Light

Sometimes I have random pictures and there is really no story to go with them.  These are some of those kind of pictures.  Sunday I made pancakes for dinner and we were just sitting there around the table and I looked over at Kate and I just thought to myself, 'good grief!!  she is so pretty!'  I know I'm totally biased.  But I really do think she's pretty.  I hope she thinks so too when she gets older.  There are so many ideas out there of what constitutes "pretty" these days- that I hope she can always see what I see.  

Kate literally has light shining from inside- and she lights up a room when she walks in.  She is really, truly beautiful- inside and out.

I hope she always remembers this.  She is a very special spirit and I wouldn't trade her for anything.  Love you little girl.

Little Chompers

I took Kate to the dentist 6 months ago.  And she sat and screamed the entire time.  Seriously.  The entire time.  The dentist took it in stride and took the opportunity to look in her mouth as she was taking a breath.  He said it didn't look like anything was wrong... but maybe we try again when she was older.

I tried again this week... And again- I just have to shake my head.  I was kind of hoping for a flip out- it would mean that my baby was still a baby.  But there were no flip outs.  Not even a smidgen of a  flip out.  She marched in to the office like she owned it.  It helped that the hygienist was there to meet her with a brand new super hero cape... but still... I was expecting a little flack.



But she did fine.  Even for XRays.

She flew through the appointment!  No cavities and no tears.  I had allotted more time for her appointment than was necessary because of how good she was- so we hit Costco on our way home.  She refused to take the cape off.  I giggled as we walked the aisles... and so did most of the people that passed us.  I really laughed when we passed another mom- her kid had a lightsaber in his belt buckle.

Kids are awesome.

Visitors

We had visitors come visit us last week... Shaun's brother Chase was working down in central Utah last week and his cute wife Dani tagged along and spent a couple of days with us!  It was so much fun!  Their oldest girl is about 6 months older than Kate and they are the best of friends... when they aren't fighting.  It is soo funny when you get them together.  One second they are screaming at each other and the next they are hugging.

We went to lunch and told the girls to go get their shoes on.  When we made it to the door, I looked down at the girls and had to laugh- they had switched one shoe each.



And next time Deja... you CAN stay FOREVER!!!

Hangin' in Declo

We went to Declo for the latter part of Spring Break- we even talked Shaun into taking a couple days off of work so that we could stay longer.  The kids miss Grandma Jacki and Papa Orllo- and we just don't get to see them very often- so when we have a chance to go and spend some time- we totally jump on it.  

It was gorgeous weather the first couple of days that we were there- so when the kids were playing around outside I followed them around with my camera.  There are just so many things to climb up and over when you are out in the country.  First the kids found Papa's pasture gate...

And check out these clouds- they looked fake to me...

We went for rides on the 4-wheeler... We even got Kate on board with it.  Up until this point she has wigged whenever she gets anywhere near it.  I don't know the reason for the change... I guess it's just another glimpse at a little girl that is growing up.  

Cute dad...

We played on the swings...

Tyler went a little too high and scared himself...  hahaha...

They went down the slide...

I don't know why they couldn't go down one at a time... I guess squishing your siblings and not having your mom yell at you for it DOES sound pretty good...

 The kids must have gone up and down those stairs a thousand times that afternoon.

We made some new friends...

Played some ball...

And had a cookout at the end of the day.  The kids were in heaven.  And absolutely exhausted at the end of the day.  Those ARE the best kind of days aren't they??  We all slept like rocks and woke up to the smell of bacon.  Grandma Jacki rocks.

Saturday dawned kind of drizzly, so we went into town to see the new Mini Golf Course and Roller Rink.  And maybe my definition of Mini Golf is a little different than anyone else's... but I giggled when I saw the course.  It was inside an old school- so it was on carpet and the holes were above ground.  The kids had a really good time.  Initially I was going to keep score- I love trash talking my 7 year old, but after Ryan took 13 strokes to get into the first hole...  I used the scorecard to fan myself instead.

Ty raced through the course and I think he lapped the rest of us 3 times before we were finished.

Next, we strapped on some skates and hit the roller rink.  In a word:  HILARIOUS!  I can't remember a time I laughed so hard!!  Ryan looked like a cartoon character- his little feet were going back and forth so fast- you could hardly see them!

Ty spent the first 15 minutes here.... 

And surprisingly, Kate did really well!  She got tired really fast though and had a good time sitting on the bench laughing at her brothers.

Look how tiny!!!  

Ty finally figured it out.  Though he said he did NOT want skates for his birthday this year!  I told him it was just like anything- you just have to practice!

This was as far as you could get from Ryan before he fell.  Every time.  I kept thinking he was getting the hang of it and I would let go and get a few steps away from him and he'd go down in a blaze of glory.  But he wants to go again- so I guess it couldn't have been that bad!

We had such a good time!  Thanks grandma and papa!!!  I know we are hard as guests because of our celiac issues... but you are such good sports!!!  Thanks for all the work you put into our weekend!!  Love you!

2nd Breakfast

That's right.  2nd breakfast.  Not for me mind you- one is enough for me to be full.  But I have a growing boy at home- who literally LOVES to eat.  When Ryan sits down to eat something, he will close his eyes as he puts the fork or spoon into his mouth... you can just see him savoring it.  It's so cute.  And so him.

So when he asked for waffles at 10:00 the other morning (he'd had cereal at 7), I thought to myself- 'there are a zillion things that I could be doing...' but I decided I didn't care- so I made Ryan waffles.  And whipped cream.  And I cut up some strawberries.  Then when I called him in to eat- his eyes LIT up and he broke into the biggest grin!  He threw his arms open and ran up to my leg and just squeezed as tight as he could- all while yelling "You made me waffles!!  You really made me waffles!  You're the best EVER!"

Sometimes I giggle at how little effort it really takes to be considered The Best Mom Ever.  Of course- all it takes to be the Worst Mom Ever is asking them to clean their room... but whatever- I'm going to soak up my moment of awesomeness.



So I sat down next to Ryan as he ate his second breakfast and we talked about school and his friends and how excited he for summer (he's really excited to go swimming again).  I love my little 4 year old and sometimes I just can't believe how grown up he is getting.  Sometimes I feel like we just brought him home from the hospital... and yet- he is growing into an exceptional little boy.  I sure do love him.  And I'm glad that I forgo the piles of laundry and stacks of dishes to just sit down and talk to him once in a while.

As a mom of three, sometimes I get all caught up in saying "Yes" to everyone else- I forget to say "Yes" to my babies too.  So here's to saying YES and really, really meaning it.

Little Heidi

We snuck out for lunch the other day... and met grandma and grandpa downtown at our favorite little German deli.  It was so much fun!  Ty was home from school with an ear infection- but I figured since he wasn't contagious or anything, he could enjoy lunch too.  It was kind of fun to play hookie with him!

There is nothing like their red cabbage and sauerkraut!  Thanks for lunch grandma and grandpa!

Snow White becomes Sleeping Beauty

Remember I told you about the princess skirts I made for Kate?  She LOVES the stupid things and wears them all the time- good thing they wash so well.  She was wearing one the other day when she totally crashed on dad's chair- I didn't get her to her nap soon enough!

Taco Tuesday

I've had this thought recently... I've been thinking about Ty.  And things to come.  This kid is going to have to know how to cook.  He can't rely on fast food and quesadillas in college like I did.  And there is a good chance that once he does marry- his wife wont' have a clue what gluten free is.  He has to know about his food and how to put it together.  So we started Kidd's Kitchen, a Gluten Free Cooking School for Kids.  Okay- really it's just me and Ty- but the title made it sound so much more official!  I gave Ty the task of fixing dinner- I gave him plenty of warning and set out some ideas.  He was actually more excited about this than I thought he was going to be.  He found a dinner idea and a recipe all on his own- tacos!

So I helped him read the recipe and gather the ingredients.  Obviously I browned the beef, but he had to measure out the spices and he stirred it all together.  He also put together the rice and helped me cook some beans on the stove.  He was in heaven!  Which made me think... why didn't I do this sooner??



Ty was beaming when he helped set the table and everyone came to eat.  My sister and her husband came over to eat with us- and they were so sweet to "ooo" and "awwww" in all the right places.  Although... when you come right down to it- the tacos were really good!  I didn't fake any of my "yummy" noises!  I wonder what he'll make next week...

Pizza again!!!

I'm going to brag.  I made pizza the other night.  GFree pizza.  And it was awesome.

Big Mac, BLT, Quarter Pounder with some Cheese...

I have two planters just outside my front door.  Right now they are just full of dirt- but I have been looking at pictures online and in magazines for some ideas of things to plant in them once the weather finally turns nice.  I guess Kate noticed... because she took it upon herself to relieve me of my planting duties.  She planted a french fry the other day and told me that a french fry tree would grow soon.

Is it ridiculous of me to admit that I hope it works?

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter friends!!  This year was such a fun year...  There was literally no build up for a bunny, so when the kids got up they totally ran past their Easter buckets.  In fact they didn't find them until after they had sat down to eat breakfast.  The bunny used to hide our baskets when my siblings and I were kids, but I don't think the bunny was firing on all cylinders the night before.  He totally forgot to hide eggs for an Easter egg hunt too...  Oh well.  The kids were so excited- the bunny brought them new headphones, flipflops and bubbles!  There is a blanket ban on all Easter candy in our house this year so we missed out on Peeps, but all in all- no one missed them!   

After the kids dug through their loot, it was off to shower and get ready for church.  I love going to church on Easter sunday- everyone is in new dresses and ties- I just love it.  

I snapped a few pictures out in the yard just as we were headed to church- sorry for the washed out looking pictures- but if it's any consolation to you all- I'm taking a photography class this week to see if there is any help at all for my sad snapshots.  Still though... my subjects are freakin cute!!