April started out with April Fools day which is always my favorite.  
I was scrambling around in the morning to find my trusty plastic spider I put in Max’s breakfast every single year.  Why is that so fun for me?  This is what I try to do every year back HERE.
But this year alas, that trusty little spider was nowhere to be found.  I found a humongous one in the Halloween bucket but that wasn’t going to do the trick.  I tried putting it in his lunch but he found it before I even put it there.  So I was back to the drawing board.
Then the day happened and everything came at me in rush speed and I forgot it was April Fools.  Until I saw a post from my friend on Instagram from my friend who put toothpaste in Oreos for her kids and my stressed out post-carpool funk suddenly got wiped away by stopping quick at CVS and picking up the goods. 

Max kind of spilled the beans by saying “toothpaste!” when he stole one from the pantry, but he still ate that thing and said it tasted minty.  And Lu took the cake making us laugh because although she absolutely detests toothpaste that isn’t specifically kids’ toothpaste, she ate one of those puppies right up, including licking the inside.

We were all busting up.

It’s always good to get a little April Fools in, even at the expense of your children.

I did art masterpiece in Lucy’s class and it was a pretty fun one.  It was based on a painting with dalmatians (sad that I can’t even remember the artist…oh boy I’m losing it!).  My friend had the brilliant idea to let them try their hand at sculpting with play-doh the year before, so I copied her and boy these kids adored it!

I made the play-doh the night before.  Let’s pretend that greenish stuff is actually black.

The kids each got a little baggie with their supplies the next day:

Here’s the recipe straight from my dear friend in Virginia years and years ago…I’ve used it so many times since then and it’s got a special spot in my handy recipe binder (back HERE).

Check out these cute little dogs the kids came up with:

Then it was Easter.

I talked all about that Utah/conference stuff back HERE.

So grateful for that opportunity.

Sometimes I can’t help taking a screen shot of these humansofny posts.

Makes me feel powerful too, but weak as can be at the same time.

Lots of responsibility there I tell you!

I went to Lucy’s field day at the school:

Dave’s sister and her family came to town…(I wrote a little bit about their visit back HERE, love so much when they come to town!).

Max got answered to prom (that’s an inside joke language on those bellies):
They both did their day-dates.  Elle and her group played some kind of soccer game while wearing these huge blow-up balls so they could collide into each other.  See the balls behind the kids in the picture below?

And I can’t find a picture of Max’s day date, but they went up into the mountains had a great time.

Then they actually went to prom.

I took Max’s pictures…here we are at the end:

All the pictures and how crazy it was getting these two ready at the same time back HERE.

I didn’t get to see much of Elle but she had a great time and we finally got her pictures back a couple weeks ago.  I’m going to post them soon with a little bit about my thoughts on her dress and the shoulders some were worried about…there were some good questions so hopefully I can finalize my draft soon.

I found Lucy at the computer one Saturday morning doing this:

She loves art.

My sister-in-law introduced me to the best hairdresser who will come to our house and take care of all of us girls.  Elle had never had highlights and I finally caved right before prom.

Our new haircuts:

Dave’s sister came to visit.  She is such a wonderful, positive person and I love her!

…and that t-shirt our neighbors gave Max as a joke that he loves…

Lots of looking at this trying to figure out if we should wallpaper our laundry room:

My brother and his family surprised us by coming through town on their way home from their school break.  We can never get enough of these guys.

Some of Claire’s friend have phones and take pictures at school which make me happy.

I spoke at a women’s conference this great lady in the front put together.

And one of my missionary companions was there! (in the green on the left).  Love her so.  Wish we had more time to get caught up.  My sweet mother-in-law came too.

We had a little birthday party for two of our good friends…here are some of our teenagers.

The girls and I hang together in their bathroom every morning as I help them bathe and get ready.

…and nag them to make their beds and put away those darn legos and ask them for the twenty-thousandth time why in the world trash doesn’t make it into the actual trash can.  Oh and why to bobby pins have to be left all over creation?

Just a few things I ponder while I hang with them:)

I had to snap a little picture of Claire putting her shoes on from my perch on the edge of the tub helping Lu with her bath.

It’s only for a little while each morning, but I love being there with them and talking about “stuff.”

It’s the little moments like that that I love so much about mothering.

Unless I have to get on their cases for dawdling so darn much.

Because oh boy do they ever, to that’s a regular occurrence.

But there’s still a good feeling in that bathroom with my three little girls.

They tell me what to do with their hair and I do it.

Every once in a while I remember to take a picture.

And every once in a while our hair talks turn into deeper talks about life and love and God.
These cute girls in our gym carpool practiced their guts out for their performance (last Saturday…more on that soon).

One day we turned our whole house into a photo studio so I could help our friend with a photo shoot for a new practice he is starting.

There were make-up people and stylers and a whiz-bang advertising guy who knew what he was doing.

Our cute neighbor taught Claire some skate tricks.

These girls got creative for a little art project.

We took some pictures of the three graduating cousins at Nana and Papa’s house one night…

…which turned into this:

…and this:

…and this:

…oh and this:

Little do these kids know right now how incredibly lucky they are to have each other.

Lucy’s new perch during Family Home Evening (gradually we are starting to actually decorate this place!)

Dave’s brother and sis-in-law came to town and we went to lunch.

Love discussing the world with them.

Bike rides and more about them back HERE.

Rumikub Family Home Evening:

(Lu and Claire were on the same team about to win…)

Lucy’s nightstand:

I love how much she loves to read.

…and that I got to go with her on her class field trip to the “Butterfly Wonderland.”

Love this teacher of hers with all my heart.

You can’t see all the butterflies, but man alive there were a whole slew of them.  Lucy was dying to have one land on her and was so disappointed when everyone around her had butterflies plopping down on their shoulder or heads.  She waited so patiently for one to land on her to no avail.  Finally my friend “helped” one land right on her belly.  She is a butterfly whisperer I tell you!

Claire finished the fifth Harry Potter:

Grace helped me cook up a storm:

Lucy did yoga in Activity Days:

Friends at the volleyball games:

Claire’s “Golden Scholar” night:

(pics of her back here)

We helped my nephew with his Eagle project doing “Billions of Graves.”

Such a gorgeous morning and a great way to connect with ancestors.

Lu and I finally cleaned out her closet and put up the stuff we’ve been wanting to for a while.

I wish I had a “before” picture.

My ankle has been swollen all month.  It’s so weird.

And it’s driving me nutty.  It doesn’t hurt, but the valley fever specialist said your body does all kinds of weird things when you have this crazy thing.

So when one night we all sat down and watched “Shark Tank” randomly (our television is very rarely on on weekdays), it felt so nice that my girls would rub it for me!

I love, love, love that all these kids do their own laundry except for Lucy.

I especially love it when they aren’t fighting while doing it! 🙂

These two started tennis (again).

I don’t have a picture of one of the assistant coaches who offered to help but he’s really handsome and good and his name is David and these girls love him (and the main coach who has taught them intermittently as well as Elle for years.

One of our old favorite FHE activities re-discovered:

(You fold over the paper three times and everyone draws the head on their own paper.  Then they fold it so the next person can’t see it and pass it on.  The next person draws the body then folds and passes and the last draws the feet.  Love it.)

Our fireplace cracked and New Years Eve (the first time we turned it on).  From there that tiny crack got worse and worse and worse until we had to hold it all together with duct tape.

We’ve spent some good time on that baby and how to replace it.

Hopefully soon.

I was mesmerized by this beautiful view in a doctor’s office:

The iPhone can’t do it justice, it was gorgeous.

We rarely saw Max and Elle in April since they were on the courts so much.  More about the tennis wrap up back HERE, and I need to get to the end of volleyball asap (just ended this last week), but we did get to have the team over for a big dinner like we did last year and I was so grateful for my assistant in the kitchen:

Grace and her team partner made a pretty awesome rocket at school.

Wish I could find the video…that thing took off!

Ok I’m off to a field trip but wanted to wrap up April before May speeds up and ends!

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14 Comments

  1. Such a fun and busy month! I love your posts. Would you mind sharing where your dining table and chairs came from? I've been looking all over for a large round white table. Thanks again for sharing so many great things with us!

  2. Such a fun and busy month! I love your posts. Would you mind sharing where your dining table and chairs came from? I've been looking all over for a large round white table. Thanks again for sharing so many great things with us!

  3. Your blog post about Lucy and bike riding was so tender. Our grandson, age 8, has recently been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome. Hearing about all the wonderful people who have helped Lucy (and you!) on her path was inspiring for me, and I forwarded it to our daughter. Currently she is home schooling him (hopefully temporary until the school lines up services for him) and it is so challenging for her. She is in Houston and I'm in Provo, so I can't physically help her on a day-to-day basis. But, reading about Lucy's teachers has given my prayers direction and encouragement to hi mom.

  4. Not sure if you got my comment- just wondering where you get your comfy and relaxing looking shirts?? I would love to know cuz I'm tall too and the shirts you where look long and go w everything:) thanks shawni!

  5. I have had a swollen ankle for a couple years. I've been to several doctors (neurologist, 3 internists) and nobody knows why. I am on a low grade diuretic and I think that has helped somewhat. It takes the pressure off (which is causing pain) by eliminating extra water build up. Just an idea.

  6. Can you tell us where you got the tan leather looking sandals you're wearing in the picture with Lucy in the butterfly place??

  7. I didn't see your original prom post so I missed out on the pictures of Elle. I hope you'll post them again, despite the comments people left regarding her shoulders. Also, I loved that the girls in Max's group had coordinating dresses; 2 white, red, blush, and black. Was it planned or just a perfect coincidence?

  8. You take the most beautiful pictures of your family and I love reading about your precious family. Thanks for sharing it with us!

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