Sleepy-Nigh-Nights

Kam and I went to Home Depot a few weekends ago to get some filter's for our furnace. While we were there the boys had lots of fun playing with the paint sticks. Carter especially, and on our way home he fell asleep with it. It was just too cute and luckily I had my camera in the car.

View from the Back

We have the best view off our back deck. In the summer it's really green and during the fall the colors are spectacular. I didn't really care much for the dead look of the winter, but when the sun was out it wasn't too bad. I love, however, that all our green is coming back and I wanted to share what "here" looks like in the spring. My favorite part is the really green lawns. Would you believe that no one has a sprinkling system? Crazy!

A Prayer Away

Braden has been really homesick lately. Every night he asks Heavenly Father in his prayers to help him get home to Utah. He misses everyone so much. He talks about everyone all the time and constantly asks me when we can get on a plane and see "Bo" or "Gramma and Papa named Heidi and Brad" or "Gram and Papa" or his friends "Brooklin and Ryan and Conner at Bo's house."

Grammy Bo suggested we make a calendar that counts down the day until we finally get to go on the airplane, so we did. I realize it's a little behind but I took the picture a few days ago. Anyway, we only have 23 days left and we can't wait to see everyone!

For Carter's Room

I found these canvas frames on clearance at Marshals the other day and decided to make them my project for the day. I first painted them white and then with the help of some images I found online, some ink, sponges and a magic marker I created these:

Never Mind the Fact that The Changing Pad Cover is Getting Clean.

I think they turned out pretty cute. I'm wondering though, if I should make a third one and put them over his crib instead. What do you think?

You're Getting Old

This is my dad.  (With his Heidi, my wicked step-mother. She's not really wicked and trust me, it's an endearing term. LOVE you Heidz!) I pretty much love the cheesy pose he is making in this picture. I'm sure he's trying really hard to "look cool" for the camera, which might be hard to do when you are surrounded by hundreds of your new closest friends at the Pickle Ball Senior Games. Yes, my dad is officially old. I have to give him credit though, he doesn't act like he's old, okay sometimes. But really, he's active and even if he does spend all his time with the "elderly" playing pickle ball, well, that's okay with me, especially since he took home the GOLD medal!

Way to go dad! Hopefully, one day, I'll be able to come watch all the fun in person!

Our House

So this is our house here in Pennsylvania. I should have taken pictures way back when we first moved in but I kept putting it off. I've been wanting to take pictures so my family, mostly from the request of my niece Brooklin, could see what our house looks like since most of them will never be able to come see it for themselves. Anyway, the house was completely clean today so I decided I better take advantage and start shooting before the boys tear it up as usual. So for those who care...

This is our House!

*The view off the back deck.

Family Room

*Don't ya just love the honkin' treadmil? So Pretty..NOT!

*Should I add some decor above the red piece?

Kitchen

*Should I put something on the wall above the chair? What?

*This is the view when you walk into the main floor of the house from the downstairs.

Laundry Room

Master Bedroom

*Don't mind the empty picture frames. I'm working on it.

Master Bath

*Should I do curtains?

Cater's Room

*Any ideas of what to do above his bed...

...or between the windows...

...or above the changing table?

Braden's Room

*I'm planning on putting two picture frames, one on top of another, 

on the wall next to the window (opposite side of the "B" of course).

*What should I do on this wall?

*What should I put above the bookcase?

The Boys Bathroom

*Yes I know it's PINK; I need some pink around this place!

Bath Time

I found these pictures the other day on Kam's camera (they were taken back in January) and just had to share. Braden got a shaving kit for Christmas from his gramma Heidi and on this particular night, instead of shaving, Kam thought it would be funny to give the boys mohawks with the foam.

This is what Carter would like with Hair...maybe one day he'll have some.

Carter wiped the foam down into Braden's eyes.

Easter

What a great Easter Weekend! I love when Easter and Conference fall on the same weekend. It just helps to make the whole holiday more meaningful and easier to remember why we are celebrating in the first place.

Our festivities began the night before with egg decorating and cookie making. I found this fun easter cookie recipe online (see it here) where you read the scriptures as you use different ingredients to tell the story of Christ's final days on the earth. It was a neat experience especially when the next morning we got to open the tomb (oven) to find our cookies with cracks in them and a hollow inside (sharing that the tomb was empty and Christ had risen).

On Easter morning we got up very early (6:30 am to be exact), got dressed and went downstairs to see if the Easter Bunny had come to see us. He did find us and the boys loved their little treasures. 

Just as I was taking this picture Carter took out his binki so he could...

...dive into the peeps!

I thought at this point that we would make and eat breakfast but Braden was anxious and wanted to get outside as soon as possible. He had his nose pressed to the window, exclaiming that he could see the eggs, so we went out and went on our hunt.

Braden Found the First Egg

Carter Found Some Too!*

*Here he is trying to figure out how to pick up another egg without dropping the ones he already had in his hands. He didn't want to give them up by putting them in his basket. After a while he decided that collecting the eggs in his basket would be okay.

After hunting all the eggs we came inside, Daddy made us yummy creamed egg on toast for breakfast, and we played with all the new treasures left by the Easter Bunny.

The Bubbles were our Favorite!

The rest of our day was filled with yummy candy and a spiritual feeding from Conference. We watched conference via the live stream on the internet on our laptop. The boys were both very well behaved during both sessions (it helped that each took turns taking a nap during sessions.) The end of of day brought a feast of Funeral Potatoes and Ham as well as a family walk and more bubble fun before going to bed. 

We really did have a great Easter. We only wish that we could have spent it with our families. We really missed them very much and all agreed that the holidays, big or small, are always much better when we are with those we love. At least we have "chuver!"