April Showers

Every April.

We say goodbye. 

To good friends. 

The youngsters also learn to say goodbye. 

I know it isn't forever but hey, when you are accustomed to:

 weekly Project group nights, staying up 12am+, 

Time Out for Women weekends, Late night at Sellas, Frumpy 30 party, 

so much nail polish you might faint, knowing every detail about all of your friends' births, 

planning a Ward Prom night, dresses and bags for Africa, watching youtube at 2am, 

baking soda gender tests, playgroups at the park, Northwood playground, walking group, 

30+ Baby Showers. 

Ladies have I missed anything? Let me know in a comment :)

This isn't just for Kelli, but for Erin, Carrie, Brenna, Rachel and everyone else that has already moved on from this special little town and for those that are leaving soon. You will be missed.  

Kent and Seaside visit

The kids and I decided to take a visit to my Mom's. We had a great time. We celebrated Cinco de Mayo at my sister's in-law's house. There was great food and a "pee-atah" as Hayley put's it, for all the kids. 

Once Dad got home from his annual trip to California to run his 200 mile relay,

(He's trying to run each leg of the race over the course of the years) 

we went to the Zoo! 

After a week of beautiful weather, especially for the westside, we traveled south to Portland, picked Skyler up from the train and drove west to the coast. 

Friday night and Saturday Skyler was helping with his brother Ben's "Be A Champ" football camp. 

So we got to play with all the kids, we saw Abe's softball game, played at the playground, had the best pizza you'll ever eat and celebrated Mother's Day. 

Skyler is such a great older cousin, always looking out for Hayley 

and wanting to play with her. 

Ashlyn having a great time giving Hobbes pushes.

Just as I was thinking "what would be a great end to this week and a half trip? a campfire..." and then Joell walked in with smore's makings in hand and announced we'd be having a beach campfire. YAHOO! I was thrilled, I love roasting marshmallows. 

Visiting family is so much fun.

Mother's Day

So proud to call these kids mine. 

Even when most of the time it goes like this. 

....and Hobbes said "ma ma" today. 

Lil' guy knows the way to mammas heart already. 

Happy Birthday Hayley!

Hayley is 4!

As usual she chose to have pancakes for breakfast. I made her a mickey mouse pancake like my Grandpa Forbes used to make us when we visited. 

We took her out to her choice of restaurant for lunch. She chose "castle nova" (LaCasa Lopez). Our favorite mexican spot in Moscow. She enjoyed her quesadilla, but when they came out to sing with the big fancy sombrero she was terrified. She enjoyed the ice cream once they all left.  

A few months ago her bff turned 4 and had a "sparkle cake with colored layers" so that's what she wanted. She did choose to have her favorite princess up there, Cinderella. 

We had a small party out at the playground with a few of her friends. 

Sweet girl blew out all her candles by herself this year... :( she's growing up. 

Hobbes had a great time too.

After everyone had gone, we came upstairs and let her open a few gifts from us and family. 

She is thrilled to have a big bike now like all her cousins. 

The inside of the cake- there was a bright green layer on the bottom... I tipped it over to bring it back upstairs, but when we finally left the playground the green layer was gone before I could get a picture of the whole thing. I don't really like frosting...so I tried out a new "recipe" I just used chocolate pudding mix with half the milk and then whipped it up with some cool whip. It turned out so good! It was way less sweet than regular frosting.  

Some questions I asked Hayley:

1. What is your favorite color? Pink and Purple

2. What is your favorite toy? Princesses

3. What is your favorite fruit? orange cuties

4. What is your favorite tv show? Curious George

5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Tomato soup

6. What is your favorite outfit? new shirts

7. What is your favorite animal? pink piggies

8. Who is your best friend? probably Brooklyn or girls that like to play with me, Kharisma. And probably boys that like to play with me, like Logan.  

9. What is your favorite cereal? Raspberry and swaberry wheats

10. What is your favorite thing to do outside? Put my feet on the monkey bars, but I just cant get the monkey bars to put my feet up. 

11. What is your favorite drink? Apple juice and grape juice

12. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Pancakes

13. What do you want to be when you grow up? Cinderella

14: Favorite Number: Purpleish 3 and Pinkish 3

15: What is your favorite dinner: Pasta

16: What time do you go to bed? thirty o' clock just like Nathen Tapp. 

Bags for Ethiopia

Pres. Whitehead of our Stake presidency, has a son that works at the Embassy in Ethiopia, there is an Orphanage down there that just received running water and the likes so our Stake has been collecting items to send over, soap, washcloths, toothbrushes & paste, small mirrors and combs. 

The little things we take for granted. 

Along with these toiletries we have been sewing bags for them to keep their new stash of  personal items in. Something that is just for them :)

Our friend Kelli graciously donated a large chunk of thick canvas, of which I drafted a pattern from cardboard and cut out 20 bags. We pulled out our scraps and cut out linings. We also pooled old belts to make colorful straps on about half the bags. 

I especially liked the elephant ones...

I threw some ribbon and ric rac on some of them to give them a little extra something special. 

In the coming weeks we'll assemble the kits and send them off to  be taken to Africa. I'm hoping Pres. Whitehead's son will take a picture of the kids with them. I think I would probably cry :) 

(as if I'm not teary already thinking about the kids receiving their bags)