Easter Weekend

 We had a great Easter weekend!  We began with dyeing eggs Friday evening.  This year we used Kool-Aid packets and water to color the eggs.  They turned out great and the house smelled so good!  Definitely going to try it again!

 Here's the happy kids busy at work coloring eggs.

 Saturday morning we invited friends from church over to our house.  We had some donuts and hot chocolate at our house and the kids played while the dads hid the eggs.

Could this be anymore picture perfect?  This field is right next to our neighborhood and is owned by a family down the street.  They gave us permission to have our egg hunt in it.  The sun came out and it was beautiful!  The kids all loved it!

 Here's our kids after church today...all sugared up and happy!  Happy Easter everyone!

Can this really be happening?

Monday we registered Justin and took a tour of the high school.  He doesn't get too excited or nervous about anything so of course he took it all in stride.  It's going to be a big change, but I know he's going to do great and we've heard lots of good things about the high school.  Now if we can just get ourselves psyched up for early morning seminary at 6 am with a 15-20 minute drive...yikes!

Luck of the Irish

Today this leprechaun visited story time at the library.  The children loved finding the stuffed leprechaun she brought while the stories were being read and they REALLY loved the pot of gold (Rolo candies) she brought and shared at the end.  Naomi loves story time, especially when she can share it with her little buddy, Madalyn! 

You Might Live in Tennesse if...

 you get a postcard in the mail inviting you to a Wild Game Dinner at the Baptist church.  (The postcard came before the 9th, I'm just slow in posting it).

Sweet Treat!

Our Bishop in South Bend challenged our congregation at church to read the entire Book of Mormon by the end of the year.  We moved before the year was up, but Justin continued to read.  When he was near the end, I told him he could pick out whatever container of ice cream he wanted and eat it whenever he wanted when he finished.  He chose this tub of triple chocolate brownie and he usually eats it right out of the container, a little after school everyday.  I'm so proud of him for finishing even after we moved and for the desire he has to find truth.

Turning 14

Justin had a big birthday last Friday...he turned 14!  In our church this means he can now attend youth dances and other activities for 14 and up.  I don't know that he is honestly very excited, except for the fact  that means he is one year closer to driving!

 

He is in 8th grade and there has been lots of talk the past few weeks at school about high school.  They have had counselors and teachers helping them select appropriate classes for high school.  All of Justin's teachers in his core classes have referred him for the honors classes.  He is so mature when it comes to planning for the future.  He wants to take as many AP classes that will allow him to earn college credits while in high school as possible.  He is thinking he wants to either be a doctor or an engineer.  We'll see!

Justin is so easy going when it comes to choosing what he wants.  The other kids are very specific, but he likes about anything so I chose a poppyseed cake I haven't made for awhile.  It was three days late, but he didn't complain!  He wants sushi for his birthday dinner.  Yum!

Last year on his birthday we took a picture of the two of us and we were exactly the same height.  Now he has me by at least 2 inches and the difference is only increasing!  Happy birthday to our 14 year old survivalist, Xbox playing, fun-loving, wrestling son!

Dribble it, Pass it...

...we want a basket!  This is Madelyn's favorite cheer!  The Baptist church here runs a basketball program that Will and Bruce are playing in and Madelyn is cheering for.  She has been so excited to participate.  She is having a great time.  It's pretty cute to hear her cheer.  The woman who is teaching the girls has a strong southern accent and Madelyn repeats all of the cheers the way she is learning them...accent included.

Will is in a league with 3rd thru 5th graders.  Being a 3rd grader himself, he is one of the younger ones.  He doesn't take shots very often, but he is a good little passer and great on defense.

I didn't get any pictures of Bruce's game because I was in with Madelyn for team pictures.  Aaron is coaching both boys teams.  Bruce has practice on Monday nights and Will and Madelyn practice on Tuesday nights; games are on Saturday mornings.  It's been pretty busy for us, but it's really fun watching the kids participate and it's been good for them to get involved and make some new friends.