Hiking the Superstitions

For one of our April activites, April and I took the girls on a hike. It was just a short jaunt in the Superstition Mountains, but it was fun. That's right, I went on a hike and I ENJOYED it. We only had three of our girls show (plus one mystery guest), but it was nice. April had the idea to put together a cute little trail mix with jelly candies that looked like rocks.

The desert is beautiful right now (words I never thought I'd type) after all that rain we had in February and March. The flowers were in bloom and my allergies are going nuts (more words I never thought I'd type... I've NEVER had allergies until I turned thirty then all hell broke loose and I am oh so very boogery. The 30's, I don't recommend them. And don't even talk to me when I turn 40!).

But like I said, it was an enjoyable 2.4 miles (Treasure Loop trail, in case you're interested) and it was gorgeous. We opened the hike up to the girls' families as well. We had a dad and brother from one girl's family take us up on it. Aiden came along. I thought he would be a bear the entire time, but he surprised me. He didn't complain even once on the way in. We got about a quarter of the way out and he was running to catch up with April's son when he biffed it and caught his chin on a rock. It was a small cut, but it was still bleeding a lot. I welcomed him to scarred chins club (are you a member? Turns out, Bro. Fuller is) and we continued on. And Aiden told me how he hated rocks and how he shouldn't have come on the hike (despite all the fun he had had previously). But all in all, a good hike.

Now, I'm off to blow my nose and wipe off Mabel's boogery eyes (she's suffering the allergies as well...poor thing).

EASTER 2010

Our Easter weekend began on Thursday night with a visit to the Easter Pageant. We invited our neighbors and made a night of it since the kids didn't have school the next day. We had a great time! It's a different feeling when you take non-LDS folks with you. I'm kind of just now warming up to this missionary stuff, I'm not as afraid to share what I know and what I've experienced with others now. I guess we just get so casual with the Gospel that we don't realize how blessed we are to have it in our lives until we "see" it through someone else's eyes. And I truly can see something there for Rene' and Faith. They're interested and they have questions and it has been an amazing experience to witness them realizing what I have known all my live. Who knows what will come of it, but I have really enjoyed it.

Anyhow, here we are settling into our seats and getting ready to watch the show.

One of the Roman soldiers came by our little group beforehand and we got a picture with Aiden and Gray. He put his helmet on Grayson, it was cute.

Afterwards, one of the angels took the time to talk with some of the kids. Gray and Riley were the only two who stayed interested. He was pointing out different spots on the stage and telling them about Jesus. Those little ones have inquiring minds!

Fast forward to Easter morning. Aiden and Gray woke up at 6:30am and got Bret and I up to see if the bunny had come. He had, so we searched for their Easter baskets. They enjoyed their loot for all of 2 minutes then they wanted to do the egg hunt. We got Mae up and let her get her basket and enjoy it for a bit.

Then we bundled the hunters up and headed out (I just noticed Oscar in this picture. He did NOT get a basket and looks none too happy about it!)This is the first year the bunny hid the eggs outside. I don't know why, he always hid them outside when I was a tot.

Mabel found one egg and it seemed she was done. Aiden had to help her find a few more...what a nice big brother!

Here's a pic of Mae enjoying her strawberry lemonade lollipop. I thought it was cute. She would lick it then smack her lips a few times, then lick again, so on and so foth. But Bret was not a happy camper when she kept touching him with her sticky fingers.

And by the way, don't call it a sucker in front of Gray...he never fails to correct you. I told him he couldn't have his sucker right now and he said, "But this is a lollipop!" Semantics!

After the Sunday morning conference session we headed to Coolidge for lunch with the Rowley family and then a second helping of conference. The kids continued work on the big hole they've been digging for the past few years in Granpa Yellow's back yard. We joked that one day we could just put a pool there. I wish I had thought to take a picture, it's gotten pretty dang big! And that's with Grandpa filling it in for the first year or so. He's now given up, I think. They were all little pigs by the time we left.

Then it was off to Uncle John's for dinner, a few dog fights, and more egg hunting!

Oh! And some puking. Bret wasn't feeling so hot by the time dinner was ready. He yeched a time or two or three.

Thank you to everyone who made our Easter day special! Easter day, 2010, done and done!

Easter Related

Yesteray was the annual Biggs family Easter potluck. Lots of yummy food + an egg hunt for the kiddos = lots of fun! I love getting together with my dad's side of the family and just shooting the breeze and stuffing my face with lots of homemade and not so homemade goodness. Anyhow, here are some shots of the little ones hunting for eggs. "Hunt" is actually not the right word. There were so many eggs and so few places to hide them, we did away with the pretense of hiding the eggs after too long and just kind of scattered them on the lawn. It made me sad to think how few kids were left participating in the traditions I once enjoyed. It makes me feel like it's all going to go away and my kids won't remember it.

Do you see this plant Aiden is digging into? It was prickly. One of my cousin Garret's girls was complaining that it hurt. Jenny (Garret's wife) just said, "You gotta want it." It was hilarious. It reminded me of dad's, "Are you any smarter?" comment whenever one of us hurt ourselves. She just fits right into this family.

Rosie, Shannon, Kendra and I enjoyed looking at all of Kelly's wonderful Pottery Barn knock offs! I wish I had gotten a pic of her Bingo card hanging-awwwwesommmme! But that seemed a little tacky. And I found out she has a blog which I feel compelled to share because it is AWESOME! It's mydeartrash.blogspot.com. I'm not so into the garage sale stuff, so skip over the clothing posts and look at Kelly's posts. They'll knock your socks off! Also, loved the baby shower post she did...anyone ready to plan a baby shower? Just copy that!

In other news, you can now refer to me as Seamstress Hollie. Okay, not really, but I did make a skirt for Miss Mae! And can I just toot my own and say cute!

Now, pay close attention to the bias tape. I love that part of the dress, it's the part that made me feel most like a sewer. It was also the bane of my existence. Or was that the unpicking? Or was it the gathering? I don't know, but I did it and I love it. THANK YOU sooooooo much, Kayleen, for your time and patience. I owe you lunch, woman (and maybe an arm and a leg as well, but definitely lunch)!

Mabel loves it, too!

Grayson's mama is sooo fat...

Last night we somehow got on the subject of me losing my mind. It's been on my mind a lot, how much I'm forgetting and all. Grayson was the only child left awake (surprise, surprise) and was listening to our conversation and repeating everything we were saying. Anyhow, I was getting up to go brush my teeth and I finished the conversation with, "Grayson, your mommy is a loony bin," (I know, it makes no sense...but I meant to say I belong in a loony bin). Then Grayson says, "Mommy, you're a moving van." Which isn't too far from the truth, but I'M WORKING ON IT, OKAY!

EGG hunting

Can you find the egg hidden in this picture?
Poor kid!

This is what happens when he climbs on the kitchen counters to get to a coloring book while I'm on the phone discussing an Activity Days project. He fell straight off the counter and landed on his head.

The scene of the crime:

He came down victorious with his coloring book, though. And after a very closely supervised nap and constantly being quizzed on his letter sounds, he's back to playing "Where's Grayson?" (or you may know it as peek-a-boo) and smiling...as long as he has his blanky.

85 DEGREES

Can you feel it? Can you feel that little bit of summer creeping in on us. It's hot outside. Not HOT...but hot. Hot enough that I don't want to be outside watching the kids. Hot enough for the kids to want to do everything in their swimsuits.

SPRING break! Pffft, yeah, right!

Chatterbox

We were driving out to Coolidge yesterday for the big Bowl Game (i.e. commercials), and Mabel was going on and on about stuff only Mabel can understand.

Bret asked the boys, "Should Mabel's new name be Chatterbox since she talks so much?"

The boys, clearly surprised and disapproving that Daddy would say such a thing, both responded, "NO!"

Mabel continued chatting. Jabbering. Nonstop. For 20 minutes.

Aiden piped up from the back of the van, "Mabel's name should be Chatterbox."

She is talking so much these days. Her favorite thing lately is to put her sunglasses on and jump in her car, say, "Bye, bye" and start going. It's cute.

I'll ask her if she's going somewhere, and she says, "Da"...this is Mabel-speak for yeah. She's been hanging out with the Germans.

She's at such a fun age.