Happy Easter to all!

We were having a big discussion about all the hype and time and activities that are Christmas and how Easter is really not that big of a deal in our culture. If there were no Easter, there would be no Christmas and that sort of thing. We talked about how we could make easter a really huge deal and do activities everyday for a month leading up to Easter Sunday. But then as I thought about it, I decided that one of the things that I really LOVE about Easter, is that I get to enjoy it. There isn't the stress of doing all the "traditional" activities and making sure that everyone of our friends and neighbors and relatives gets a gift or card etc. I like that we don't make a big deal (at all) about easter eggs and such. We do color eggs and hide candy eggs but it's just a little activity that we do at some point close to Easter. On Sunday, we have a big nice easter dinner that we all prepare together and we enjoy reading about the Savior. And I really really like the beautiful simplicity of Easter.

So with that lengthy pro-logue, here was our Easter celebration for 2011.

It began on Friday. I filled a big bowl with candy, the kids got their own eggs and filled them and then Mike and I hid them in the back yard. The kids then came out for the great egg hunt. The weather was nice. The location was prime. There are, as always, a few eggs that we never did find.

Saturday was FREEZING as we anticipated (thus the egg hunt on Friday) so we chose an indoor activity, that of coloring eggs. It was fun and not a single person ruined the clothes they were wearing. Now there's a miracle!

Then on Sunday we prepared and enjoyed our Easter Feast. We all worked together preparing the meal so it was fun for everyone. We then all really enjoyed eating the meal together while talking about some of the things we think about and love about this beautiful holiday. It was fun to hear the kids answers but I'm sorry to say I can't remember them.

We are so very thankful for the Savior, for His atonement, and for the great blessings of repentance and the resurrection.

Broken bones and such

Caution: Some graphic images are contained in this post and may be offensive to some viewers!

March 29th 2011, Mike came home from work early to get some work done on the house, I left for a Dr. appointment. Soon after I left, Mike was walking down the stairs with his hands full of tools on one side and little Lucy on the other. He missed a stair and fell partly landing on Lucy's right leg. He heard his toe make a loud crack sound but didn't think anything of it at the time due to his concern for Lucy who was crying and quite upset. After about an hour, Lucy had calmed down some but was still crying a bit and wouldn't crawl or stand or put any weight on her right leg. Mike was afraid it might be broken so he called me as I was driving home from the Dr. and told me what had happened. I'll admit that I flipped, but just for a second. I met Mike and Lucy at an urgent care clinic. It was at about this time (nearly 2 hours later) that Mike realized his toe hurt a bit. He took his sock off and his toe looked down right ugly! At the clinic they did X-rays of both Lucy and Mike and both had broken bones. Lucy had a buckle fracture in both the tibia and fibula just a little below the knee and Mike had several breaks in the middle bone of his big toe. After 4 hours at urgent care, Lucy got a splint and Mike got a really cool shoe.

This is Mike's foot on Wednesday morning.

I didn't take a picture a few days later but that's when it looked it's worst with the whole end of his foot all swollen and bruised. It was pretty nasty. (this is the "graphic" image and I think it's really grodie! The rest are totally cute!)

Lucy got a splint. It was big and awkward but she was fine with it and happier that prior to having it on.

On Wednesday afternoon she went and saw a pediatric orthopedist and got her cute purple cast on. Doesn't she look so pleased with her pretty trophy?

She certainly didn't let it slow her down. It was on for three weeks and by the end of her cast wearing time she was almost walking in the thing. Kids are so incredibly adaptable.

Here we are at the Dr. just before she got the cast off.

And here she is with the cast off.

It took her a few minutes of experimenting and then when she realized it was ok to bend her leg, she was off. She crawled out into the hall and held Daddy's fingers and walked around the clinic. She was a hit cuz she's so dog-gone cute!

Friday morning, Lucy was off and walkin'. She'd taken a few steps prior to the whole ordeal but now she decided there was no point in waiting any longer. I have a cute video of her walking but it doesn't want to up load so you'll just have to trust me on this one.

Birthday Princess!!

Can you even believe she's really one!

Our sweet Lucy An had her first birthday on Saturday.

We started the evening with her favorite dinner, Potato leek gratin and boiled carrots.

She loved it and ate a ton.

Next it was time for gifts.

There were, of coarse, no shortage of fun presents.

Better than that though, there was no shortage of attention.

Each of the kids enjoyed helping Lucy unwrap the gift that they were giving her.

She got lots of buttons to push that make noise.

Everyone made her wonderful cards.

Everyone LOVES LUCY!!!

And now the big moment we were all waiting for. The cake!

Lucy had never legally had sugar. She got it a few times by snitching things out of siblings shelves, or finding something left behind. A few times someone snuck her a bite of illegal sweets but this was it. This was the moment when she would get sugar and just be able to have at it.

It started with just a little taste, and then a handful or two.

Lucy was certainly pleased with what she discovered.

After that there was no slowing her down. She really loved the stuff.

Down to the last finger-licken good bite.

It was a really fun celebration. I just can't believe that my baby is one year old. It really does seem like that went so so quickly. Lucy is such a delight. She is so much fun and so very silly. She loves stroller rides and watching the kids play ball. She loves her dollies and hugging them. She likes to play peek-a-boo and clapping games. Lucy gives such sweet hugs with pats on the back included. She is never lacking for attention as everyone around her instantly adores her, but especially her family. What a treat our sweet Lucy is.

Conference Contest

Each General conference we choose a treat and make several versions of it and then choose our favorite. This session was rice krispy treats.

It was between traditional marshmallow with cinnamon bears, scotcharoos, and traditional marshmallow treats.

And the winner is.....

Traditional marshmallow treats with cinnamon bears!

January 2011

It seems that everything Lucy does we all find adorable and se we are always shooting random shots of her cuteness. Anyway here are a few from January

Lucy and Daniel helping fix dinner
Lucy playing with the African music makers we made in home school while studying ancient Africa.

And this is Lucy on Sunday after church. This is a dress that Aunt Merica wore as a baby and we LOVE it, and I love the memories of cute Merica as a baby.

Here's January!

Well here it is nearly the end of February and while I've been doing a lot of past events blogging, I decided I should do a more current events post. Here it is. **Warning** this may be very very boring for most readers.

Most of the first week of January was spent in Utah finishing our holiday trip. That will be a post of it's own. The drive home from Utah was the scariest drive we've ever made. It wasn't awful the whole time but for way too long we couldn't see 5 feet in front of us or to either side. We would occasionally see the lights of a car in front of us when there was a brief stall in the wind and notice that we were really not very far away from that car but didn't know it because we really couldn't see a thing. It was really scary.

Well, we made it home (obviously) and while a bit shaken up we were all fine. The next week started right up without a moment to spare. Allison has been participating in after school basketball each day so that's kept her (and I) busy. We also had FHE on monday with our theme for the month being cleanliness. On tuesday, Aunnika and Catherine had piano lessons during the day and then Brittany and Allison had piano in the evening. Michael had basketball practice that night and we all had all of our regular school. Wednesday, after school Michael had piano lessons, Allison had violin lessons, and the little girls had dance. That night we had youth activities for Mom, Brittany, Allison, and Michael. Thursday is such a nice day. The morning is crazy getting everyone ready and off to school on time. Devotional is at 5:30 with the older kids and then Brittany leaves at 10 till 6 for Seminary. We have breakfast at 6:30 and then Allison and Michael catch the bus at 7:10. We get the other kids dressed and ready to go and their ride comes and 10 till 8. At that time we breath and then Daniel, Lucy and I head out to go grocery shopping. We get home from that in time for snack and then spend about an hour unloading groceries and putting them away. We then get to do something fun for about an hour then we have lunch and quiet time. I love that part of the day. At 2:30 Brittany gets home and I talk to her for a few minutes and then leave to get the kids from school. I get home just before 4:00 at which time I start helping Michael with dinner prep and getting the house tiddied up for the evening. At 10 till 5 I take Aunnika and Catherine to Activity days. I get back and we eat and then go pick the girls up from activity days. Brittany and Allison leave for dance at about that time. The little girls eat while Michael works on dishes and then we have devotional. The big girls get home from dance a little after 8 and then we have family prayer and everyone goes to bed. It's a busy day but just seems to run more smoothly because I have that hour or so during the day to just enjoy being with my little ones.

Next comes Friday, We have the same morning routine of getting everyone off to school and then the homeschool kids do their morning jobs, school opening, and then we get to go to the library for story time and to get some new books. The kids always look forward to library day. The little boys love to get animal books and Hans is at a point now where he can read a lot of them on his own which he loves. He is amazing with animal facts. Friday proceeds after library as usual and then Friday evening Brittany and Allison have dance from 4-5:30 and Aunnika and Catherine have dance from 5:30-6:30. We then have family pizza and movie night. Brittany Allison and Michael usually get together with friends after that to play games. Mike and I put the little ones to bed and then get to watch out movie.

Saturday is usually project day but we always throw in a few extras like basketball games, babysitting, birthday parties, you know, that kind of stuff. We've been getting a lot done on the house lately and feel like it's almost ready to sell. While I'm really sad to be selling this house that I love so much, I glad that we are almost ready. Saturday night is date night. Mike and I go out while the kids stay home and play and then the big girls put the little ones to bed. I love date night!

Sunday we now have early church. Mike has meetings in the morning before church so it's tricky getting everyone ready and out the door on time but so far we've done alright. After church Mike sometimes has more meetings and if he doesn't, Alli and I do. Anyway, we all finally get home and then we have family game time. We love to play games together and so this is one of our favorite times all week long.

Some time during the month, I hired piano movers to come move Charity's piano down stairs and now I can have two kids practice at one time. That has been so wonderful!

In the month of January, we had a few special and fun activities. On the 7th, just after we got back in town, we got one of our Christmas experience gifts. We went and saw the Harlem Globe trotters. It was so much fun. (see related post)

We also went to the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo. That was on the 22nd and was also a Christmas gift experience. This one from Opa and Oma. Again we had a blast (see post)

So other than a few extra visiting teaching, home teaching, sickness Orthodontist appts, and stuff like that, that was the month of January.

Happy Birthday to a super sweet six year old boy!

Hans turned six this month. This is a particularly special birthday at our house. When a child turns six or sixteen they get to have a friends party. Oh how our little ones look forward to this special day and none more than Hans Bennion.

On Friday we had his special dinner, went to a free showing of Nanny McFee Returns, and gave family gifts. That was great. We all got a kick out of his funny expressions of gratitude.

For the party on Saturday, he invited his primary class and several friends from "school" to come to his monsters vs. aliens party. We had such a blast.

Allison and various helpers spent a little over a week creating a fun pinata of Bob the Blob. It turned out so great and the kids had a terrific time bashing it for their candy.

I made a really awesome cake, if I do say so myself. We've been watching a fun show on line called "Cake Boss" and decided to make our own version of an amazing cake. I can't claim full credit though because while I made the cake itself, I had lots of help with the amazing decorations.

Mike and I made Insectosaurus, Michael made Missing Link, Allison made the terrifying Susan, Brittany made Bob the Blob and Dr. Cockroach, and working all together we made a pretty great creation.

The kids played fun games, made monster masks, colored pictures, went on a treasure hunt, gave gifts and ate cake and ice cream. Hans was so happy and I was so thrilled to see him so.

He is such a fun and happy little guy. All of the kids at the party were so entertained by him and of coarse he loved that attention. He is so dog-on smart too. I have teachers, kids parents, and family friends telling me all the time about some amazing fact that they learned from Hans. Naturally most of them are about animals as that is still his number one love.

He is also getting to be a terrific reader and mathematician. He is a good worker (when he chooses to be) and a great help with his baby sister. Hans is just an all around great kid.

YEEEEE HAAWW

For Christmas this year we decided to buy experiences instead of toys. Opa and Oma Stone gave Mike and I money to buy the kids their Christmas gifts from their wish lists so we got them all tickets to the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo. We'd been before, many years ago so we really wanted to doit again. Wow!! We had such a fun time.

We took the kids to see the animals and to a little petting zoo.

They got to go through some farming displays set up just for kids and they thought it was so cool to see how bees make honey, how corn grows and what it's used for, how to care for chickens and other animals, how to take wool from the sheep to the sweater and every step in between. It really was neat.

The best part though was the rodeo!

They did it all. There was Bronc riding, steer wrestling, barrel racing, calf roping, and of coarse bull riding. The kids had a blast and honestly, so did the parents.

Thanx a million billion Opa and Oma. And Merry Christmas to us some more and some more.