Easter Egg Hunt

On Saturday morning we went to Heritage Park for the Highland City Easter Egg Hunt.  It was perfect!  I really wanted the kids to be able to do an easter egg hunt this year but I didn't want to be the one putting it on.  The kids got to hunt for 3 eggs and then turn their eggs in for a small bag of candy.  

This was Talan's first ever easter egg hunt!  

He caught on quite quickly how it was done.

  

First... start off by just standing their looking cute.

Second... you find an egg and pick it up!

Third... you toss it in your basket!

It's easy!  One down, two to go!

After the kids hunted for eggs they 

decorated egg shaped sugar cookies.

Ethan chose not to decorate a cookie because he wasn't sure how many little kids licked their knifes and then dipped them back into the frosting.  GROSS!

Then we had a little visit with the 

Easter Bunny!

Talan wasn't so sure what to think of this 

BIG HUGE FURRY FRIEND!

Talan gave him a friendly bark, "Woof, woof!"  

Then when the easter bunny bent down to give him a candy stick, 

Talan gave out a terrified scream and took off!

The bunny was cute!  He just kept messing with Talan trying to win him over.  Talan couldn't be convinced that the 

BIG HUGE FURRY FRIEND 

was actually a "friend" at all!  

When we left the park Reagan said, "Was that the real easter bunny or was he just a guy dressed up like the easter bunny?"  I asked her what she thought.  She said, "I think he was a guy just dressed up because I could see his arm like ours!"  I told her that I thought she was probably right because I saw his arm too!

Grandparent's Day and Sub Zero.

Grandparent's Day

This morning I told the kids that their children's grandparent's were going to come to their school today for grandparent's day.  They just looked at me with a blank stare.  I repeated myself and Ethan smiled and said, "I get it!"  Bradon continued to look puzzled. I repeated myself again and Bradon sat and thought about what I'd said for awhile.  Then he said, "My children's grandparent's would be you and dad?"  I said, "Isn't that great?  Dad and I are coming for grandparents day!"

  

First we went to Carsten's class.  We made a paper easter basket and then he got out all sorts of things he had done in class throughout the year for me to look at.  He was proud to show me his accomplishments.

Then we went to tough guy Bradon's class.  I think that his friends were more excited to see us than he was.  Must be the age!

Last we went to Ethan's class.  After waiting for us to go to Carsten's and Bradon's classes first, he was worried that we weren't coming.  We were just saving the best for last!

The #1 question and concern at grandparent's day was... 

Are you going to check me out?  

I told them, "I'll check you out!"  

Then looked them up and down like I was checking them out.  

(Our neighbor Max came up with this little joke and I tell you what, I love it!  It works like a charm every time the kids ask this question!)  Even the neighbor kids were asking us to check them out.  Taylor went as far as calling his mom and having her give permission for us to check him out.  Max was desperate to be checked out but couldn't get a hold of his mother.  He was devastated!  I think that being checked out must be a pretty big deal!  However when we went back to Carsten's class to check him out he told us that he changed his mind and wanted to stay at school for the rest of the day.  We were shocked!  We told him that we were going to Sub Zero and still, that didn't change his mind!

So off to Sub Zero we went!  

Bradon and Taylor.

Low fat, Mountain Dew with Gummy Bears anyone?

Stirring in the liquid nitrogen, turning it to ice cream!

Wow!  That's cold!

And yummy too!

My little man.

Talan looks like such a little man in this picture.

Just 15 months old and strutting his stuff!

I'm not sure if he could be much cuter.

My little athlete!

I couldn't be more proud of my little athletic Reagan!  She has been dying to play a sport.  I was thinking that I would put her into something like dance or gymnastics, you know something extremely girly.  But she kept telling me that she really wanted to play soccer.  I thought, soccer!  Has she ever even seen someone play soccer?  None of her brothers play soccer!  Okay, if you want to play soccer, soccer it is!  So we signed her up and I think that every day since then she has asked us, "Do I have soccer today?"  She has been a little excited for the season to start to say the least!

    

And let me tell you what, this girl is aggressive!  And competitive too!  Our little left footed kicker!  I was sorta worried that she would get out there and be timid and shy.  Man was I wrong!

She plays the game with a permanent smile attached to her face!  So eager and willing to learn.  After her first game she told everyone that her team kicked the other teams butt.  She was so excited!  After the second game when they lost she said, "I'm a looser!"  I told her that she wasn't a looser.  She said, "Yes I am!  My team lost and so I'm a looser!" 

Win or lose sweetie, your a winner to me!

An amazing night!

Monday night we went to a benefit concert for Paul Cardall.  Paul is awaiting a heart transplant.  He has been on the transplant list since last August.  His 3 year old daughter is named Eden.  

Living for Eden 

We thought that the doors were opening at 5:30 and since it was general admission we decided to get there right on time.  When we got there we found out that the doors weren't going to be opening until around 7:00 so we found our place in line and waited.  As the kids started to bug each other and Reagan started complaining that her legs hurt from standing so long I began to wonder if bringing the kids was such a good idea after all.  I told the kids that if they had any hopes of going to Disneyland someday then they had better show me that they had the ability to stand in line for a long time PATIENTLY or they could forget about Disneyland all together. This got them thinking and they straightened up.  Just after an hour and a half of standing in line the doors opened and we found our seats.

A long line off amazing musicians preformed.  Kurt Bestor, Ryan Shupe and the Rubberband, Peter Breinholt, Sam Payne, David Tolk, and Colors.  They were all very entertaining and TALENTED!

We are all BIG fans of Ryan Shupe and the Rubberband in our house.  

So we were thrilled to see them preform!

Peter Breinholt read a post from Paul Cardall's blog about Gracie and then dedicated a song to her called "You are home."  They played a slide show of Gracie to go along with the song.  It was so touching.  I balled my eyes out throughout the whole song and then for the next 4 or 5 songs after.  I really struggled to get a grip of myself!

Then just about the time I gained control of my emotions they brought Paul and his family on stage.  Paul thanked everyone for all they had done for them and then he talked about Gracie and what an impact she had made on him.  He then played the only song he has written since being on the transplant list.  

A song for Gracie called, "Gracie's theme."

It was beautiful!

At the end of the song they put another picture of Gracie up on the screen.  I couldn't help but to think of the selflessness of this man, Paul Cardall.  Here they have put together a benefit concert for him, and he turns it into a night to honor Gracie.  What an amazing and beautiful tribute to a beautiful little girl!

I can only imagine what Tom and Michele must have been feeling at that moment.  I was left speechless and so very grateful that I brought my kids!

On Gracie's blog Michele has posted videos of the slide show that Peter Breinholt sang to, and also Paul Cardall's, Gracie's theme.  Please click on Gracie's blog and watch both of them.  You will be glad you did!

I hope that we can all keep Paul in our prayers and that he can receive a new heart very soon!  

If you are interested in reading more about Paul, click on Paul's blog.

Funny kid!

Talan is into everything!  

He is non stop exploring his little world!  Figuring out how things work and what his boundaries and limitations are.  He jumps off the furniture time and time again trying to land it just right!  He's dancing on the kitchen table every time I turn around.  He empties out the kitchen cabinets of pots and pans and strategically places them around the house.  If a bathroom door is left open he'll find it and play in the toilet water to his hearts content.  He works on the computer and talks on the phone whenever he gets a chance.  (So far to my knowledge he has only called 911 once!)  He makes it a point to remove all the air vents throughout the house and lately he especially likes to get inside of them.  This picture was taken right after he played in the toilet water and then decided it was time for a little vent sit!

Funny kid!  

He's a handful but totally worth it!    

CrAzY dAy!

Ethan, Carsten, Bradon, Taylor and Max.

Yesterday was CrAzY dAy at school!  

The kids informed me that they could dReSs CrAzY but they were not aloud to AcT cRaZy!  

Good luck with that one! 

So all the kids dressed themselves, we worked out some pretty crazy hair doos and snapped this photo right before they headed out the door for school.

Now that's a bunch of CrAzY kIdS!

Carsten's special trip!

Last week David found a truck in Arizona that he wanted to buy.  He bought one way plane tickets for Carsten and himself and off they went for a little father and son adventure!  Carsten was so excited!  He hadn't been on an airplane since he was 23 months old and he has no memory of that.  So for him, this was his first time flying!  They got to the airport and got in the security line.  The line was pretty long and David was worried that they might be cutting it close.  Then an airport employee came up to David and asked if Carsten was with him.  He told her yes and then she informed him that he could go through the family express lane.  AWESOME!  So they zipped through the line, bought themselves smoothies for breakfast and waited to board their plane.

    

Carsten got the window seat!  

He said, "At first it was a little scary because I saw the ground and could see how high up we were.  But then we got over the clouds and it looked cool!"

When they first arrived they went to Grandma and Grandpa Haws' house.  Carsten was royally spoiled and loved every second of it!  Grandma Haws took Carsten shopping to pick himself out a present.  David said that Carsten seemed a little uncomfortable with all the attention.  I think that's to be expected from a middle child!  Carsten needed a little one on one attention and finally he was getting it!

The next day they got the truck.  The plan was to meet the guy in the morning and make the deal.  When David got a hold of him we was out on a job and David didn't end up getting the truck until that afternoon.  So they went to the mall with Grandpa Haws and Carsten led the way.  Wherever Carsten wanted to go, they went!  They bought Carsten a Cardinals hat and Cardinals shirt.

After they got the truck they went to Mesa to surprise Grandma and Grandpa Adair.  Grandma cried real tears of joy to see them!  Grandma and Grandpa took them out to dinner and then took Carsten shopping for a toy for the trip home.  They stayed the night at Grandma Adairs and she played games with Carsten until late at night.  Carsten loves playing games with his Grandma and she is always more than willing to play!

The next morning they got up extremely early (2:15 am Arizona time) and hit the road for home.  They stopped in Beaver for some squeaky cheese and then Cove Fort.  At Cove Fort they went on a little tour and the missionary there gave Carsten a wooden pioneer toy.

When they got home Carsten was beaming with joy.  He absolutely loved his special trip with his dad.  He couldn't tell me about it fast enough.  He said, "Mom, I was spoiled!"

Good for him!  I think that every boy deserves a special trip with their dad.  I'm so glad that he was able to get his!  And I don't think that it could have come at a better time for Carsten.

We love you Carsten!

Oh yeah...and nice truck David!

Regional basketball tournament

Our ward basketball team took first place in our stake and went on to the regional tournament.  At the regional tournament we lost all the games we played and we won all the games that were forfeit!  Way to go team!  Actually it sounds worst than it was.  The games we lost were close games and it really could have gone either way.  The level of play in regionals was defiantly a jump up from playing in stake.  Some of those women had game!

Basketball is defiantly not my forte.  It's a pretty physically aggressive sport!  And women can be brutally tough/mean!  I have always liked playing volleyball and tennis.  Sports where I'm on the opposite side of the net from my opponent.  With basketball I just want to say, "Get out of my face, I'm trying to shoot the ball here!"  I guess running up and down the court trying to figure out what in the heck I was suppose to be doing was fun.  And it was defiantly good exercise!  At moments I actually felt like I was figuring it all out and being somewhat of a contributor to the team.  And then there were other moments when I felt like the team would have been better off if I had just stayed home!  I kept telling myself, "This is just church ball...  It's just for FUN!"

I can hardly wait for church volleyball to start up.  Something I have confidence in!  Then maybe I can be the one teaching  some of these other women a thing or two.

Puppy love!

Talan loves our dog Teegs!  

(So I don't know, maybe Teegs is worth it after all!)

Teegs is so good with Talan!  He usually just sits very still when Talan is around.  Whenever Talan sees Teegs he makes barking sounds.  

Woof, Woof!  

In these pictures I was trying to capture 

the kiss that Talan laid on Teegs.  

    

This is Talan going in for the kiss...

And the wet, juicy, tongue kiss is complete!

Way to go Talan!