April and Part of May

I need to start updating more often.  I keep putting it off because I'm either using my ipad to check email, or Morgan and/or Ryan are on the computer.  Anyway, here are the activities we did in April and part of May.

Morgan lost her bottom two front teeth.  Ryan was concerned it was a little early, but after talking with friends and family (and a quick google on the net) we found out everything was okay.  She was a little freaked out at first and cried because they were gone, but as soon as the tooth fairy came, she was all smiles.

Jaxen and Gracie had a bike parade at school.  When loading the van, I asked them if they wanted to take their two wheelers or their big wheels.  Gracie is afraid to ride her two wheeler so she quickly chose her purple big wheel.  Jaxen wanted to be like her, so he picked the red big wheel.  When we arrived at school, all the other kids brought their two wheelers and Jaxen was upset.  He wanted me to go home and get his.  I had to take Joshua to therapy and couldn't go home to change the bikes.  So, at the time of the parade, Jaxen refused to ride his bike, as you can see in the pictures.  It was a fun afternoon.

Ryan's niece Megan was married on May 3rd in Nauvoo, and we were all able to go and participate.  We spent our time seeing the sites and visiting with family.  The kiddos really liked the fact that each night before bed we spent an hour or so swimming in the pool.  Needless to say, they had a blast.

Group shot the day before the wedding.

Kids on the statue in front of the temple.

Family Picture in front of the temple.

While out front taking pictures, we ran into my next door neighbors from my childhood, Janet and John Woffinden.  What a small world.  They had traveled from Utah to see the temple, while we were there from Michigan.

Family pictures after the wedding ceremony.

Kids posing for the camera in Carthage.

After our trip to Nauvoo, Grandma Jean Ann came out and spent the week of Tulip Time with us.  We went to a parade, ate carnival food, saw the Dutch Dancers, and dozens of tulips.  We had a great time showing her around.  While she was here she also helped in Jaxen's preschool, played at Deanna's Playhouse, and went with Joshua to Teusink's Farm.  We kept her very busy and wore her out, but she enjoyed her time with us.  We are hoping she will come back next year.

Grandma and the kiddos at the beach.

Rachel playing in the sand.

Morgan and Jaxen posing in front of the Tulips.

Morgan and Gracie in front of the tulips.

Morgan has been asking me for weeks to get her ears pierced.  I wanted to wait until her birthday, but while Grandma was here we found ourselves in the mall and she asked again.  So, here is Morgan getting ready to get her ears pierced.  She was very brave and didn't even cry.   Wow she is growing up.

March Activities

The kids all dressed up for St. Patrick's Day.  Ryan bought them each a green necklace to make sure they were wearing green.  They were very happy to show off their outfits.  Joshua unfortunatly came home sick from school and threw up all over his green outfit, so he is not pictured.  He is actually laying on the floor in pajamas, wrapped in a blanket and feeling miserable.  Poor boy.

Morgan was invited to a birthday party for a girl at school.  The theme was "Hello Kitty."  Morgan was so excited to come home and show off her Hello Kitty face paint and new flip flops.

The end of March, I had a 2 day conference.  Ryan was in charge of the kiddos while I was away.  To keep everyone happy and getting a long, Ryan does best when they are busy busy busy.  He took them to the zoo, to McDonalds, Deanna's playhouse, the park and anywhere else he could think of.  By the time I got home, they were all exhausted, including Ryan. 

Last weekend was a very nice weekend, so being the beach lover that he is, Ryan wanted to go to Oval beach for a family walk.  It was very cold with the wind blowing in off the lake.  The kids loved it.  They ran around gathering shells and rocks and fighting over who got to walk the dogs.  It was a nice cold day.

This week is spring break. It actually started on Friday and since Ryan had it off for Good Friday, we tried to do some fun things.  We attempted the zoo, but it was a little too crowed.  We then tried the park, and it too had a lot of people.  So, we ended up at good old McDonalds and played in the play land.  Since everyone was outside, it was quite deserted.

Ryan has been reading everynight to the kids before we go to bed.  Their current favorite is a book called "Pickle Things."  It is very cute and considering where he works, very appropriate.

New Furniture

After 12 years of marriage, we were finally able to replace the couch we bought for our first apartment.  The couch was well loved and had out lived it's time.  It had lived through dog and child sicknesses, markers, spilled sippies, and food fights just to name a few.  It was getting uncomfortable and since it is in our main room for viewing cartoons and such during the day, it was time to try to find something else.  We finally found a couch and chair set we both liked that was in our price range, and it will hopefully stand up to the test of time (with 5 kiddos and 2 dogs).  After only two days, Gracie christened the new couch with a little bit of vomit.  Wonderful!!!  Also, the kids love the new chair because it reclines.  Here are some pictures of the triplets enjoying the new digs. 

Photographer in the Making

Jaxen loves to have his picture taken.  I think it's because he likes the attention that he gets when asked to pose for some pictures.  Anyway, recently he has been asking me if he can take some pictures.  I usually say he can take one or two with me close by.  Well, the other day he took the camera and went around the house taking pictures while I was in the shower.  Here are a few that he wanted to share with his Grandma's and Grandpa's.

Rachel's Ariel Bathtime doll.  He loved the red hair.

Rachel trying to take the camera away from him.

Jaxen's favorite movie right now "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaur."  He wanted a picture to remember it by.

Gracie in one of her dress up costumes.

Jaxen's legs.

Rachel and Jaxen's legs.

The window in Gracie and Morgan's room.

Deana's Playhouse

Our favorite place to go during the winter is Deana's playhouse.  I know I have posted about it before, but it is a great place for kids 6 and under.  They have many many toys and 10 different play areas to entertain all the little ones.  Best of all, I can sit down in one spot and watch everyone or take kids to the bathroom while the other kids play.  It is my get away from the clutter and mess at my house.  The kids really enjoy it as well.  Here are a few pictures taken this year of the kids having fun.

Haircuts

Morgan decided she wanted some bangs like mommy and some of her friends, so while I was cleaning up an overflowing toilet (thanks Jaxen), she began trimming her hair.  Then she decided Rachel needed some bangs as well.  Needless to say, we had an eventful day yesterday and Rachel and Morgan got to go to HairMasters to get it fixed.  Morgan was upset that the hairdresser had to cut it more to blend in her already short hair.  Mom was sad to see her hair get chopped as well.  It had just started to get long again after her last trim when we donated it to locks of love.  Oh well, it will grow again. 

Morgan's attempt at a haircut.  She wanted bangs like Mommy's.  I had to explain to her that I go and have someone cut my hair and I don't do it myself.  So I told her next time to ask and we will take her to have it cut.  No more home cuts.  Please.

After the hairdresser tried to fix what was already done.

Morgan's hair this morning with a few barrets.

Rachel's first haircut.  She was really good sitting in the chair.

Rachel's finished look when all was said and done.  She is a cutie.