The tree out front exploded with blossoms last week - this week all the leaves opened up.  Spring is amazing!
We got to talk with cousin L on Skype tonight - it was kind of bittersweet for me.  This time last year I was enjoying Easter egg hunts with Heather's family, sharing L's birthday in person, taking a road trip w/ Heather & the kids and being rescued by Heather & Ryan when J-boy sliced up his chin at the playground.  It was such a blessing to live near them for that year - it just wasn't nearly long enough!

 I brought the tote of Spring decorations into the house, but K-lady got to it before I did and set out a Spring Party for us.  She made snacks of cuties and fig newtons and flavored water, and decorated the toy room, and set up Easter egg hunts.  It was pretty cute to see her so excited to be the hostess.

 Family Home Evening activity at the Park - we brought the bikes along -- Baby A's pretty reckless w/ her retro red trike - she's always popping wheelies taking the turns too tight. :)

 Conference Sunday - I love conference weekend!  It's so refreshing and energizing to refocus and recommit and be excited about doing good.  There was a huge thunder/hail/high-winds storm tonight, and our power went out for about an hour.  The older kids were already in bed, but our late-napper-Baby A stayed up to play with flashlights and Joseph chatted w/ the local ham radio boys and I lit all the candles I could find.  :)

 Today was General Conference Saturday - Joseph had priesthood meeting at the church, so the kids and I went to 'family movie night' at the theatre downtown - an old Spanish-architecture beauty that was restored a few years ago - we enjoyed explored a little after the movie was over. :)

 K-lady and her friend found this huge cocoon on the bush in the front yard - since they'd already plucked it, we decided to give it a new home in a mason jar w/ grass and leaves and see what happened.

I love it when the shapes and colors and textures in the sky compensate for the flatness of the land here.

 Baby-A 'helped' me measure out the flour for bread.  The floor needed sweeping anyway, might as well enjoy the mess, right?

 J-boy flipped the pancakes for dinner tonight.  :)

 And then it snowed the next day!  Ah, Spring in the midwest!

 We bought a mega-tent w/ our Costco membership cash back rewards. :)  We fit 2 queen air mattresses and a pack-and-play, and still had a 'sitting room' at one end of the tent. The night before we had a terrifying thunderstorm.  Somehow the children slept through it, but Joseph and I laid awake and stared at each other wide eyed as we counted the seconds between the lightening flash and the thunder rumble (which we could feel quite distinctly through the air mattress - just a leetle disconcerting!).  The next morning we woke to cold, grey drizzle.  The kids played on my i-touch and Joseph's phone while Joseph and I packed up camp.

 Spring Break Camping trip to AK -- I had no idea AK was beautiful!  We had a great time - so nice to be together w/o distractions.

 The first little start popping up out of the seed pellets -- the focus isn't fantastic, but I love the little droplets of water on the tip of the 'leaves.'

 Up to the city for a little lesson on Adobe Lightroom from my friends, Ann & Heidi.  Couldn't resist snapping a shot of the baby in the house (just 12 days old, same one we visited in the hospital the 11th) - what an angel!  Babies are a miracle.

 Baby A was invited to her first ever friend birthday party!  I made this little apron and toy oven mit, and wrapped them up w/ a muffin mix for the gift.  I'm in love w/ pom-pom trim!  :)

This is what we do at the end of the day, after dishes are done.  Perfect snuggle up on the couch time.  :)

 Joseph the farmer has started his seeds (these little pellets are amazing!)

Hallelujah!  Spring is COMING!

 corned beef & veggies, roasted red potatoes (sorry, not green) green applesauce, homemade bread - we are definitely lucky. :)  (that was my first venture into photoshop CS5 text path goodness - love it!)

 She always finds a way to get what she wants.  (I fear for the future)

 painting the hive!

Homemade yogurt - we love this stuff, and it really isn't very complicated to make (and WAY cheaper than store-bought yogurt)!  My friend Rebekah taught me how - her kids call it "Momma's ice cream shop."

 Joseph and I found this note when we went up to bed.  K-lady HATES it when we show any physical affection.  :)  Her note gave us a good laugh. :)  (we keep telling her she's lucky her mom and dad love each other....)

No visit to Grandma's house is complete w/o feeding the chickens in their 'chicken tractor.'  Baby A was absolutely enthralled.

 Our trip up to the city couldn't have been timed better - we got to visit this guy when he was 1 day old, still in the hospital.  Sweet sweet baby boy!!!

Piano lesson for J-boy in the practice room while K-lady is in her lesson down the hall.  Works out 80% of the time (which is much better than trying to do it at home!)

 He's so hooked.

 Daddy-dog-pile (just another attempt to avoid bed-time)  :)

 goof ball. :)

 For J-boy's birthday he and daddy enrolled in karate together - it's pretty fun to watch them show off their moves.

 She touched a hot burner a about a week ago - so so so sad.  But absolutely amazing how quickly her soft little skin heals!

 leftover poms from J-boys b-day fit right in for March. :)

 I love going through my music from college and trying to decipher Dr. Pollei's many-colored-markings - a new color for each time I played the piece for him.

Baby A's sitter painted her nails for her - she was so so so proud!!!  As for the binky - we found it in some box, and she decided she'd get attached.  Gr.  We 'lost' the binky, and now she's sucking her thumb whenever she's tired.  Double Gr.

My rear view :)  These kids make me smile.  J-boy is in love w/ a set of CD's that were given to us about 5 years ago called Scripture Scouts - it's children dramatizing/telling/singing/pretending-they-are-in scripture stories.  It drives Joseph CRAZY, and he has forbidden it when he is driving (can't really blame him - one of the characters is a talking dog.  'nough said.)  But J-boy constantly requests it, telling Daddy, "Scripture Scouts helps me learn about Jesus!"  His pleas fall on deaf daddy ears.  :)  But I'm a softy, and I'll usually put it in for him.  The silly parts get them all smiling and giggling and all 3 kids sing along. It's priceless.

(and it's all part of my not-so-secret-fantasy where my life is really a musical - dim the lights and cue the vamp!)  

Whenever we have playgroup at our house this little guy goes straight for the weapons.  :)

Love this girl!


cleaning up my computer -rearranging hard drives/backups/10 years of digital pictures/clearing out space for my new toys!
I felt so giddy installing this stuff (muah ha ha - adobe software... total domination is emminent!)

Every little girl needs a big brother with a light saber and ski goggles to protect her.


J-boy was so excited about his new lightsabers (he got THREE yesterday at his birthday party!). He woke up early, rescued the lightsabers from their forced exile (brought upon them by bedtime the night before), and quietly distributed one to K-lady (still curled up on that multi-colored blanket there - yes, she IS in there), and one to Baby A (still asleep in her crib). Now THAT is love. :)

 J-boy's b-day party was OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD!!!!  :)

 J-boy birthday!  cupcakes at school

 ninja sanctuary on the kitchen table

 Joseph bought all the girls potted tulips for Valentine's day, and J-boy got candy.  We were all happy. :)  He also bought me a trunk-load of canning supplies.  I guess I'll CAN this summer!

 all that snow melted pretty quick when the sun came out - this puddle (lake?) along the side of our house made me grateful we don't have a basement!

 Happy Valentine's Day!  Dinner of steak, shrimp, roasted red potatoes & green beans, with strawberries, bananas & marshmallows w/ chocolate fondue.  And then cheese cake cause we needed more sugar (!).

 we've been into the games lately -- J-boy can beat all of us at mancala. :)

 a little soccer in the church gym on Sat. afternoon

 Valentine's ready for school!

 a little Valentine's Day photo moment (snow day #4 in the last week, with two days off for parent teacher conferences meant that the kids only had 1 day of school this week)

another view of the drifted patio -- that window is the one I took the last picture through.  

quite a bit more snow - and all of it right on the tail of reading a book called The Children's Blizzard for book club -- sad sad book about a bunch of children being caught in a horrible sudden blizzard on their way home from school in the northern midwest in 1913.  I am so glad I don't live in a sod house.  Or a log cabin.  Or travel by horse & wagon.  Or let my kids walk 2 miles to school by their own little selves.  I am happy to look at the blizzard from INSIDE, thank you very much!!!!