my first haircut

I have been having a hard time seeing. If Mommy doesn't put my hair up into a Pebbles, or into pigtails, then my hair is C-R-A-Z-Y and I look like a wild-child! So when the Campbells came for dessert tonight and Aunt Sheila offered to cut my bangs, Mommy was very excited. Laurel got on the phone and called Becca over to be part of the fun...and before you know it, I had my first haircut! I flinched a few times, but didn't really cry. When it was all over I kept trying to find my bangs...but they're gone! I also made sure to give Aunt Sheila a big tip.

seventeen years

Today is our 17th Wedding Anniversary. We were married in the Oakland Temple on the first pretty spring day of 1991. There are days when we drive each other crazy ~ But there are other days where we just laugh and have a good time. What matters most is how much we love each other, how much we love our fun little family, and how much we are dedicating ourseves to making it through this crazy life the best way we can.

Here are a few pictures of us back when we were younger...

opening day

Today was Opening Day for Little League Baseball. And boy, was it ever C-O-L-D-Y!! I was glad that Daddy took Malcolm and left the rest of us at our warm house.

Malcolm is playing on the Twins team with Ethan. They will have one or two (sometimes three) games a week from now until June 19th. Right now they are using a pitching machine, but at the beginning of May they will switch to kid-pitch. Coach has pulled Malcolm in to practice a few times...we'll see what the season brings.

Bring on the warm weather!!

photos compliments of our Staff Photographer, Jason Kidd!

spring soccer

Laurel didn't want to play baseball this year...she really wanted to play Spring Soccer. Luckily, the Coach she had in the fall is coaching "one last time" and Laurel got on her team! She's now in a 9+ league...and a couple of the 14 girls on her team are 13 years old. They play a 6-game season against 3 other teams.

Daddy took her to her first game. It was rainy, and snowy, and sleety, and it even hailed. Laurel took some big falls...right into the muddiest parts of the field, of course, but Daddy said she held her own against the big girls. She wasn't even fussy or crying when she got home ~ she actually looked proud of her muddy-self.

Hopefully this WINTER weather is behind us and we can get some nice, sunny Spring days for the next 5 weeks. Even if you have to stand in the rain (or whatever other unpleasant weather Mother Nature has in store for us), you won't be disappointed if you come to a game. These girls are LOVING soccer!

the great kapok tree

Malcolm's 2nd grade class gave a great performance of Lynne Cherry's "The Great Kapok Tree." Malcolm was a Tree Frog and hopped through is lines very nicely. The kids did a great job, and it was a good reminder of how we need to be stuards of this beautiful earth. It was also their Student Teacher's last day with them, so they had a Cast Party (with LOTS of food) after the families left. Malcolm said he wants to take a Field Trip to her school and visit her on the last day of the school year...he must really love her!!

note the blur: that's Malcolm...

RAAAAACHEL!!!

why did you send your FREAK snowstorm to our side of the mountain?! I mean, don't get me wrong ~ we had a great time and everything, but seriously?! Isn't it SPRING yet?

a new phase of life

This morning we woke up to pounding feet and shouting. Doug went down to find out what the problem was...he came up and said that Laurel and Malcolm were fighting over who "GOT" to sweep! And sure enough, when I came down a few minutes later, the floor was cleaner than it was when I went to bed last night.

While she was eating (and Laurel was still sweeping) Aubrey said to Laurel, "You're like a Maid, Laurel." To which Laurel adamantly declared, "No I'm not, Aubrey!!" "Yes you are, Laurel, you're like a Maid...you're cleaning." Near tears Laurel defended herself one last time, "I'm not like a Maid, Aubrey, I'm just sweeping."

But Aubrey has a point...Laurel has recently become very interested in sweeping the floors, vacuuming, and generally keeping the house tidier (unless we're specifically asking her to clean her room, of course). Being the cynical person that I am, at first I assumed she was just trying to avoid her homework ~ but she was cleaning after it was done. Then I determined that she wanted something (like a new Webkinz or cash) ~ but so far she's received nothing but THANKS from me, and she's STILL cleaning.

And then this week I realized that the days she's most interested in cleaning are the days that I have made some headway in making our home more organized. After all, it's more fun to clean something that's already pretty much clean.

And she has great influence over Malcolm and Aubrey ~ well, mostly over Malcolm right now. A couple of weeks ago I asked the kids to pick up the downstairs before dinner. I asked Laurel to head it up...and sure enough, within about 30 minutes, Laurel had lead Malcolm and even Aubrey in putting toys upstairs, vacuuming, sweeping, cleaning the powder room, and setting the table. And after they completed a task, they'd go running back to Laurel..."I did it Laurel ~ do you want to check and make sure I did a good job?!"

Laurel and Malcolm actually argue about who is going to "GET to clean" the bathrooms! And they do a pretty good job (thank goodness for those Clorox wipies!). While Laurel's passion seems to be sweeping, Malcolm loves to vacuum. And even Aubrey gets in on the fun by "dusting" the blinds and living room furniture. Dana seems to be more of a "born organized" little girl, and willingly (often without being asked) puts her shoes in her bucket, her gloves and coat in the hall closet. I wonder if it's too early to teach her to use a hanger...

I realize this is most likely a short-lived phase, so I'm going to try and enjoy it while it lasts. And hope that it will rub off on Aubrey and Dana...and me.

Easter Sunday

Amid all the fun and excitement that Easter brings, it was nice to attend Church today and remember, through scriptures, song and testimonies, that Jesus Christ is the reason we celebrate.

We rejoice His life. We are humbled by His atoning sacrifice in Gethsemane. “And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!” (Doctrine & Covenants 76:22)

neighborhood egg hunt

We had our 3rd Annual neighborhood Egg Hunt today. The kids were very excited...especially for the Golden Eggs. The neighbors who want to participate fill plastic eggs with candy, small toys, or coins. And the HOA supplies Golden Eggs ~ which allow the finders to get a "big prize." The Easter Bunny even made an appearance! Dana, as you might well imagine, kept her distance from the Bunny AND anyone she thought might taker her TO the Bunny. Malcolm was the only one who was willing to take a picture with the Big Bunny.

The Egg Hunt is just one of the many reasons we love our neighborhood so much!!!

defining fun...

Consider for a minute the definitions of these words:

min·u·et n. 1. A slow, stately pattern dance in 3/4 time for groups of couples.

dou·ble D n. 1. a force to be reckoned with.

ma·jor adj. 7. Music: a. Designating a scale or mode having half steps between the third and fourth and the seventh and eighth degrees.


David & Dana have been a couple since the day they met in the spring of '06. They are the third and fourth children (respectively) in their families. If you've ever been to the bus stop with them, you know that they are slow and stately in their walking patterns.

And so, I present to you: Minuet in double D major

luck o' the irish

I love a good holiday...especially when you can include family and some good food to the celebrations.

green clover pancakes for breakfast...

corned beef & cabbage, potato hash, Irish soda bread and green milk & green pina coladas (not pictured) for dinner.

Sadly, I was so busy thinking of the FOOD that I forgot to take pictures of the CUTE KIDS in our family...but trust me, they were all "greened" out and they looked very Irish...

We were happy that the Campbells joined us for dinner and Family Home Evening (Easter lesson). And we're glad that Aunt Sheila made yummy soda bread (giant breakfast biscuits) and that Uncle Andy made the potato hash. mmm-mmm-Good!

hopping down the bunny trail

The Campbells invited Aubrey and Dana (and me) to join them at a Community Egg Hunt today. We got there just as the 1-3 year old hunt ended, so Dana and Preston joined Aubrey and the rest of the big kids (4-6 years old) for some Egg Hunting fun.

Aubrey was lucky enough to find a number in one of her eggs and was awarded a Special Prize (a camo bucket hat with candy and army-dude toys in it).

Then the kids played the games, bounced in the bouncy houses, and even did an art project ~ collecting candy and other goodies along the way.

During the two hours we were there, Aubrey and Dana had been keeping a close eye on the Easter Bunny, who was posing for pictures with the kids. When we said it was time to leave, Aubrey decided that she really wanted to meet him. And lucky us, we got these great pictures. I'll be framing Dana's and hanging it next to her Santa picture from this last year. ;)

THANKS, Campbells ~ we had a great time!!

saLON dilLON

Laurel had her friend Karen over after school today. Laurel set up a comfortable chair for her, grabbed a stool for her feet, and gave Karen a very relaxing, fancy French manicure and pedicure. Ahhh -- the life of luxury (Laurel touched up her toes after this picture was taken ~ I just didn't get the final shot).

Make your appointment today ~ limited time offer. ;)

getting dressed

Yesterday Dana insisted on trying to dress herself. She started off well, but ended up getting both legs down the same leg-hole...we'll keep trying! ;)

fun in the (almost) sun

bikes & Webkinz Tag