April Fools!!!

April 1st we were invited to join in an April Fools dinner with some friends.  Ooooh yummy! Sara really out does herself on April 1st, oh the stuff she does for her kids! So fun!

Here was the menu:
Dinner:  Grilled Cheese Sandwhiches (pound cake and frosting!)
Dessert:  Strawberry Pie (Meatloaf pie topped with mashed potatoes!)

The kids had to blindly reach in a bag for their ‘cup’, ‘plate’, and ‘utensils’.  The kids were great sports using their spatulas, bowls, tongs and bottles!



We have had a lot of rain in the past week which is abnormal for us!  I actually felt like we lived in Oregon! Everything is turning green, it’s aweswome! (except for the snow we got last night!)

One day after school we went on a walk in the rain.  The kids were super excited to use their umbrella’s, rain boots, and coats, that just spend all year sitting on shelves and hanging in closets!



This was just the week after Potty Training, so Emma was still running around pants-less.  Why put pants on? 







Savannah was mad at me about something (a perfect time to catch her cute pouty face) but then she was mad I was taking a picture of her mad.  Lol, so we got her hiding behind her umbrella.



This girl is such a crack up!!!







This last weekend we had our dates with the kids.  I got to have my date with Maliyah!  We decided to go on a PHoto Walk and then spend some reading time together. She doesn’t have her own camera like Ky, so most of the time she used mine. I would show her different idea, teach her a bit about depth of field…and then let her get creative. At this point I don’t exactly remember which pictures were hers and mine, but it doesn’t matter….we had a great time together!

And then there was home again…

Jayden was concentration really hard this particular day in school so I just sat there taking pictures of his studiousness….cute kid!

The first Saturday of each month we try to do dates with the kids.  My date with Maliyah was playing soccer at the park then going out for ice cream. We were already dressed for some Baptisms so we just threw on our Tennis Shoes and went to the park all fancy.


Savannah helping me make some cupcakes.  She’s like her mom. Loves chocolate.

I saw these cute little chicks at Walmart and when you hold them, they Peep.  I had to get one. I put him in a little bag and told the kids I had a surprise.  I put my hand in the bag and let him peep.  You should have seen the kids’ faces!  Lol, they love him. His name is squeaky, and they each take turns watching after him for a day.  Squeaky also brought a special treat for each of the kids to make sure he started out on their good side.  Emma got a little over possessive of him the first day, but she has learned to share since.
The kids wondered if this was a test to see if they were responsible enough to keep a pet.  Nope…just thought it would be fun. 

Savannah was mad at me about something so went to the corner to pout.  She has the best pouty faces.  By the time I got the camera out…we lost most of it.

Spending some one on one with this funny little girl can be….well…funny!  She CRACKS me up!~

Too bad that night she started puking and didn’t stop till the next morning!  I haven’t had a child that sick (puke, high fever, lethargic) for a really long time. It was soooo sad!  Happy that she is feeling better now….not so happy that she is not ALL the way better so she’s still super crabby, but no longer is satisfied with just sitting in mommy’s lap watching cartoons.
This last Thursday Maliyah and Kyson were gone at Juanita’s house (an elderly lady from church they spend 1-2 afternoons a week with…cleaning her house and playing card games), and both the little girls were sleeping so Jayden and I got a little one on one.  I let him skip quiet time and we made cookies.  I let him do LOTS of the work…including eating ALL The cookie dough he wanted.

Drake & Maria

Having fun while I was babysitting. She had been sleeping for 3 hours and wanted NOTHING to do with waking up!

Drake and Maria were married last night. It was a beautiful Wedding and a great date night!

This is Emily, their niece. She is in our ward Primary and to her I'm known as her music teacher that let her help!  lol, I was glad she remembered me in the positive.

Congrats you two!

Dates, BBQ's and BABIES!

The Young Women in our Ward were having their Fundraiser this Saturday and although I couldn't make it, I signed up to make a dessert for their dessert Auction.  It's one of my favorite treats (when I'm watching my calories), White Chocolate Popcorn. We tried to color the popcorn in the Young Women Value Colors.  The red turned out more pink (despite how much coloring we put in) and then white just didn't stay very white (the popcorn was micro with butter already in it) but I know it's yummy and still turned out pretty cute!  I found the veggie trays at Wally's on clearance and even though I didn't necessarily need the different sections, I figured it left someone with a fun little tray to keep!



The first Saturday of the Month is usually when we schedule dates with the kids. This Particular Saturday was VERY busy and we weren't sure if it was going to fit in, but we forgot about it last month and the kids were counting on it, so we squeezed them in! Duck took Jayden to his work to ride the forklift (Jayden's request), Maliyah went shopping with Dad (also her request) and Jayden and I went on a hike and water gun fight! I did have to kinda trick him into this one, but when I knew I wouldn't make it to the GYM, this was one way to get in a little exercise AND my date!  It was really fun, he was a great hiker, and totally soaked me with his water gun. 




A more panoramic view of Klamath Falls.  I should have pointed it out, but you can see my house in this picture!



We spent the rest of the afternoon with these two little cuties! They are my friends Foster kids and Maliyah is just in love. Okay okay so am I!  I can't help it...they are too cute!



He was mad because he couldn't get the little 'cars' flip phone open and I wouldn't help him unless he said please. I'm mean like that.


That evening I was supposed to take Maliyah's 8 1/2 yr pictures, but we got invited to a last minute BBQ Birthday so we didn't have enough time for pictures.  I'll have to see if I can pull it off tomorrow although today would have been perfect becuase it's cloudy!  There's just too much going on today. I have to play the piano at Seminary Graduation in an hour, then we have the missionaries and a new family in the ward coming over for dinner.  Then starts a SUPER busy week for me...but I'll for sure squeeze her pictures in. Jayden's 4 1/2 ones too!

Weekly Update {Sunday Best}

I hate getting behind...and even though I have not much to tell about this week, and NO pictures of this week...there are so many just from my weekend last week that this is definitely photo overload! But great stuff.

First business...Sunday Best! First picture is of last week while we were in Utah. Thanks Fords for letting us use your shade!



Then today's. We were SO late for church. We didn't even leave the house until 9. I was quite proud of myself though and the calm that I was able to keep in getting kids loaded, unloaded, picture taken and ushered into church.



We went to Utah last week for five days over the weekend for my brother Austins return home from his 2 year mission in Rome Italy! Lucky guy. We have been countin down his arrival for weeks! Duck was amazing like usual and drove us through the night, then dropped me off at my parents to help them with things while he took the kids to his parents for the day. Poor guy did not get enough sleep during the day.

He met me that night at the airport to drop off the three oldest so they could be there for Austins return.

A couple days during our return home this week I was not feeling well and between trying to just keep up with the five kids AND unpacking...our house was trashed. Then while trying to catch up with school on Friday...the house got ignored and trashed even more! BEsides having more Laundry piled up than I think I have EVER had (and that's not a joke because I don't ever get behind on laundry) I feel today I finally got a bit caught up. But after a busy day yesterday and a fabulous day night with my hubby (the high school musical!)....I shirked in my 'special day to get ready for Sunday' duties which is why we were so late for church this morning. Sigh....I need to be better at that.

Added on Monday :

Two weeks ago I had lost a memory card somewhere in the house (I think Savannah pulled it out of the computer) and I just found it today! I was so happy to get my pictures back)

Part of this photography challenge I'm doing weekly was a 'symmetry' photo. I had a hard time coming up with this one until one night I was sitting on a stool in the kitchen and jayden walked in. I found it!



For FHE we talked about Temples and Savannah was super proud when Dad called on her to help!



Just a few pics of the kids during swim lessons. I don't often remember to bring my camera.

Mexican Fiesta and Dates!

Saturday! It's such a special day isn't it? I love it. Sometimes I hate how busy they get, but often it's filled with good busyness so it's okay. Todays' busyness was filled with dates! We try to take the kids on dates each month and it often seems to fall on the 1st Saturday of the month.

Duck took Jayden this time to do the Home Depot Craft and to his basketball game. In the mean time I had the other four grocery shopping. The part of Saturday's I do NOT like. Then he took Maliyah to lunch and bowling while I worked putting away groceries and preparing for MY date night with DUck! When they got home I was off to take Ky out for his date. We went to see the Lorax and he was pretty stoked. We don't take the kids to the movies very often so it's pretty special when that happens. The movie was cute. I liked it. Maybe a little too modernized, but still a great story and done well.



Part of the fun getting ready for my date tonight was Kyson got to help me. I was preparing dinner and he loves helping in the kitchen so it was a fun pre-date activity!



We have noticed Savannah needing a little more attention lately so I made sure that she got a date in too. I took her to the store, walked around (she wasn't in a cart! Gasp!) and then she chose out her own bottle of purple glitter nail polish, picked out her own treat and we sat in the cafe eating our treat and painting her finger nails! She loved it!! When we got home she went around showing everybody her nails!

My date with Duck was completely 100% a copycat date from TheDatingDivas. It involved a LOT of Cilantro



Yummy Toppings





Delicious Smoothies



(the kids got some too)



and a super yummy Cafe Rio knock off!
We used chicken not the pork that was on the blog. I found the chicken recipe here.



We finished the night with Salsa Lessons from You Tube and then after getting kiddos to bed, watching The Three Amigos. Half the reason I liked this date idea and followed through with it was so Duck could watch this movie. It's not one of my favorites...I'm not into super cheesy dumb comedy, but because my brothers used to quote it ALL the time...it's funny to me. I think my brothers are funnier than the three Amigos. So Nate, Brent, Jaron, Jordan and Austin if you are reading this you better brush up on your Three Amigos....I'm expecting a performance when I visit next week!

Thanks Duck for putting up with Salsa Lessons and being the best DAte EVER!

Preschool Halloween Party

Our Preschool had a Halloween party this week insted of a normal preschool session. One of the moms Tiffany put it all together and did a great job. They had fun games like a cake walk, donuts on a string, a spooky laboratory, witch hats, and a bat craft. The kids got to dress up for their first time this week so it was the most exciting! (by Halloween night I think they were sick of their costumes!)

This was a warm easy costume this day for Savannah, a cow! I had just made the bows the night before for her pictures we were getting done that day and I thought it went perfectly!

Jayden was a Lion....roar!!! And what a cute lion too! But the best part about this costume is that my mom made it about 20 years ago! It was the inspiration for our whole family's costumes(the wizard of OZ) when she called me about a year ago wondering if she should throw it away! I gasped! No way! I want it! How stinkin cute!

This next set of pictures is funny. Jade was making the witch cookie treat and was hilarious. He would put the frosting on the hershey kiss, stick in on the cookie, then eat just the kiss off. Then he would hand me another kiss to open, frosting, stick it on, then eat it off again! He could care less for the cookie, but most funny was that he had to stick the kiss on before he could eat it again!