Easter

This Easter was a lot of fun.  The kids colored eggs with their Dad and the Easter Bunny came of course.  Their Nana Brenda made really cool rice crispy eggs that were filled with candy and sent them to the kids.  It was a lot of fun.  

Baby R ready to decorate with her bunny ears on.

Eggs from Nana

The "jackpot" inside the eggs.

Spring Break

We had a lot of fun this Spring break.  While the older two were gone the younger ones got to have a sledding party with their friends, and then had dinner with them and a movie.  On the other days we went shopping, to the pool, had pizza and movie parties and went to a dog shelter so Little L could walk some dogs.  After the other kids got back we did more sledding, went to the library a few times, had a pool party with friends and spent a lot of time watching movies.  It was very relaxing and fun to have nothing on the schedule!!

Little L with her friends.

Movie party in the toy room for Baby R.

A snowman with a big nose!!

Little L and I made Grandma Vance's famous crepes twice.  

The epic snowball fight- here is the girls' fort.

The boys fort for the snowball fight.

Another snowman.  He must be going shopping.

Boys vs. Girls in the snowball fight!!

Adventures in Utah

The two oldest got to go on their first airplane trip to Utah for Spring Break.  Dad had a recruiting trip at BYU that weekend and so we sent these two off a few days early to spend some time with their family and friends before meeting their dad at his hotel.  They got to go to a movie and Provo Beach resort with Grandma Vance, they spent time with Grandma Gunnell and ate some of her fantastic cooking.  She treated them to bowling and a fun game center with their cousins.  They went out to breakfast with Aunt Katy, Aunt Jody and Uncle Trey and then to a cool mummy exhibit up in SLC.  They got to go out with their cousins Emily and Sarah Rogers to eat lunch (Aunt Sherri's treat) and to a super fun game center.  At night they spent time with their dad at the Provo Courtyard Marriott and swam, watched movies and ate great food.  One night Aunt Catherine and Uncle Doug went swimming with them and out to Tapanyaki Grill.  On Sunday they got to see Aunt Kim, Uncle Boo and their cute kids, Uncle Ryan and Aunt Carissa, Uncle Clayton and Grandma and Grandpa Gardner at Grandma Vance's house.  On their last day they got to meet up with some of our best friends from Oregon, the Davis family (who are also cousins), at BYU.  They had a blast eating out and touring BYU with them.  It was a super fun trip!!  Thanks to everyone who made it fun for them!

Waiting at the airport.

Ready to board the Southwest airplane.

Our best friends ever, the Davis family, whom we miss desperately!!!

Big B is Five Months Old!

This little man gets so much love from the family.  We love you Big B!!

Uncle Russ's Visit!

We had so much fun with my brother Russell.  He came out for a week.  It was so much fun to have him around.  He spoiled me with help cleaning, cooking, playing with the kids and great conversation all day long.  The kids loved the extra attention and fun!!  Thanks for the visit bro.  Come again!!

Russ feeding Big B.

Making us chicken quesadillas.

Swimming with the kids at the rec. center.

He treated everyone to a fun movie called Wreck it Ralph.

These three boys snuck out to the store on Sat. and Uncle Russ bought all the ingredients for a gourmet breakfast!!

It was so yummy and there were tons of leftovers!!

We took a tour of downtown Denver with Russ.

Russ found his store!!

I love my buddy Russ!!

Uncle Russ helped Mr. M buy a used phone then added him to his phone plan with unlimited text!!!  Mr. M is in heaven!!

The lobby in Dad's work building.

Achievement Day

The oldest two got to participate in a piano Achievement Day this year.  It was a great experience for them preparing to take a theory test, getting two songs memorized to perform, and creating a project.  I recorded their pieces at home because I didn't get to sit in on their playing with the judge.

Lady K made this decoration with blocks of wood and vinyl lettering.

Mr. M's collage of all his musical experiences.

Missouri

We took a quick trip to Missouri last weekend to see the church sites.  It was such a great trip.  I have to admit that I wasn't thrilled about the idea at first.  As the trip got closer and Dad was telling me about all the places we would visit I started to get excited.  It ended up being one of my best trips ever!!  I learned so much and felt more connected with the pioneers of the church.  The trip changed my life.  We stayed in a hotel near Kansas City and visited Liberty Jail, Independence visitors' center, the Community of Christ temple, the new Kansas City temple, Far West, Haun's Mill and Adam-ondi-ahman.  It was two days of driving and two days of site seeing.  Just the right amount of both for this family.

While there we also celebrated Lady K and Dad's birthdays.  We went out to dinner (a big deal for us!), swam in the hotel pool, popped popcorn and watched movies in our hotel and just enjoyed the time together.  It was a great trip.

The reconstructed Liberty Jail.  For the most part, this was the most memorable site for the kids.

By the Liberty Jail.

A random pencil that was probably 40 feet tall.

An old printing press at the Independence visitors' center.

The play room at the visitors' center.

Our tiny little pioneer eating his hands.

An intense game of checkers.

At the Independence Visitors' center we ran into our old MTC choir director.  Do any of you recognize him?  What  a great guy with such a strong spirit!

The Community of Christ Temple (formerly known as the Reorganized  Chuch of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  They have a cool museum on the first floor with some of Joseph Smith's personal items and the original door to the Liberty Jail.

Independence visitors' center.

The new Kansas City temple.

Celebrating the two birthdays at Red Robin.

They got super balloon hats for their birthdays!  Haha.  A certain girl was really embarrassed to wear hers.

The placard at Far West temple site.

The original city map of Far West.

This is the temple site at Far West.  There are four corner stones there within the gates.  The spirit when we stepped onto the temple ground was unmistakable, like when I step into a real temple.  It was truly a sacred place.

This is believed to be a mill stone from Haun's Mill.  

And this is the thriving metropolis across the street from that mill stone.  It was a terribly run down place  but people still live there.

This is Adam-ondi-ahman.  Wow, what an amazing place.  So much has happened here and is yet to happen.  You can't even come close to capturing the beauty and magnificence of this place with a camera.

Hallowed ground!!  I could feel it.  Adam blessed his children here, Nephites built altars here, Christ will come here.  It was amazing to be in this place!!

I think what these guys will remember from Adam-ondi-ahman was the unlimited supply of sticks to throw, fight with and use as walking sticks.  

A smiley, bundled baby at Adam-ondi-ahman.