Easter Egg Hunt

The traditional Egg Hunt at Easter time is a must at our house. It is funny how much hype goes into an event that lasts less than two minutes. The hunt is always at the school and I think that we have been there very year that we have had kids.

I dropped Taylor and Abby off at their designated locations and Dallin and I walked to his area. On the way we spotted the prized "golden" egg. I had do quite a bit of talking to get him to leave it there. We went to the line and the second the bell rang he went running clear across the field. I kept trying to get him to pick up eggs but no he beelined it for the "Gold" egg. He actually ended up with a lot of eggs.

The beautiful thing about this egg hunt is that all the eggs are empty. At the end you trade in your eggs for a prize, which are all the same. (Sanity for Mothers) And of course a special treat for gold eggs.

Dallin was so proud of himself for getting that egg.

The Living Planet

For several weeks the kids had been working on getting along a little better. We have this little problem of teasing (which I detest). The kids had to fill a bucket with balls of paper and the only way to earn a ball was to get caught getting along. Once the bucket was filled they would earn a special reward, which turned out to be a trip to the Living Planet.

We went over Easter break with Karrie and her boys. The kids were so excited to go. They had seen the commercial on TV many times. I knew that Taylor would love this but I was surprised at how the other kids reacted. Usually Dallin just wants to run but he was fascinated by things and would have stayed glued to the spot for hours if we would have let him. His favorite exhibit was the Salamanders. Abby was the brave one and touched the "Sting Ray" Taylor used his photography skills and caught everything on his camera.

This was a fun day. One that I would recommend but it was very crowded.

Crazy Hair Day

For Red Ribbon Week at school the kids dressed up. Every day was something new, like wearing your PJ's or a hat to school. On this day the kids had crazy hair. The kids were so excited about it but there is only so much you can do with hair that is less than an inch long. I had bought so glitter glue for Abby's Halloween costume and it seemed to come off pretty good so we decided to try it in their hair. Of course if Taylor and Abby had their hair done, Dallin was not to be left out.

Note for the future:

The glitter stayed in amazingly well (I really thought that it would start flaking off). The trick to getting it out of the hair was to simply let it soak in the bath tub. Abby's hair was a little tricky to get ponytails out that were glittered together. Next time we'll do one or the other.

DALLIN

It's about time I wrote about Dallin. His birthday was a month ago but that's about how far behind I am with everything.

Dallin started preschool this fall. He loves it!!! He has two wonderful teacher. We have been so impressed. The other day I thought to myself as 10, 3 and 4 years walked out of the house as cars, that I need to start bringing my camera every time I pick him up. They had made cars out of cardboard boxes, they were colored and fixed up with headlights, taillights and customized license plates. It was so cute. It has been a great confidence boost for him. For the first time he has been able to do something all by himself and not just watch big brother or sister do it.

Dallin turned four this year. I can't believe my baby is that big. He can be so much fun and constantly reminds me how much he loves me. His personality is as vibrant as his hair. Man, I love that little boy. The other day I was reading a story to him and he was patting my arm. He looked up at me and said, "Momma, you are beautiful." No wonder I love him.

He had a fun birthday thanks to all the grandparents, great grandparents, aunts, uncles, and friends. We love you Danno.

Back to School

It's that time of year again. BACK TO SCHOOL. The kids have been so excited. Taylor is going to second grade and Abby starts Kindergarten. Dallin will start preschool this year. School is even new for me, with a new Principal and different expectation. The past week has been crazy. During the day, we tried to play and enjoy the last week of summer vacation and at night I would stay up trying to get my school work done. I have tried hard to not short change the kids because of the few hours I work. Sometimes I am better at it than others.

Sunday, while we were still dressed up, we had a short Family Home Evening. Jared gave us blessings to start the new year. It set the perfect tone to start school. We are so lucky to have a Dad that honors his Priesthood and can do that for us. Thanks Jared. That night at bedtime I read the kids the story "Let me hold you longer". It is such a cute story but the wrong one to read that night. I started bawling, Abby started to cry and even Jared got emotional. It's sad to see the kids growing up so fast. It made me more determined to be a better Mom and enjoy the kids more. I focus too much on all the stuff that needs to be done. They are growing up and soon all I will have is those sacred memories of when they were my babies. Ok, so I am bawling again.

Monday, the kids were up bright and early. Taylor looked so handsome and grown up. He got himself ready, feed the dog and had an hour to spare. Abby was a little nervous, but so cute. They both loved school and their teachers. Dallin was the one who struggled. He didn't want Abby to go. I am glad that preschool will start soon.

I think that this will be a good year for all of us.