll get to visit there more often!

A tiring day... and a lost boy.

Literally, I lost my child today.   It was the scariest 20 minutes that I can remember.   I came inside with the kids after spending the entire day outside.  I closed the back doors (or so I thought, then headed to the kitchen to start dinner.  I couldn't think of anything and went downstairs and pulled up some recipes online.  The kids were playing upstairs in the living room.  I went upstairs to ask them what they wanted for dinner, and on the way noticed that the back door was open.  Not thinking too much of it, I went to the living room and asked Ammon if he knew where BJ was.  No.  So I went outside and didn't see him anywhere.  Searched the house and didn't see him anywhere.   Went to both neighbors and they hadn't seen him.  Called 911.  I think it's the first time I've ever had to do that.  I was trying to answer their questions and the neighbors questions without completely losing it!   Stay calm!  My neighbors walked down the street and finally found him up the street a few houses in the direction we go to Ammon's school.  He was chasing after a cat and apparently didn't notice that he was even lost.  I am so so so sooooooooo grateful that he was okay and that we found him so quickly.   He was watched over by a guardian angel I'm sure.  But I still feel (a few hours later) that my heart is not quite beating regularly because of that intense stress for that short time.  I hope to never experience that again.   I will certainly be more careful-- and we'll soon be installing locking screen doors so we can have closed doors but still have a breeze blowing through.   

Anyway, we had beautiful weather today after a very very cold March.  It felt like summer.  I walked the lake, planted part of my garden, played outside with the kids, walked to school to pick up Ammon, played at the school with the kids, ran around being a crazed desperate mother, and never did get to making dinner-- so we picked up subs and went to the park for a picnic.  Needless to say I am TIRED!!!  And sunburned.  And grateful-- did I say that already? Goodnight.  

Catching up with an old friend

Okay, not the best picture.   But this is me and my friend Rachel.  We were neighbors when we were little.  She tracked me down and we met up for a little while at Steve and Gina's house in Utah.  It was so good to see her, and fun to catch up on where life has taken us.  She has 2 beautiful girls (should've gotten a picture of them!)  I hope we keep in contact from now on!  We have a lot of great memories from our childhood together.