HaPpY EaStEr!

April 19, 2014

We started out the night before with egg coloring.  They really like to combine colors... they ended up with what they called camo colored eggs... so they were happy.  :)   

We also read scriptures from the last week of the Saviors life while we made Resurrection Rolls to have with dinner.  What a fun way to talk about why we celebrate this day.  And the are delicious!  :)  I think this will become a new tradition. 

April 20, 2014

Easter morning!  They are always so excited about their baskets, even when there isn't anything exciting in them.  ;)  Sis was still sleeping when we took the picture... but it should be noted that under that binky there is a real life smile!  

All dressed up!  I love those faces! 

She found the candy!  Hahaha.

After church the big boys got to roll some eggs while the littles took a nap.  Egg Rolling is a sport from my childhood.  Growing up, you couldn't eat an egg unless you rolled it first.  ;)  It's basically a fast way to crack an egg with some fun competition thrown in.  

After naps, we headed to the Elam's for dinner and some egg hunting with friends!  It was a fun group.  The Elam, Christensen, Parker, Swain clan!  :) 

Love these kids!  (Even the redhead that cries all the time.  Seriously, who's kid is that?!) 

One of my very favorite holidays, because of why we celebrate.  Because of Him my happiness is mine forever!  And I honestly can't imagine this life without that knowledge and promise and hope!  

HAPPY EASTER!

The Gilbert AZ Temple Open House

There is a lot of temple building going on in Arizona!!  It's very VERY exciting!  The Gilbert Temple is the second to be built since we moved here in 2009. (The Gila Valley Temple was dedicated in May 2010, Reagan was pretty little so we didn't make it to the open house.)  It's the 3rd temple in AZ.  There is a Phoenix Temple currently under construction and a TUCSON Temple has been announced!  So wonderful and exciting!  And such a cool and special experience for our kids!  This was the first temple our kids have been able to walk through... And they LOVED it!

Despite it taking over 3 hours to see, they held on to their excitement and paid very close attention to everything.  :) It was really cool to watch our kids reactions to this beautiful place and the spirit there as they experienced it for the first time. :)

What a beautiful, peaceful, sacred place.  It may very well be the most beautiful temple I've ever been in.  The glass and the colors were so vivid, I loved it.  The boys eyes and smiles were so big the entire way through, and they were full of questions.  :)  

The Celestial Room was amazing! In the center of the ceiling was the biggest crystal chandelier I have ever seen, and as soon as the kids saw it there was a lot of excitement. Reagan's reaction was probably the loudest though.  She just kept pointing and yelling "Wow! WOW!" and she didn't stop saying it until we left the room. :) I felt sorta bad that she was so loud in a room that was so filled with reverence, but she really meant it. She was in awe and she was expressing her feelings using the only words she had available to her.  She just happens to be very loud when she is excited.  ;)

The boys favorite room, other than the Celestial Room, was the Font Room.  :) They also really loved all the mirrors.  They would stand and look at themselves going on forever and giggle.  It made my heart happy.  Being in that place with my forever family.

We spent some time outside walking around the grounds, which were also beautiful. The kids got a nice picture of the temple from the visitors tent and we loaded up and made the trek home.  It was a long, wonderful, beautiful day. 

Opening Ceremonies

February 7, 2014
2014 Winter Olympics... Opening Ceremonies...  We really get into the Olympics at our house!  ;)  Patrick gave the kids his Olympic pep talk, he is still hopeful that one of them will someday go.  haha.  (Although winter sports are a bit challenging to master in AZ.)  But man, we love it!  They each drew their own Olympic dream picture. 

They got their own gold medal.  :)

Jackson is going to compete in both summer and winter games as a track and field sprinter and as a snowboarder. :)  

Harrison is going to be a hockey player.  According to him, he is the one scoring the goal, playing alongside Shawn White. The goalie he's scoring on is Justin Beiber. Hahaha.

We also had our own light show.  haha. 

Both boys.

Harrison

Jackson

And even our treats were patriotic.  ;)  Graham crackers and frosting, yum!  

It's something we look forward to every 2 years, and all we watch for the entire 2.5 weeks.  The Olympics are always full of inspirational stories, amazing wins and heartbreaking losses.  The world coming together to compete somehow brings out the very best in humanity.  We sing our national anthem, we celebrate and cheer... we get to live it.  And it's never disappointing!    

The rest of Grandma & Papa in T Town

I really need to make a goal to take more pictures when we have family here!  :/  I hate that I don't have very many.  BUT, luckily my mom took lots and lots!  :)  

January 4th:

The big boys got to go to Home Depot for their kids craft.  They made cute little calendars. 

January 3rd: 
We were adventurous and took all 4 kids (and Papa) to the Tucson Children's Museum.  The kids LOVE it!  It's a very fun and interactive place, which is really great for Reagan, who hates being stuck in a stroller all the time.  ;) 

I felt a little bit like this too... ;)

 He made a motorcycle, we needed to take a picture of it.  :)

January 10th:
The big boys got to go to the Titan Missile Museum too.  This is actually very close to home, but we haven't ever been there.  They thought it was the coolest thing ever!  They were full of interesting facts!  :)

 :)

There was lots of playing and relaxing (sort of) and hanging out...

 There's a crab in there, a plastic toy crab.

 Love this crazy bald boy!

They were reading the map and talking about all the places Papa has been in the world... and all the places Jackson plans on going.  :)

And sleep overs in the trailer with Grandma and Papa.  It was a wonderful visit!

And they even got to attend a birthday party....  ;)