Picture's Anyone?

Hope you like pictures, because there was a lot to catch up on!  Can you tell who dominates my camera these days?  

Here is Aubrie enjoying her last few minutes with her dance teams trophy, that she got to take home for the weekend!

Above is Aubrie's fellow dancers right before their Sun's game performance.  

Below....Boston cheering his sister on!

The train ride at the awesome park I discovered!

Ethan holding on to dear life.   He can ride Space Mountain, no problem...but a little train ride...WATCH OUT!

Feeding the Ducks!

.....and herself!!

A closer look!

Pure excitement!

Our first Easter Egg's with the kids!

Aubrie and Maya at the Hannah Montana Movie!

Getting ready for the Easter Egg Hunt.  Notice my kids and their heads!

Hate the shadow there....but lOVE the expression!

Trying to roll down the hill!

Michelle and I! 

Aubrie's Field DAy with her friends!

Flowers Sophia picked for me!

Boston's field day!

The "Shoe Kick"!  So funny!

Water Games!

Sophia's birthday!

Blurry, but love it anyway!

Gone too fast!

Wow!  Half a month flies by too fast!  April tends to be quite busy around here, with 3 birthdays (4 if I count my Dad's) and an anniversary.   Then top that with the kids activities, my calling, and just all the Mommy daily duties, and I barely feel like I have time to breath and find time for myself.   That just comes with the territory, and though there are days I want to run for the hills, there is no other place I can imagine myself.  I do want to throw something out there.... just because I'm curious.   For some reason it always seems like I'm having some type of struggle with one kid, and when they finally catch on and behave, another one takes their place and starts to give me grief.  Does this happen to all parents?  It's like they all get together and say, "Ok, so and so, it's your turn to give Mom and Dad problems and run free and wild, while we hold down the fort so Mom and Dad don't completely loose it."  It's a conspiracy I say, A CONSPIRACY!!!   

Besides the kids playing tag team with Ben and I, all is going well.  This month started off with Ben going up to Utah for Amber's (his youngest sister) wedding. It was a beautiful wedding, despite the snow.    I had to stay behind to hold down the fort, and make sure Aubrie got to her dance performance at the Suns game.  It was the same dance performance they did at the Mercury game, but this time is was the pre-game show, instead of the half time performance.  It was a long night, and headed off another week of sickness for me.   A sickness that deprived me of many nights of sleep, but somehow I made it through the week without being very tired.   

Last week, Ben surprised me with tickets to CATS!  It was supposed to be a surprise the day of.   Unfortunately,  I opened the package when they arrived, thinking they were our Depeche Mode tickets.   I felt bad, but "hey" I was still surprised!  I have wanted to see that play since I was a little girl, for obvious reasons (I am a cat lover).  We'll the play was very interesting.  It was a little hard to follow the words of the songs, but the vocals and dancing were AMAZING!   Overall, I'm glad I saw it.  Thanks Ben for a nice surprise.  

Hmmm...what else.   Oh yeah!  Easter!!   Easter was very nice. The day before, the Primary had a nice activity for the kids, that included; a message on Easter, singing songs, and having an Easter egg hunt.   They invited the nursery kids, so Sophia went and had a great time.  

Sunday morning started off with the Easter baskets.  Instead of the bunny bringing baskets every year, I just have the kids put their baskets out (like stockings) for the Easter bunny to fill.  This year I cut back on candy, only giving them a few small things.  Ethan got an Aqua Doodle, Aubrie got Pixo's and Boston got a Pokeman folder.   They all got Pokemon cards.  Boston told us he didn't believe in the Tooth Fairy, Santa Claus, or the Easter Bunny anymore.  I have tried all the tricks to make him think they are real, but he just isn't buying it.  It's actually getting Aubrie a little upset that he doesn't believe.   Guess his mind is just too logical.   Eventually I will have to tell him the truth and ask him not to spoil it for the others.  

After baskets and breakfast, we got ready for church.  I actually color coordinated the family this year in my new favorite.. kelly green.   Of course, I didn't' take a picture before church because that would make too much sense.   I tried getting some pics after church, but the kids were ready to be out of their church clothes, and of course the girls hair wasn't looking so hot!  Oh well.   

After church, the kids kept having their own Easter egg hunts in our backyard.  The person who found the most eggs got to hide them, and they just kept doing that over and over until it was time to go to dinner.  

For dinner, we went to the Lorenzana's and Marco's brother and his wife joined us also.  We had a nice Ham dinner, and then we took the kids to a green belt by their house for an egg hunt.  Since that took about two minutes, they spent the rest of their time rolling down a hill and having races.  It was a fun, relaxing night!  It reminded me of the nice holiday's we had in North Carolina with friends!  Here's to good friends!

April Fools!...but not really!

So last night, right after dinner, Boston was asking if he could practice his golf swing in the backyard.  I promised he could, since he was disappointed with his golf class.   Apparently they didn't get to swing at the ball as much as he had hoped.  Anyhoo, so after dinner, Ben got Boston's clubs out and let him do some practicing.  Of course, Aubrie can't be left out of anything, so she went out to participate.  As they were enjoying themselves with that, Ben and I were relaxing on the patio furniture enjoying the evening.  The next thing I know, Aubrie screams and hits the ground.  Apparently Boston's club smacked Aubrie right in face, unintentionally of course!  Ben ran over there to take a  look and started walking in the house to get her something.  I figured it couldn't be that bad since he didn't seem panicked.  When I finally  got over to her there was blood dripping everywhere.  I told Aubrie that she would need stitches as I was trying to angle her face so blood wouldn't drip all over her.  Boston came over to see what she looked like.  As soon as he looked, he yelled and ran off screaming that he was never going to play golf again, and that he hated himself.  Then Aubrie started crying harder because she was sad that Boston was so upset.   Through all of this, Ben still hadn't come back out!  I yelled for Ben, who leisurely was walking out with a paper towel, a band aid and bactine.   I told him to hurry it up with the towel, because the cut was bleeding bad, and  that I had to take her to get stitches.  

Aubrie started getting more emotional, and as I was walking out to the car was asking for my Mom to come with us.  She was also upset and worried about how much the Dr. Visit was going to cost us. (first time she ever seemed concerned about how much something costs us!)Luckily this all happened before Urgent Care closed (at 8:00) or we would be making a 1000 dollar trip to the ER!  The wait wasn't long, and we even got to watch some of American Idol while we waited. Ben showed up with the rest of the kids, because Boston wanted to bring Aubrie her Webkinz to help her feel better. (We had a good talk later about not hating himself,  and how accidents happen, etc)  Aubrie was happy to see Boston and that he was doing alright! The nurses we extra ornery and told us we couldn't have people going in and out of the room, so I told Ben to take the rest of the troops home and get them in bed.   Luckily the Dr. said he could glue it, so she didn't have to get stitches.  She was happy about that!  So while that would have been a funny story for April Fools Day, it really did happen!!!

On that note!  April Fools Day is one of my favorite holidays.  My side of the family has always been into coming up with the biggest prank, and not only on April Fools Day!  Playing jokes, scaring people, being sarcastic runs in my blood!  However, my real appreciation for the holiday really came when me and my college buddy, Tamzen, had fun one April Fools!  We would drive by people walking on campus and stop to tell them they dropped something.  As they were looking back we would drive off saying "April Fool's".   There were some other pranks we played, too, but would take too long to go into!  So since then, my love for this holiday has grown.  Just ask those who know me well.  My best prank so far is borrowing my pregnant friends pregnancy test, sealing it back up with a glue gun, and pretending to take the test with Ben right outside the bathroom door.  Boston was only 5 months old, and Aubrie 23 months!  That is the whitest I think I have ever seen Ben!  

So being this is one of my favorite days, what would I want most?  To pass on the love of a good prank on to my kids!   Today, when the woke up, I told them the school left a message on the machine last night.  They said a pipe broke and flooded the school, so class was cancelled today.  Aubrie didn't believe me at first, but once I got them going, they were so excited.  I started asking them what we should do.   If they wanted to go to Chuckee Cheese or the Zoo, etc.  They even started thinking that since the school was flooded, it might take a few more days to clean it up and that they might have off the rest of the week.  I then dropped the Bomb on them!  Aubrie laughed and thought it was funny, but Boston went off saying that was mean. Once I explained the holiday to him, they were both anxious to play a prank.  I told them if they got ready fast enough they could run to the bus stop early enough to glue a quarter to the ground and watch their friends try and pick it up!  I couldn't resist walking them to the bus stop today and see them in action.  It was so great to see them so into the prank.   It was actually pretty funny to watch all these kids try to pick up the quarter!   I guess now that I have instilled this in them, I better watch my back next April Fools!  Hopefully we wont have to go to Urgent Care!:)  Happy Fooling Everyone!

Reverse Catch Up

Past weeks in reverse!  

Today Aubrie had another dance competition.  We both came down with the flu last night, but Aubrie sucked it up and was determined to make it there.  If she didn't show, the dances would be messed up.  I mustered enough strength to do her hair and makeup, but forgot to take a picture.  They will be performing these dances for her dance recital in May, so I'll have pics then.  They did well, and had a great time!  

Thursday and Friday were half days.  The kids had dentist appts, on Thursday, and we got out of the office with ZERO cavities! YIPPIE!  After a house full of kids all day, I was ready for a girls night out.  Michelle and I grabbed dinner, did some shopping, and saw "He's Just Not That Into You."  We both liked the movie, and made us appreciate the fact we no longer had to deal with the dating scene!! YIKES!

So Boston looks a little different than these pictures, as of today!  He wiggled his front top tooth all morning, until it was loose enough to finally come out.  Guess he is saving for a new toy or something.  He looks and sounds so different now!  It was the tooth that he banged on the bath tub about 3 years ago.  It was discolored and he called it his "dirty tooth".  Luckily it never bothered him.   Obviously he is a boy!  These pics were taken this Wednesday.  The first graders took a field trip right behind the school, on Sunrise  Mountain trail.  Perks to living here I guess.   Boston's teacher is Great!  She bought these visors that they decorated for the hike, and they had little booklets tied around their necks, that had a checklist of things in the desert!  It was a short hike, but the kids had a great time!Wednesday evening the Young Women went hiking the same mountain as the field trip.  We then took a trip to my new favorite ice cream place "Juju Berry".  It's a frozen yogurt place where you build your own creation and they charge you by the ounce!  (Ben and I went back on Friday, before the flu really hit me.)  After YW, I did my normal Wed. ritual....ran with Michelle,  and Ben and I watched LOST with the Lorenzana's afterward! 

Here are a few pics from Spring Break!  This is one of Sophia by the pool.  We spent the day out by the pool the day we got back from California.  It was much hotter than we were noticing and we were all  sunburned by the days end!   
Here are the Disney Pics.  

The kids getting ready to soak themselves outside of Bugs Life!  

A cool little acapella group that was singing over by Tower of Terror.  The kids were really getting into it, and by kids I mean my Mom, too!  

 My Mom's first time on the Tower of Terror.  She liked it so much we went on it again, right away. 

Sleepy Time!  

Whole Hand Birthday!

I have to admit that I'm not as diligent at blogging because the Mac is not as friendly with the blog as I would like.  However, some event's must be recorded.  Ethan finally had his "whole hand" birthday (aka  birthday number cinco)!  I can't believe my baby boy is 5 already!  I'm not ready for him to be 5.   The older he gets, the quicker his little boy "cuteness" will fade!  His little high pitched voice, his need for his stuffed animal "Noodles", and his endless artwork that he tapes up all over my walls!  Since this birthday is an extra special one, I made sure to make it a memorable one!  The night before, Ben and I decorated the house with crepe paper  balloons, and a Sponge Bob Happy Birthday sign.  (Sophia was loving that!  Yes, Yes...my two year old loves Sponge Bob.  One of the few words in her vocabulary!)  We also taped streamers to his bedroom doorway, so when he woke up he would immediately feel special.  He woke up to "sugar" cereal and a few birthday gifts, that included 3 packs of gum.  That was his favorite gift of the day.  Does that sound weird?  It would to most, but in our house you are not allowed to chew gum until your are 5.   So turning 5 is a much anticipated milestone birthday....the GUM birthday.  Ethan had finished chewing a pack by the end of the day.  His breath never smelled better!  He was very responsible, carrying around the paper each piece came in, to make sure he properly disposed of it when he was done!  

Ethan's birthday fun continued when I took him to McDonald's for lunch, after a short detour to the Pediatrician.  The stop was for Sophia.   She  got something stuck up her nose, but it was gone by the time the Dr. looked up there!  Go figure.

Ethan had his  birthday party at our house.  It was so easy and fun!  I finally paid a little extra this time and rented a bouncer with a slide, and it kept the kids busy the entire time.  It was even a hit with my Mom! Ha!  She did have some problems getting up once she fell!  Gotta love the "kid" in my Mom!

I'm surprised I was able to take pull the kids  away for cake, a Sponge Bob version of pin the tail on the donkey, and opening presents.  Here is the stellar cake Ethan had this year!  I decided that I am done spending time making cakes!  The kids never want to eat them, and they just waste away in my fridge, or I'm tempted to eat all the left overs.  This year I decided to do this, and then give the kids ice cream sandwiches!  That was a hit!  Should have done that years ago when I saw my friend Trina do it.   Ethan had a blast opening his gifts!  It felt like Christmas part 2!  There are still some toys up in my secret hiding spot waiting to be opened and played with!

The party was over by 5:00, and then we headed out as a family to Texas Rhode House for dinner!  The wait was long, but we got a parking spot right in front of the doors, so we just sat in the car and let the kids watch a Movie until our pager went off.  Ethan had a great time, especially when he got another round of dessert!  He wasn't too found of having to sit on the saddle, so Ben had to sit on there with him while they wished him a Happy Birthday.  Ethan said he had a GREAT birthday!   Apparently he thinks it's not over.  When we went to California that weekend, we went to a Japanese Steak House (per Boston's suggestion) and we celebrated his birthday there with my Brother and his kids.  Tonight Ethan said he should get to pick where we got takeout, because it's his birthday!  I'm thinking his birthday is like the song that never ends, it just goes on and on and on!  Funny kid!