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The Easter Bunny!

We had a great Easter Weekend!  The weather was wonderful!  Dustin got the sprinklers in the back yard ALL DONE!  Hurray!  We stayed home and just hung out.  It was just what we all needed!  Saturday we had our neighbors, the Humphry's over to dye Easter Eggs, then we went to their house for a BBQ and and Egg Hunt!

Cub Scouts

 Dallin is having the time of his life in scouts!  He loves it!  He has the BEST scout leader too!  Sister Boyce is so cute!  She thinks the world of him and has done so much for this cute group of boys.  This week at pack meeting it was the bears turn to do the skit.  She make them all Indian moccasins, headbands, and the works!  She even brought her tee pee to make it fun!  The real kicker is she is 80 years old!  Yes you read it right... this high spirited gal who is still going the extra mile and my total inspiration is 80 years young.  She was just released as the primary president and thrown right into cub scouts to bless the life of my boy.  I can't thank her enough for being so on top of things and teaching Dallin so much.  I love her!

 Here is their cute little skit.  They worked hard and had so much fun dressing up and getting ready!

Our pack of wild Indians!

"The Team!"

Holly made this video for us for Christmas and I just finally got my hands on it!  It was one of the best gifts I've ever gotten...I cry every time I see it!  I am so thankful for my family!  ALL of them!  They are the best!

Speaking of "The Team"  baseball season is in full swing (haha...no pun intended!) at our house!  They boys {and I mean all of them...Dustin included} are loving it!  They can be found at one ball field or another just about every night of the week practicing and playing.
 Alex had his first game this week and he did great!  He it all his pitches...got on base and was all smiles! {He also lost his first tooth this week...he's in heaven showing off the big hole in his smile!}

 His coach has him a first base most of the time...

 Swing!

 A funny story...It was FREEZING at Alex's game so about an hour and 10 min into it I finally gave up and went to sit in the car with the other kids.  Dustin said that just after I left his coach put him up as the catcher and he was thrilled!  He was so excited to "gear up" and march out there.  The first thing he does as he squats down to take his position is yell at the top of his lungs...."PLAAAAAAY BAAAAAALLLLL!!!!"  Everyone in the crowed started laughing and cheering.  I guess we know what movie he's been watching lately!  Ha!

 Derrick has finally arrived on the T-Ball scene!  He LOVES it!  I think he's there more for the treats and the social hour, but still he says he's having fun!  He's super cute in his jersey and hat and he prides himself on the fact that he doesn't need the tee.  He told his coach, "just pitch it to me...I got this" in his cute squeaky voice.

 He wasn't kidding either...he can usually get a good hit off of one of the three pitches...

Here he comes running into home...so cute!

 Zeke is doing his best to be supportive...he's dying to get out there and play with the big boys!  A few more years buddy!

My New Thang!

This is my new obsession!  I am having so much fun using all of my cute fabric in my sewing room and making these cute bags!  I made up the pattern myself, and have various sizes and designs.  I think they're pretty darn cute and even more fun when you stuff them full of treats and things to give as gifts.  The girls I tend both got one for their birthdays and I've made all my sisters and Mom a BIG one.  It's been relaxing to to sit down and sew.  I like it.  I like thinking up fun things to make and putting them together.  I am having a blast with it.  I haven't even had to go buy one stitch of fabric yet for any them. I told myself I have to work with what I've got first.  So much fun!

SpRiNg!!!!

If you know me at all you know I LoVe, LOVE, love Springtime!  I love the warming up...I love the greening up...I love the flowering trees...the treats...the holidays...conference time...all of it!  Here's what's been going on at our house this spring.  {Be patient...lots of things I want to remember}

 First things first...THE BLOSSOMS!!!  This little miracle is my very most favorite things about spring.  I love the smell!  They are so cute on the trees!  I actually took these myself at the park the other day.  These are real St. George Blossoms.  Aren't they cute?!?

 Speaking of the park, we have spent a lot of time there the past few weeks.  The weather has been unbelievable!  Perfect park weather.  The kids are in heaven!

 Zeke is finally big enough to do what he wants to by himself.  This is major if you know him.  He is a "do it yourselfer".  I have no idea where he gets that from!?! ;-)

Zeke is a dare devil...he LOVES the BIG slide at the spin park.  Deacon his little friend behind him wasn't so sure.  I even think its scary!  The think shoots straight down and practically spits you out at the end.  Good thing Zeke was right there to catch him.  Sheesh!

 Let's go Fly a Kite!  The boys all got out their kites {from last years Easter Baskets ;-)} on a perfectly blustery warm night and we flew them till dark.  It was so fun!  They were ecstatic!  

 All four...in the sky...not tangled! Can you believe it?

 Spring brings the perfect Hot Air Balloon weather!  Sense we are at the top of the hill and can pretty much see from Kanab to Mesquite we have the unique opportunity to see all the cool Hot air Balloons!  I know I've posted on this in the past, but I think they are so neat!  This one was especially close to the house.  They usually fly early in the morning and it's fun the hear the kids getting ready for school and yelling like someone has broke their arm that they see one!  Usually sends me into a panic before I can figure out what the problem is, but it's fun none the less.  So pretty.  There is just something tranquil and relaxing about them.

 Still loving my cute little kiddos during the day.  We've spent hours at the park, playing outside and eating Popsicles.  They are a hoot!

{Funny things they say:  Alyssa - Flowder (flower), "Amy git your Clamra (camera) and take a pitcher!".  Zeke- Cock-A-Doo!  Cock-A-Doo! (He usually ends up being the rooster waking everybody up when they play house...Hilarious!).  Peyton - "C'mon son, let's go to Wal-Mart!"  (She's always the Mom). Cheyann - "Amy, he hurt my feelin's!" 

 I love the cute plants the kids bring home from school in the spring.  Do you remember doing this in school?  I do.  We grew our seeds in a plastic baggie though.  Just reminds me of elementary school.  I should have plenty of peas this year!

 Our backyard is coming along.  Dustin is working hard every spare second to get it all in.  We are to the sprinkler stage.  He was out there all day last weekend.  At one point I looked out the window and saw at least 15 neighborhood kids huddled around him trying to help/see what he was up to.  He is their favorite.  They love it when he's out doing things.

 Alex LOVES to help...with anything/everything.  He loves to help his dad...loves to help cook. He's always watching trying to figure out how we do things.  He's growing up.

 Again...life of the party. Dustin decided to get out the metal detector one afternoon and you can bet the flies came to the honey.  Every neighborhood kid and their dog {literally} were out there looking for treasure!  He is always a good sport to get out there and play with the kids.  They think it's the best!

The best toy we've ever had is the big pile of dirt we had dumped in the lot next door to use for the back yard!  The kids have spent endless hours out there digging, sliding, and playing.  Zeke and his little buddy Kevin can always be found out there in the dirt...especially when it's been raining.  Why do boys like mud so much?  I don't get the fascination?

 Zeke in his muddy, dirty, holy clothes!  Happy as can be!
{If you look close you can see his toe poking through his shoe from dragging on the ground as he rides his bike...seriously?!?}

 You guessed it!  He didn't make it in the house with that muddy mess on.  I made him strip in the garage down to his nothin's and chuck in all the the garbage.  He thought this was awesome!

 One of the treasures they found with the metal detector...A really old doll.  Kind of cool eh'?

 Alex harvested an old knife that he now affectionately calls his pocket knife.  He was very proud.

 One of the best "Spring Time" things for me is conference!  I loved this year!  We had a great conference weekend.  It was relaxing and enjoyable.  I loved all the talks!  Above are some of the pictures Dallin drew of the speakers.  I thought they were so cute Pres. Monson is the first one he said.  Can you see a resemblance?

 These were our attempt at a "quiet" project during conference.  They got to make their own puppets unsupervised while Dustin and I snoozed/listened on the couch.  Here's what they came up with..... :)

I hope you are all enjoying spring as much as I am!
Happy Spring everyone!

I want to be a missionary now!

This week we had the fun opportunity to help get ready to welcome home our neighbor Elder Mathew Smith off his mission.  The kids have made a great friend out of Matt's mom whom they affectionately call "Aunt Annette" or "Aunt Ganette" as Zeke puts it.  She gives them popcicles and suckers and they love her to pieces.  She moved here after Matt had left on his mission from Alaska and has been telling the boys stories about him getting them excited to meet him and welcome him home.  They were so excited to see him.  They made a cute poster and we hung balloons and signs...

 They were so excited to color a banner of their own to put in the yard.  I loved what they drew... they all colored a picture of what they thought Elder Matthew would look like sense they had never met him before.  Dallin drew a Book of Mormon and you can't see it, but he wrote, "How was it?!?" across the bottom.  Hilarius!  He really wanted all the details.  He couldn't wait to get down there and talk to Matt and find out all about what a mission is really like.  Not just what his mom {that's a girl and hasn't been on one} has told him, or what his dad, who's apparently too old to remember tells him of going to serve our Heavenly Father.   

All ready for Elder Smith!

A funny side note:  Derrick asked when we had finished decorating the yard what you get when you come home and I said, "THIS! a yard full of cool balloons and a big sign!"  He said, "That's it?  Really?"  I said, "Yep!  and a good feeling you served your Father in Heaven!"  He said, "Well...can I have my own bag of candy too?"  I said, "Sure!  I guess." He said, "O.k.  I guess I'll go then...IF I get my own bag of candy!"  So funny!  He makes me smile every day.

Blue Angles!

The Blue Angles came to town and it was awesome!  They flew around town for four days and the boys loved it!  Saturday Dustin took us all to lunch and then we found ourselves on top of the hill watching them up close.  Brings back memories of going to air shows with my dad and spending Saturdays at the old airport #2.  Fun day!

A New Line Of Work...

Life is moving right along...after much thought...prayer..and tossing and turning at night to know what to do I decided to try to slow things down a bit.  I've been feeling lately like I was just watching my life instead of living it.  After the cruise and a little time to think I decided to quit my my job a Jo-Ann's and just stay home.  It's been a real leap of faith for me.  The turning point was when I read this quote I found on line about mothers...

"Mothers who know do less. They permit less of what will not bear good fruit eternally. They allow less media in their homes, less distraction, less activity that draws their children away from their home. Mothers who know are willing to live on less and consume less of the world’s goods in order to spend more time with their children—more time eating together, more time working together, more time reading together, more time talking, laughing, singing, and exemplifying. These mothers choose carefully and do not try to choose it all. Their goal is to prepare a rising generation of children who will take the gospel of Jesus Christ into the entire world"

Julie B. Beck the General RS Pres said that and it was like a light went on in my head.  I decided to try a different path.  To do a little less for the world and a little more for my family and I.  I can tell you already that it's been a blessing.  It's been tight, but I don't feel like i'm sacrificing as much as we are all being blessed.  It's been hard some days, but worth it.  I feel better being home.  I feel like I'm doing a greater work.

That being said here are the changes so far...

I'm babysitting at home full time now and loving every minute!  I've decided three year olds are my favorite!

I am sewing like crazy!  Helping Dustin get his business to become even more of a success and making a few extra bucks on Etsy :)

I was just released from my primary calling that I LOVED and put in as the RS monthly meeting coordinator.  {I thought that was weird...Heavenly Father must have known I couldn't do that until I had a little more time not working.  I am excited to do something new, but admit that today was my first day out of primary and in RS in a VERY LONG time and I was having withdrawals.}

This change came at a great time and I admit that baseball was also a deciding factor...the season is starting off with a bang and three of my four cute boys are signed up and can't wait to get out there and PLAY Ball!!!

 Here's a few of my favorite pictures of my "New Job"...one of my favorite things is all the girl hair I get to do!  I LOVE it!  I love that they love me to do it.  The first thing Alyssa says when she gets here is "Amy, will you make my hair?"  It's so fun!  I've been buying bows and clips and barrettes and dress-up clothes like crazy!  They are so funny to listen to.  They LOVE to eat or "snack" as they call it.  Logan is such a good baby.  It's fun having one to cuddle again.  I haven't minded the mess one bit.  Actually to be truthful I feel like my house is cleaner because I'm always here.  It's a HUGE change for me being home all day, but I love it!  I love just being home.

These kids are so fun.  They are all giggles and get along pretty darn good for a pack of three year olds.  They stay very busy.  Alyssa says "Flowder" for flower and Zeke is always in the mix playing the boy aka {Santa Clause, or the rooster waking everybody up, or Peter Pan or the Prince} He's very boy, but they love it that he's the leader.  Peyton is a doll...she's a total GIRL!  Loves her long hair and very dainty.  She straps on the princess dresses the second she gets here and screams like a girl!  So funny!  Their conversations crack me up.  I am having a blast!

 

Spring School Pictures

I can hardly believe another school year is more than half way over!

Here's the latest school pictures...

 Parent teacher conferences were last week and they all came through with flying colors!  I think I get more nervous about meeting with the teachers than the kids!  It's like I'm in the spotlight and afraid that the teacher is going to tell me I am a horrible parent {even though that had NEVER happened...LOL}

Dallin's teacher said he is doing awesome!  "He is a JOY to have in class!"  She said he is very smart and tries hard to do the right thing.  I never worry about Dallin too much...he's always been that way.  He just came home with the "Patriotism Award" for being such a great kid!  He's concerned about our earth and wants to keep it clean.  His teacher says he's very respectful of the flag when they say the pledge and always happy!  He's FINNALY lost his two top teeth and loving every second of not being able to talk.  {Note to self...it was funny that Grandma Herbison pulled it out the second she got here to watch the kids while we were on the cruise...yuck!  I guess once a mom, always a mom.  There is no end to the gross things you'll do!} We are so proud of Dallin.  He's a great kid!  I'm absolutely certain that I needed him to be first.  I don't know how I would survive without his help every day.  He is my rock.

 Alex is growing right up!  His teacher says he's smart as a whip.  Too smart sometimes.  He's figured out that if he just does what he HAS to, he can do what he WANTS to.  She says sometimes he hurries a little too fast.  He's the hit of the playground...has lots of little buddies and all the girls are constantly on his case.  The other day he came home and said it was the worst day of his life!  When I asked him why he said because the girls wouldn't leave him along and he didn't get enough time on the monkey bars! LOL!  He's growing up.  Makes me a little sad sometimes.  He's very caring with kids that are smaller than him and only hates a few foods now {broccoli and mashed potatoes LOL!}He's a great reader.  I never worry about his homework and usually don't have to ask him if it's done.  He LOVES to be outside! Alex is my reminder no to take life so serious.

Derrick is my giggle.  He's always laughing...or making me laugh.  He has this little squeaky voice that I secretly hope he keeps for the rest of his life.  He's trying very hard right now to prove he's independent.  He wants to get out there and be big.  Every day the first thing he says is "Mom what can I do?"  His teacher says he's a riot and right on schedule for first grade.  He has a smile as big as the whole world. (This picture isn't the best...this doesn't do it justice and this is why I don't buy school pictures LOL!) Derrick loves a good joke.  He does everything to the max with his whole heart. When he sleeps you know he's sleeping deep, when he's playing you know he's playing his heart out.  It's so fun watching him grow.

My little Zeke.  He's finally been told his real name and he thinks it's so fun.  He goes around telling all the kids "I'm Austin Zeke!"   We're working on letters every day with the kids I tend and they are learning and growing so fast.  I've been taking their pictures with the letters we work on each day and it's so weird ho much they grow and change in just a few weeks.  He's his mommas boy through and through.  He loves to play and pretend as long as I'm in his sights.  {I secretly love that about him}  He's talking in full sentences and making sense.  He's loosing that baby look.  I didn't realize how much until I started tending a baby.  I love this age.  Loves to learn, but still loves his Mama!

The Best Valentines Day Ever!!!

t's taken me a week to get this posted, but it was worth it!!!  This Valentines Day or rather Valentines WEEK was so much FUN!!! Dustin surprised me at Christmas with the news that we were going on a cruise with his work over Valentines Day! It was awesome!

 Thanks to the HUGE favors both our Mom's did us by coming to stay with the kids we were able to go guilt free!  We stopped in Mesquite for a yummy dinner and then we were off to Vegas to catch our flight(s).  We flew all night to Florida, but it was worth it!  We even got to fly FIRST CLASS  on the second flight!  It was awesome!  Did you know they give you a steaming hot towel just to wipe your hands off on???  I was in heaven.  Dustin was trying to sleep most of the way and they kept waking him up to see if he needed anything.  It was hilarious!  About the sixth time I saw he was getting ready to punch that overly attentive stewardess in the face!  I however was on cloud nine!  I couldn't sleep so I took the breakfast they graciously offered...Hey if someones going to hand me food that isn't leftover from some kids breakfast I'm not turning it down LOL!  This is what they brought!  A muffin TOP!  I felt spoiled!  I admit though that my "left over Mom's stomach couldn't eat it all and I sent most of it back.

 We got off the plane, took a shuttle to the docks and this was our first glimpse of our new home for the week!  SOOOO COOL! and HUGE!

 This should give you some perspective on the size of the boat!  It was a giant.  Even more amazing when you were off of it looking at the whole thing!  I still can't believe that those things can float!

 We were at sea the first day and on the second we woke up and were in beautiful Jamaica (or as Alex called it when we got back..."Jam-i-ca" so funny!) It was so pretty there!  I love the ocean!

 These guys greeted us first thing off the boat.  They were pretty cool, but little did we know they were looking for money!  They asked us if we wanted to have our picture taken with them and of coarse all of us girls were saying "Sure!"  Gotta have those Kodak moments right?  Well as soon as the picture was safely in our cameras these guys started holding their hands out.  We walked off without getting the hint and I think they were a little mad.  We felt bad, but paid generously in tips the rest of the day.  Above is Dustin, Kerry, and Brian.

Amy - Rachel- Sherri

(I had so much fun making friends with these nice people while were were cruising together.  They were so friendly and fun to talk to!)

 We decided to take our chances and not book an "excursion" on the boat.  Instead we stayed in a group and found this nice guy "John" to drive us around all day to see the things we wanted to see.  He was very nice and super funny!  He took us right to the middle of down town Jamaica to shop.  Very interesting.  I am always amazed at how blessed we are to live in the good old US of A.  We have so much!  It was fun though.  We checked out the grocery stores...amazingly they had most of the same things (brands) that we do.  I actually thought I could probably survive there if I had to LOL!  The weird thing was all the lights were off.  I guess the owner couldn't afford to pay for electricity so we mostly shopped in the dark.  I thought that was weird.  Simple pleasures I guess.  Check out that HUGE tree behind us!  It was incredible!

John took us to the beach for a few hours (that is were I acquired my sunburn.  We were only there for a couple hours and I did indeed have sunscreen on, and most of that time us girls weren't even sitting in the sun.  We were busy under the canopy getting massages!  :-)  It was awesome!  The beach was beautiful!  Everything I could have dreamed!

 After the beach everyone was hungry so John took us to this restaurant to try some of Jamaica's famous "Jerk Chicken"  It was pretty good actually.  Spicy but good!

Let's eat!  A side note: See that kid sitting at the table just behind us.  He was selling candy bars (kind of like nutter butter bars) and had no shoes on and a hole in his sock.  We determined that he only had one pair and was only allowed to wear those to school.  This disturbed me of coarse....my kids don't know who lucky they are.  Why just as we were leaving my mom showed up with bags of new socks and Sunday clothes for the whole lot of them.  They are spoiled!  (I am too!  Thanks Mom, for all you do!)

 Tuesday...Valentines Day...we woke up in the most beautiful place I have ever been!  Grand Cayman Island!  It was incredible!  The water was so so blue and clear as glass!  You could see right to the bottom!  Paradise does exist people and I'm going back there someday LOL!  We had to take a smaller boat to get to the island.  It was a fun ride!

 Yes...it hurt! ...and we are both still peeling!  I wouldn't have posted this picture, but none of the others did justice to the blue water!  Disregard our sunburns and take note of the ocean in the background.  It was amazing!

There were a few cool pirate ships we passed on our way to the Island.  They exist too!

 We went swimming with the stingrays and snorkeling on the reef.  It was so cool!  Most of the pictures we took in the water are on another couples camera and I will post them when we get them.  I can't tell you how much fun it was!  So neat!  On our way back our boat driver dove right off the edge and caught these HUGE starfish!  They were so neat!

 Look at that water!  The island is in the background.  We were about thirty minuets out.  The dark splotches you see at the bottom are the stingrays on the sand bar!

 Me and my Valentine!  Dustin was so cute.  He planned ahead as usual and surprised me with a beautiful necklace for Valentines day.  He really is so thoughtful and sweet.  I had so much fun hanging out with just him for a whole week.  It was the best "date" ever!

Our last day on the ship out to sea!  It was so cool to stand up on deck and look out at the water!  We had so much FuN!  Can't wait to do it again!

P.S. Thanks so much Mom and RaeAnn for taking such good care of our Boys!  They've been calling me "Grandma" for the last two days!  They miss you and it was so nice not to have to worry while we were away!