April 2015 little things

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.

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!).

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.

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:

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!