Friends

 I have this never ending collection of pictures of my kids and their friends, but so few of my friends.  Lately, I've been able to get a few more.
 Michele took this first picture with her phone and after it was posted on Facebook I just really hoped everyone knew what my face looked like when it wasn't puffy at 7 months pregnant.  Luckily Brad found the second picture on his camera, taken last summer. :)

And finally a picture of Allison and Tiffany. 

 For as much time as I get to spend with these awesome women, I don't have near enough of it documented!

I said we'd be back a couple more times!

We were back at the Thanksgiving Point's Tulip Festival two more times this week! Michele joined us on Tuesday afternoon and we let the kids run wild.  So fun!

Then I took the kids back again this afternoon because it was just too beautiful of a day to waste being inside.  This time we started off at the Children's Garden and after Avery fell a few times we walked over to the main garden for a bandaid, popsicles, and more tulips.  It was just perfect.

Sunday Evening

The weather was just perfect for a walk around temple square.  We took a tour of the Conference Center including the rooftop and then walked around the temple.  These kids were being so silly and asked for their pictures to be taken in front of everything!  Just look at those crazy faces!

 And I have no idea where Wesley picked this up, but he's got a new favorite pose.

Tulip Festival 2013

You didn't think we'd miss it, did you?  It was the first day and not a ton was in bloom yet, but we'll be back at least a couple more times, right?!

 We were loving the sunshine and apparently the warm concrete too!

 But nothing makes the kids happier than rolling/running down the big grass hills.  Just check out Avery's knees.

 

Jack's Reading Party

Jack's preschool encourages the parents to read to their kids every night and if you turn in your list of books read each month, you get to come to this cute little "reading party" for the kids.  They get a medal and a certificate and us moms get a candy bar for our effort. :)

This is one of Jack's teachers (not officially, but he seems to fill in a lot) Mr. Braden.

 

He may not have read the books himself, but in the last few months Jack has been sounding out words and evening learning a few sight words.  Jack was so proud we got to come celebrate with him.

The Jazz

A couple of weeks ago Wesley and Jack got to go to their first Jazz game ever (thanks to Wesley playing Jr.Jazz in the fall).  I heard they had a great time, but Brad didn't take any pictures.  Lucky for them, one of Brad's subcontractors gave him Jazz tickets for Christmas so we took the boys again this past week to the Jazz vs Oklahoma Thunder game.  We had pretty good seats and the kids were loaded up on popcorn, churros, cinnamon almonds and more sugar...

so yeah, we had a great time!

Oh and, Tom and his son Braxton were there too, so the boys made a new friend to laugh with all night.

Let's go fly a Kite

My grandparents came down for the afternoon while my mom was in town and Grandpa brought a few kites with him.  He's loved flying kites since he made them as a young boy and I can remember flying kites with him a lot when I was growing up.  Unfortunately, there was hardly any wind and we only got it to fly for a few minutes but we had a good time anyway and can't wait to do it again.

Spoiled

I can admit it, we're spoiled... me and the kids that is.

 

My mom was in town for a couple of days last week.  And even though she's been crazy busy, and this trip was crazy busy, she still offered to help me switch Avery's bedroom to get things a little more ready for our next baby girl.  I know it seems simple enough, I'm not repainting and I'm using the same bedding, but I still needed something to tie the pink bed and green walls together plus move the furniture.  And while Brad has been willing to do it, this is his busiest time so getting the bed disassembled and moved just hasn't happened.

First things first, we spent an hour in a fabric store picking out material for a new pillow (not an easy job if you know me, luckily my Mom is super patient).  The next morning she picked up her friend Cindy Drees, who was roped in to our little project, and by 9:30 was sewing the pillow and flowers onto curtains.  Cindy got right to work taking apart the bed and moving it into the new room.  I, shamefully, got the easy jobs like ironing and ummm, maybe that was it.  By lunch time, the whole thing was done!  I still have a few finishing touches to add, but couldn't be happier!  And little miss Avery loves it too!

Not to mention, my Mom also surprised me with a bunch of starburst mirrors for my front room wall! I'll get that picture up asap.

And, Mimi brought the boys a few books and Avery these Hello Kitty stitching boards that she is now obsessed with.  She's pretty good at it too.

After my mom left Saturday morning, we spent the evening with Chris while Brad attended the priesthood session of conference.  Once again, spoiled.  After dinner, we took the kids to the Dinosaur Museum and then Chris let them pick a couple things from the gift shop.  That's right, two toys for everybody!  Wesley picked a stuffed Mammoth and a T-Rex 3D puzzle, Jack picked two "water dinosaurs" and Avery picked a stuffed purple dinosaur and a book.  And they really have loved their choices. 

 

I've said it a hundred times before and I'll say it a thousand more times... my kids have the BEST GRANDPARENTS!