The rest of April

Aspen had a choir performance right after the Easter break.  Grandma and Hollee were able to make it.  Colten had a baseball game but he saw it during school.   She did a great job.  There are lots of kids in the choir so parents have to get there an hour early to get a front row seat, which is the only way to get good pictures.  As usual, the song choices were great.  The directors really do a great job.

My allergies were still giving me fits so I wasn't able to go watch the rest of his game but I sent Aspen in my place.  They have slowly started to allow me to live a life of not having tissue right by me and it doesn't look like I am crying.  I have been able to watch all of the games.  Aspen is getting better.  This past game she was playing third and the ball was hit right to her...she fielded it and ran to her base to get the runner out.  But she kind of just jumped on the base...it was cute.  Colten's last game he hit a legitimate in the park home run.  The ball went way out into left field and he was able to run around the bases and he slid into home on his knees...I think ouch but I am sure he enjoyed it.

We went to the kite festival last Saturday.  The kids decided this year instead of the kite they wanted the tickets to do stuff.  They chose to do the laser tag bounce house...Aspen climbed the rock wall (and made it to the top to signal the siren)...Colt wanted to do the fighting with sticks so Aspen complied.  They had two minutes of fun, I think.  I don't say "Go hit each other" very often but they totally obeyed.  Then they went through a very bounce house obstacles and down some slides.  Oh and they were able to get some ice cream with their tickets.  All in all, I think they had fun.

On Wednesday it was Colt's birthday...he was finally 8.  Luckily Aspen didn't have a double header this week and so we were able to go out to dinner (Colt asked to go to a place that wasn't fast food haha) so he chose Black Bear Diner.  They had been there a few times with their dad and I have never been there.  But he was happy he got to go.  I told the waitress that it was his birthday.  We were just finishing up with our dinner.. and I was taking pictures of the kids and all of the sudden, they were singing.  Colt was totally surprised.  And I put away my camera (because I was startled too) I wish I would have got a video...he was so happy that he was being sung too.  He got a nice cup of ice cream that he finished off except the whipped cream.  Then we when came home the neighbor kids brought up his present...star wars stickers...736 of them.  He was super excited.  I gave him his present from me...an Avengers scooter and Bronco flip flops.  Aspen got him a yoyo and military items (fake knife, watch, compass, etc)  All in all it was a good birthday.

Aspen has had sleep overs at Audra's house the past two weekends so Colt and I have had a little date night.  Last Friday, we went to Fiesta Fun so I could attend a marketing event for UTVA and he played laser tag and some arcade games.  Then this last Friday we went to Hungry Howies and Zeppe's before coming home to watch "Iron Man".  Yesterday, we cleaned up the apartment and then went to Ashlyn's dance recital.  It was really fun to watch the hip hop dances that the school was performing.

Easter 2017

So I got the kids up and told them we were going to go over to the Santa Clara candy hunt.  Aspen is officially too old for this hunt but Colt still has this year and next year.  We ran into Trent and they had fun trying to talk strategies on getting the prize eggs.  I forget how long it takes for them to actually get to the last group.  Next year I think I'll just drop Colt off and then circle until he is done.

After the candy hunt, Aspen had a softball practice so Colt and I headed up to my parents house.  After practice, we headed back to our house to finish getting ready for our family Easter that afternoon.  Luckily we made it on time but Hollee had to run to the store so we didn't leave when we wanted too.

We made it down to Lytle Ranch in time to do our Easter festivities.  Colt was so cute to watch as he spotted his basket.  I think everyone within a mile radius heard him yell "No way" like 10 times.  He had gotten the punching gloves he has been asking for for about a month.  So he had reason to be excited.  Aspen got the "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" movies and some candy in her basket.

After the basket find, we had our food (not sure if it was a late lunch or early dinner).  Then the kids went on a treasure hunt with the metal detector.  I headed home with my parents before my allergies got too bad and the kids came home with Darcee.

On Sunday, my dad and I took Colt over to the temple to take pictures for his baptism announcement.  We ran into the Shields family while there.  They are down for their annual family get together in St. George.  It was fun chatting with them a little but we have plans to get together that evening.

We got together with the Watkins and Shields family over at a park in Santa Clara.  The kids were able to play on the playground or play basketball or whatever they wanted to do while the adults were able to talk.  Colt was the only one who ran into a tree and get a cut above his eye.  But don't worry...Uncle Kirk was able to super glue it together.

All of the kids had fun and didn't want to leave.  My kids had the next day off of school and since it was my birthday, I extended my spring break by a day.  Who wants to work on their birthday?  Certainly not me.

We didn't do too much...oh yeah the kids had a sleep over at Grandma's on Sunday...so no kids for me :)  I went over to their house in the morning and just hung out for a bit.  Then we headed over to the Shields' condo to go swimming.  Then real life set back in and I had to take Aspen to gymnastics...though she didn't want to leave the swimming party.  But after dinner, I got to go to Outback Steakhouse compliments of my Aunt Terri who has been in town.  All in all it was a great day off spent with lots of family.

Boys playing with Colt's punching hands he got for Easter.  Aunt Terri's face after eating lemons...apparently she loves them.

Finally...my spring break

So my spring break never aligns with my kids' but I am starting to figure out that I am ok with that.  I need some time to just relax.  Well I didn't have all the time in the world but I did keep myself busy.  On Monday I went and did a session at the temple while the kids were in school.  On Tuesday and Wednesday, I watched Oaklee when Hollee returned to work.  Forgot how little babies work.  On Thursday I was able to go on Colten's field trip with him.  It was the same field trip that I went on with Aspen two years ago.  We went to Cal Ranch and saw some animals and then to Wood Creations.  I started to feel sick at Wood Creations so I wasn't able to go out in the workshop and see all the cool things out there but I didn't want to faint on out by all the machines.  Not sure what the issue was but sitting down seemed to help.  Colt was super excited to have me there with him.

So my allergies decided to be worse than they have ever been...my eyes were watering like a faucet and itched like crazy...my nose congested/runny...it did make make for an enjoyable weekend.  I ended up wearing my glasses a lot more.  On Friday, April 14th, I ended up getting Colten another doctor's appt for a few more warts that had appeared on his hands.  He hates getting them taken care of cause it burns so bad.  But he is a trooper.  He only begged the doctor to stop spraying like 15 times.  Afterwards we went to the park so the kids could play for a little bit.  The park has added some new toys...I am not sure how exactly you are supposed to do them but the kids figured out how they play with them.

April brings baseball and softball season

Last Sunday Hollee and I were disappointed that our parents had waffles with Kayleeya and we harassed them so they also made waffles for dinner after conference.  Dad's yummy waffles.  We also played a game of 5 crowns.  Colt grabbed my phone and snapped some pictures...he has some work to do...haha

This past week Aspen and Colten started softball/baseball, respectively.  Colt's games are twice a week while Aspen's are mostly double headers one night a week so that means mom is at the ball field 3 nights a week.  Hopefully the weather continues to be nice and not windy.

Colt is doing awesome with baseball.  He has gotten a hit at every at bat.  He has grown in his fielding game too.  I can't wait to see where he is at at the end of the season.

Aspen is doing fabulous for her first season.  She has also gotten hits on  all of her at bats.  She struggles a little bit with being in the field...she gets distracted with all the red dirt around her.  She played catcher once and she did an excellent job of stopping the ball.  I am struggling a little with softball...it is kid pitched for the first 3 balls and then the coach comes into pitch.  The game goes very slow.  I will be bringing a book from now on.

On Friday, Arrowhead Elementary had a Color Run Fun Run.  The kids got signed up to run it...it was only a mile.  And I think they had more fun playing with the chalk than actually running.  Colt did awesome.  I only saw Aspen once on her first lap and then after she crossed the finish line.  She had more fun talking with her friends than anything

This past Sunday we had Oaklee's baby blessing.  Aspen just loves seeing her.  It was a very nice blessing and I am glad that we were able to go.  We went to the park afterwards but the wind was blowing and it was cold.  I had to borrow some jackets and blankets from Hollee to try and keep warm.  I was frozen for hours afterwards.  The kids didn't noticed until we made them come eat lunch...then they noticed the cold.  All in all, it was a good day with family.

I have spring break this week so I will be filling it with TV shows and maybe some reading...oh and all of the normal things the kids do.  So it should keep me pretty occupied.  I have needed this break from work.  I am sure that it will fly by and I won't be ready to go back.