April wrap up!

So - I've been debating about doing a bunch of little posts to wrap up April, but decided I'm just gonna do one big long one.  So, this is what we've been up too since the last time I posted...

April 18th - Kate is 5 months old!!  I'm a bad mom, and didn't take any pictures of her.  I remember putting her in the cutest dress on the Sunday after (the 22nd) and thinking I needed to take some pictures of her, but it just didn't happen!  Kate is growing up!  She is starting to mellow out a bit and maybe even sleeping better - although don't tell anyone because I don't want to jinx anything!  One bad thing - she's had a nasty yeast infection ever since being on antibiotics for her ear infection!  She spent several miserable days before it finally dawned on me that it was yeast.  I felt so bad because it was totally obvious!  We are still fighting it a bit - we just can't get it all the way gone for some reason.  But, at least it's not bothering her as much as it was.  She is also really enjoying eating cereal.  It's kind of funny - with Adam, I was so careful about only introducing one food at a time and taking it nice an slow - Kate's had about 4 or 5 different kinds of food and she's loving it!  She's actually pretty good at it too!  Still no teeth!

April 19th - Adam had his first concert at school.  It was so fun to go watch!  It was all the Kindergarteners, and the 4th, 5th, and 6th grade chorus.  It was all songs about space!  The kids sang such fun songs, even a few with fun actions.  It was great!  Here are a few pictures...

Adam in the crowd!

Classic Adam look!

 

 And the sweet smile!!

He really had a lot of fun!

April 20 - 21st - Adam and Daddy trip to Great Wolf Lodge!  Scott had promised Adam a get-a-way to Great Wolf Lodge back when Kate was born.  Adam had been so patient - especially after Jackson had his daddy trip.  We planned this several times previously, and something else kept coming up!  So, finally - everything worked out and they got to go.  Adam started coughing 3 or 4 days before the trip, but it wasn't bad, so we decided it was ok for them to continue with their plans.  So, they went.  Adam invited Grandpa Conrad to go with them because he really wanted to do the VisionQuest game with him again.  They left early Friday morning, and the first thing they did was start VisionQuest.   Here's Adam with his wand!

They did the game for awhile, and then decided to go play in the water.  After spending 3 or 4 hours in the water, Adam was cold and ready to get out.  Scott said he was literally shivering.  They went back up to the room, and Scott put him in the shower to try and warm him up, and even after the shower, he was still shivering.  So, they wrapped him up and he crawled under the covers.  He did finally warm up - unfortunatly, he kept warming up and was soon running a fever.  It was a good thing Grandpa was with them - he went to track down some Children's Advil while Scott stayed with Adam.  The advil helped bring his fever down, and everyone was able to get some sleep.  Adam woke up feeling a bit better, and with no fever - but they didn't want to risk swimming again, so they finished up the VisionQuest game, and Adam was ready to head home.  On the drive home, Adam started complaining about his ear hurting.  So - once they got home, they went for a visit to the nice new walk-in clinic, only to find out that we are three for three on ear infections at our house this year!  So - another prescription for antibiotics!  Crazy!  The good thing is, that Adam still had a great time with daddy and Grandpa.  He got to play VisionQuest again and that's what he really wanted!

April 26th - Jackson's first visit to the dentist!  Doesn't he look cool and collected!!

 Jackson had been waiting and waiting for this day!  Such a weirdo kid!  He was so excited to go to the dentist!  He did such a great job, and let the hygenist do a bit of cleaning, and the dentist counted all his teeth. 

April 30th - Last but not least, today was my last day of employment outside of our home!  It's so weird to type those words!  I've worked at CDi Engineers for 12 and half year!  I've worked my way up from payroll clerk to managing the accounting department (of two whole employees!)  I've done 2 software implementations, 2 bank changes, set up an ESOP, trained 3 different HR managers, and had 3 babies all during my time of employment there.  It's been a great place to work - they've allowed me to work from home so I could enjoy being with my kids, while still earning money for our family.  It was weird to walk out today and think that I won't be going back to sit at a desk for an 8 hour day again.  They have asked me if I would be available to consult if the new accounting manager needs help.  So, I will be helping out here and there a bit. 

But - I am so looking forward to my new adventure!  I can't say that I'm not nervous.  I've always worked since Scott and I were married almost 18 years ago.  I know I won't be bored (I have lists of things I want to do), but it will be strang to not be earning an income.  What I'm looking forward to most - playing with the kids, without feeling guilty about what I should be doing for work! 

So - here's to my new adventure!  Woo Hoo!

Rice Cereal

The Easter bunny put a box of rice cereal in Kate's Easter basket. She's been watching us very intently every time she sits with us at the dinner table.  I decided to give it a try tonight, and see how she did.  I was surprised at how good she did!  She seemed to really enjoy it.  We may have to do this more often! 

Here are the obligatory first food pictures:

Purple Easter!

We dressed the kids in purple for church on Easter.  They looked so cute (and we were actually ready early), that we decided to head outside and take some pictures.  Here are my cute kiddos!

 Mommy and Kate

 Daddy and the boys!

 As I was taking the pictues of the boys, our neighbor drove by and offered to take pictures of all of us together. 

We hope you all had a lovely Easter! 

Easter Morning

We enjoyed a nice, quiet Easter morning.  Saturday night, we watched several of the videos about the life of Jesus Christ.  We have LOVED these videos that can be found at www.lds.org/bible-videos .  They are so well done, and the boys love to watch them!  Adam will ask to play with Scott's ipad, and will sit and watch them!  They are really great!  Anyway - Sunday morning, we watched the "He Is Risen" video and talked about why we really celebrate Easter.   It was a nice way to start the morning.

If you haven't seen these videos that the Church has put together - go there and watch them!  They are amazing!

The boys were also excited to see if the Easter bunny stopped by the house.  Here we are waiting to go downstairs.

 

The boys had a fun time looking for their baskets, which the Easter bunny hid for them...

Coloring Easter Eggs

We joined the Terry's for coloring Easter eggs again this year.  It's been strange not having them right next door over the past year, but we are so happy that we can continue these traditions with them!  Saturday was such a beautiful day - we were able to color eggs outside again!  It was quick!  A few dunks in and out of the color, and they were all done!

We enjoyed a yummy dinner and then we visited while the boys played a little x-box, and Maira played with Kate...

 Adam and Xander are such good buddies - I had to include this picture that Quyen sent to me on Thursday.  After bowling and lunch, Adam went to Xander's house and they walked up to the library.  Quyen took some fun pictures of them running around, playing!

Easter Egg Hunt

My parents are so great!  They took the boys to the neighborhood Easter egg hunt Saturday morning.  It's also so fun!  Here's the group photo!

 And a few pictures of the actual hunt!

 Apparently Kate slept through the hunt.

 Jackson won the stuffed bunny this year (I think Adam was a bit disappointed)

Thanks mom and dad for taking them! 

Best Birthday Present - EVER

Scott's "surprise" birthday present was so great!  We left Friday around noon, went to lunch, got a pedicure (Scott too!), and then headed up to Camano Island.  Seriously - if you ever want a great bed and breakfast - go to the Blue Moon Beach House on Camano Island.  Scott and I spent two nights there last year for our anniversary, and loved it.  It was just as great this time!  There isn't much to do on Camano Island - and we really didn't want to do anything.  We rented 3 movies (amazingly they were all good - Water for Elephants, Moneyball and Larry Crowne) so we checked in, and watched movies and enjoyed the beautiful scenery.  We went to bed at about midnight, and slept - uninterupted.  Scott got up and took a picture of the sunrise...

  ...then we both fell back asleep until there was a knock on the door at 9:00 when our breakfast was delivered.  And breakfast was divine!  Coconut french toast, fresh fruit, sausage, orange juice and hot chocolate. It was soooo good!!

Saturday, ended up being a beautiful day!  The sky was an amazing blue!  The water was calm - we walked down the beach to collect some rocks and shells for the boys.  It was almost warm out!

I was amazed at how one good night of sleep could make me feel so refreshed!  It had been a good 3 weeks since I had felt even close to rested!  Between being sick myself, then Jackson, then Adam, then Kate all getting sick - it was like having a newborn all over again, except there was throw up included...  Four words - best birthday present - EVER!

Happy Birthday to ME!

Today was my birthday!  Kate slept through the night last night - that was her present to me, and it was awesome!  Now, if my boys would just quit getting up at 6am, I could have really slept in!

I had such a fun day!  I took the boys bowling, along with our good friend Quyen Terry and her darling kids, Xander and Maira!  It was so fun to watch all of them bowl!  Jackson somehow got a strike (I was helping Adam look for a different ball when it happened, so I missed all but the cheering at the end).  I took a couple of videos of each boy bowling, but I can't figure out how to get them to upload onto blogger - so I'm stuck uploading pictures.  I love Adam's smile!

J-man!  He was so fun to watch!  He asked which lane every single time he got up to bowl.  Then he stepped over the line and set the buzzer off.  After he threw (literally) the strike, he was so disappointed that he didn't get to go again!  Luckily, Maira was ok with him taking her first turn.  

 Here's the whole gang of bowlers!

 After a wild game of bowling, we headed to Red Robin for some yummy dinner.  The kids were so excited when they brought me an ice cream sundae and sang happy birthday.  It was more fun to watch their reaction!

It was a great way to spend the day!  Scott brought home some yummy pizza for dinner, then we went for a walk around the block and marvelled at how much our boys are growing up as we watched Adam ride his scooter (he has gained so much coordination over the past year), and Jackson scoot around on a little car that his legs are too long for.  Scott helped the boys get ready for bed, and I got to cuddle with Miss Kate, enjoy her smiles and coos and put her to bed.  Then read books with the boys, read scriptures, say prayers and sing songs (Nephi's Courage for Jackson and Choose the Right for Adam - it's always the same - every night!).  I am truely blessed!

Tomorrow, Scott is "surprising" me with a night away.  He had to tell me ahead of time because I kept making plans for Saturday.  Anyway - I'm excited for a true full night of sleep.  We are going to a great little bed and breakfast on Camano Island.  My parents are coming to stay with the kiddos.  Hopefully Kate will cooperate and take a bottle.  I am so greatful to live near my parents who love my kids so much and enjoy spending time with them.  Again - I am truely blessed!