Madison

I already extolled Madison's wonderful virtues in a previous post.  She also was her school's student of the month in April.  She is a rock star at school.  We couldn't have gotten luckier for a last child - she makes things pretty easy.  

Easter

I didn't take many pictures of Easter.  Here are some after the Easter Bunny came.

And finding them:

I didn't even take a picture of them with their baskets or anything.  Way lame.  Oh well.

It was also General Conference and we really enjoyed conference this year.  It was so wonderful to sustain President Russel M. Nelson as the prophet and get 2 new apostles.  I loved watching President Nelson's mantle come upon him.  He is truly a prophet of God.  I have gone back and listened to his last decade or so of conference talks and you can see God preparing him for this calling.  I am not one to like change - especially in the church - but I know he is a prophet and a watchman on the tower and sees things afar off that we do not see - so I can make changes and not doubt.  I am excited about the direction the church is going and I know Jesus Christ is at the head.

Last Cub Scouts

Last time in Cub Scouts together.  It was a good run.

Easter egg hunt

A whole bunch of families form the ward got together at a park on Friday evening to have an Easter egg hunt.

Brock was apparently too old to participate.

Noah and Megan went around together.  They have become good friends over the last few months.  They used to not get along at all - I am glad they have found each other.  They are the most alike of our kids - it would be better for them if they could just get along rather than fight.  They can still rub each other the wrong way - but when they are good they are really good.

Madison has a new best friend.  His name is Talmage and he is in our ward and also in Madison's class at school.  He has some severe challenges and can't talk or do many other things.  Madison has fallen in love with him and loves to be his friend.  I found out that she plays with him every day at recess and helps him with his school work all day.  She greets him every time he comes into the class room and always makes sure he has what he needs and his happy.  His aid is always telling me about how great she is.  I have come to find out that she doesn't' see it as a "helping" or "I am being nice" kind of way - she genuinely likes him and would rather be with him then doing other things.  It is pretty amazing to watch.  They did the hunt together. 

Spring Break: Friday

Friday we had scheduled to go on a bike ride.  I wasn't sure where we wanted to go.  It couldn't' be far because we don't have a bike rack for our van anymore.  Some friends from church all decided to get together at a park - so I thought, "we will ride there".  Problem was it was a park clear across town on paths we had never been before.  But I mapped it out and off we went.  It ended up being about 5 miles.  There was, though, a promise of Jason coming and picking us up if we were too tired to ride back.

As always we had extra kids in tow: Finn, Zoe, and Lincoln.

About 3 miles in some clouds rolled in, wind started blowing - hard.  I got a text from my friends (already at the park) that there was a severe storm warning and they were leaving.  This storm was NOT in the forecast.  Then a big gust of wind came and it literally blew Madison off her bike and she scrapped up her leg pretty bad.  I called Jason to come "rescue us".  But then.... I had the keys to the van!!!  oops.  He came in his little car, picked up a few kids, got the van keys, went back home, my friend Heather came and picked up a few more kids and bikes, then Jason came back to get the last of the bikes and crew.  phew.   So glad I had people that could come to our rescue! 

Spring Break: Thrusday

On Thursday we had our whole family activity.  We went hiking up Castle Rock.  This has become a Spring Break tradition.  I planned the hike for Thursday because as you can tell form previous posts that we got snow on Monday, but then Tuesday and Wednesday were both 65 and Thursday was supposed to be 70.  So I thought by then all the snow would have melted.  It was pretty melted - but not as much as I would have thought.  

The 4 of us climbed to the top - Jason and Brock stayed at the base.

We also had lunch at the base.

I have big hiking dreams for this summer!

Then Thursday night I took the boys to play Dart Warz.  My goal was to do a great spring break with out spending any money - and up until now i hadn't spent any money.  But I "owed" the boys a trip to Dart Warz - remember the daddy daughter dance?  Well... there was a mother son nerf night but for some reason we couldn't go so I told them I would take them one time, just the 3 of us.  They had a discount night during spring break - so we went. It was a lot of fun. 

We played a few games of capture the flag and Brock got the flag!!  I also got the flag which made me feel REALLY cool because I was the only "mom" - it was about 20 "kids" (ages 6-12) and then a whole bunch of 16-25 year old men that took it way too seriously. 

Spring Break: Wednesday

Wednesday morning I took the girls swimming.  We actually wen to 2 different pools.  One pool had a water slide and another pool (on the other side of town) has a diving board.  We hit the water slide one first and the diving board last.

Here is Megan going down the slide. 

Here is Maddie:

If you can't tell the girls are really into "dabbing".

And cute Maddie's toothless grin.  I LOVE that she lost all her front teeth at the same time.  I am sad I didn't get a picture before the one started growing in - she had a bout a week with all 4 front teeth totally gone and it was adorable. 

Then off to the diving board.

I ended up getting in and going down the slide a few times.  It reminded me how much  I LOVE water slides.  I have never taken my kids to a water slide park and I think I just pit it in our summer plans.

Then Wednesday evening I took Brock, Noah, Finn, and Madison fishing.

It was a beautiful, peaceful evening.  We could have stayed there all night, except one fishing poll broke so one kids was bored, so we left after 2 hours.  We didn't' catch anything :( but we did get 2 on the line.

Isn't it just so beautiful?! 

Brock just kept walking up and down the river bank casting his pole in and out - I think he would love fly fishing more.

One Wednesday night Noah went and had a sleep over at his friend, David's, house and  Brock went and slept over at Finn's house - so Jason and I took the girls out for frosty's at Wendy's.  (I had some free coupons)