End of School Year

Spring volleyball season had to come to an end.  I think this was their 3rd season together?

This team loved having Gabe as their coach.  He did a great job with these girls (and Ben).  Since Ashlee is going to be on the MacLaren team next year, I don't think this team will play together anymore.  :(    As Thomas would say, "GO DRAGONS!"

Track and Field Day

With all the other 3rd graders, Ben hiked all the way from the school to Garden of the Gods and back on the last day of school.  I met up with him at Garden of the Gods.  Elise was there with Brandon too! 

Ben with his teacher, Dr. Brevik.

Sam had an ice cream party on the last day of school.  

Here he is with his teacher, Mrs. Kuykendall.  We both loved her.  She was a wonderful teacher, and Sam kept telling me how much he was going to miss her.

BYU Women's Conference

I had the opportunity to go to Women's conference this year with my mom and a few of my sisters.  

It was so fun to be on BYU campus again, after being gone for so long, and especially to reconnect with my mom and sisters.  It was refreshing.

Wendy had the great idea of crocheting burp cloths for the two new babies that have just been born into our family.  (Rachel and Christa's babies.)  And to show them that we missed them, we crocheted while we listened to some of the talks. 

I love my mom and sisters and nieces!  This was really a fun girl's weekend.

The Y on the mountain (to prove I was really there).

And I just couldn't resist driving by to see if my old house was still there.  It was!!!  This is the house Gabe and I lived in just after we were married.  I love this house.

Then afterwards we drove up to Kaysville to see Christa's new baby, Ella Renee.  Isn't she sweet.

And we got to see Christa's new house too.  It was a great few days, and I am so glad I got to go!!!

Meanwhile back at home...the force was with them.

Let's see who is actually reading my blog...

Hello!  If you are reading this, I have an exciting announcement for you today-- exclusive to my blog readers.  (I know there may be one or two of you out there somewhere! 😄  )

Okay, before I share, I need you to promise me something first.  1) I need you to leave me a comment on here saying that you read this, and 2) you can't tell anybody else.  It will be our little secret.  I probably can't keep it quiet that long, but this will be fun and interesting to find out if anybody actually checks this blog. 

Anyway, onto my exciting news....  I am pregnant.  Yes, I am.  It has been hard to keep it in, and I have been sick but trying to keep up the façade of being normal.  That has been rough.  Especially when most days I feel like I want to throw up and take a nap for the whole day.  My kids don't even know it, and that is hard to keep up with everything in front of them.  Probably in a week or two I will tell them, but I want to keep it a secret just for now.  Anyway, that is it!  Curious to see if anyone actually reads this!  :)

Thomas turns TWO!!!

Oh, Thomas.  This boy has my heart.  He is adorable in so many ways.  Today was his birthday, and I love how he would sing Happy Birthday to himself-- kind of shouting and getting higher on the last part:  Happy birthday TO YOU!!!  

Grandma and Grandpa Black came over for dinner and cake, and celebrated this happy day with us.   Then later, when the Beards got back from Utah, they came over to say Hi as well.  Thomas got super hyper playing with all the pillows with the kids.  He was in the middle of the pillow fight, thinking he is a big kid too.  

We were at a volleyball game on Friday.  Ashlee and Ben were playing, and Gabe is their coach.  Their team name is the "Dragons."  We've got a lot of team spirit for our team and we hear a lot of cheering for our team.  Well, after Thomas was listening to it all, he started doing his own cheering.  "Go draGONS!!!"  Over and over again.  Lots of people turned around and smiled at his cuteness.  Why oh why did I not take a video.  

Thomas also gets in a lot of trouble.  I caught him the other day after coming in from the sandbox with sand smeared all around his mouth and hands.  I am sure he was eating the stuff.  Another day, I found him in the bathroom sucking on a wet sponge I use for his baths.  The only water he could have gotten must be from the toilet.  Our son was most likely drinking toilet water.  Oh this kid.  

I love all his energy and zest for life.  He makes me happy.  And tired.  😊

Easter

We had a local Easter egg hunt and potluck at the park by our house on the Saturday before Easter.  At first Thomas wasn't sure what to do, but he soon found a few eggs to put in his basket.

It was fun to meet up with the Beards there, too!  After the hunt, the kids were exchanging candy with each other, and stuffing their faces full of candy (especially Thomas).

Then of course we had to dye Easter eggs.  We had been working outside in the yard all day, and I was tired and debating whether we should just skip it, but the kids insisted.  So late at night, after Thomas went to bed, we dyed some Easter eggs. 

Easter day Ashlee gave a talk in Sacrament meeting about why she was grateful for the Resurrection.  Her friend, Gabriele and her mom who are not members, came to support her.  She did an excellent job.  I loved hearing her speak.  I too, am grateful for Christ's resurrection, and His sacrifice for us.  He did it out of love for us, and wanting us to come back to live with Him and the Father again.  I am so grateful He gave us the opportunity to be with our families forever.  I hope I can be with my family forever-- I want that more than anything.

Snow Days!!!

The most snow we got this year fell right around Spring Break.  

(crazy Colorado weather... what's that all about?)  

We got a snow day both before and after Spring break, so the kids got a prolonged holiday week.  

It was awesome.  

I always love snow days.  I think because everything gets cancelled and you get a day just to play.  Everyone needs days like that once in a while-- especially me.  😊

The kids enjoyed playing in Daddy's truck.  Gabe worked from home that day, too, and he opened our upstairs bedroom window and started a snowball fight with them, launching snowballs down at the kids.  It was a fun day.

Luckily the snow melts fast around here, so we enjoyed some nice warm weather too during Spring break.   As you can see from our hiking pictures from the last post.😊

Spring Break 2017!

Hiking and climbing rocks in Ute Valley

Cooking Class-- Making personal pizzas (Sam's idea)

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I did an exercise class too, with Ben and Sam.  

We exercised to an Insanity video. 

They actually really liked it! 

Great Wolf Lodge

I should have taken more pictures here, seriously.
But I was afraid of my phone getting wet!
And the kids would not stay still long enough for me to take a picture at the waterpark.
The only one who would pose for me was cute little Thomas.  

And a yummy pizza dinner at Great Wolf Lodge.

Look at those adorable wolf ears.  So cute!