Random April Things

Sarah found a wishbone in the pocket of her jacket.  We don't know how it got there.

Henry used to be such a lovely napper. He'd take a 3 hour nap every day plus sleep 12 hours at night. Then one day he suddenly needed less sleep. Either he wakes up super early (6:15) or he won't take a nap at all. He's taken 3 naps in the last 10 days. It's very disruptive to my schedule and my sanity. I took this picture just in case it was his last nap.

It wasn't. But yesterday's might be. Some days after an afternoon of fighting my attempts to put him down for a nap, he zonks out at the exact time he should be waking up from his nap. ((Sigh.)) 

I love this baby. Either I'm getting good at this mothering thing or she's just exceptionally awesome.

 I mean, seriously, c'mon.

I love April and the month always seems to go by so fast. But I'm also looking forward to May. Mother's Day, Henry's birthday, planting our garden and flowers, and our wedding anniversary.

Easter, the cutest of holidays

 As always, Easter is a 2-day affair.  Saturday we had a party with my family. Lots of cousins, games and food. It was weird without my parents there but we managed without them.

Peeps eating contest.

Bunny race.

Spoon/Egg Relay. 

All the cousins.  Well, half of them, anyway.

 My sisters and I always bring way too many eggs. I think we each bring enough for all the kids (I brought 42 and was probably the least).

Sunday before church I took pictures of the kids in their new church clothes. I didn't dare let Sarah hold Erica outside on the porch so we did pictures on my soft bed.

 Sarah didn't like the dress I picked out for her until I told her she looked like a cupcake. That's the best compliment you can give a 5-year-old girl apparently.

This was the best shot of Henry. He doesn't take pictures seriously.

 After church we went to Justin's parent's house for an egg hunt and dinner. Nadine bought these cute masks for the kids to wear.  Erica's covered her eyes, nose, and mouth so she wore her's as a crown.

Erica gives the best smiles but you have to work for them.

 The kids were spying on Papa while he hid the eggs.

 Somehow, Henry is already eating candy waiting for the hunt.

I didn't get any pictures of the actual hunt because I was busy guiding a blind-folded Justin around the yard to collect eggs. Then everyone played 4-square and basketball while I fed Erica. Then we ate dessert. I love Easter.

Super heroes in my kitchen, conference goes great with cinnamon rolls, and Erica is 2 Months Old

Every now and again, my kids bust something out that haven't played with forever and they have a total blast. Last week it was their superhero capes.

Considering Superwhy and The Incredibles are the only things they've seen that have superheroes, they do quite well getting into it.

  Although Sarah mostly poses and Henry flies around like an airplane.

Erica is growing out of her newborn clothes so I try to take a picture of her in something before it goes into the "too small" pile.

I'm hoping it snowed for the last time on Wednesday. Sarah and Henry played in the snow right after breakfast. This is the first (and last) time Henry played in the snow all season.

This is Slushy, Sarah's snowman. We used a carrot for a nose and sidewalk chalk for the eyes.  He was gone by the afternoon.

Henry stomped around and ate snow and had me put his mittens back on fifty times.

After some hot chocolate, the kids watched the gopher dig a hole in the backyard. He's the closest thing we have to a pet.

Friday we went to Salem Pond for a picnic lunch and to do some fishing. I wish I would have remembered bread to feed the ducks. 

This girl loves to fish. She's got her own pole and fishing vest.

I don't like fishing but how cute are they??? Erica and I got tired of the wind so we sat in the car for the last 20 minutes or so.

That evening we made cinnamon rolls.  Henry is snitching some dough and Sarah is mad that I'm not reprimanding him nor letting her snitch some too. Okay, I'd be mad too.

Saturday morning cinnamon rolls! It's now a conference tradition because I made them once and now anytime General Conference is brought up, Sarah asks, "Is that when we eat cinnamon rolls?" Tradition decided.

I used this recipe specifically to be made the night before. I had tried other recipes and put them in the fridge overnight but they deflated and never rose right. This recipe turned out beautifully. I overcooked them a bit but that's nothing an obscene amount of cream cheese frosting can't solve.

I overbaked them because I was upstairs taking these pictures instead of watching the oven.

I just love her. She's quickly becoming my favorite baby. And by favorite, I mean easiest. I'm not going into specifics about her sleeping and eating and mood habits because I feel like every time I do on this blog, I jinx it and my babies change it all up the next day.

Let's just say I don't get tired of her.

And neither does Sarah.

"Hi Erica. It's me, your big brother."

I know for a certainty someday this photo will make me ache for my kids to be little again.

Especially Henry. He's changing so fast from toddler to big boy. Thank heavens he still lets me cuddle with him.

Best photo-bomb ever. Everyone I love most is happy and together. Totally worth over baking the rolls.

This photo captures their personalities so well. Sarah the little mom, Henry making noise with a vehicle of some sort, Erica being sweet as long as she's being talked to.

Love me some pirate smiles.

Quick! Where were you 8 years ago today?

I was shopping for wedding dresses.

And taking it very seriously.