Sunday, April 22, 2012

Fire, Soap & Water

3/29/12   Parker has had a spot in the garden prepped for a fire since February.  We decided that on this night we could tell him "yes."  He was delighted.  No more tiny fires on the concrete (yes Parker I know about these).  No more burning lint in the garage (yes, Parker I know about this too.)  And certainly no more wondering about how aerosol cans make fire (what do you talk about with Mr. O?)  Ok, minus the aerosol, Parker got the fire going.  Only needed a little bit of help.  We all enjoyed sitting around the fire.  Taking in the time together.  And the smell.
3/30/12   Thanks for the friendly gift Missy!  And for the mid-afternoon laughs.
3/24/12   Enjoying Uncle Greg's hot tub with Kaysen

Birthdays & Friends

Happy 6th Birthday
Kaleigh Corrine!

3/30/12  Kaleigh had a Wizarding 6th birthday party.  I offered to watch Channing but he was asleep so I offered to be the photographer instead.  It was fun to watch a birthday party from the sideline.  Great work Corrine!
Kyralyn didn't want to be the only kid there without wizard robes.  So I bumped aside a few things and went to work on a fun project.
Corrine gave me the old shirt idea, Kadee gave me the shirt, Hobby Lobby had the other pieces and I enjoyed doing something I hadn't done in a very long time!  We were both pretty happy with how it turned out.  Of course I had planned a whole matching outfit to be worn underneath it...but her style idea made the ensemble much more creative & eclectic!
Corrine made wizard wands for all of the junior wizards.  She made special ones with hearts, flowers & initials for Kaleigh, Kyralyn & Addie.
3/30/12
One tough pinata!
After all the wizards took several swings, Mom & Dad went after it.  Down it came in a shower of candy.
3/30/12
With Annabelle, Eli & Abbie
Laughing while Corrine displayed the silly relay, they loved it when she put the diaper on her head.

Playing Red Rover
With the birthday girl.  Love you, sis.
She's caught.  {See the pink in Kyralyn's hair?  It was a strand that the "hair-cutter lady" put in.  It made it about 6 weeks before it slid right out after a dip in the pool in St. George.}
3/30/12   Eli, a dear friend from school.

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Fast Forward

Time continues to pass very quickly & we try hard to make the most of every moment.

Which means things around our home are:


1/27/12   Paul got to ref Lehi High on his birthday.  We all went to cheer him on.  "Take his whistle!" is Parker's favorite chant to yell & Paul's favorite to hear.
Sometime in February Kyralyn celebrated 100 days of school in Kindergarten.  This was taken on 2/16/12
2/12/12   Clay was awarded his Eagle Scout.  Way to go!
2/12/12   Kyralyn loves to help take care of the babies.  Even the ones who aren't really babies anymore.  This is Emily.
2/19/12   We went to the hospital to meet Denver Lynn.  She was born Feb 17, weighing in at 8lbs 6 ounces.
2/21/12   Parker loves to snuggle.
3/1/12   We celebrated Relief Society with an evening centered around its central focus:  Charity Never Faileth.  These were napkin rings that Ashley made.
3/1/12  Yummy dinner of lasagna, salad, breadsticks & cake.  Beautiful decorations.  Inspiring messages about charity.  Thanks again Sarah, Andrea, Ashley & many others.
3/2/12   Kissing lessons.
3/5/12  We took Amber to a play at the Desert Star Theatre for her birthday.  It was called, "CSI:  Provo; Decaffinated DNA."  We laughed so hard the tears were rolling.  A month later we took Corrine for her birthday and saw "The Princess Bridesmaid."  Another night of laughter, good music, and great talent.  {And much thanks to Lincoln, Michelle, Todd & Rachel for inviting my kids to spend time with them while I spent some time with dear friends.}
3/9/12   Tate comes in the morning before the kids leave for school.  Parker is usually up for a long time but today Tate got to wake him up.
3/25/12   Kaysen came into town for a visit.  The kids spent hours playing at a few of our neighborhood parks together.
3/27/12   Paul went to play with the ward basketball team for a regional tournament.  Parker spent a long while getting to know Channing.
4/7/12   Champions again!  They came out on top of the spring league.  Great work team!  {As a side note, I am especially grateful that they were placed either 1st or 2nd going into this game today.  If they weren't we would have had what was to me a major scheduling conflict.  Paul & I had made plans back in January to attend "Zorro:  The Musical" on this day.  At 12:30.  Of course I thought the spring league games would all be over by now.  The game for the 3rd & 4th place teams was to begin at 12:00.  It seems inconsequential now but it was very important to me that we make this show.  All of the important things on this day working out was a blessing.}
4/18/12   When Dallin started school, Donut day was called "Daddy donut day."  That must have become too specific because now it is just "donut date."  The student gets to bring someone special with them to read to them for 1/2 an hour.  The PTA provides donuts.  Paul has been able to do this with each of the kids every year.  Except the time he asked Grandpa to come for him since he was out of town.  This year he was able to take a later flight so that he could be with Kyralyn for her first donut date.
7/15/11   Paul's shared many offices over the years with Ultra Steam.  The van, the spare bedrooms, our living room, and the common room in the current office.  What a privilege and blessing to have his own.
7/27/11   the Oakland, CA temple
8/30/11   An Ultra Steam project?  I liked the contrasting lines & angles.
4/7/12   We were there!  Phenomenal performance.  Sword fighting.  Fire.  Big flowing gypsy dresses.  Great music.  Fun dancing.  Amazing talent.  (this photo was taken before the show.  despite their faces they really liked it.  maybe it was the front row seats.)
4/7/12  Hale Center Theatre, West Valley.

Friday, April 20, 2012

Easter 2012

4/8/12

Happy Easter
Please no more pictures.
We went to Todd & Rachel's for their annual Easter Egg Hunt.  We were coming from Dallin's championship basketball game, en route to watching Zorro.  Kyralyn was very concerned that we still get to hunt for eggs.  Aunt Rachel made sure that happened!  Scott & Kari got stuck on the freeway so while Todd went to help them, Rachel started the first egg hunt so that we could rush on to the theatre.  Yeah, didn't realize it was Easter weekend when I bought the tickets for today back in January!
The tradition is for the older kids accompany the younger ones.  Parker got to help Emily & they were the first ones out the door.  Cousin Adrianna (Nita's daughter) from Idaho got to take Kyralyn.  Aunt Nita had all kinds of fashion ideas to give Kyralyn so of course she was just enamored with her, a total stranger at the time.  Nita is Rachel's sister.  Adrianna was a good sport to run around with Kyralyn.
4/7/12
4/7/12   Jace & Tylan accompanying Andrew
Andrew has perfected the "Tebow".  He has a cute victory dance to go with it.
4/7/12


The Hunters:  Parker (9), Emily (2 in July), Tylan (8), Daniel (28), Jace (14), Cassie (11), Adrian (9), Andrew (4), Kyralyn (5)
Easter almost came & went with barely a blink at our house.  Thanks to Aunt Rachel, we had an Easter egg hunt, and thanks to the eggs we didn't color last year we had the dye kit to do up some this year.  All the kids joined in & we had one of those unique moments when you can feel the bonds that hold you together as a family being built.  Taking part in family traditions does that.  The one thing I had actually planned for this year was Easter dinner for our family at our house.  Todd & Rachel kindly invited us to join them but we declined.  And then, Sunday morning after Stake Conference we were visiting with Greg & Corrine.  She invited us to bring our dinner to their house and join them.  Of course at that point all the kids jumped up and down, even Dallin was almost jumping up & down!  So I broke down and agreed.  Of course it turned out great & was a fun evening with special friends.  We even got in a game of whiffle-ball baseball before dark.  Once again I am truly grateful for loving family & friends who invite us to be a part of their lives.