Easter and Everything Else

I have a weakness for cute baby shoes. Well, I did with Brielle anyway. After experiencing the frequent separation anxiety of her growing out of each pair so fast and having to store them away before I wanted to "let go", I learned not to buy so many for Ashton. Plus boys shoes are just not as much fun. In my defense, almost all of Brielle's baby shoes were a dollar or two from a used baby clothes store down the road from where we lived. Of all the impracticle weaknesses to have.  Babies don't even need shoes!  But I saw a pair of baby shoes the other day, and having held out on putting ANY shoes on Lainey's little piggies thus far (OK ONE other pair), I felt justified in buying them. No, she's not walking, but she IS standing up! Good enough excuse for me!

Favorite Little Pleasures

Between the craze of the holidays of late, we got to talk to my dad on Skype.  For anyone who did not know, he is working in Afghanistan for one year as an air traffic controller for the US Military.  It's a hard position to achieve and harder to certify for, but he's doing well at it.  I love technology.  He is able to have Family Home Evenings with my mom, Marty, and April through Skype.  My kids love that they can see and talk to him that way. 

Our flood clean-up is complete and our bathroom floors are tiled again.  We were very fortunate- both of our vanities and the tub floor dried perfectly and did not have to be removed.  Just the tile.  And the insurance covered it all after the deductable.  We're happy it's over and done and are ready for calls on the house! 

Also, Brielle learned to ride her bike a couple weekends ago!  Yeah, Brielle! 

We enjoyed Conference Weekend.  I was super excited to hear my mission president speak in the Sunday afternoon session!  He made such a mark on my life.  I loved hearing him speak again. 

Elder James Boyd Martino of the Seventy

Saturday night, the kids and I set up the egg dying so as soon as Daddy came home from the Priesthood Session we could dig in and dye.  The kids loved it so much and were so sad when all the eggs were dyed that I "winged" a new family tradition: The "Dying a paper towel to dry over night and use as a napkin at lunch on Easter when we eat our egg salad sandwiches" tradition.  Sheesh, what a mouthful!  But it worked and they loved it.

Easter was fun.  Our kids are at an age where they don't want the hunt to end.  They liked hiding/finding Easter eggs as much as they enjoyed eating the candy in them!  We had Easter Supper at Todd's mom's house and an egg hunt there too.  Then we crashed at home and let the kids burn their sugar high outside with sidewalk chalk and bubbles.

Aunt Taylor always gives the kids a fun time on Grandma's

Horsie Swing

Brielle with her cousin, Makya (they're 2 weeks apart.)