Happy Mothers Day

 I never manage to get lots of pictures on holidays that celebrate me.  I decided to take a few extras this time around.  It was such a fun Mother's Day with lots of cute chances for pictures.  I told Russ I wanted us to make chocolate covered strawberries together and  I wanted cobb salad and garlic bread for dinner.  He came through on all accounts.  We had a great time decorating strawberries and my cobb salad was delicious.  We also had yummy french toast, sausage, and apple juice for breakfast..

The kids were so excited to give me their gifts.  I helped make Mothers Day gifts in both of the girls' classrooms.  In Katelyn's class we decoupaged tissue paper onto vases and put together cute paper flowers.  Her teacher had a little celebration.  Another Mom had put together a song that they sang to us.  It was from Peter Pan I think, and they chorus was "I won't grow up!"  Kyleigh's class made cute little flower magnets with their pictures on them and a shape poem for their moms.  Kyleigh made hers in the shape of her hand.  Katelyn also gave me a very nice note that she took a lot of time to write. Ridge made a card in primary that he was very,very proud of.  He gave it to me, but took it to his room that night and has been sleeping with it in his bed ever since.

I can't forget a shout out to my own Mom and my Mother in law.  Happy Mothers Day!

Ridge's card...

Kyleigh's Poem

"Dear Mom, I think you are happy you are loving you make me smile you make the best bread you are so kind you are so jenerous you make me smile you do fun crafts with me you like to ride biks I love your carmel popcorn you are so jenerous.  Mom I hope you have a good mothes day Love, Kyleigh"

  Katelyn's Letter

I Love you mom  Happy mothers day to you you are the best mom in the world i am happy to have you as a mom You are nice and very fun becus of you some times i like to think of you as my sister But we would get along even no fun you have been the Best mom ever sence the seckend I was born even thow i didn't no eny thing i no that happened Becus you are the nice sweet and fun at the same time that is what i think about you i am glad you are my mom and we are tigether fore evere even if we miss earhath (earth?) we will still Be together fore ever in ure harts no mater what we will Be together for ever mom i will never fore get you no matter what

Graves Family Visit

 Darci came to Boise for a meeting awhile back.  I picked her up from the airport and we spent the night out, eating at Kneaders (a new favorite) and shopping at Hobby Lobby.  I told her about the cake decorating class Kyleigh was taking.  We hatched a plan for Kyleigh to make Hadrian a birthday cake and celebrate with him when they came to Boise just a few weeks later.  Kyleigh was so excited.  She immediately began planning what she was going to make and how.  She decided on a 3-tiered cake with a train on top.  She mixed and baked the cakes.  I helped make the frosting and helped her print the train picture.  She piped all of the frosting on.  She used piping gel to trace the cake and create it with the frosting.  She did all the writing.  It turned out so cute and she was so excited to show it to Hadrian.  We had a little party for him and it was so fun.  Darci and Dan went to Belize for a week and my parents watched the kids.  So bonus, we got to see them two weekends in a row.  They came back to Boise to hand off the kids back to Dan and Darci.  Hadrian fell in love with Ridge's fireman helmet.  Super cute but not so fun for Dan and Darci when he had to take it off to go home.  Ridge spent the entire time trying to tie Gpa up or get him to help tie someone else up.  Katelyn showed off her rope climbing skills.  GG was in grandkid heaven.  Alma won Holly over when she fell asleep on her lap.  Everybody had fun.  Hopefully we can see them all again soon.

April Fools

 April 1st came quick this year.  At the last minute I threw together a dinner.  We had meatball cupcakes with dyed potato frosting, cheesecake mashed potatoes with caramel gravy and grated chocolate pepper, and corn (yup, just corn).  We also revisited the jello drinks with straw.  Getting it all put together was so worth it to see the smile on Ridge's face when we tricked Daddy.  I really love April Fools dinner.

Let's Talk

One day at lunch Ridge told Rusty that he wanted to Russ to go under the table with him.  Russ asked what for.  Ridge said, "just let's talk."  So that's what they did.  They scrunched under the table and talked.

Yard Work

We don't mess around when it comes to yard work.  We borrowed this tractor from a neighbor to adjust the yard so that the irrigation water would hit the whole yard, front and back.  It worked great.  Ridge sat content for hours on Rusty's lap.  He loved the tractor as much as the big boys.

Daddy Daughter Date

 Kyleigh and Russ got to go the stake "Spring Fling" daddy/daughter date.  Don't they look so cute!  They had dinner and learned a dance.  Kyleigh enjoyed learning the dance so much that she insisted on teaching it to us for family home evening.

Cinco De Mayo

Several months ago I was wandering down the ice cream aisle at Walmart and spotted a box of choco tacos.  Mmmm, choco tacos.  I remember splurging and buying myself a choco taco at the Serv in Arco.  Why they were so good is beyond me, but they were.  So as I passed them I realized I had the equipment to build my own choco taco.  All I needed to do was whip out the waffle cone maker, create a taco shell, and fill it with ice cream, chocolate, and nuts.  Since I try not to eat ice cream on a regular basis I marked it on the calendar for Cinco De Mayo, just so I wouldn't forget my really great idea.  They turned out to be so fun.  Everybody loved them and asked if we could make them again (tomorrow).  Well, no, but I'm sure we will have them again soon.

The Backyard

 I love to watch the kids playing in the backyard.  It still looks a little rough, but the possibilities are endless.  My recent favorite is the leftover irrigation pipe that the kids kick soccer balls through and stand on rolling it forward with their feet.  The sandpile ridge is standing on became part of our new stamped colored slab for the firepit today.  Don't worry, we have more piles of dirt for him to play tractors in.  I love that they can play with their cousins whenever they want.  The front yard is just as great with the huge circle driveway and sidewalk.  They circle it with their bikes, rollerblades, scooters, and ripstick.  I don't think it could get any better.

St. Patrick's Day

I have yet to find a better way to celebrate any holiday than with food.  This St. Patricks Day the star of the food wasn't for us, but for the leprechauns.  As usual we had to find a way to get them to stop at our house and leave us a treat.  We decided to make them some leprechaun donuts.  Some cheerios, sprinkles, and melted chocolate and butterscotch chips did the trick.  We even printed the cute little donut box templates from family fun magazine online.

Kyleigh made a leprechaun house in case they wanted to stay awhile.  Katelyn made a trap because she wanted to see what they looked like.  Ridge taped some green paper together and then taped it to the fireplace stone.  He also asked Rusty to write a note to the leprechauns.  It said each of our names and then...

Please bring us some candy.
We live here.
We like us.

We were rewarded for our efforts with candy rainbows and chocolate gold.

 Wouldn't you stop if you were a leprechaun?

Happy St. Patricks Day.