HaPpY EaStEr!

The thrill of searching for your Easter basket.  I remember it well from when I was little.  For some reason I felt like it was a race to see who would find theirs first.  The kids were searching all over outside and they just couldn't' find them.  Silly rabbit - he decided to hide them inside this year!  Caleb found his in the cleaning closet and he had a package of Mr. Sketch markers.  He was so excited!!  The markers all have a fantastic scent.  Blueberry, strawberry, lemon, root beer...they are fabulous!  Rylee's basket was behind the couch and Taylor's was in the bathtub.  The each got a mermaid Barbie & they love her!

Caleb was so excited about his markers.  He ran to get a piece of paper and this is what he drew.  This child has the best imagination when it comes to drawing.  His amazing stick people never cease to amaze me.

Luke & Alexa found their baskets behind the recliner in their bedroom.  They even got an adorable pop-up lawn mower.  It even came with a mini gas can.  It's pretty cute.  Luke was a big fan of the Easter grass.  I bet I am finding in places for the next several months.  Alexa was a lover of her peeps.  A girl after my own heart.

Freeze Easter Picnic

The Saturday before Easter we headed out to Dove Creek to party it up with the Freeze side of the family.  I was in an AWFUL mood...which I now regret, but holy crap.  At that moment mad was the only emotion I could muster.  Sorry everyone....but it really wasn't entirely my fault!

 

My mom was so nice & offered to watch Luke & Alexa for me.  I don't know if she'll offer again thought.  Luke is a pistol.  An adorable little pistol.  I really do appreciate when people babysit for me.  I would lose my sanity without the occasional sitter.

 

The afternoon started with lunch.  Brad woke up at 4:30 AM to start getting wood coals ready for this pork roast he made.  I'm not sure what it all entailed, but it was delicious!  Tamara's deviled eggs are always the best ever.  She needs to make a dozen just for me to stuff in my face.  Mona's Dutch oven potatoes were also delicious.  Somehow I got off easy this year & just had to bring some fruit.  Caleb loves his cupcakes!  Taylor, Rylee & McKenna always like to play with each other.  Mona definitely won the Easter bonnet contest.  I love that Annalor hauls her own trailer and stays for the weekend and sits by the fire with her crocheting.  She's a trooper if I have EVER seen one.

 Mona arranged for everyone to do the bunny hop.  Brad headed up a game of redneck baseball.  I made Tamara take a selfie with me.  Casey helped the kids fly some awesome kites.  I took the kids on a few 4-wheeler rides.  There was even an Easter egg hunt!  It was a nice day out also.  Jacket weather, if you were just sitting with a breeze every now & then.  Hopefully the next time we all head out, I will be in a much better mood!

Anderson Easter Picnic

What a beautiful day!  It was a bit windy at times, but not to hot and not to cold.  This 7 year old boy & 4 year old girl stage is pretty adorable.  They were all pretty excited to get up on the hill and find their Easter eggs!  Taylor & Rylee always have each other's backs.  They would pick up the their sisters egg and take it back to their bucket for them and say, "I found one of yours!"  I think that Rylee had the best day ever.  Everything made her smile with delight.  She went on a 4-wheeler ride with Derrick & they got to see a white cottontail rabbit.  She came back and excitedly said, "I got to see the Easter Bunny!"

At lunch, Caleb loaded up his plate with a handful of each kind of chip and said, "I'm RICH of chips!!"  He spent the majority of his day sitting next to my dad's truck tire to stay out of the wind.  Rylee loved the lizard that was caught & having Grammy help her fly her kite.

Luke & Alexa have never had so much freedom!  Luke was cranky the second we got there so Casey took the babies on a 4-wheeler ride & Luke was asleep in no time.  Lucky for me, Angela is an excellent baby snuggler.  After he woke up he LOVED digging around in the dirt.  I just had to make sure he wasn't playing with any cow pies.  Lexi cheesing it up with Ashley cracks me up!

Griffy Poo and Blake were pretty chill this afternoon.  Loving on Ruger...a couple of wheeler rides...relaxing by the fire.  The Easter Bunny sure goes to great lengths to hide their eggs!  Griffen finds one in a pile of cow or horse doodie every year!

This girl is the greatest!  She loves to ride on Ruger...she loves frosting...she loves exploring...and loves to see everyone!  I think it is so cute that she leaves her sunglasses on.  She is a true darling diva.

We all headed home covered in dust with rosy red cheeks from the sun.  The kids went through their Easter eggs, took a shower & relaxed the rest of the night.  A very successful Easter picnic.

February Pictures!

One afternoon Taylor was all cuddled up on the couch and said that she didn't feel good.  Rylee rode over and gave her a kiss on the forehead and then held her hand and said that she would be ok.  ADORABLE!!

 The same day Eva came over to play while Ashley went to a Dr. appointment.  Once I mentioned a tea party and a cookie - Taylor felt all better!!

 Oh Caleb.  He is my little trash collector.  He always wants to keep paper cups, straws, chicken nugget boxes, boxes, jars, wood chips...you name it!  I love boxes though.  I have a hard time throwing them away.  Casey loves jars.  All shapes and sizes.  We are all trash collectors I guess!  Where did he get that awesome mask you are wondering?  It's an empty lunchable container.  He even had another lunchable at school the other day and asked if he could save the empty tray so that he could make a mask for his dad.

 Taylor & Rylee have had a new bedtime/morning routine for a while now.  They have their arms STUFFED with baby dolls and stuffed animals.  They gather them up to sleep with them every night and haul them up the stairs every morning.  I finally had to make a rule that they had to pick just one for the day.

 Have I ever mentioned that I love sleeping baby pictures?  Luke is in love with his puppy.  But mostly just the ears.  He grabs the puppy, puts in position so that he can take one of his ears and bring it to his mouth.  He doesn't put it in his mouth, but moves his lips like he is sucking on a binky or something.  I am considering buying another just like it so that I have a back up in case this one ever gets lost.

 Trampoline pictures in February.  That's normal, right?  The static in Luke & Lexi's hair on the tramp is hilarious.  With the net all the way around the tramp that zips up, it is the absolute BEST outdoor play pen!

 Casey let Caleb pick out a valentine for me.  How cute is it that the 'O's are heart shaped?  SO CUTE!!  He got me some fabulous earrings.  They hang all the way down to my shoulders and have purple, blue, and green in them.  I like the wear them when I pick up Caleb from school.  I can't wear them at home because the babies think they are toys.  Silly babies.

 Boxes are so entertaining!! 

 Cooking and doing dishes is a disaster with these two busy bodies.  They are always hanging at my feet.  They love to help me unload the dishwasher.  They even know that when the timer goes off on the stove that something is going to happen.  It starts beeping and no matter where they are, they hurry into the kitchen and stand by the oven to see what is going to come out!  If they need a snack, rarely do they make it to their high chairs,  I've usually had enough after I get it ready & just give it to them on the floor.

 This girl and her thumb.  It is a terrible.  It is also a new thing of hers to put her legs in-between the slats in the crib.  She never cries, so I know that she isn't stuck, and I have watched her intentionally do it while she is sleeping.

 We celebrated my mom's birthday at the bowling alley in Brigham.  It was my grandparents first time playing air hockey.  I was playing with my grandpa and it was a S L O W game.  The winner is usually the first one that gets to 7, but we were taking so long that the table just shut off and we were only tied at 5!  Stupid table.

 How crazy is it that my mom turned 56 and bowled a 56??!!  I wonder if she planned that?

 Just wondering....have I ever told you that I love sleeping littles?   

My ladies are 4!

This raising kids business is so rewarding and so sad at the same time.  They grow and learn so quickly!  Having twins has been such an adventure.  These two are the best of friends.  They never get a snack or a toy without grabbing one for their sister also.  If I get Taylor a drink she will say, "What about Rylee?"  And vice versa.  I love that they love each other. 

The unthinkable happened.  We had an outside birthday party in February!  Taylor is my bug and Rylee is my butterfly.  That is how we decided on what cakes they got this year.  The cakes were delicious...I nailed it this year!  Boo-yah!  The girls were so spoiled!  Everyone brought them a fun new toy or cute clothes.  Casey & I gave them new bikes.  They are natural little riders!

 We also bought them princess nightgowns and some awesome magnetic building tiles.

My sweet little bug!  She LOVES to cuddle.  While sitting on your lap she will put her cute little hand on your face and say, "I just love you."  She has the cutest laugh.  I hope that it never changes.  She is very kind and thoughtful.  She walks around on her tippie toes and I think it is adorable.

 My Rylee Roo!!  What a sweet and sassy spirit this one is.  I love hugs from his girl.  You can definitely feel the love!  She loves to tease and when she is teasing the look on her face in priceless.  She loves to be the boss.  She loves going to dance class and is practicing something she learned almost daily.   

January

These ladies love their tea set!  And yes - that is a Halloween napkin & a Halloween dishtowel.  It's just how we roll sometimes. 

Little Miss Eva turned 3 on December 30th.  I heart that little girl.  Ashley arranged a party at the Jump Zone in Logan.  Caleb can't stop asking when we are going again.  Everyone had a fabulous time!

 There is something about baby bath pictures.  I can't get enough of them.  I also love Luke's curly hair and Lexi's scrawny body.  Such cuties! 

 It snowed.  Once.  Just a little.  The kids were excited!  I'm glad that the girls got new snow boots and winter coats. (I say sarcastically)

My Grandpa had a birthday!  I decided to make him a banana cake with cream cheese frosting.  It was yummy.  My babies mooched cake off of anyone who would feed it to them.  Eva & Grandpa Carlos were besties.  She was scared of Griffen.  It was pretty funny.

 I am so happy that I got a good picture of this group!!

 Little Lexi loves to give kisses through the gaps of the banister.

 This picture drives me nuts.  My front room is littered with toys and the cords on that receiver box are terrible!  I guess I  don't see it from that level ever.  BUT - Luke was sitting on the right side of Lexi then he looked at her....looked at the TV...stood up and went and sat in front of her.  Looks so sweet right??  I don't think he was trying to be sweet.  I think he wanted to be closer to the TV than her.

 Look how cute her feet are while she is watching a show!!  My knees would break if I tried this! 

 The highlight of my January was these two beauties and their very first dance recital!  I can't believe how alike the look - I guess I understand why people get them confused.  The danced to "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes" from Cinderella.  They both loved their beautiful Cinderella costumes. 

They looked a little nervous at first, but once the music started they did just great!  They are growing up!! They both loved their flowers from Grandma too.