What's New?

This last month has been a full one. We have had lots of fun with family and visitors, on vacation, with home beautification projects, and with life in general. Although it is not comprehensive, I posted some of the fun things we have been up to. I will post some before and after photos of our home projects when they are done (so hopefully soon).

A Bit Scary

...need I say more.

"I Don't Need These Anymore"

This week all my kids seem to be growing up!
Tuesday was warm, so we spent the morning playing ball, and riding bikes. Then, after our picnic lunch I went in to clean up the kitchen. A few minutes later Derek walked in and handed me his training wheels--that he had taken off himself--and said, "uh, I just don't need these anymore."
A bit shocked, I explained the risks of learning to ride a bike without training wheels and agreed to "teach" him if he was ready.
Well, it turns out, he didn't need "teaching." I told him how to start, held onto the back of his seat two times, and he was gone! He now rides like a pro--fast, slow, starting, stopping, turning...all without crashing (way to prove all my warnings about falling wrong!)

Audrey must have felt like she was lagging behind, because she too told me "I don't need this anymore." She realized that having a railing on the side of her bed was too childish, and she was ready to be a big girl. So, I explained the risks of not having a railing on your bed (falling to the floor because you are a crazy sleeper), but told her she could try if she wanted. It has been three nights, and no falls (again, way to prove mom wrong).

As for Zorba the Chad, he is eating food! I have been trying to get him to eat solids for a while now, but he was NOT interested. I tried a variety of fruits/vegetables with no luck until...plumbs. Not just any plumbs though. He finally ate the plumbs that I was pureeing and freezing for baby food while I was in labor with him. (All that hard work paid off--6 months later) Hooray for solids!

New Ride

We finally did it! About a week ago, we successfully sold our first car. Our previous two cars were demolished by other drivers careless driving, and we never had a chance to sell/purchase a car the way most people do...until now.

I did have a few nostalgic moments as we left our wonderful CR-V at the dealership, and then drove by for a couple days looking at it all shined up and waiting for some one new to take it on some adventures. I loved that car!

However, we are now the proud owners of a sleek new mini-van. Chuckle if you must, but we are loving it. The convenience is great. The power sliding door is the highlight of our kids day (which makes for happy kids when running errands). The V-6 (compared to our CR-V's 4 cyl) is nice on the hills in Bountiful. The space, and number of seats is awesome. D & A especially like that it is blue. They like our new car so much that I have found them sitting in the dark garage, buckled into their car seats, just waiting for me to take them somewhere.

Spring Decor

I was in charge of decorations for a Relief Society activity last month. I made some tissue paper flowers that were so easy, but so darn cute. The whole centerpiece was so easy and cheap to make. Needless to say, I am very pleased with the end results and had to share this cute spring centerpiece idea.

Arizona Trip

My cousin Ashley was getting married, and I needed to see all my relatives that I hadn't seen in years. So, I packed up the kiddos (all three in one little CR-V) and we drove the 12 hours to Arizona...and it was so worth it. We really did have a fun time driving together--Derek and Audrey were great helpers with Chad, and it was so fun to watch their excitement as they saw things such as the Hoover Dam, Cacti, Joshua trees... While we were there we got to stay with and visit with my Grandma & Grandpa. I loved seeing them again. It was also so great to catch up with all my cousins (who are all so fun. I miss being around them). D & A loved many things about Arizona: playing in everyone's trucks (since EVERYONE has one), wearing shorts and flip-flops, reading stories with Nana and Grandpa-great, watching Grandma-great paint beautiful pictures, going to the swap meet and out to eat with papa, playing at lots of parks, and visiting with their best friends Callie and Kade.

We ate breakfast at the Hoover Dam [the "Hoober Dam" if you ask Derek].

They were pretty excited to see where the transformers hid their allspark cube!

Grandma & Grandpa-great's house

Derek and Audrey were obsessed with the "jungle trees."

We spent a day at the Pheonix Zoo...and rode a camel.

What do ducks line up for at the zoo?
Maybe you could tell me?

Hanging out at the coolest park in Chandler, AZ

Chad Chatting with his new buddies Dallin and Dawson

We stayed & bowled in Mesquite on the way home.

Coolest shoes ever! Derek got 3 spares--by himself!

Audrey coaching her ball...and eventually getting bored because it took to long too hit the pins

Sexiest Man of the Year

Christian Marinos, able to sport such a variety of looks handsomely, has been named [by his beautiful wife] this year's "sexiest man of the year" winner.


Am I the luckiest girl alive or what?!