This boy turned six yesterday....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my first baby.
He brings me joy everyday with his tiny-toothed smile and deep belly laugh.
The overwhelming, neverending love I have for this small man grows each day.


I have many things to say about him and his brithday extravaganzas (plural) however we are busy tonight preparing for our "special trip". Ahem. . . Disneyland - but don't tell our kid. They don't know our destination, yet. So details of the bday festivites will be postponed until next week.

**One year ago, on Eli's 5th birthday, we were told by Nichole & Troy that Griffin would be coming into our family. It was a happy day and one we will always celebrate.

Heads up . . .

I can feel myself starting to fall apart. My Eli turns 6 in two days, Blakey turned 4 last month and my baby turns 1 in three weeks. 1? What am I supposed to do with that? I don't want him to be 1. Then he will be 2, then 3, then 4. Pretty soon he won't want to give me kisses or hold my hand or sit on my lap. I need him to stay my baby forever - since Ben is pretty determined that he is the last baby we will have around here.

Griffin's first Easter...in Idaho...and the rest of us too

We were able to go up to Idaho to spend Easter with my family. Yummy food, Easter egg hunts and lots of treats. We had a great time. My kids were spoiled and I got to sleep in. Huzzah!! My mom always has such fun things for the boys to do while we are there and she buys SO MUCH FOOD.

We are so grateful to celebrate this time of year and remember the Savior's sacrifice and resurrection. Eli and Blake love talking about Jesus and Blake is completely fascinated with - "Jesus died and then He (insert crazy excited voice) CAME BACK TO WIFE (he doesn't quite have those L's down yet). That's rezurrrrect."

digging for more

this is where the boys spend every morning

i adore this kid. so much.

grandpa, me and the grifster

my boys

my biggest boy

this is how most pictures of my family look

oh what a happy little family

just to prove how awesome i looked, you know, for poserity's sake

victory

my mom wrote their names on the eggs, so they would all have the same amount.

very grandma-like.

griff and aunt hailey

Aquarium

The stingrays feel disgusting. The octopus creeps me out. The huge spiders...wait, I just threw up a little. But the penguins are fantastic.

And this is officially one of my very favorite Eli picture faces.

Eli, Blakey and Isaac (eli's best friend)

happy day

my sister just emailed me this picture -

it made my whole day happy! thanks hailey.