Easy Fix!

The weather this week hasn't been the greatest and the kids have been bored. So I tried some things out and thought I would share them. Unfortunately or fortunately (depends on your attitude i guess) we have to get a little creative in WA because it rains most days around here. We spent a good hour playing hide n seek Monday. The kids usually tell me where their hiding, but they managed to pick some good spots this day without letting me know. At one point I was able to keep the girls quiet enough that Malachi couldn't find us for like 5 minutes.

Well she wasn't so much bored as she was hungry in this one. She's my eater and she tried really hard to get all 3 cupcakes in hand.

ahhh...here's an idea that I love and probably a little late on learning. Banana popsicle. This was a great treat for her, especially since she's teething. My only recommendation would be to put an actual popsicle stick in the end before you freeze it.

This was just my rock star in the a.m. I love having a child who begs to go to bed. I got really lucky with her. The night before she had a bath and then immediately wanted to get into bed, which made for great rock star hair the next day.

Idea #3- let them splash around in the kitchen sink. Easy clean-up in my opinion. For Bos I just stripped her down and let her have at it. Malachi and Scarlett loved being able to get her and their sleeves wet.

There you have it my boredom ideas for this week. One day I'll get the "boredom jar" I made last year out for more ideas. For now I'll just follow the kids lead.

Road Trip & April Fools!

OK...still no sign of any children awake and I think this may be my 3rd and last blog for today and I should be all caught up. April 1st the kids and I ventured off to Utah (Koffi & Landy were with us also). The purpose of the trip was to reunite with the women in the 1st picture. My sisters and best friends- (Boston, Me, Mama, Zandra, Regina, Yolande, & Tamu). It was a wonderful and must needed trip. This type of friendship, bond and sisterhood doesn't come very easily or often and we had been apart way too long! It was 4 late nights and 5 great days of memories and fun. I love these girls and want to thank each one of them for being there for me through every relationship, heartache, old & new job, family trial, bump in my path of faith, gospel questions, each loss of life and birth. All of you are amazing and phenomenal women who I admire and look up to. I love you all and can't wait for our next reunion!

-Mama, keep praying and let's get a ring on that finger soon!
-Zandra, I'll stay in your hotel anytime!
-Regina, I promise to take the burden of being the first one to leave next time!
-Yolande, you get middle next time...dang it I'll probably have a van by then!
-Tamu, you know I'm just envious of your dark chocolate!

This is a big group picture that was taken at a potluck we had Friday night. So many people and so many memories. I love the diversity.

Jim Slaughter, my old boss at BYU, gave Chi a basketball that I swear he had saved in a drawer for as long as I can remember. I think being a grandpa has made him softer.

Boston posing outside of Tucano's, a Brazilian restaurant in Provo that I couldn't really afford while in college. All the meat made me feel really guilty that I was there without Johnson. Sorry honey!

At our first stop I let Chi pick out whatever he wanted in the gas station, after all it was his actual b-day!

She was pretty excited to take a break. Little did she know we still had about 9 hours left in the car.

These are 2 of my roommates from Rick's- Rebecca and Chelsea. They both live in Boise and so we stopped to have dinner with them and let the kids run around. We also called Regina, Mama & Tamu to let them know that we couldn't drive any further and were going to stay the night with Zandra...our little April Fool's joke that pretty much backfired in our face's since everyone believed us and we got in so late that Tamu had gone to bed leaving us with no way to get in the house. hahaha...jokes on us!

Regina a Boston getting acquainted. I'm pretty sure she's one of the few she would go to all week.

She had no choice but to go to Jaylin one day since I was going to the spa with the girls no matter what. She did good enough to get a nap in.

Boston and Koffi playing peek a boo. He was the only man she would interact with all week. Well she pretty much flirted with him the whole time. Sorry Yolande, but it's your own fault for marrying such a good lookin' man.

Vivian and Aaron's twins. A boy (left) and a girl (right) and I'm so sorry, but I cannot remember their names for the life of me.

We spent an afternoon with the twins and Chi's goal all day was to make the babies "happy". It was pretty cute. I can't wait to have another baby to see how he interacts with him.

Chi took this picture and a bunch of other really decent one's too.

Like this one.

Malachi and Jacob (my best friend Sarah's son). For the most part they got along pretty well, until it came to Jacob's planes. Malachi fell in love with a new toy.

Sarah's husband Brett was nice enough to take the boys out each night when he came home from work and one night he took the boys out to get new planes....Thank you Brett for making my sons trip!

After the sandbox Sarah and I threw all 3 kids in together. She watched idol and I let them splash around. It was a real treat to just hang out this way...I never would of thought when we were in college we would end up bathing our kids together.

All clean and ready for a pillow fight.

It was super convenient when my sister Kristi called 2 weeks before the trip that she had gotten engaged and that the wedding would take place while we were in Utah. Her wedding was beautiful, short and to the point. She looked amazing and the cake tasted great...that's all that matters at a wedding.

Malachi took this picture of his papa.

I was so relieved when my mom and sister had arrived to Utah and Boston would actually let them hold her.

Sharlene, Aunt Lezlie, & Stephanie at a family dinner in Logan. Sharlene, Malachi and I headed to Boise for the night on our way home and what an adventure that was. Boston was privileged enough to fly home with my parents. Anyways before we left the restaurant my 2 uncles were trying to give me directions out of Logan the quickest way and totally lost mine and Sharlene's attention. The waitress ended up drawing us a map, which was perfect except we missed one minor part to everyone's directions which took us about 45 minutes in the wrong direction. I was so ticked. We had already left later than I wanted and I was really tired at this point. I actually had to stop like 3 times during our 4 hour drive and even picked up a power energy drink. By the time we got to Boise I of course couldn't go to sleep. I don't drink caffeine so maybe should have just stuck with a coke or Mt. dew.

All in all it was a great trip. Our only downer was that Johnson couldn't make it out with us. I kept thinking he was going to surprise us, but never did. Next time honey!

Easter- JC in charge

Well I'm hoping to get this 2nd blog done before one of the kids wakes up. Easter! Easter was interesting. I left Johnson is charge this year since we were on the road the day before. Let's just say he is a funny man and learning about our American traditions. Normally one would line the bottom of an Easter basket with artificial grass, well not Johnson. He decided to line our kids baskets of egg filled candy with more candy. It was slightly on the extreme side, but really cute. I love him for doing what I ask.

Okay so minus the candy, new clothes and feast Easter service was great. I gave the Easter sharing time this year and am grateful for the insight I was given by the spirit. Heavenly Father has given us the wonderful gift of His Son. Christ's life, ministry, atonement, Crucifixion, and resurrection. It's all part of the same package. The prophet Lehi had a dream once about a fruit tree that apparently tasted so amazing he wanted to share that fruit with all of his family. Well just like that fruit, I often eat or experience things that I want my kids to have and sometimes with others around me. I'm constantly suggesting things to others in conversation that I think are great, but I know that I don't share the greatest thing in my life with those around me enough...the gospel of Jesus Christ! Christ gave us an eternal gift, one that will never get old. Because of Him we can ALL return to our Father in Heaven to live with Him Eternally. My goal is to share this amazing gift, this plan, this peace, this knowledge, His Gospel with everyone I meet. Thank you Lord for your resurrection and for You!

I should of taken the family pic before church, by this time Chi had an accident in his pants, Bos was dog tired and had drooled chocolate on the front of her sweater and dress. I'm still learning.

Sophia (my niece) came to visit and show us her Easter dress! She was an amazing example to us and gave up Hannah Montana for 2 weeks in observance of Lent.

4 buckets may have been too much for 2 little kids.

Chocolate heaven!

At the end of the hunt, he really needed some competition.

She found a few eggs and then gave up for what she really wanted.

Catching up!

Well this is the 1st of many blogs to come...hopefully all today! I left my camera up at my parents on Easter and haven't had a chance to upload any pics since the beginning of the month, which happens to be a lot since we went out of town and celebrated Easter. This first blog is just a bunch of miscellaneous pics of the kids here at home.


I'm so grateful for my calling in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Last Sunday Sis. Ricks from the General Primary Board came to visit our stake and held a fireside for parents and primary workers. Our ward primary children were asked to do a special musical number and just brought tears to my eyes. I was so proud of them. The spirit really does radiated from the youth of today. In Sister Ricks talk she mentioned some things that humbled me and uplifted me, leaving me with a desire to want to be a better mother, wife, family member, community member and servant of the Lord. She mentioned some things that prophets have told us to do in her lifetime and they were: 1. Plant a garden, 2. Clean up your yard, 3. Read the Book of Mormon, 4. Father's control your tempers, and 5. Mother's control your voices. The basis of her talk was from The Family: A Proclamation to the World, which states: "Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities." She highlighted each principle and how we should apply them in our families. It was a long day of church, but I'm grateful for the opportunity to uplifted by a leader of the church and was of course humbled.

No her binky isn't gone yet...the trip to Utah screwed us up, but it's going soon. If anyone has any suggestions on how to ween her let me know. Her hair is often this crazy when she wakes up.
It's a good question as to what he thinks he's imitating...all I get is "belly, belly, belly."

My girl and her chocolate. She will go crazy for some chocolate.

Sharlene popped in last night to hang out with us and caught Boston in a pretty hilarious squat. What you can't see is that her belly is out much further than her toes. She really does love food!

Yes, my 3 year old is still in a high chair, but only when I can't get him to sit down and focus. All he wanted to do last night was watch the other kids playing outside from the window.