Easter

How wonderful it was to have Easter land on General Conference weekend.  I enjoyed our time in the morning with the kids seeing what the Easter Bunny had brought, making a breakfast together, and then snuggling up to listen to the prophets of God.  How grateful I am to be a part of the Restored Gospel.  I love my Savior, and was grateful for an opportunity to teach my children that he is the real reason for Easter.  I got to testify to them that he lives, and that we will get to live with him again someday if we try our very best.  

Our Easter Sunday was wonderful.

Coloring Eggs

My kids really enjoy the holidays.  I am not the kind of mom that goes all out for festivities.  I don't need them dressed head-to-toe in celebratory clothes.  I don't need them to receive heaps of gifts or goodies.  I don't need to plan all the food and all the activities for the day around the holiday.  I don't like to spend money on what I think is frivolous. However, I do like holidays, and I do like my kids to have some fun.  I feel like there is a lot of pressure to have big fancy celebrations and elaborate dresses for Easter.  It almost feels like if you don't dress your kids in green shoes, socks, shirts, pants, hair bows, and earrings for St. Patrick's Day you aren't considered a top-notch mother.  I guess I am just more concerned with the experiences my kids have and the time we get to spend together rather than all the extra fluff.  I think I get that from my mom.

  For Easter we colored some eggs together.  Five dozen eggs to be exact.  They just didn't want to stop.  I just enjoy spending time together for holidays. That's all I really need.  Hopefully in the future the kids don't feel disappointed that we didn't have a ginormous party every time a silly holiday came around.

Trains

We took the kids to the Ogden Union Station so Daxton could see the trains.  He loves trains.  He points them out and gets excited whenever he sees one.  He was thrilled to see these up close, and was just running around with the biggest grin on his face.  It makes my heart happy to see him enjoying life.  We will have to stop by again sometime soon.

Family Field Trips

I like to take my kids out to explore things.  When I was a teacher I noticed that my students that really understood things were the ones who had been able to explore and learn.  For instance, those who knew what firemen did had visited a fire station, or had watched a firetruck in action.  I want my kids to learn by doing and seeing, not just by listening and looking at photos.

Although we still don't get out as much as I would like, I try my best to give them some fun experiences that help them learn and grow.  This adventure was to the IFA in Ogden.  This time of year they have baby bunnies, chicks, and ducklings for sale.  I took the kids and spent about twenty minutes looking at the babies and talking about how they would grow up to be chickens and such.  The kids got to feed the chicks and pet some of them.  I lucked out this time--as soon as I said it was time to go they happily walked out of the store.

My little Daxy Doo is into everything.  If i turn my back for two minutes he is into something.  Heaven help us through his childhood...

 Paint.  Black paint.  Sigh.

Love him.

Makayla Jean

She is just so beautiful.

Carter Beez

We went from toothless to four teeth in about four weeks.  Yikes!

Zoo Day

I am not sure why Alyssa and I thought it would be a good idea to go to the Zoo with six kids under the age of 5, but we went.  The Zoo had a free day the end of February, so we figured it would be a nice opportunity to let them experience the animals--you can't beat free!

Although it was crowded, we got to see all the requested animals, and the kids did so well!  I had two kids in a stroller and a baby strapped to my chest.  Yes, I got some interesting looks from some people walking by.  Oh well.  When you have three kids four and under that is how you do things.

 Dax liked the giraffes.  Not as much as the choo choo train, but they were his animal of choice.

 Crazy little cousins.

 Dax watching a sea lion swim by.  He thought it was basically amazing.

 Love this girl.

Ah, my baby koala bear.  No tears from this one.  Happiness :)