Happy Birthday Brady!

For Brady's birthday we met at Hire's for lunch. My Mom's old house was right by this restaraunt and it is one of my favorites! I have a lot of good memories there. In fact, every time Jason and I came to town from California we HAD to go there. (no fry sauce in Cali) They seriously have the best fries, drinks and burgers around!

The restaraunt is a little more ghetto than I remember but worth every bite!

I just had to take a picture to prove it. Don't those fries look good (with the fry sauce)? Look at the over flowing drink with yummy ice... it's my weakness.

My kids have always been good eaters.

Brady and Ligia are getting married in just a couple of weeks! Her Mom is in town from Mexico for the wedding and her brother, Sergio, joined us too. We are getting so excited! I was a little nervous a week ago because we hadn't sent the invitations out but they are out now. So it's going to happen. Hopefully everything comes together... we have a busy couple of weeks ahead. We are going to celebrate Brady's birthday with the family still, so I'll have some more pictures to post but I just want Brady to know that I love him and I truly am grateful for his friendship!

Children's Museum @ Gateway

Today we met my friends Janet and Val at the Children's Museum at Gateway. It was actually my first time there. I've been wanting to take Avaree forever but never have. We have been missing out. It was awesome. There was SO much the for the kids to see and do. The only downfall was it was really crowded, maybe because it was snowing today. I jinxed the weather by saying it was going to be warm!

All the kids in a helicopter (except Zacky)

There was a ball zone so yes, Weston was in heaven!

Avaree loved playing in the water with this fish and BEWARE if you tried taking it from her!

Baylee and Griffin are good sports. (I am sure that was just how they wanted to spend their day off) We thought there might be a little more for older kids to do but there wasn't much.

I love all the pictures of Weston... I just had to post them all and notice Avaree is holding that fish in almost every picture.

My favorite part about the museum was hanging out with these two!

First Park Day of the Year!

One of my favorite days of the year is the first day it is WARM enough to go to the park. I love sitting with friends, eating lunch, letting the kids play, and getting pink arms from the sun! It's the best after you've been cooped up inside all winter.

My kids wore shorts!

It was a bit windy but still warm... TOO BAD IT'S NOT GOING TO LAST, not yet anyway.

Late Night

My friend, Janet, decided last minute to come from Vegas for the weekend and surprise her family. I was happy about her last minute decision because it meant that she got to stay with me on Friday night. She got in late, and of course we HAD to stay up and talk! We made ourselves go to bed at 4:00 am but easily could have stayed up all night. There is never a pause in our conversation. We can talk, and talk, and cry, and talk. Love all your great advice Janet!

Early Saturday morning... Francine and her family, and Azy came up for breakfast. We made delicious crepes. (we missed you Hillary) It is always emotionally rejuvinating for me to be with these girls but physically I am still exhausted. I can't do late nights anymore. I am looking forward to this week because Baylee and Griffin have Spring Break and it is supposed to be warm!

Happy late Birthday Jake!

My big brother, Jake, turned 30 on the 27th of March. I am late posting about it because my camera died at his party. (Thanks for the pictures Ligia) Jake's girlfriend, Angela, threw a party for him. She made Cafe Rio burritos that were yummy. She had the whole place decorated and yes, we are nerds... we wore party hats and hit a pinata. My kids loved it and so did we! It was so nice to have someone else host for a change... Thanks Angela!

Jake has the biggest heart! He is a kid at heart too (he loved every moment of his big boy birthday party!) He is very thoughtful and truly does love his family and traditions.

Brady and Trevor (my other brothers)

Av, showing some leg (she did have tights on at one point)

Hitting the pinata (in Jake's unfinished basement)

I look hilarious! I'm not even close but I swung with all my might. We had some good laughs watching each other swing at the pinata or the air I should say.

Thanks for the fun party! We loved every minute of it. We love spending time together (all of us kids, no adults!) We love you Jake and hope you had a Happy 30th!

Conference Weekend

Isn't general conference weekend the best? To me general conference is all about relaxing, listening to uplifting, inspired, motivating talks, spending time with our families, and eating good food! My favorite talk was Russell M. Ballard's. He talked directly to Mothers and it was just what I needed. I've felt so overwhelmed lately with all my responsibilities as a Mother and sometimes unappreciated. (I wish my Mom was living because I can relate with her even more now that I understand some of the sacrifices she made for me and my siblings.) I wrote down 4 points Elder Ballard made to help all of us Mothers...

1. Recognize the joy of Motherhood comes in moments
2. Don't overschedule yourself or your children
3. Find time for yourself
4. Pray, study, and teach the gospel

I love it because he gave advice directly to husbands and children too... for the husbands

1.Show extra appreciation to your wife- give more validation
2.Have regular time scheduled to talk about each childs needs
3.Give your wife a day away, when you take over the household
4.When you come home from work, take an active role with your families. Don't put work over playing, teaching, and spending time with your children.

For the children...
1. Pick up toys, do the dishes, make your beds, etc. WITHOUT BEING ASKED!
2. Say thank you
3. Give your Mom a hug and say I love you

Such great advice!! I would seriously pay for it. I feel so blessed to have the gospel in my life and to have a modern day prophet and apostles that guide us in this day and age. President Monson is AWESOME. I am going to work on keeping my priorities straight and try to find joy and happiness in my sacred role as a Mother! I hope that all of you can too...

I told you it was about good food! Jason cooked a huge roast but we fed a lot of people...

Love having the missionaries in our home!

Things that made me SMILE...

Just some things I've come across this past week that have made me laugh. I love the little things Avaree does...

She used some grass from her Easter basket, some peanut M & M's, and a little chickee to make this nest. So clever and cute!

Her bow on the lamb's tail... cracks me up!

Bandaids on the hippo and cow

It's the little things like this that make raising a girl so much fun. I laugh daily at the things Avaree says and does. She has such an imagination! I wonder what Weston will be into... all he cares about these days is a ball, ball, OR food.