April 2012 Update

The kids are enjoying the warmer weather.  Here they are enjoying the swings before bedtime.

They have been begging for a bubble party every since it warmed up, so here they are having fun blowing bubbles.  We really don't know why Maddy is wearing a helmet.

We finally got our wedding pictures up above our bed this month.

A new dishwasher may not seem like a big deal to the rest of you, but for the last 3 1/2 years I've been living with a semi-broken, half way functioning dishwasher.  So needless to say, I was very excited when Jared picked up this nice dishwasher off of Craig's list.  It is very well designed and works like a dream!  

I celebrated by 33rd birthday this month.  After Abby's big birthday cake I didn't feel like having more sweets for my birthday so Jared bought me a case of mangoes (my favorite fruit) from Costco instead.  The kids were a little disappointed about it being a boring adult birthday, so we blew up a few balloons and had some ice cream with candles to make them happy.

The kids were super nice and sweet to me on my birthday.  I think they were more excited than I was about me opening my presents.

As a combined birthday gift, Jared and I got this amazing picture for our dining room from Neal and JoyAnn.  It was beautifully framed by Jared's brother Craig.

The kids visited a ward member with a beautiful garden, and they each picked a tulip for me for my birthday. It was very sweet.

Nathan wanted to be out in the yard while Jared was using loud machinery so Jared gave him some hearing protectors to wear.

Nathan liked them so much he wouldn't take them off, and frequently asks to wear "my ear muffs."

Here's Nathan imitating his daddy.

Jared dethatching our lawn.

Jared also put up our garden shed this month.

The kids had fun helping him.

Here is Jared with a cement mixer getting ready to pour the foundation.  Jared borrowed the truck from a coworker.  Nathan was ecstatic and kept repeating, "Daddy got a new, big, red truck!"  He was very disappointed when Jared took it back, and for days afterward wanted to know where the truck was.

One other event this month that don't have pictures of, since I forgot my camera, was the ward talent show.  Jared impressed everyone by singing "The Elements" which is a song that contains most of the elements in the periodic table.  Abby performed "Scotland Bells" on the piano and everyone said she did a great job.  I unfortunately I had to miss it since Maddy had to urgently go potty right when it was time for Abby to go up.  The kids all painted pictures which were displayed for everyone to see.  Abby is currently obsessed with horses so she did a painting of a mommy horse with her baby.  Maddy painted a purple sunset, and Nathan painted a rainbow (basically little wiggles of various colors).