April Highlights

Ok, I have definitely been neglecting the blog lately. What can I say? Work takes most of my energy and then I give the rest to spending time with my family... there is rarely any left for documenting our adventures. So, here goes a massive picture dump, recapping the rest of last month before I have too much piled up for this month! Enjoy!

Bedtime serenade by my children. I didn't want them on the table, but they looked so cute singing up there, that of course I snapped some pictures and let them sing a few songs before I pulled them down. 

Chillin' on the grass with Liam on a nice spring afternoon. We said goodbye to the Gillespie Family this week as they moved to Washington... they are such good friends and will be greatly missed! :(

Brian got domestic and made this fabulous strawberry pie... most of which he ate himself since I am allergic to the fresh strawberries. :(

Playing in a laundry basket and coming up with a new pose

We finally made in down to the Lousiville, KY temple... kind of embarrassed to admit it was our first time since moving here. We swapped babysitting in the church right next to it with the Hirschi's. It was great to be in the temple again. Then that afternoon we went downtown and met a bunch of our friends for the "Thunder Over Lousiville" firework show to kick off the Kentucky Derby. We had fun visiting, walking around, and Thomas couldn't get enough of throwing rocks in the river. It was beautiful weather. They had a cool air show before the firework show... that was Thomas's favorite part. I think he was a little tired by the time the fireworks started. Maybrie on the other hand was totally mesmerized by the fireworks, and they really were the most incredible fireworks I've ever seen. It was awesome!

Thomas looked so cute rocking his shades!

Late night... they slept the whole way home, what sweet sleeping beauties.

My awesome friend Maddie scored four free tickets to the Taylor Swift concert and did a drawing to pick which friends got to go. And... I was chosen! Brian thought he earned it for me since he personally made hundreds of phone calls to the radio station trying to help Maddie win tickets (He carpools with Michael and Maddie to school everyday). I have not been to many concerts in my life, and Taylor Swift is one I have always wanted to go to. I think she is so talented. It was the coolest girl's night out and seriously such an amazing concert! I had so much fun! Definitely a night to remember, and the best part is that it was FREE!!!

Me and Ashley

Some cute girls in line next to us made this adorable poster.

Becca, Breanna, Ashley, and me... the four lucky winners!

Waiting to get in

Maddie showing off her shoulder that was touched by Mama Swift during their backstage tour!

Love the RED, very cool sets, really was quite the production

Michael representing the men among MANY ladies

Maddie was literally on the edge of her seat!

Taylor moving through the crowd on the shoulders of her dancers to the small platform... we were just ten rows away, so close!

Taylor gets up close and personal

Taylor Swift totally rocked my socks off! I felt like a teenager again and wished I could've taken all of my cute neices... someday I would love to take Maybrie to something like this.

We got to babysit Liam and baby Damon Gillespie. Thomas loves babies, and he was so excited to have Damon over!

This was Thomas's favorite toy for a week... a splatter screen, silly boy! Love the pig nose pushed up against it. :)

Seriously can't get enough of my adorable children! They are simply too darn cute!

Phew! April's down... it was a fun, busy month, as usual. Only 8 days left of school, so maybe I will make a more regular blog comeback soon.

Spring Break Week 2

On Easter Sunday I tried to take pictures of the kids in their cute new Easter clothes... they were not very cooperative!

 Eventually a little later while Skyping I made Brian grab the camera quick and we snagged these, not too bad, but not the cute background I envisioned! Kids! Taking pictures of them is always such fun.

 Classic Easter dinner of ham, funeral potatoes, and Jell-o, yum!

 

 Another fun position we found Thomas asleep in! Crazy kid.

 We spent most of the week just relaxing and playing at home.Here are a few snapshots of our downtime:

Maybrie all dressed up!

 Nice spring weather meant climbing a tree outside.

 Homemade pizza with the Woolf's. Love them! Thomas and Jaxson sure enjoyed it. :)

 Silly Maybrie colored her lips with a blue marker... she said she was trying to make lipstick!

 We went and visited the Daetwyler's to see the dog they were watching for the week. The kids went crazy! Thomas says "doggy" all the time and kept pointing and saying it over and over. They were so enthusiastic, they actually made the dog shake!

 In this picture you can see them getting right in his face. Thomas actually climbed in his bed with him! Maybrie told me after visiting that we need to get a dog because Thomas loves them so much... maybe someday when I am no longer allergic! haha!

 Maybrie insisted on putting on her clip-on earrings for her "wedding". I was to be her prince!

 We spent a lot of time in pajamas... love lazy mornings.

 Found Thomas like this when I got out of the shower, though I did remove the broken glass from his hand before snapping a picture! The kid broke the glass with rice and fake flowers that was on top of the kitchen table... no more glass there for a long while! Yikes!

 Found Maybrie like this shortly after starting a movie during Thomas's naptime. A day at the park in the sun can wear a kid out... I didn't mind, it meant I got a nap too! Yes!

 Friday night Brian and I went downtown to celebrate our friend Amber Lee's birthday at a pizzeria. She is in his grad program and loves to babysit our kids. It was nice for me to meet some more of his classmates as well.

 My sweet visiting teacher Jeanette Hay made us a conference basket with these cute booklets to keep Maybrie occupied. Maybrie was so excited she set this up the night before. :) Thanks Jeanette, you're awesome!

 We finally have spring weather and the kids (well, all of us) are LOVING it! 

Thomas on his new bike... thank you Hess's for lending it to us for the summer, I don't think he could be any more excited about it!

 Nice to have a little backyard space for chalk, etc.that doesn't require my constant attention.

 Kids decided to give me a little concert before bed. It was adorable, but I swear Thomas is going to fall off that table soon if Maybrie keeps coaxing him onto such unsafe surfaces... scares me to death!

 Watching General Conference at home. Kids were fairly reverent. I think I am just getting really good at tuning out their noise! The words were powerful and I am left feeling motivated and ready to kick my missionary efforts into high gear! Did anyone else feel the need to get to work after listening? I sure do. But I think it is a super exciting time and am thrilled to be a part of the church and the increased missionary efforts. What a great way to finish off my break! So thankful for the gospel and my little family.

Well, I guess that's a wrap... it's back to school tomorrow morning. Only two months to go, then it's summer and vacation time! Can't wait!