Easter 2014

Easter was so fun this year, and I think it was because we scaled back on trying to fill the kids baskets and just enjoyed the day! It was a great balance between the “commercial” colored egg, candy filled aspect of Easter and the spiritual REAL reason.  We had our traditional resurrection rolls to start the week off, and finished it off with reading the account of the resurrection in the scriptures.  

I am so grateful for spring each year, and the rebirth that it brings.  What a blessing it is to watch our kids grow, physically and spiritually!  We are so grateful for our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, and the promise of resurrection that is given to all of us.

I don't know why I can't seem to give up on things that are tradition - case in point - dying easter eggs!  Really why?  Just because that is what you do!

Poor Max ended Easter with a huge goose egg of his own! Yikes!  It was so sad and SO HUGE! He fell off those little camping chairs face first onto the cement patio.  Poor guy!


My all time favorite picture of Easter - I just love how this capture the sweet unique personalities at our home!

Lyvie 4th "Frozen" Birthday

Our sweet Lyvie turned four!  I really cannot believe how quickly time has flown by, and how grown up Olyvia is.
She wanted a Frozen birthday this year, so we had a family Frozen birthday party.  The boys bought her the movie Frozen and an Anna doll. She got a lot of clothes and coloring books - this girl LOVES to color! She also got a real mermaid tail from Gma and Gpa Hill and a Doc McStuffin's set from Gma and Gpa Summers!  She couldn't have been happier about our day - minus actually freezing at the boys baseball games that afternoon!  We had dinner at "Olyvia" Garden and partied all day, so it was a perfect way to celebrate my sweet princess.

Lyv loving dinner at Olyvia's Garden - AKA Olive Garden!

Opening presents first thing that morning! 

Freezing at the boy's baseball games - literally!

Lyvie sporting her Mermaid tail, and showing off her Doc McStuffin's toy!

At age four, Olyvia is a such a sweet, fun little lady!  The only girl is a big role to have in our family of rambunction boys, and she plays the part well.  She wrestles, digs in the dirt, and plays ball with nicely painted fingernails, braids, and princess attire!  I am increasingly grateful for her feminine presence in our home. 

Beautiful CRAZY Spring

 Spring has sprung with a lot of activities for all the kids!  Between baseball, tee ball, ballet, scouts, piano, work, and church we are crazy busy.  But we are content with our chaos, because the kids are enjoying their activities so much.

 Lyv started ballet, and said it was "the best day ever!"  Her teacher is a young woman from the ward who is so kind and patient.  Lyv's body is so hilarious to me because she has this big booty that completely fills our her leotard and these muscular thighs - she looks like a gymnast more than a sleek ballerina!  She puts her total concentration into the lesson and tries to mimic every move - ADORABLE!!

 Finally the boys had opening day for baseball on Saturday!  I always love this time of year.  Maybe it was growing up going to games my entire life, but baseball is one of my favorite sports.  I love the fans, the sunflower seeds, the hot weather, the freezing cold weather, the team unity that develops.  I hope the boys continue to play for a few more years.

 Sam is sporting the #2 in honor of Uncle Ryan!  We still miss him all of the time.  In fact just a few days ago I had a great memory come to me.  When I was about 11 or 12 a friend and I went to see the Babysitter's Club movie (oh yeah baby!) and we couldn't get in because it was PG-13.  I was distraught and Ryan, who had drove us down to Rexburg, sweetly ponied up some dough to buy another ticket and watched it with us so we could go!  What a good brother!

Spring Breakin' in Maui

Wowi! Maui!  After a long wait (11 years) we finally were able to meet up with Shawn's parents for a week in Maui.  They were kind enough to let us mooch off of their time share and we were more than excited to have a week of sun and sand!




We made the most of each day - going on a whale watch, zip lining, golfing, boogie boarding, and EATING!  I don't think I'll be hungry for at least another year…fresh fish and true Hawaiian shaved ices made my tummy happy!! I also got an experience I have been waiting for my entire life - to visit Pearl Harbor.  As a history lover, WWII has always had a special place in my heart, and to be aboard the USS Arizona Memorial was a sacred, humbling experience.  I was overwhelmed to see the oil bubbling up to the surface from a ship that has been sunk for nearly 72 years.  To see the names on wall there made me so grateful for the sacrifices that others have made to preserve and create our great nation.  It was one of my favorite moments.  Also exciting was the chance Shawn and I had to spend with such great company - we laughed a lot!  The only downside, besides missing my little munchkins, was I lost my wedding ring after only being on the beach for about 5 minutes our first day!!!  After combing through the sand for 10 minutes, my father in law found it!!  Thanks heavens - that would have been a Debbie Downer for the rest of the trip.

Waikiki Beach

USS Missouri - signing of surrender from Japan

Golfing at Ka'anapali - there may have been a few swear words dropped on the course this day!

USS Arizona Memorial - Pearl Harbor

Victory - Surviving nearly 12 years of marriage, 4 children, & 7 years of medical school/residency

Humpback whale birthing season runs from Jan - March in Hawaii!! AMAZING to see these creatures!

I was happy to be reunited with my kids after a week of fun, they I'm sure would have taken another week of the life of luxury that is Grandma's, Aunt Michelle's, and Aunt Brigit's, but alas….we had to head back to Yakima!  We've been lucky to have pretty awesome weather this week and hit up the Yogurt Shack to celebrate!  Max a lover of sweets was not thrilled to be sharing, with the worst sharer of all time - Shawn.  The stare down between these two was pretty serious and Max squealed and shrieked every time Shawn tried to sneak a spoonful.  We got to end the two weeks of awesomeness with an awesome group of friends!  We have been so blessed to be adopted into such fun people's lives.  We get to sit back, and laugh while they entertain us until our kids are literally falling asleep on the floor! I'm not sure if we ready for school start up on Monday, but these two weeks have been full of all good things!

(Love Jack photo bombing this pic of the "adults" - what a goof!)