We have a pool!

It's so much fun to play at the pool.

Relax in the water.

Soak up the sun.

Play with sisters.

Splash.

And most of all, squish your two bodies into a teen tiny box, you call a pool!

Anxiously awaiting summer.....

Birthday Celebrations

Well, I'm finally getting around to blogging again.  To say it's been a little crazy around here, is quite the UNDERstatement.

I gave Dave his birthday basket on Thursday morning to use during his golf weekend.  BUT his actually birthday was the next Monday.  So he already received his present....I was somewhat at a loss of what to do.  He ended up going golfing in the morning with my Uncle Corey.  By the time he got back, I had hatched a plan, and Grandma was there to watch the kids.  I wanted to break away from the norm, and do something different.  And since I knew he already got exactly what he wanted, why not do something random together?  

Since we were planning a move to Tennessee, I thought it might be appropriate to do some "Utah" things, that he loved.  One of his great "Utah" loves, are the mountains.  Hiking, camping, just being in nature.  So I found a hike that looked fun, and we went on it.  I made sure it wasn't a long hike since he had already played a game of 18 holes of golf.  Round trip it was just over 1 mile!  Perfect.  The trail is in American Fork and called Battle Creek Falls.  It was quite beautiful, and fun being together, sans kids, in nature.  

This would be the most amazing view in the fall!  Now that we're staying, we might just have to go back and see all the beautiful colors.  

Next up was dinner at his favorite, P.F. Chang's.  Well, he had had a pretty big lunch and wasn't quite ready to eat so early (I think it was about 5:00) so we headed up to do the last item, and then planned to go to dinner.  I kept warning him that it was really random, but again, wanted to break away from the "classic" date night of dinner and a movie.  So on our drive to Santiquin, yes, Santiquin, we listened to music, enjoyed a car ride and each other's company with out the crazies usually in the back.

And arrived at The Red Barn.  It's an apple orchard that harvests all different kids of fresh apples and other fruit.  Because of the time of year the actual orchards weren't growing apples, but they still had delicious fresh fruit from other local farms.  I kept telling Dave on the drive up how ironic it was, he didn't quite understand,  and I wasn't about to fill him in......the ironic part was that we had passed a few apple orchards already.  He commented at each one how pretty they were, which gave me hope that he wouldn't think I was crazy for bringing him.

The main reason I wanted to go, was to get him fresh, pure, delicious apple juice.  It's his favorite, and me, who doesn't really like apple juice...LOVED it.  It was pretty much amazing.  While we were there, we had to try samples of their delicious chocolate covered fruit.  And of course buy some other goodies for ourselves.  Part of my original idea was to come here after dinner so we could have dessert of fresh ice cream....but he was still full...so we settles on buying treats for later.  Carmel apple, peanut butter truffles, pear butter, apple syrup, and the amazing apple juice.

The apple blossoms were still quite beautiful and we had to get a couple of shots....

We did finish the evening at P.F. Chang's, and Dave who was still full, was just too happy to have lots of leftovers.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LOVE!  Hope it was just as much fun as it was random.

Fun changes

The exciting changes I briefly mentioned....WE'RE MOVING to Tennessee.  

We're so sad to say goodbye to our friends and family, but very excited for a new adventure.  And of course being close to my Mom and Dad won't be so bad either. 

April Birthday's

Jenni and Dave's birthday's are in April.  So, as to tradition, we got together and celebrated.  

I knew Dave wouldn't really care, so I did it more to Jenni's taste :)  I set up the girls marble maze on our coffee table.  Jenni had mentioned that she wanted to play with it when Sophie got it for her birthday...so now was her chance :) 

I put up a banner with PURPLE balloons...

And used our PURPLE placemats, I also had the "You are special plate" out for her.

 

She came well prepared for my color scheme!  Cha had done her hair for her B-day, and then they all came up.  

We had fun spending time together, gorging ourselves on 5 Guys, and celebrating Dave and Jenni who we LOVE so much.  

Happy Birthday Dave

For Dave's birthday this year he wanted to do another golf trip.  Unfortunately, an actual trip wasn't  

in the cards...but he took a few days off work, and made it a golf weekend.  It was weird not expected to have any involvement.  I wanted to do SOMETHING...put some effort into saying "happy birthday" so I came up with this: 

A golf basket 

( I used the printables I made from a couples bridal shower)  

Even though he was just going to pay for his weekend on the debit card...I thought this would be more fun...labeled envelopes with cash, and a cute golf key ring.

I got him some new golf balls,

And plenty of fluids, so as to not dehydrate in the sun for hours
( too bad it was cold all weekend...it's the thought, right?)
I added a cute label to each drink, and on top of the lid.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAVE!  Hope the  90 HOLES were as fun as expected.

Playing catch up.

We have had a VERY BUSY past few weeks.  Fun changes are coming.  So I have felt very "out of the loop" with many things.  And have been putting lots of other things on hold.  I knew I couldn't let Easter completely pass with out having a family discussion, lesson with them.  Monday night, for FHE we had the Easter lesson.  I used my Nursery manuel with pictures.  They were VERY attentive, and responsive.  They already have a special love for Christ, and love hearing "stories" centered around Him.  I'm so glad we did this, some nights of FHE I wonder why I even try :) and others I feel so good.  This was a feel good :) 

After we were done I thought it would be fun to color eggs.  Another tradition we missed in the craziness that is our lives lately.  They were all over it.  It took up the rest of our night very nicely. 

I found these cute face stickers from Seagull

Soph used them on all her eggs

Aubree's were a little more diverse.  She did a little of everything, including stickering, and coloring her half eaten egg :) Perfect way to end our Easter celebrations.

Happy Easter

HAPPY EASTER!  This was our Easter present....at least it was washable :)

I failed again this year, in focusing on Christ.  In my defense I didn't focus on the Easter bunny either, but I need to do better with this holiday.  I AM so thankful for Easter, and Christ.  And his amazing story of resurrection. I love opportunities to share with children, and usually take them head on....

The girls woke up Sunday morning to find the Easter bunny had come to visit, and left them some fun "prizes"

Sophie's in blue's and green's

Fun new board books

and Aubree's in pink.

After the thrill of new toys, we coaxed them into getting dressed for church.  Sophie, my litte ham, was making faces with Aunt Jenni.

I tried to get a cute Easter photo of them, but they were just being silly.

and Sophie photo bombed Aubree's picture.  She just cracks me up.

Our mini family

They had a fun Easter morning, and at church they got the spiritual side. :)