Let's Play Music Recital

Noah and Callie did great at their Let's Play Music Recital. Callie just absolutely loves music and I may be biased but I think she's pretty good at it too (that girl can sing!). I have really enjoyed watching Noah improve with his piano skills. I never had to help him with his piano. He was very independent and I think music comes naturally to him. I still chuckle to myself when I think about his first year of Let's play music. When I informed him I had signed him up for music he insisted he didn't want to do it. He's not much of a "singer" it takes lot to get him to belt a tune. I was really nervous when he wasn't excited for it. After the first day of going I think he realized how fun music was and never complained again. Plus the fact that his class was filled with boys helped too. ;)

Noah composed and played his own song titled "Monsters"

This picture (as cute as it is) makes me a little sad. This was Christi's last recital as my kids music teacher. She is retiring as a piano teacher and starting a full-time job teaching 3rd grade. I'm excited for her and her new adventure but sad for my family.

Mason played the following week at his piano recital. The theme song to the show "Goosebumps" I love that Mason just loves the piano. I wish he loved practicing as much as he loves it. But I understand it's not always fun to practice the piano. He is so talented I just don't want that talent to go away. I hope he sticks with it.

Six Flags trip... NOT

Well... I learned a lot on this trip and I think Ron did too. (insert eye roll at myself) For Christmas my parents gave us Six Flags annual passes and we have been planning a trip to use them. I finally got Ron to nail down the dates. I did my research, Ron did his and we were off. I LOVE the beach so of course we wanted to spend time there. Unfortunately Six flags isn't very close to ANY ocean so we decided to stay close to the Ocean and just drive farther for six flags each day. Well... I'm not sure what happened but I misread the website and didn't realize until we were actually in California that Six Flags wasn't even open on weekdays the month of May. (insert me pulling my hair out) Totally my fault but there it is. So we made the best of it and just enjoyed the ocean and pool time at our resort. We decided to come home a day early to save some money and plan a trip back when the park is actually open. I'm still really mad at myself for that dumb mistake. But I guess you just have to live and learn.

  

  

The weather was PERFECT weather for just being out and about. 68-75 degrees. But that kind of weather also makes for REALLY cold ocean water. Poor Mason. Couldn't talk ANYONE into getting all the way in with him. He's such a dare devil. I didn't really like this beach because the waves and riptide were so strong. Thankfully Mason didn't go in as far as he usually does and is still alive.
Noah played closer to the water and I was really excited to see him enjoy the tide. He got more wet at the ocean than I have ever seen him. The boys really enjoyed playing catch or frisbee, at one point they purposely started throwing the frisbee into the ocean and wait for it to come back.


Callie wasn't much of a fan of the cold water. This girl cracks me up with her wit. She informed us the second morning "I want to go to the Pool, cuz the beach isn't really my thing" Oh Callie.

 

April wasn't a fan of the ocean either, in fact she was really scared of it if you got close at all. But she LOVED the pool!

We rented some bike cruiser/surrey things one of the days we were there. Kids LOVED them. Ron and I got a pretty good work out too those things are hard to operate! Mason and Noah told us that all they want for their birthday is  deuce coupe (the bike they drove around) nothing else "unless we want to get them something else" LOL funny boys. I feel like I got a glimpse at my near future and what it will feel like when Mason starts driving. That kid was hilarious and scary behind the wheel.

April is 2

I can't believe my baby is no longer a Baby. 2 years old!!!!!

April is perfect.

 

She is sensitive to others feelings. She will try comfort anyone who is upset including myself. 

BEST hugger ever. She is very generous with her hugs and squeezes tight. It's my favorite and will cure any bad mood. At evening prayer and scripture study she makes her rounds hugging and kissing everyone sometimes multiple times.

She is a CLIMBER (thankfully not out of her crib yet crossing my fingers on that one... I started working on this blog post 4-17-17. On April 18th she climbed out of her crib and banged on the door. 

I think my life just got really hard :/... oh April)

She climbs ladders and chairs and loves to play on the kitchen table.

SNUGGLER she loves to cuddle and snuggle. If a movie is going she immediately finds someone to snuggle up with.

BINKY GIRL all the way. This is going to be hard to get rid of. I'm not looking forward to that. Although now that Ron can sit with us in church now that should help!

DANCER She loves dancing. Certain songs make her especially excited. If one of her favorite tunes comes on she will go and recruit dancing partners. It's so sweet she will run up to me or whoever, grab our hands and babble excitedly while pointing to the "dance floor" (family room by the speakers) She also dances to the blender. Every time it's on she comes running to the kitchen and does stationary squats and bounces. It's adorable.

"Cheeser" smile. She gives the best "cheese" smiles anytime a camera or phone is out.

Cookie. This is her favorite word and thing in the whole world. If you say this word you better have a cookie to share or you are in trouble.

Words that she says frequently that we can understand:

Love you

Cheese

Cookie

Please

Bink and Drink sound the same

Mommy and Daddy

Callie

"Good-night"

"Where go?"

"Don't know"

April is literally the glue that holds this family together. She is a popular topic in our family evening prayers. "we are grateful that we have April to cheer us up" -- Noah 

That's exactly what she does EVERY single day of our lives. Cheers us all up.

Easter Sunday

The Easter Bunny brought Beach towels and water toys for all the kids this year. He must have known we were planning a Beach trip soon.

Hopefully this is the last family picture with out Ron (He was in church meetings). I have mixed feelings on this wonderful Sabbath day. I love this time of year (not so much the sugar crazed kids or the bunny junk) I love the reminder of our Saviors atonement and resurrection. Church was absolutely beautiful today with musical numbers and talks that made me weep. Primary children sang one of my favorites Gethsemane. Ron has served as a member in our church bishopric for the past 4 1/2 years. It's gone by so fast. He has put a lot into his calling and I have happily (most of the time happily) supported him. He will be released this next week and while part of me is happy to have him around a little more, the other part is nervous. Nervous for the unknown and nervous for change. The OCD planner in me likes to have things mapped out. I KNOW I'm going to miss certain aspects of him serving. I have felt the Lords hand in my life many specific times in the past few years. I know my family has been watched over and I'm sure that won't stop but all the same I'm grateful for the Lords gentle pushes and my little guardian angels looking out for me. Guiding me shaping me and helping me to be better and do better. I'm grateful for my struggles. And I'm thankful for my forever family. Happy Easter all! I know he lives. And I know He loves us.

One of the BEST parts of Ron's calling (in my opinion) was his presence in primary. This is the closest we have ever come to having a calling together. As the bishopric member over Primary he would visit primary often and even taught sharing time once a month. It was really fun to watch him go out of his comfort zone and teach the children. It's sad to me that he won't be in there anymore but I look forward to having him around a little more. They better not change my calling because I'm convinced it's the greatest calling in the whole world. I LOVE primary. Not just because my kids are in it (that's an added bonus). I love the spirit that is there, I love primary music, I just love EVERYTHING about it.

Mason Missionary Moment

We fed the missionaries this week. I LOVE when our ward is assigned sister missionaries. I can sign up to feed them any day that is good for me because Ron doesn't have to be home. Missionaries in the home is such a great feeling and I want my kids exposed to that as often as possible. After dinner the sisters shared a short message about listening to the spirit and studying scriptures. They asked the children if they had any friends they could give a Book of Mormon to. Mason was really excited and immediately exclaimed "Blake and Xavier!" his 2 best friends. He was so happy to get 2 books and 2 invites to the Easter Pageant. The sisters also suggested Mason write his friend a note in the front of the book. And that was that. The next morning I was putting something away in the boys room and found this on Mason's dresser: 

Brought Happy Tears to my eyes. Such a sweetie. I didn't help him write this at all. So proud of my confident sweet boy. I can't believe in less than 2 years he will be getting the Priesthood. I hope his confidence and strength stay with him always.

"Dear Blake, This is the book of Mormon. This is another testament of Jesus Christ. My family reads the book every day maybe your family can read it every day too. I hope when you read this book you will have the same warm feeling I do when I read the Book of Mormon. P.S. Nephi is pronounced nefi"

Callie's Birthday

Callie is 6 years old. Words I would use to describe her are:

Tenacious

Coordinated

Talented

Dramatic

Smart

Thoughtful

Tough

Daring

Musical

Competitive

She had a fun filled busy day/week. Started the day off at the park with some friends. Ate at Chik-Fil-A for dinner and Bahama Bucks for dessert. YUM. One of her birthday gifts was a horseback riding experience which we got to take advantage of the next morning. I wasn't sure exactly how she would act about being on an actual horse but she LOVED it. I got to ride behind her the entire hour and it was fun to catch her smile as she turned occasionally to make sure I was still there. Her horse's name was Bomber and I got to ride Wishbone. Occasionally she would ask me how you make the horse go faster. When the whole experience was over and as we walked away her first words were "Can we come back again? But this time with the brothers?" She is always thinking of her brothers and looks up to them so much. I love watching the strong love my children have for one another. It's one of the most rewarding parts of motherhood. Watching them interact/play and care for one another.