April was another super fun month and luckily was not quite as crazy busy as March. It was still busy with a wonderful trip to Puerto Rico-for another post-but I want to update everything else we did in April too.
First this kid is way too grown up now! He is so much fun!
Grandma painted the girls' toenails and of course Cam was not okay being left out of the fun.
He sat so so still the whole time.
This little ragamuffin got some a butterfly garden with caterpillar eggs for one of her birthday presents. After a few days they hatched to caterpillars and after a week they were giant, fat, fuzzy caterpillars. They made their chrysalises and after they were hardened we transported them from their small homes (plastic containers they arrived in that had their food) to the actual "garden" where they eventually emerged and then lived until we released them a week or so later as it got a bit warmer. This was the release after Conference before we left for our trip :)
Lovely Painted Lady butterflies. She had 10 total and luckily all 10 made it through the whole life cycle...a few only lived a few days after hatching though, but we had lots to release and the kids loved that they hung out for a while on grandma's tramp and landed on them so they got to "hold" them for a while.
We had a special missionary sharing time in primary and each child got a future missionary badge that says "I hope they call me on a mission". Alli was THRILLED and after changing into play clothes and fixing her hair after church put that badge on her shirt so proudly.
Alli also had a "spring celebration" at school and most of the other times I have helped teach a station, but this time I got to go with her group to each station-so fun!
They made Easter bags
for an Easter egg hunt. There were eggs with each child's name on...lots of work!
The soccer station.
Practicing the "throw in"
They made binoculars for an observation walk...and saw bears on the playground ;).
Later that day I went to the mall for some new makeup and she was so excited for some special lipgloss.
Thrilled with her pink lips!
Uncle Phil makes a great horse for horsey rides!!!
One of the local photography studios ran a killer deal on Easter pictures with baby chicks. My kids were all over that and I thought some random pics would be fun. I love the pics because they are my kids, but they aren't my favorite pictures we have ever had and probably won't ever be printed :).
Mr. Cam...while I was straightening Ilene's hair this dude got a random container of vaseline that was totally put away and smeared vaseline all over his face and head and hair...so his hair is totally slicked even after a few washes and he is "shining" for these pictures!
Good thing he is still cute!
There was not a single picture of all 3 looking at the camera smiling...not a one! Granted we were there for 10 minutes so I'll take it.
But there were some great "outtakes". Cam was so amused by the chicks and especially loved if he was not actually holding it. When he picked it up I think it tickled his arm and he quickly put it back down and admired from a bit farther away laughing.
But these girls could have held them forever!
Loved their positions...not sure it would be totally comfortable, but whatever works!
Easter egg hunts!!!
Then we went and met the Easter Bunny. Ilene wasn't totally sure she wanted to without sitting on my lap.
This is how Cam met the Easter Bunny :).
Later that afternoon we had an Easter egg hunt with our neighbors.
There was kind of a ridiculous number of eggs.
A yummy picnic style turkey dinner followed :).
There were a lot of eggs to be colored!
Two different batches actually-one with Cam and one just the girls.
Such a sleepy big guy hanging out with daddy at work.
Yummy easter treats to make with grandma.
Love love love how much my kiddies love each other. It melts my heart and makes me so happy to see how excited they genuinely are to see each other. They have their other friends, but they really are best friends.
Easter Sunday driving unsafely to church and making crazy faces.
They were thrilled to take pictures...just not any somewhat normal poses at the same time!
Mr Cam is still super handsome even though mom put his cute new outfit somewhere extra special...that I couldn't find!
This is the crazy tooth...it did eventually come out and it was not a big deal, but we were slightly concerned that the permanent tooth was going to get fully in before the baby one was out!!But that sucker would not come out!!
Right before she pulled it out she could turn her tooth a full 360 degrees around and it still would not come. It finally came out as she was going to sleep one night and just happened to twist it and it popped right out.
And back to Easter! Look at all those eggs! My mom made a giant easter egg hunt for these kiddies complete with eggs with money in them and ones with prize slips they redeemed for a cute shaped notebook, little coin purse, small my little pony, and a little doll...can we say SPOILED!!!
Then we went and fed some horses
Alli is in her new clothes from the Easter bunny...board shorts and a long sleeved rash guard.
Ilene gets the craziest hair every night. She wakes up for a drink and looks like this little poor ragamuffin child.
And she will fall asleep in the most random places...The most typical thing is she will climb out of her bed in the night and continue sleeping on the floor.
We had a majorly crazy day at the end of April with doctor's appointments for some sick little kids, dance recital for Alli and then Fox 13 asked if they could come do a story so I got home from the dr slapped on some makeup and they arrived. Right after the story (which they did a fabulous job on) we got Alli ready for her recital and went to that.
The next day we went to the mall and hung out at the play place for a bit!
At the end of April we had the cool opportunity to attend an (what ended up being freezing!!) RSL game for AMP. It has been really crazy and really neat to see how many people have been impacted by other people supporting them being involved throughout their lives. Once they hear about AMP they want to help spread the word because they know how much of a difference it can make for a child. The director over their Everyday Heroes program at RSL is one of these people. It was such a cool experience (although freezing!!) to be there and really humbling to be recognized because there are so many amazing people doing more incredible things every day. We feel like we are just doing a small part.
It was soo cool to be down on the field as the players warmed up and then did the ceremonies to begin the game.
Our cool jersey they presented us.
And here is Mr. Handsome in his Easter outfit one week late :(.
This kid is just awesome...and when his hair is all done up he is even cuter!
Ilene carts this cat around and for some reason he LOVES it.
Mess makers mess makers make me a mess...Cam scooped a bunch of flour out onto the floor and then he and Ilene both played in it until he started "cleaning" it up...
Since my pictures are out of order we are back to Easter now. Here are the kids' easter baskets. Some treats, trucks, and swim suit/rash guard for Cam.
Alli's basket with some tattoo stick on earrings, rash guard, board shorts, treats, new book for her Abigail stuffed animal and a necklace.
Ilene's basket with more earrings to add to the set, book for her Posie, board shorts and rash guard, and treats and a Princess Sophia dvd.
Just enjoying his chocolate bunny...
Another CRAZY hair because I can't resist!
But seriously such a precious, beautiful little sweetheart!
Her hair for the recital.
Our little "trumpet vine" for Hansel and Gretel.
Beautiful girl with her friends.
Enjoying her post-recital ice cream and brownies courtesy of grandma while we watched the news story.
Back to the play place...Cam is getting so fun to watch because he is just so "big".
Alli's ballerina move.
A cool dress up Alli was gifted..
This boy and his cars!!!
And his funny faces to make me laugh. Not sure why he started doing this that day but it was so funny!
Ilene with her outfit she picked herself and her lipstick ;).
And fancy pose!
NONSTOP!!
I may have been in over my head with all those flowers and sadly those are not even all the flowers I have planted this year!!
Cam loved the lilacs!
And climbed in the dishwasher until he realized he was stuck...luckily it was a one time thing and he hasn't tried since!
Wonder why ;).
So there ya have it...our April!!! Life is crazy busy around here, but I love it..it is slightly overwhelming at times, but most of the time I am overwhelmed with how blessed I am!
