Tulip Festival

After last years trip to the tulip festival, I was really excited to go this time since it was nice weather (gasp) and not raining. We went with some friends and it was really pretty and the kids had a blast.

They Loved playing with all the fun toys and swings and playing with their friends.

 I let them the each pick a flower that we paid for and unfortunately they picked them faster than I could tell them the right way to do it So they only picked off the top part and not the Whole stem. They also weren't the best flowers but they had fun and they loved their flower so I guess doesn't really matter what it looked like.

We wrote the little cart thing over to the tulip fields and They got to play in a Wooden shoes and see all the pretty flowers and then we went back and played a little bit more before we left.

 Tulips are my mom's favorite flowers so seeing all of them really made me miss her.  She would have loved to see all these beautiful tulips, but at least I have pictures to show her right.
Anyway, we had a fun time and it was really pretty.

Easter Weekend

So this Easter was really fun this year since Graysen is older and know's what is going on and can really get into it.  We dyed Easter eggs earlier in the week which the kids thought was the coolest thing.  They had these roller things that looked like the paint rollers with paint and they got to decorate their eggs with them.  It was fun to see how they colored them all.  We had a movie night after and watched "The Rise of the Guardian's" after which is such a cute movie.

Easter Sunday the kids woke up and looked for their baskets that were hidden.  When they found them it was so fun to see their faces as they looked through all the loot they received. They would take everything out, put it back in and then take it out and look at it over and over again.  They were just so cute!

I got them all ready for church in their new Easter Outfits and then we headed to church where I actually got to speak.  It was a nice service though and it is good to be able to remember our Savior despite all the fun things that accompany this holiday.

We went over to our good friends house for a delicious steak dinner with the missionaries too.  It was fun to be with other people on Easter instead of just by ourselves.  One of the missionaries had a bunny outfit and put it on to surprise the kids with in the backyard.  We hid Easter eggs all over the yard and he was there to show them what he brought for them.
It was the funniest thing.  As you can see from pictures the Easter bunny was kind of creepy....his eyes were lopsided and he had lost his tail.  Graysen took one look at him and was like "I am scared mom, I want you" and he had me hold him the entire time the bunny was there.  Bailey who is only about 20 months was really scared of the bunny too so they didn't want to get down and look for eggs.  McKenna thought the Easter bunny was so cool and her and her little friend Tucker went all around the yard picking up eggs.  The Easter bunny left and Graysen finally got down to get some eggs.  I felt bad he was scared, but the Easter bunny was just so funny...good times.

It was fun seeing them get all the eggs though and have a good time.  Graysen was really scared of the Easter bunny last year too, and I don't blame him.  I think I might have scarred him for life as far as the Easter bunny is concerned...looking on the bright side I can always tell Graysen if he is acting up that the Easter bunny will come see him, that might whip him into shape :)

We had a fun time and I am glad that we were able to still remember our Savior and that he was resurrected so that we could live again.  I try to instill in my children that even though there are lots of fun things to do around these Holidays, that we have to remember the most important thing, and that is Christ.  I hope it sticks with them.  I am so excited that we will be able to be Resurrected so that I can be with my family forever.

Big boy bed

Graysen has officially graduated from a crib to a big boy bed.  I know it feels like he should have done this  a long time ago, but I was afraid to interrupt his good sleeping habbits and wanted to hold out as long as I could.  Alas, he finally is just too big too fit in the crib anymore and can climb out anyway, so we figured it was time.

Grandma and Grandpa came down and helped us get the bed and set it up for him.  Graysen was so excited to finally have a big bed like sister, and I think McKenna was equally excited for him.  When it was all set up we put his cool truck sheets on from Grandma and Granpa and his new big soft pillow that Grandma made for him which he loves, and his bed set and he was one happy camper.

He layed down on it and and him and Kenna both laid together on it and played.  McKenna also got a new bed set to match Graysen's bed stuff.  Needless to say we had two really excited kids for the night.  I was really nervous that Graysen wouldn't go to bed so easy and would come out a lot.  I was pleasantely surprised when he went to bed just fine and was even excited to go to bed.  He even slept in for me which rarely happens. 

I would have bought it a lot sooner if I knew he would have reacted so well to it.  you never know though, so can't really plan for it. I think it was one of those things that when they are ready for it you just know and they will adjust and do well because it is time.  You can't rush it or force it, kinda like potty training, you just have to wait until their ready.  That is next on the list and something I am not looking forward to it, but i know when he is ready he will let me know.

My kids are just growing up too fast and it makes me so sad in a way to know that  these times I can never go back to with them except for memoreis of course.  I know that there are so many good things that come with each stage in life and I do look forward to it but is just seems like it is going too fast and I am not ready for it.  I want them to stay my little babies forever. 

It just gives me more incentive to treasure each moment and live in each moment so it doesn't pass me by. I know in each milestone my kids experience I have these same feelings and emotions, so sorry if I am broken record but it never fails to hit me the same way each time. 

Love my angels and am excited to see what comes next.

It's that time of the year again

We have developed a yearly tradition of going to see Santa and the Riverfront Carousel.  It is really fun to be able to do this with the kids each year.  They love it, and I must say the Santa there is pretty close to looking like the real deal as you can get.

We went with some friends this year, and it was really fun.  I was a little worried that the kids would freak out while sitting on Santa's lap, but suprisingly they both did really well and smiled big for me and even talked to Santa and told him what they wanted.  Score for getting both kids to cooperate and actually like Santa instead of crying. 

We took pictures with Santa and then they got to ride the carousel a couple of times.  Graysen doesn't like the horses that go up and down, so we had to find one that was stationary so that he would ride it and have fun. 

I love seeing the joy on their faces when we get to do fun things like this.  It makes all the trials and tough things that come with parenting so worth it, and actually get a precious moment you can feel like you are doing something right.

We talked with them after though about what Christmas is really all about.  It is nice and fun that we can see Santa and get presents, but we need to remember the true meaning of Christmas and they knew that it was to remember the Saviour and to celebrate his birth.  I am glad that through all the worldly things that they know what is really important and I hope it sticks with them.

It's all about the music

McKenna had her very first winter program at school.  She was so excited to be perform and to have Graysen and Grandma and I were all coming.
She really wanted to wear her red sweater and her santa hair bows, she said it would be so cute.
They all came out on the bleachers and McKenna was so cute.  She waved and was so excited to see us there in the audience.

They sang lots of cute Christmas songs which I got all on video.  It is so fun to be able to go to school things like this and to be able to watch my daughter grow up and enjoy all these wonderful things with her.  Even though it wasn't this huge production, I was so happy to be able to see her and listen to her sing these songs and do sign language, even if it was only for 10 minutes.
She is just getting so big and I am enjoying every minute of it.

Thanksgiving

We celebrated Thanksgiving with Travis parents and brother up in Beaverton again this year.  It is so nice to have family so close to be able to enjoy the holidays with.  Maybe when I actually have my own house I will host Thanksgiving at my house :) Travis' mom always does such a nice job with Thanksgiving.  All the food was delicious and the table looked beautiful!                                                                                          

We had a relaxing morning, Grandpa made pancakes and we watched the movie "Brave" which I really liked. The kids read books with Grandma and played toys with Grandpa.  They are the best toys for my children :)

Tyler came over just before dinner and we ate to our hearts content.  Graysen was overdue for a nap, so he wasn't in the best of spirits, but we all had a good time.  We went around the table and said what we were all grateful for.  It is so nice to be reminded of the things that are the most important and to give thanks for all our many blessings.  Kenna was grateful for Jesus and for our family, and Graysen said sister and mom and dad.  It was good to here everyone's thoughts.

After dinner Graysen went down for a short nap and then we went to see a movie.  Grandma and Grandpa took the kids to see "wreck it ralph" which they really loved. They actually sat through the whole movie.  The  rest of us went to see "Breaking Dawn part 11." I liked it a lot.  The whole baby part was really fake and dumb, but the rest of it was really good.

We came back and put the kids down for bed and then just hung out.  It was a fun day filled with great food,   good company, and lots of love and thanksgiving.

Pumpkin Patch

I love that we have made it a tradition to go to the lake view pumpkin patch every year with grandma and grandpa Allen.  This year Aunt Mel and Connor and Kennedy came with us too which was fun.  We went a little earlier this year than last and I am glad we did because the pumpkins were beautiful and there were so many to choose from.

The kids had a blast riding the train and picking out their own pumpkins.  It was fun to see them wondering through the pumpkins to find the perfect one.

Of course we couldn't pass by the giant haystack's without climbing all over them, so they did. They went all the way to the top and thought it was the coolest thing.

 The kids played with grandma and in the wheelbarrow while they waited to take the boat across the lake with our pumpkins to pay and do other activities.  The boat ride was fun because there was dragons and sharks that would pop out of the water.  I love how they get so excited over even the smallest of things.

McKenna has been riding the barrel train every year, but this year Graysen got to ride too.  It was fun to see them having so much fun and being able to do so many fun things together now.  They are great friends and play so well together and look out for each other,  I love it!

We went out for ice cream later at McDonald's which the kids couldn't have been happier about.
 It was a really fun time and I am glad that we can make traditions that the kids can remember and look forward to every year.  Hopefully we will have many more trips to the pumpkin patch in the years to come.

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