Basketball

Quinton and Clara played basketball with the Jr. Jazz League this year. They were co-ed teams of 1st and 2nd graders so they got to be on the same team. They both improved a ton over the six weeks they played and didn't even have real practices. They were very friendly games where kids were encouraged to learn skills and not just take the ball away from each other.

Clara was the only girl on their team and sometimes the only girl playing. She got pretty good at dribbling and was an excellent guard.

Quinton spent hours on his own at home practicing and by the end of the season was brave enough to take shots. He did really well!

Time out For Women

I had a wonderful time at Time Out for Women with my mom and sisters this year. We loved the uplifting messages and just being together. We stayed in a hotel in Idaho Falls Friday night and had a grand ol' time.

Sawyer didn't, though. Barry sent me this photo of him while I was gone. He had croup and not even a bubble bath made him feel much better. Well, maybe a little bit.

We ate at Fuji grill where they cook your food right at your table. It was awesome!

March

Most of March was spent sick at home, but we did manage to get out a little. 

With warmer weather, we've been going out on the bikes more. Warren is getting good at pedaling.

Connor and Triston were over one day and they all played a mean game of balloon tennis.

This cutie got a haircut!

Dad taught the kids to play Risk one Sunday afternoon. Quinton is the only one who lasted very long. He got pretty into it!

Making cookies

Sawyer isn't afraid of messes. He gave himself a peanut butter facial for lunch one day.

I've been trying to run and take these guys in the stroller every once in awhile.

Quinton had his first Pinewood Derby. He didn't win a single race, but he had an amazing time!

Sawyer the Destroyer

Don't let those innocent eyes fool you. This kids is a silent terrorizer. We put locks on our lower kitchen cupboards and the next day he figured out how to push chairs around to get to the counters. The next week he was climbing on the counters. I try to keep all of the pens, pencils, and markers hidden, but still find scribbles on all of the walls. He throws his plate/bowl/cup on the floor every meal time to show he's done eating, whether it's full of food or not. When we painted the living room he joined in by painting the stair banister one day. He's definitely a feisty little guy and keeps us on our toes! But we love him dearly.

These pictures aren't the greatest, but I was downstairs one day and came up to find him raiding the candy cupboard. I took him down and put the chair away, but apparently not enough because ten minutes later I found this:

He was playing in the sink with all the dirty/wet/nasty dishes. Blech.

There's no way I could photograph every naughty moment, or sweet one. Here he is in Mommy's shoes taking on the world.

Fun in February

There is a cat that likes to hop all the fences in the neighborhood. It's huge and fluffy and Warren and Sawyer love it when he comes right up to our door. That's almost as good as getting our own pet, right?

On February 10, ISU had a family sports day that I got brave enough to take all of the kids to. They actually did great considering there were sooo many people there. They had a ton of fun activities and free goodies for them. Later that night Quinton had his first Blue and Gold banquet.

We were also brave and had a playgroup at our house one day to get to know others in the ward. It was close to Valentine's Day, so the kids decorated cookies. It was great!

On February 13 Amy and Jared came to visit so Barry and Jared could go skiing at Kelly Canyon. While they were gone we went to Jump Time at the mall. All Most of the kids had a lot of fun. 

We All Scream for Ice Cream

One of our favorite things to do as a family is to go visit the ice cream shop where Barry and I went on our first date. They serve delicious Farr's ice cream for $1 a scoop! 

We also started a new incentive for going to church nicely this year. (We now have church at 8:30!) We have Sundae Sundays when the kids get up and dressed and go to primary with a good attitude. They put all sorts of horrible sprinkles and an assortment of goodies on their ice cream. Who says bribery is bad parenting?

Museum of Idaho

On January 23, we went to Idaho Falls to the Museum of Idaho. They had an exhibit about baby dinosaurs and dinosaur eggs. It was a lot of fun. the kids also liked the kids discovery room they could play in. Afterward we met Shari and Jeni at Jump Time where the kids got to jump on all the trampolines and we ate at Pizza Pie Cafe to celebrate Connor's 7th birthday.

Quinton and Warren bought these neat dinosaur dig toys at the gift shop. They spent hours getting all of the bones out to assemble their dinosaurs and they loved it!

January

Making snowflakes with Daddy

Making cupcakes when Clara could finally eat again after getting her tonsils out.

Quinton and I went on a date to Subway one night. He was very proud of his big sandwich.

Warren and Sawyer have been loving play-dough lately.

Had to capture his cracker mustache

Clara and Warren have been sharing a room in our new house and they get along pretty well in there. One morning they took their blankets and pillows out by the fireplace to get cozy.

Utah Trip

The second weekend in January we had a great time on a trip to Utah. We celebrated Amy's birthday on Saturday with a little surprise party for her. That night, all the boys went to a BYU basketball game. Amy and I took Clara, Sidra, and Grace out to Scheel's for a Ferris wheel ride and some fun. We also stayed and went to church on Sunday with Sarah and Josh.

A New Student

Warren started attending ABC Express Preschool in January. He was a little leery at first. And didn't really want Mom to leave.

He was still excited, though. (I love this pose. It looks like he's going to take on the world with his Spiderman snow boots.)

He also started as a Sunbeam in primary. He's still adjusting to that.