Missionary Overload

The kids draw so many pictures to their aunt and uncle on their missions, it's hard to keep up. Here's a few of my favorites.

From Ryen:
Translation: Dear Jon, I hope you have a good time at Valentines and at your mission.

Translation: Dear Jessica, I love you. I hope your doing good at your mission and I love you. Love, Ryen


From Jocelyn:


And then Ryen made this letter to Grandma Feller that I thought was so cute. She took down statements from all the kids and wrote them in the card. And then she drew a picture that represented each kid... Tornadoes, Volcanoes, Hearts and Princesses oh my!


And this card to Grandma Hansbrow telling her she was sorry we were missing ice cream with her on Mother's Day. So thoughtful.

Irresistible

Check Out The Tear Jerker

I added a video at the very bottom of the blog. It's 6 1/2 minutes long but worth the watch. A tribute to all moms (and dads) out there. Happy Mother's Day! Hold on a little longer.

Ryen's Joke

Ryen put up a sign on our front door before Ethan got home from school. I think she thought it would be funny. It actually made Ethan nervous. It read, "Sorry we're gone. Don't open the door." Ethan went next door to Erica's but then decided to check at home one more time. When he came in he was a little upset. One of those times where you feel bad but you also think "that's kind of funny." Mischievous girl.

April Top Ten

10-I opened the van door automatically with my remote. Logan who was waiting at the door, said to me, amazed, "Mom! The door opened all by his self!"

9-Ryen was upset because Jocelyn colored on her jewelery box. Next thing I know Ryen is coloring on it. "Ryen!" I said. "What?!" she answered, "Now I Have to color on it"

8-The kids' cousin, Jackson, informed me that Logan needed jam on his roll. I asked, "Logan?" He answered, "Uh-huh, over there in the blue shirt."

7-A few from Logan--
-"Hangerber" for "Hamburger"
- Jocelyn was going to Jumpin' Jacks for a Birthday Party. When we were getting her ready to go Logan asked, "Are we going to Jumping Jack's house?"
-"Mom, there's a bug on the ground and it's in charge!"
-Logan, notorious for picking his scabs, starts pinching his nipple. Then after a while says, "Mom, it won't come off." "Yes Logan, that one's supposed to stay on."

6-Brian came up to me one Sunday and asked, "Have you noticed how Jocelyn's curls are disappearing? Her hair keeps getting straighter and straighter." I answered, "Actually, no. I just straightened her hair today."

5-A conversation between me and Brian--
Brian-"What are you doing?"
Me-"Straightening my hair."
Brian-"Is it gay?"
Me-"What?"
Brian-"Is it queer?"
Me-"Why would you say that?"
Brian-"Because it needs straightening."
I know, I know it took me long enough to get it.

4-Grandma Hansbrow was over with some candy. Logan asked her for some of it. She answered, "You have to go ask your mother." He said, "Okay...." pause... "Grandma, where's my mudder?"

3-I was late getting home for Rachel to drop Ryen off from school. When Ryen went back to the car she told Rachel, "Either my mom's not home or she doesn't want me to come in because she just mopped." Two valid reasons I would lock my kids out of the house.

2-I gave grapes to Jocelyn for her lunch. She said, "but I wanted more!" I told her, "Finish those, then you can have more." She said, "Aaah, that freaked me out!"

1-One night when I was putting kids to bed Ryen asked, "Was Joseph Smith a real Prophet?" Ethan said, "You can ask Heavenly Father and you can know. He'll tell you." Then Ryen said, "My teacher said that you can ask and the Holy Ghost will tell you. It's true if your back gets hot and sweats." Somehow she must of misinterpreted warm, fuzzy feeling for hot, sweaty back.

Ahrrrg Matey

Ethan’s birthday party was so fun this year! It was a pirate theme. He decided on that theme because he wanted the whole Lego pirate set. Last year he wanted the whole Aqua-raiders set. This year a completely different set. "Set" being the keyword here. It has to be the whole thing. I think he gets that from me---all or nothing. Oh yeah!

I cut strips of fabric to tie around their heads and made eye patches. The invitations had a treasure map and pirate talk i.e. ahrrrg matey, swashbuckling good time etc.


And I made the cutest cake yet--a ship complete with sails and cannons (thanks to Ethan's latest purchase).

I'm a bit of a theme cake junkie. Behold...

Of course Brian helped with all of this. Sorry, hon, didn't mean to make you a side note. He's the game leader. I plan the party and make him be the life of it. We played Swab the Deck, hot sea turtle and sink the ship.

Sink the ship was my favorite. Brian made aluminum foil cannon balls and we split the party in two groups and used sheets held up as their ships. They each had a cannon ball to throw to the other ship and they had to use their sheet to keep the other teams cannon balls out. The team with the most cannon balls on their ship was sunk.

Team 1
Team 2

Ready, Aim, Fire!


Man over board!

Somehow Brian got taken down too. hehe
Then they danced to Relient K's "The Pirate's Who Don't Do Anything."


Swab the Deck was like Simon Says (Captain Says). So we yelled things like swab the deck (scrub the floor), port side (run to the left side of the ship) and man overboard (grab a partner).

Here comes the Captain.
Man overboard.

Present Time!
I had to show this gift cause it was so cute! Lucy was so excited for Ethan to open it. In the card it said "I couldn't decide what to get you. So I thought maybe you could use some shirts."
Eight dollar bills folded into shirts. Cute right?!

Fire hazard.
I wish for the complete Lego Pirate set.
I wish for the complete Lego Pirate set.

Super fun times, probably one of my favorite birthday parties.

Start From The Top

Thought I'd try to get the whole year in. So here's my first picture in January.

Canon is 4 months here. Ryen was always happy to hold him whenever I couldn't get to him right away. And Canon loves Ryen because of all that bonding time. She's a natural nurturer!