Spring Flowers

Today we had a bunch more flowers begin to bloom and they are beautiful!  

 When I went out to take some pictures there was a HUGE bumblebee out around the flowers.  It had a red stripe on it's back.  I don't remember ever seeing one like that before.

I just love multi-colored flowers!  

Finishing Projects

A few years ago for my birthday my sister-in-law Callie took me to a scrapbook on the wall class.  It was so much fun and I made these for Carson and Alaina.  Naturally I had to make one for Charlie so that he could be part of my "baby" wall.  I love looking at these pictures of my babies.  It just makes me happy.  

 Carson's

 Alaina's

 and Charlie's.
 It's a tad different, but that's what happens when you duplicate a project 4 years later and your living in a different location and have different supplies.  It's ok though,  I think it turned out super cute! My favorite part is the brads and buttons I used on Charlie's.  I wasn't about to pay $4.00 for 20 colored brads and $4.00 for 8 buttons from the local craft store.  Ridiculous!  So I went to Walmart and bought just the regular brads, $1.50 for 200,  and painted them with nail polish.  I also bought about 50 buttons for $1.50 in a package that had been put on clearance because they're redoing the fabric department at our store.  Now that's what I call a deal!  

When Carson was a baby I found this super cute cross stitch pattern.  I remember that my mom had a small cross stitch for each of us with our full name, birth date and birth weight on them.  So I wanted to do something similar.  I have recently finished Charlie's and now have one for each of the kids.  This is also part of my "baby" wall.  

 Charlie's 

 Alaina's

Carson's

Now all I have to do is get frames for Charlie's picture and cross stitch and this project will be complete!  

Tony's New Gun

This year were got enough back from taxes that Tony was finally able to buy his rifle.  He's been trying to get a rifle for about 8 years.  Every time that he would get ready to buy one something else always came up.  He got a Savage Hunter XP, acu-trigger, with a Nikon scope in a 30-06 (I think I got that right, but Tony is free to correct me).  He took it out the first Saturday after he got it to sight it in and target shoot.  I even took one shot with it.  I know that all the men reading this will groan, but I think it's a pretty gun and Tony is really happy with it.    

Spring

Rexburg is at least 2-4 weeks behind what I'm used to in the Treasure Valley, but Spring is here at last!  I always get so excited this time of year when the grass turns green, the trees start to bud, and the flowers start to bloom.  It just makes me happy seeing all the growing things come back to life.  The back yard needs mowed already and I am slightly excited to do this.  I love the smell of fresh cut grass!  

 This is the apple tree we have at our place.  It's just outside the kitchen window.  I can't wait until it starts to bloom and I get to look at it each day as I'm doing dishes.  

 We have 3 Lilac Bushes at our place!  I love Lilacs!  They are my favorite.  We tried to plant Lilacs at our house in Nampa, but unfortunately they couldn't survive the constant trampling of our dog at the time.  So this year I get enjoy the beautiful sights and smells of the Lilacs this year!    

I'm not sure what kind of flower these are, but I'm ecstatic about having these bloom in front of our place.  I love when the spring flowers pop up.  I never thought far enough ahead to plant flowers for spring in Nampa, but this year I get to enjoy someone else's four thought.  Alaina is about as excited about the flowers as I am.  She's constantly going outside and looking out the window to check on them.    

Part of me wants to get out and fix up the flower beds here, but again the landscaping on this place has been pretty neglected for quite a few years by the looks of it.  Do I really want to put that much work into a place we are only renting?  I haven't decided yet.    

Pink Eye

Yesterday morning Alaina woke up with a swollen, pink and goopy eye.  We took her to the doctor and she is now on antibiotic drops for her eye.  This morning she woke up with two swollen, pink, and goopy eyes.  We are being good about putting in the eye drops 4 times a day and they are beginning to improve.  Even though she looks awful she's acting pretty much like herself, thankfully.   

Family

Some pictures taken during our Easter Day Festivities

Me and the Kiddos 

The whole family on our front step

me and Charlie

My parents came to visit this year.  It was so much fun having them here.  Mom and Dad just celebrated their 36th Wedding Anniversary and by the looks of it as happy as ever!  

Easter Egg Hunt

 Helping Alaina get the high ones.  Silly Daddy and Grandpa hiding eggs way up there.  

 Carson getting the "easy" ones.  Don't you just love his outfit?  Brown shorts with black dress socks. 

The kids with their loot!  

Easter Morning

We try not to go too overboard with Easter Baskets.  Usually the kids each get a toy and some candy.  The kids are always thrilled.  The Easter Bunny was nice enough to replace Carson's Backugon that he lost a school last year.  Alaina got a ballerina barbie.  Charlie got a new toy that lights up and plays music.  

Dying Easter Eggs

Saturday morning the kids, Grandma and I dyed eggs while Daddy and Grandpa went and ordered Daddy's new rifle.  Anyway we had a good time without the men.

 Carson trying to be grumpy and not show us his eggs.  It's not working too well.  

 Alaina decorating her egg.  

The finished product.  I think they look pretty good!  

Adventure

This year we were able to buy a Pontoon Boat for Tony.  He got it about two weeks ago and was so excited that he almost immediately set it all up.  Yesterday, Tony and Nathan had planned on taking it out on it's maiden voyage.  Tony is currently enjoying a week break between semesters.  Nathan has Monday's off and yesterday the weather was absolutely beautiful!  Sun shinning, slight breeze, and warm temperatures.  The plan was I was going to drop the boys off somewhere on The Henry's Fork so they could float and fish.  Well, just as they were ready to put into the water we discovered that the seam on Tony's boat and ripped out.  What a total let down.  After days of planning and hours of preparation a day of enjoying the outdoors ruined!  I felt so bad for the boys, especially Tony.  He needed this day away from school, work, and family responsibilities.  So back home we went.  When the guys started to unload all the gear we discovered that Nathan's Pontoon boat was deflating.  His had a leak in each bladder.  We are thankful that these malfunctions were found before getting into the water, but it was still a major bummer. Thankfully the manufacture is going to replace the faulty parts of their boats. The guys ended up getting out their old float tubs and went fishing at a local pond.  As Nathan said, they had fun but not enough to make up for the disappointment of the day.             

 Tony's  boat shortly after he got it.

The morning right before going on their fishing trip.

Enjoying Conference

Every April and October I look forward to watching General Conference.  And it's not just because I don't have to get up super early to get a family of 5 to 9 a.m. church on time.  But it's the opportunity we have to listen to modern day Prophets and Apostles speak with us about what our Heavenly Father and Savior want us to know and do.  Unfortunately, no matter how hard I try I always end up falling asleep sometime during conference.  I think every member of our family was asleep sometime during conference.  Tony definitely held the record though.  But I really can't blame him.  He was so exhausted from school and work.