Week #15: Easter Beginnings

This week we...

...are going public again. I miss the comments of one person so much (she knows who she is) that I'm giving up the private status. We'll see if and how long it lasts.

...celebrated Easter Sunday. We took a lovely Easter photo...and a lot of silly ones as well. Who wants to sit still when you can make a funny face or wave your arms around?




We had dinner with Jason's parents and his two nephews, Warren and Quin. Then we set up an Easter egg hunt in the backyard and turned them loose. It was fun to have all the kids old enough this year to enjoy it and get excited.

"What is it?...You go first."

...packed 630 cedar fence slats into our truck-van. We couldn't get a truck to borrow on Jason's days off, but we needed to get the materials for the fence. So we used the next best thing. Our van! We took all three seats out, got someone to stay with the kids, and then made a trip to Lowe's for the slats.

It was WEIGHED down, let me tell you.

a shot from the side door

...went to the Benton Franklin Fair grounds for pony rides. The kids had a good time. Us adults (we went with Jason's mom and dad), would have had a better experience with a little more organization. Claire was especially in heaven about riding the ponies because horses are her very favorite thing right now.

Paul was pretty sure he didn't want to ride the ponies and so
he stayed behind the fence and played on the bleachers.

Here we are eating lunch at the event.
If we had known that lunch wasn't included in the event ticket price
we would have eaten at home and spent more time watching the sheep herding dogs.

Grandpa E treated the kids to cotton candy.

Benjamin wasn't too fond of the sticky cotton candy feeling.

...met up with some dear out-of-town friends. Mike and Cami Hayter were in town from Utah and they called us to join in their family BBQ. What fun to talk and visit with Mike and Cami, let me tell you. It made us miss Raleigh and Jordan more (Mike is Raleigh's oldest brother). Such a great couple! They've always shown so much interest and support in our family. You may notice that Benjamin is really keeping track of his water bottles. He wouldn't leave without at least this many. And the reason we're standing in front of the door is so that we could trick him into being in the picture.

Week #14:Lainey Making her Mark

This week we...

...worked more on the mow strip. Matt Slaugh was our willing helper again and he brought his friends Danny and Ryan. They were a great help as we did the mow strip on the right. Jason was the finisher this time. It went really well, but we had a hard time keep Lainey out of the wet cement. She even walked across the cement right before it was all set up and too late for us to smooth out her footprints. The little stinker! She left her mark for good.

Matt and Ryan scooping the cement

Danny helping with the finishing

Paul, the stalwart little helper

Emma's contribution :: eating popcorn

Lainey walking on the mow strip :: this side dry

this side wet :: oops!

...visited the farm at Grandma and Grandpa Zirker's. Lainey has dubbed them Grandma and Grandpa Donald's because we go there when they come into town. This trip out we played card games, visited the cows, and had fun visiting.



Do you remember the last time that Jason read a book? It was winter of 2008. I know, long time. Well, he found another one to motivate him enough to read again. The Hunger Games. He was reading while we were playing games.

...had fun with cousins. We love to play with cousins. It wouldn't be spring break without that. We had cousin Grace over for several days and met cousins Ethan, Jenna, and Allie at our new park.

Lainey was exceptionally happy.


We love these dear little cousins

Lainey and Allie running around

...enjoyed the flowers down the Boulevard. The Trees are blooming down Burden Boulevard and I love to look at them when we drive by. I'm so glad they planted so many on both sides of the street and that they are the flowering kind. It makes me happy.

...caught Lainey hiding in order to get into things she's not supposed to. She has become quite adept at getting into things, and doing it in hiding. I happened upon her in the front room at Grandma's during our stay, snuggled cutely in a chair with her binky and blanket. It was when I moved the blanket that I saw that she was hiding the toothbrushes and toothpaste that she was getting into. Then I caught her playing in my purse/wallet, her favorite off limits thing to get into, but she put a pillow up in front as cover. This proves she's thinking and understands the idea of hiding to get into things she shouldn't. I must admit she's effective. She fooled me both times.


...dyed Easter eggs for the very first time. Hooray! Definitely a fun activity for everyone involved.







...went to the Easter brunch and egg hunt at the church. We had sausage gravy and biscuits, scrambled eggs, and fruit. Yummy!

enjoying the rabbit peeps on a stick as we ate brunch

Unleash the hunters!

wondering if there might be some more eggs somewhere

Claire, Emma, Cousin Grace, Mckenna Slaugh, Emily Hale, Cali Lewis, Travis Hale