Start of Summer

We started off summer with an outing to see the Trenton Thunder. It is always a fun time. The girls were dancing to the music and the guys were into the game. Everyone ate french fries and lemonade. Everyone was happy until 9 when the girls went home and the guys stayed until the end.

Bryce and I actually had a real date, and it was a lot of fun. We spent the afternoon walking around the beautiful Longwood gardens (if you haven't been, you really should). Then we stayed to see the Indigo Girls in an outdoor concert. They were great and Bryce was a good sport, even though he only knew one of their songs.

June 4--Baptism and Birthday

What a special day! Oakley was baptized at 10am at the church. It was a very nice baptism with family helping with music and talks. Oakley said he felt good when he was confirmed. I can't believe he is so grown up.

Afterward all the family went back to the house for lunch and cake.

Amy Beth helped me with the rock hopper penguin cake (didn't it turn out cute?).
The kids all played on the slip and slide until they popped it. It was a fun afternoon.

Oakley got scriptures from G&G Smith and a carrying case for them and a journal from G&G Harrison.

I love this picture with all the adults pitching in to help and all the kids waiting for cake.

The Harrisons and the Stinsons--so fun to play with cousins.

Memorial Day

We continued our tradition and hiked BaldPate Mountain on Memorial Day. My sister Rochelle went with us and we had a lot of fun. It really is the perfect hike for kids--Tessa and Oakley did the whole things themselves and Hathaways did part of it.

Birthdays and Easter

Whew! We made it through April with birthdays, traveling and Easter. Tessa decided she wanted a pillow pet birthday and a cake that matched her pillow pet. Here is our attempt (I know not the actual size--who could eat that much cake?). But she seemed happy with it.

She had a few friends (plus the Coxs) over for a little party. They went fishing for these little dogs and made felt animals.

She opened presents and had cake--really what else do you need? She was even happier that she got to open more presents on her real birthday.

Tessa's preschool class had a field trip to Howell farm (and it was freezing). Here she is with her friend Nina grinding corn.

Oakley and Hazel after their safety puppet show.

Can I give you a little advice? Do not travel south on I-95 the Saturday of spring break with tornados coming. If you do, you just might end up in a hotel room instead of grandma and grandpas. This is Hathaway on her birthday eating an ice cream sandwich in a hotel room instead of a cake at grandmas.

We FINALLY made it after 6 extra hours on the road. Easter dinner and an Easter egg hunt were waiting for us.

Hathaway's second birthday celebration with a cake grandma Donna and Aunt Marian made.

Once we were there, the weather in SC was great and we went be the beach with the Adamsons.

The next day we headed out to Fort Sumter on the ferry. It was the 150th anniversary of the start of the civil war. It was interesting (Bryce even let me stay and listen to the lecture, since I'm not from the south and need some instruction). The kids thought it was OK for not having any animals (although we did see a lot of dolphins).

Hathaway's third birthday celebration with the cake mom brought and made.

Finally, we made it to the Caw Caw reserve. Bryce saw some kind of kite how wanted to see (it's a bird) and the kids saw: 12 alligators of various sizes, lots of birds (including the special one Bryce saw), skinks, lizards, a tree frog, lots of catepillers...I think that is it. They were upset about no turtles. It was nice to walk around outside.

We had a great time with Grandma and Granpa and Blackie and Jesse (even though Tessa isnt showing it here).

And no trip is complete without a stop at the great dismal swamp. We had a fun time walking around and then sleeping in at the hotel in the morning while Bryce went hunting for another special bird (a type of warbler this time), and he found it. We must be good luck.

We made it home just in time for Easter. The kids had time to color a few eggs.

Easter Sunday!

A final picture: I told the kids I had checked out some books at the library. A few minutes later, I walked in and this is what they looked like. I love it!

March Happenings

With the bad weather, we have had some fun indoor playdates. Here is Tessa with her friend Chase playing pirates. We didn't have the right hats for everyone, so I told Tessa that sometimes pirates did one unique thing and that is how they got their names. She became Pink Hat Pirate.

Hathaway had to dress up too. She looks like a little princess.

When I went to Stake RS Conference, Bryce and Amy Beth took the kids to the farm. Tessa was brave enough to get on the horse first, then Oakley decided he could too. I love the farm--I wish we lived on one sometimes. Good thing this farm is close enough.

Get ready....two birthdays and Easter are coming up in April. These are the invitations for Tessa's pillow pet party (you can hang the leash on your door so you don't forget).We went to Kids Town after school with some friends. Oakley ran into a boy that wasnt looking where he was going. He still has a very purple eye. He said "like 50 people at school asked me how I got my black eye."