APRIL

SPRING BREAK
When I think of spring break, I think of sunshine. I think of being warm, wearing new spring clothes, and getting a taste of summer. I really don't know why I think of warm weather because we so rarely have it in Utah during spring break. Sure there are those occasional days when the sun shines and the air gets warmer, but typical spring breaks for us are cold and rainy. The kids wear shorts because they are hopeful and they trick themselves into believing it's warm. Adults wear jackets because we are realistic, and we don't like to be cold. This year was no different. We had a little sunshine but for the most part it was cold.

Still- Spring break is great. It reminds me that summer and truly warm weather are right around the corner. It signals the end of the school year and provides a much needed break. Even with the cold temps and the rain- I love spring break!

This year our spring break consisted of time at the park when the sun was shining, a sleep over with cousins, and a day mini golfing with friends at Trafalga. We also took a two day road trip to Idaho to visit Great Grandma Hendrix. The kids were very excited to sleep in a hotel. They loved the swimming pool and the continental breakfast. S said it was the worst bed he ever slept in (it wasn't a bed, it was a small chair and ottoman). I'm not sure why I didn't take pictures of them in the pool, but here are some of them playing at the park in Idaho Falls.









TWO TEMPLES

I've been through Idaho Falls many times but have never stopped at the park by the falls or at the temple.
Since our hotel was nearby we decided to make a quick stop to see the water falls and to look at the temple. It was cold (typical spring break) but it was also very beautiful. It would be nice to go back when it's warm. The park looked like a really fun place to have a picnic or to walk along the trails.


Here is a picture of our family in front of the temple. One of our goals for this year is to see a new temple, and we did it!

The boys liked the water falls. They watched sticks, and almost a duck, go over the edge of the falls.

We enjoyed spending time with Great Grandma as well. It was good to see her. We visited, played games and watched the squirrels out her window. The boys could remember some things from their visit last summer and they enjoyed spending time with the dogs again, especially Bug. It was nice to see Grandma again! On our way home we drove through Wyoming and into Logan so we could see another temple. It was cold and there was still quite a bit of snow through the mountains. We made it to Logan and walked around the temple there for a few minutes. It was a nice break before the rest of our long trip home.



Here are the boys in front of the Logan temple. We visited two new temples in just one day- pretty great!


GROWING UP
Happy Birthday to my baby boy! I can't believe he's six years old. He is growing up so fast. He is a joy to have in our family.
He has such a unique personality. He is so thoughtful of others. He is constantly asking me how my day went, or how work was, or how I did on a test.
He is also constantly making me laugh. The other day, as we were driving in the car, he asked me if I knew what his favorite thing about the car was. When I said I didn't know, he told me that his favorite thing is that it talks about Jimmer (Fredette) all of the time (the radio station was on news radio). He cracks me up with all of the funny things he says, like- my heart is "beeping" and "thingo". We sure love this kid!

Thanks to Aunt T. She came through on another birthday with this fantastic cake. Some wished it was red, but that is a never ending debate in our family.



S was very happy. He's already wondering what Aunt T will make next year.

THE ALLERGY ADVENTURE
I have become complacent.
Or maybe a better way to describe me would be spoiled, or in denial, or lazy.
At least when it comes to S's allergies. He has been allergic to milk for...
...well forever really. When he was little I was constantly on guard, always watching and always prepared. But then he started growing up. He knows what he can eat so I don't watch him closely because I know he will only eat what he's suppose to (see, I'm spoiled). I don't even worry that he'll have a reaction because he never does (see, I'm in denial). And I even let the epi-pens expire (see, I'm lazy).
Well, I got a nice little reminder this month that the milk allergy is still there, and accidents can happen and I better have 2 epi-pens available.

S and T were eating breakfast together. I had gotten T some chocolate milk but neglected to get S some as well. I left the kitchen while they were eating. Soon enough came the scream and T came running. "S drank my milk", he yelled. In the midst of their talking and laughing S had accidentally picked up T's cup and drank a couple of swallows. I wondered if maybe it wouldn't matter and he would be fine with a little Benadryl. Unfortunately I was wrong (see- denial). First came the itchy throat, and the upset tummy. Then the asthma like cough, red face and purple lips. I gave him the epi-pen, even though I'm pretty sure it was expired (see- lazy). Those epi's are great! It's amazing how quickly they work. Within minutes his color returned to normal and he felt so much better. I thought we were good but about 10 minutes later he started itching. I thought maybe a bath would help him feel better and soothe the itching. After being in the bath a few minutes I went in to check on him and his entire body from the waist up was dark red. It looked like he had been out in the sun all day with no sunscreen. He was as red as a lobster. I had never seen anything like it and I didn't know if it was a reaction to the epi or the milk. I called the pediatrician's office and they said to come right over. He was still so red when we got there and his knuckles and lips were swollen. His O2 level was just fine but the doctor said he was having a secondary reaction to the milk. He needed another shot and we had to stay in the office until the redness started to go away. It was probably almost 3 hours before he was completely back to normal. When we got home he said to me, "Mom, it's all your fault!"
And, he's probably right... I had been spoiled and lazy and in denial.
Lesson learned.


The doctor gave S a tester so he could practice giving himself the shot. Believe me, he didn't look this calm or happy when I gave him the real thing.

EASTER
I love these matching ties, and I love these handsome boys!

MARCH

EVERY DAY LIFE
Nothing spectacular happened in March. But, nothing horrible happened in March either. It was just a normal month with a few good things, a couple of challenges, and a whole lot of everyday life. I'm not complaining about that, sometimes everyday life is a blessing.

Some things that happened this month are:
-J's birthday. Sure love ya!
-I got accepted to the UVU education program. What a relief!
-Z had a little run in with a chain link fence. Ouch!
-T's fractured fairytale won a prize for "most happy ending". Nice work!
-S had his first 'dads & doughnuts'. No doughnut for S- so sad!
S has also been cracking me up lately. The other day he told me that he wouldn't be able to taste his food unless he had enough taste bugs.

LUCKY
March has been a lucky month, and not because of a four leaf clover or a pot of gold. This month our stake was reorganized by Elder Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostle. He and Elder Munday from the 70 came to speak to us in two sessions of stake conference. This was really lucky for us because we had just recently had a visit from an apostle. Elder Hales came just a couple of months ago in December. Pretty great to have two members of the Quorum of the 12 and a member of the 70, all within a four month period of time. I think that is pretty darn lucky!

What I learned from Elder Perry:
He talked about three things that we should know with our "hearts and souls". They are: the restoration of the gospel, the plan of salvation, and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. He said that when we have a testimony of these three things we will not only be stronger, but will also be able to reach out to others who need the gospel.

He also told a story from his mission in Ohio, promising that it really was a true story. It was about a time when he was working hard to learn the scriptures. He would stay up late to read and study. While studying he would often be visited by a mouse. When he saw the mouse he would teach it points of the gospel. One night he taught the mouse about faith, but the mouse didn't seem interested and left. Another night he taught the mouse about repentance (and gave it a cracker so it would stay and listen). The mouse ate the cracker and then left. The third night Elder Perry taught the mouse about baptism (and also set the cracker out). The mouse didn't eat the cracker but stayed a little longer before leaving. The next morning Elder Perry and his companion found the mouse floating in a pan of water in the sink. Elder Perry said he must have given the mouse a great sermon for it to baptize itself by immersion. It was very humorous but a great reminder, too. When we learn the principles of the gospel from the scriptures we are better able to implement them in our own lives and to teach them to others.

My favorite part of Elder Hales talk:
He talked about choosing good friends. He said that a good friend will never ask you to choose his way over the Lord's way and a good friend will never take you from the straight and narrow path but will bring you to it (not an exact quote).

I loved this talk because it reminded me of my wonderful friends. The girls that I grew up with were great friends. They were always great examples, always choosing the right, always influencing me to be good. I love them! I'm so glad that we grew up together, and that we are still friends today.


--All the girls at Thanksgiving Point, 1997

I'm grateful for the wonderful friends that I have made as an adult. Wonderful women who are examples to me of faith, endurance, overcoming trials, working hard to raise their families, being examples of Jesus Christ and doing their best to do good things.

I have really been blessed with good friends. The kind of friends that Elder Hales recommends that we choose. The kind that will help us along our way. Thanks to all of my wonderful friends. I love you!

FEBRUARY

WINTER

It really isn't a secret that I don't love winter. I don't like being cold, I don't like driving in the snow, I don't like shoveling, I don't like scraping windows, and I don't like paying the heating bill. I could continue on, but why? I choose to live in Utah and love many things about the state so I have no choice but to accept the seasons as they are. Even though there are many things that I don't like about winter, there are a few things that I do like and one of them happens most often in February.
I love that the snow is mostly in the mountains, that the inversion is gone, and that the sky can be oh so blue. Sometimes when I'm driving down the freeway or heading to my parents house, I am struck by the beauty of the snowcapped mountains against the bright blue sky. It is breathtaking and it reminds me that even winter can be wonderful sometimes.

100 DAYS
S celebrated 100 days of Kindergarten this month. He had to bring 100 of something to school so he chose to bring 100 stickers.


He said that he wished he had 100 pets, 100 gold rocks, and 100 sharks but NOT 100 witches. Interesting choices.

SPORTS
It has been a busy month with lots of basketball. T is #3 on the Heat. He likes having dad as the coach (J likes it, too). His team has done well. T has learned a lot and has gotten to be a much better player. He has had a few great steals and made a few baskets,too. It has been a lot of fun!





S likes to play basketball too, even though he can't be on a team yet. J keeps telling him to dribble with both hands. I think he's hoping that S will be the next 'Jimmer'. All of the boys around here have "Jimmer Fever".



Z is playing basketball, too. He is #15 on the Lakers. His team has done pretty good. Z has had some great games. He is also playing futsal this winter with his soccer team. We have really enjoyed watching him play. Futsal is such a fast moving game. It's sorta exciting!


In this game Z played awesome. He had 4 goals! Good Job Z!

JANUARY

WELCOME 2011
We had a great time ringing in the new year with our good friends. After snacking, playing games, and lots of laughs we counted down to the start of 2011. At midnight all of the kids had fun jumping on bubblewrap that had been spread out all over the floor. They thought it was great. It was a fun way to say goodbye to 2010 and welcome 2011.



BIRTHDAY BOY
Happy Birthday to T who is now 9 years old. He is such a happy kid with a carefree and layed back personality. He likes to have fun and be goofy. I can feel his happiness and excitement when I'm around him and I love that. I love watching him learn and try new things. He likes to follow his big brother, but he also has his own style and is good at being himself. He is so thoughtful of others and really wants to do the right thing. I am so lucky to have such a wonderful son!





ASHLEY

Our cute little niece and cousin Ashley came to visit us from Mexico. We had seen her once before about 3 years ago. It was a little challenging because she only speaks spanish and we don't speak any spanish. The boys were a little bit shy at first but really wanted to play with her. Only one problem- she doesn't like boys.


You can see by this picture about how much she did like them. We tried everything we could to get her to stand by the boys for a picture but she refused. She would not come close to them unless she was throwing snow at them, hitting them, or chasing after them with some toy. I think that by the end of her visit she had warmed up to them a little bit. They really liked her though!

Ashley had never seen snow before, and snow is one of S's favorite things. He went over one afternoon to introduce her to the cold stuff. I think they had fun playing together. It was fun to have her here for a little bit and the boys were sad to see her leave. Hopefully we'll get to see her again sometime soon.



WEIRD SCIENCE
Z and T both participated in the science fair this year. T was so excited and had his whole plan worked out. He wanted to build a baking soda volcano and he wanted to have sticky notes that could be flipped up with questions about volcanoes. He did such a great job. I'm proud of him for working so hard and with such a positive attitude.


Z had a hard time deciding what project he wanted to do. We started with microorganisms in water but ran into problems and our experiment didn't work. Then he had a brief moment where he thought he would just research tornadoes but he wasn't that excited about it. After some thought he came up with an idea he was excited about- the signs of the Zodiac. He did a survey where he asked people whether their old zodiac sign or their new zodiac sign described them better. Once he came up with this idea he did a great job. I'm proud of him for doing the project and for finishing it, even though it was difficult at times. He even came up with a matching game for the symbols that represent the signs and I think he really had fun doing it. I think he did great!


SCOUT STUFF
Congrats to Z who advanced to First Class Scout this month. He also earned the 100 year Historic Carpentry merit badge. T also had a fun time this month with scouts. He got to make another pinewood derby car. This year he made his car look like a skateboard and won an award for most realistic car.

DECEMBER

UP ON THE HOUSETOP REINDEER PAUSE
All month long we enjoyed the musical stylings of an excited five year old practicing for his Christmas program. We heard All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth, Alvin and the Chipmunks Christmas, Frosty the Snowman, We wish you a Merry Christmas, Must be Santa, Jingle Bells and of course Rudolph. S had the reindeer hat and all of the words memorized- he was ready for that performance! On the day of the program he was so serious. We tried to get him to smile but he wouldn't until the program was over. He didn't even smile when he threw the plane for "want a plane that loops the loop". He was so cute and his class did such a good job.

Before:

After:


MUST BE SANTA, SANTA CLAUS
Christmas parties and gatherings can be so overwhelming and so much work, but they are one of the things that I love about the Christmas season. I look forward to seeing family and friends and renewing those relationships. We had fun at the Christensen family party on the weekend before Christmas. The house was full of people. There was good food, lots of laughs, and a visit from Santa who brought all of the kids a stocking full of fun surprises.


S loves Santa Claus! He wants a soccer goal and a soccer ball.


T likes Santa, too. He asked for the Bakugan toy that he really wants.


Z didn't really want to sit on Santa's lap, but he's a good sport.
He requested a million dollars and a girl friend.

PICTURE A STABLE IN JUDEA
Great Grandma and Great Grandpa Bird always do a nice family Christmas party on Christmas Eve. After a wonderful dinner we enjoy a program with poems, music, stories and games. Then the children act out the story of the birth of Jesus Christ.


T was Joseph, again. He has been Joseph 3 years running.
S was one of the wise men. His costume was so good that we didn't know who he was.

LOOK AT FROSTY GO
The weather forecasters were calling for rain the week before Christmas. They were wrong, at least where we live. It snowed and snowed and snowed. We got so much snow that we had to shovel off our carport. We got so much snow that we couldn't get out of the driveway without 4-wheel drive. We got so much snow that they canceled school-and that doesn't happen very often around here. We had a little bit of disappointment because of missed Christmas parties but then the boys went out and shoveled and played in the snow. They had a lot of fun and we were excited that it would be a white Christmas.

S was very disappointed about missing his Christmas party at school so I promised him that we could build a snowman. We went out and started rolling snowballs. It took a few tries, but we finally got 3 snowballs piled up on top of each other. S wondered where we would get coal for his eyes- I told him that there wasn't coal where we lived and we would just use rocks. Then he wanted a corncob pipe- I told him that Frosty found out that smoking is bad for your health so we would get him a scarf instead. Then S wanted a big carrot for his nose- I didn't have one. Next he asked for a "tall hat"- I didn't have one of those either but we found a baseball cap for Frosty. We used rocks for his smile and for his buttons and I showed S how we could use tree branches for arms. Overall I think he wasn't too disappointed though he did find out that making a snowman is not that easy. Sadly... the forecasted rain came the next day and Frosty fell right over.

WALKING IN A WINTER WONDERLAND

We had planned to go up to Salt Lake and see the Christmas lights at Temple Square.
Then the big snow storm hit and we didn't know if we should risk it. We decided to take our chances when we found out that the snow was mostly south and Salt Lake really didn't get any. We drove up to Sandy and then rode Trax to Salt Lake. It was fun walking around the temple grounds and seeing all of lights. We counted 8 different nativity scenes that had been set up, and we went in to the visitors center and saw the Christus. It was crowded and cold but it was also beautiful. I'm glad we decided to go. It was a fun family activity and a great way to experience the spirit of Christmas!

NOVEMBER

I AM THANKFUL FOR...
The Thanksgiving season always reminds me that I have so many things to be grateful for. I am so thankful for my wonderful in-laws that invited us to Thanksgiving dinner. It was delicious! I'm thankful to my sister for sacrificing sleep and braving the cold to go Christmas shopping at 3:30 in the morning on Black Friday. It was fun! I'm thankful to my family for who they are and everything that they do. I love you!

This month our family kept a list of all of the wonderful things that we have to be thankful for. We had things like:
-family
-friends
-Jesus Christ
-the scriptures
-our home
-food
-work

We also had things like:
-scissors
-toothpaste
-snow
-camping
-electricity
-BYU sports

Our list was pretty long and the boys were creative in thinking of things that they are thankful for. Keeping the list helped us to see how many blessings we have been given. I hope that this little activity will help us remember President Monson's words, that "our lives are blessed in countless ways", and that we should "cultivate within our hearts an attitude of gratitude."


LOVE THE LEAVES

T and S could hardly wait for enough leaves to fall so that they could rake them up and jump in them. They raked these up all by themselves. Then of course after all of that hard work they ran and jumped and played in the pile and scattered all the leaves.


If only they thought that putting the leaves in bags was as much fun as jumping in them.





THE WOLF
T is such a dedicated scout. He loves everything about scouts and gets so excited about all of the things they do. His favorite Wolf activities have been day camp and the pinewood derby. His favorite Wolf requirements were collecting, building a shelf, and family fun. He worked so hard to get all of his wolf requirements finished and was very excited this month to finally get his patch.
He thought it was great to have mom paint a wolf paw print on his face, too.

FAMILY PHOTOS
A friend of mine took our family pics this year. She did a really good job and we had fun. It was so much better than going to a portrait studio. I'll give her a plug- if you want to check her out you can at www.suzannesnapshots.com