Thursday, April 24, 2014

Easter: Outfits

We don't buy our kids Easter outfits every year. In fact, most years we don't. However, a few months ago I found some dresses that I was absolutely dying to get for the girls, but needed an excuse to buy them. Thank you, Easter! And since the girls were getting Easter outfits, Cayden had to get something too.

The kids looked so dang cute all dressed up for church so we had to get some pictures. I got some super cute individual shots of each kid, but for some reason getting a decent picture of all three kids proved nearly impossible. With two kids it is totally doable, but three? Forget it.

My handsome boy!

My beautiful little girl!

Love this one of Laura smelling the flowers. Each time she smelled a flower she would look up, sniff, crinkle her nose, and say "smells good." Cute girl.

My sweet, sweet Gracie babe!

The best shot we got of all three kids. Laura is about to pop out of the chair and Grace isn't looking at the camera, but I'll take what I can get. The girls matched 100%, even down to the bows in their hair. And Cayden totally rocked the pink shirt. What a stud.

 Outtake #1 - I love the confused look on Laura's face and Grace is starting to fall out of the chair. Right after I snapped this picture Grace face planted on the tulip in front of her.

Outtake #2 - Notice the broken tulip in front? Told you Grace nailed it. Poor flower and poor girl. This would have been a super cute picture if Grace weren't so sad.

Outtake #3 - Words cannot describe how much I love this picture. Laura's eyes are closed and she's getting up out of the chair, Grace actually looks pretty cute, and then there's Cayden. Cayden, Cayden, Cayden. I have no idea what he's doing with his face, but I'm sure glad I caught it on camera.

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Easter: Dyeing Eggs, Egg Hunts, and Baskets

We had lots of fun getting ready for Easter this year. The kids got to dye eggs twice (once at our house and then again at Gma and Gpa's) and had two egg hunts. Spoiled kids. By the end of the weekend the kids were exhausted and cranky.

I tried really hard this year to make sure the kids understood that Easter is about Jesus, not just the Easter Bunny. During the week leading up to Easter I tried to spend some time each day talking about Jesus and the real reason we celebrate Easter. I don't expect the kids to understand everything, but they do know that Jesus was resurrected and that's what matters. Although, Cayden eventually decided that the Easter Bunny is so happy that Jesus was resurrected that he brings everyone candy. Whatever works. :)

And now for the onslaught of pictures from all of our Easter adventures.

Totally a fake smile, but he really was enjoying it. Promise.

So upset that daddy wanted to take a picture of her coloring an egg.

An egg!

So excited about the minion eggs.

Our minions. We even made one purple like the crazy minions in DM2.

This is how Grace participated.

Dyeing eggs with Grandpa.

 Wearing one of Grandpa's old dress shirts so her clothes wouldn't get ruined.

More coloring on eggs.

When Cayden dyes eggs, he finds a color he likes and makes every egg that color. I think he did about a dozen before someone realized and made him change colors. :)

The first of two egg hunts was done by a lady in the neighborhood. She set up an egg hunt, bounce house, and pizza/drinks for everyone in the neighborhood. We offered to help cover the cost, but she said she just wanted to do something nice for the kids. Super sweet. At one point the Easter Bunny came to visit while everyone was eating pizza. Cayden took one look at the Easter Bunny and informed me that there was a human inside. What a goofball.

Laura in the bounce house. If you can't tell by the wild hair and smile on her face, she was loving it! I tried to get some pictures of Cayden in the bounce house, but he was either under or on top of some kid as they were wrestling. Boys will be boys. Right? :)

Egg hunt at Grandma's house. Love how much fun he is having.

By her second egg hunt, this cute girl finally got the hang of it. At the neighborhood egg hunt we told her to go pick up the eggs and when she didn't we helped her. I think she was a bit confused because every egg I stuck in her basket she threw back in the grass. But by the time the egg hunt at Grandma's house went down, she was a pro.

Showing off quarters they found in the eggs. I love the look on Cayden's face and the fact that Laura's cheeks are full of candy.

 How Grace hunts for eggs... drinking Grandma's water and sucking on more eggs.

The kids got spoiled by the Easter Bunny this year. Except for Grace. The poor girl got clothes and baby food, the kind of stuff mom likes. How boring.

Cayden was the most excited about the police motorcycle in his basket. I wish you could see his face here. He went bananas.

Laura showing her favorite item, Despicable Me. I think we have watched the minion movie every day since. And that hair?! Holy wildness.

Monday, April 14, 2014

Tickling the Ivories

I am the proud new owner of this little beauty:


Thanks to amazing timing and an insane amount of luck, we were able to pick up this piano from a friend in Colorado and haul it all the way back to Utah. It's surprisingly in tune considering the fact it was moved 500+ miles in the back of a trailer. A few keys are way off (like the D just above middle C, which is unfortunately played in pretty much every song) and make me cringe each time I hit them. But honestly, I am just so excited to have a piano! I can't wait to start tickling the ivories again. :)

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Road Trippin'

We just got back from a super quick weekend trip to visit my family in CO. I'm lousy at taking pictures when we are on vacation, so I only have three pictures from the actual trip and they aren't even ones I took. However, I did take several pictures driving out and back in my in-laws motor home. (Yes, we are spoiled. The last few trips we've taken to CO have been in the motor home. It is so nice with kids.) Here are some of the things we do to keep the kids (and ourselves) entertained while driving all day.

We wear bunny masks...

...sleep...

 ...tease the baby...

...and get a whole bag of chips all to ourselves! Btw, zoom in on Laura's face. I think she was trying to shovel in as many chips as possible before mom took the bag away. Ha ha!

Grace even got in on the chip action.

And here are the only three pictures taken the whole time we were in CO.

Silly faces with Auntie Rachelle.

Snuggles for Uncle Connor and crazy post-swimming hair.

Smiley baby girl. Love this little one's smiles and giggles. :)