Late Easter Party

Easter Services At Tuacahn

Easter morning while headed up to Snow Canyon, we noticed a lot of cars going to the Tuacahn Amphitheatre.  We decided to follow.  I ran ahead and asked a greeter what was going on.  She said there was a nondenominational Easter Service open for any and everyone.  We decided it would be great.  The funny thing was they immediately wanted to separate the kids from the adults.  I was a little nervous, but they were very careful about the process, providing numbered wristbands for parent and child, and it looked like a lot of fun.  The "Kids' Church" was jammin' to a youth rock band singing songs about Jesus. So MissC and Gman went their way and I decided the little ones would stay with us, except that MissL wanted to go to the nursery...by herself.  She is brave.  So we checked her into the nursery and headed to the main amphitheatre for an adult rock band singing about Jesus.  It was great!  I think it is beneficial for a person to step outside of what is the "norm" for that individual.  For me, church at the LDS chapel.  Singing along with the Baptists (it was supposed to be nondenominational, but was actually run by the Calvary Baptist Church) to some really great music was great.  Although I didn't feel the stirrings that I do at my own church, I still think it was good for all of us to worship in a different way.  They kids had a great time.  They danced and sang and listened to a sermon by a desciple of Jesus, dressed in costume like Peter or James.  MissL made a craft and played with friends.  I think it was an enriching experience.  Interesting!

Snow Canyon Hike

Easter Morning

How did that Easter Bunny know where we'd be?  We don't want to make him feel bad, but we saw him out loppin' around behind Stacy and Lisa's house Saturday night.  Must have been staking out the place.

Experiment in Growing

I always thought it would be fun to document the speed at which wheat grass grows.  Maybe the kids would enjoy it, like a science experiment.  So this year when I planted some for Easter, I took a photo of it each day.  (well starting about day three).

Day 3Day 4Day 5Voila!!

Snowboarding Boys

Uncle Sean may look like the Taliban, but really he's the best.  He took Gman snowboarding again and this time twisted TY's arm and took him along as well.  This is TY's first time on a board.  They had a great time, but I don't know if he'll get him back on the slopes due to the amount of moaning from sore muscles, bones and joints  I heard in the days afterwards.  They did have a good time.  Gman loves loves loves snowboarding!  Thanks Uncle Sean, and Happy Fools Day to ya!

Do You Love Her?

Raingutter Ragata

and the Wolf winner of the Raingutter Ragata is.... GMAN!!  Hooray for him.  I don't know if this was  a result of his amazing craftsmanship, those speedy racing stripes, or just great lungs.  He was so cute and excited when they returned last night.  (I was home with sick little ones).  Great job G!  So proud of you.

Simon Says

Look, LittleC is pretty good at "Simon Says"

Spring Planting

Nothing better than spring planting to get a little life infused in me after a long, cold winter.  Peas, carrots, spinach, lettuces, kale, radishes.  This year, I will give a "plot" of land to each of the kids.  See what they can do.

On My Wish List

This is the 2nd set of Penguin Clothbound Classics 

designed by Coralie Bickford-Smith and I am in love.  Great classics combined with great design.  Oh! I will be saving my money.  By the way, how does the Dollar relate to the Pound these days?  Or was it  Euro?  Now I'm not sure.

Elusive Peacock

We have had a peacock of all things hanging out behind ours and a couple of neighbors backyards.  MissC has found one of it's feathers and we've seen the Animal Control out several times trying to catch it, but to no avail.  We saw it once in the neighbor's tree, but it was late at night.  So this evening when I spied it sauntering through the yard, I grabbed my camera and ran.  This is one day I wish I would have taken TY up on that nice new camera.  This was the best I could do what with the darkness of the hour and the chase that ensued.  It's a pretty amazing animal, and quite unexpected.  Beautiful!

Haiti Tshirts

We just ordered our Haitian Roots Tshirts.  I was impressed with them.  They look like nice quality Tshirts.  Thin and nicely cut.  Haitian Roots is our favorite Haitian charity, where my friend and this group have been involved with getting children educated in Haiti that would otherwise not be able to afford schooling. It's a great cause.  Amazingly enough all of the kids involved with this organization survived the earthquake, but a lot of them are now orphaned.  They are working really really hard to get help to these kids.  So, get a great Tshirt for a low price and help out a good cause.  Apparently kids Tees are coming soon too.  Check it out HERE.

Leprechauns

Crazy Leprechauns.  I spent apparently too much time trying to get everyone's Leprechaun hat made for a picture this morning.  I didn't realize the kids were late.  I noticed the clock and started frantically gathering everyone for one picture, then off to school.  One of the girls lost their hat, Gman's got stepped on and squished.  LittleC was not happy about wearing his.  So I sent the kids off to school, late and no cute Leprechaun picture.  Isn't that the way it goes?  But here are my little one's doing their best to appease me.

A Must Read

For all of you who have read and loved Jane Eyre, you must now read "The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Bronte" by Syrie James.  I have to confess I read most of the day today, completely ignoring my domestic duties because I was so wrapped up in it.  The best thing about it is how close to the truth it is.  So many of Miss Bronte's letters were preserved so that very much is known about her life and feelings.  I was amazed at just how much of her own life experiences were woven into her great work, "Jane Eyre".  Read it, it's so great!!

Classy Guests

We invited a friend of Tyler's from work and her husband to our home for lunch and church yesterday.  I did not know either of our guests...or so I thought.  When they arrived, we all were introduced and they presented gifts.  A hostess gift for me, flowers from the fabulous Roots shop.  A Happy Spring "terrarium" with chocolate bunny and carrot inside for each of our kids.  They were so sweet to our kids and gracious guests.  So classy.  But, come to find out that he grew up in my neighbor hood, was friends with my brother and had my dad as a scout master as a kid.  I knew him, it had just been a really long time, and I was younger, so I didn't recognize him as such right off.  Small world huh?  We also gave a gift as a thank you for coming, actually it was dessert.  But, they way outshined us.  Such a cute couple.  And I may have found a fellow modern quilter friend.

Fairies and Princesses

My mom took my girls to the "Disney on Ice" show to see Tinkerbell.  My cute friend gave the girls princess hair for the event.  It was very exciting!  Lucky girls!!

He's Getting To Be A Big Kid

And he's also into everything "man".  Today we were at a friend's house and he found and dug out of drawers a football and a remote and came in all proud to show me like he'd just scored big.

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun!

Or, "Ohhh..girls just wanna kutar!"  as MissL would sing.  That's guitar but with a K.  The cowgirl boots and princess nightgown fit her perfect.  Sing it, MissL!!

Awards Ceremony

The kids told me a couple weeks ago, (during the Olympics) that we were having Kids' Olympics for Family Night.  "We are?.... great!"  They made the medals, and planned the events.  Mom and Dad were the judges.  I'm sure it wasn't rigged, but somehow they each won gold in their own events.

Snowy Monticello

There was a lot of snow in Monticello this weekend.  Apparently a lot has already melted though.  There is a snow bank about 15 feet high right in front of Grandma and Grandpa's house.  The kids made the most of it.  Here is a cute picture of the little ones getting ready for MissM's baptism.

How Nice!

Check out The Modern Home blog.  Beth kindly featured my burp cloths and wipes clutch on her blog.  What a sweetie!

Jane Eyre

I finished Jane Eyre for the first time.  Charlotte Bronte has such an amazing gift of expression.  Jane, speaking of her radiant friend, Helen Burns, but a description more appropriately directed toward the author, "Then her soul sat on her lips, and language flowed, from what source I cannot tell: has a girl of fourteen a heart large enough, vigorous enough to hold the swelling spring of pure, full, fervid eloquence?"  Then, such gems of wise, moral courage all through the book.  She is the type of character that gives you more resolve to do what you ought.  Read it!