March Roundup

A few other March happenings....

Luke had a late nap one day and got to stay up for a bit watching basketball and surfing the internet. Some good boy bonding time!

My pregnancies aren't that hard on me physically, but emotionally they take a toll. Everything just seems more stressful, more difficult, and harder to see perspective. March was a particularly tricky month and it seems like I spent most of it crying, worried, and upset for smaller than justifiable reasons. Hormones! (I hope I can blame it on that). I spent a lot of time talking (rehashing) things with Kevin, he was so patient! It was helpful, but I wish I would have seen this in the middle of that all. What a great reminder. It's printed out extra large above my computer now. Maybe I could have avoided some heartache and sleep deprevation had I taken this advice to heart. 

On a happier note... 

I finally got a chance to observe the girls at their gymnastics classes. I see them practice a lot at home, but it was great to be there and see them interact with their teacher and class. They have learned so much! IT's so fun to watch them. Their teacher is amazing, we were lucky to find her. Violet can take from her for the next two years, but since Kara only teaches through kindergarten, Cora will have to decide if she wants to continue gymnastics and where. 

Violet is working on handstands and cartwheels. She often wins the handstand contest for her class. She just passed off her backbend and handstand to backbend too! She's getting the hang of her spiderwalk as well.

Cora is working on her connective tricks, aerials, and her back handspring. She was especially giggly this day because I was there. She's sure a hard worker! It was hard to catch it all on video, but here's a few tries. 

Grandparent Letter

Dear Grandma,

   How are you doing? I hope all is going well there! We have been enjoying the lovely spring weather the last week or two—have to take advantage of it before it turns back to winter again next week! J We had a lot of fun at our visit to the zoo a few days ago. The kids have loved being able to play outside and go to the park.

   One the front of the card is an ultrasound picture of little Evelyn at 30 weeks. It’s pretty amazing how detailed they can get with the pictures now. You can see her eyes, nose, mouth, chubby cheeks, and her arm snuggled up below her chin on the side. Only 5 more weeks now until we get to see her in person! I have been busy getting our dentist and eye doctor appointments done and out of the way before she comes. We haven’t pulled out clothes and the bassinet yet, but that needs to be done soon!

   One of my best friends from high school is getting married this weekend. It’s been fun to throw her a bridal shower and help her a bit with wedding plans. The girls are so excited to see her in her wedding dress at the reception. They love seeing all the brides on our Temple Square walks, and are thrilled to know one.

   Other than that, we are getting ready for some celebrations coming up—St. Patricks Day, Violet’s birthday, and Easter. Lots to do to keep us busy!

   Cora is doing very well in school. She’s reading well, and at the last parents teacher conference her teacher said she is all ready to go to first grade. Cora also learned how to ride her bike without training wheels on Saturday. She picked it up quickly, we are so proud of her. She also learned to snap recently and is quite proud. Cora is anxious to have her loose front tooth come out, but it might be a while yet!

   Violet loves her preschool, and was especially excited to have Luke and I visit to help out this week. It was fun seeing what she does when she goes there! Violet loves to dress up and wear fancy tutus wherever we go. She has the book “Pinkalicious” memorized (literally), loves attending her Sunbeam class at church, and always asks when she can play with friends next.

   Luke loves playing with his sisters and imitating them. He knows to point to my tummy when we ask where the baby is, but I bet really bringing Evelyn home will be a surprise for him. He loved seeing his new cousin Layla last week and spent a lot of time observing her… until the fruit snacks came out J. He has a favorite toy each day that he has to tote around with him, he laughs whenever her hears a toot and shouts out ‘excuse me’, and is eager to point out the fire station and daddy’s work whenever we drive past.

   We love you so much and hope you have a wonderful spring!

Violet turns 4!

Violet has been counting down the months and days until she turns four for quite a while now. She's seen Cora have two birthday parties now, and was anxious for it to be her turn. We kept things pretty simple, being so close to Evelyn's birth, but I think it was still a lot of fun for her. Between her friend party, dinner with Kissie and Pata, her actual birthday, and her birthday spotlight at preschool, it was a week's worth of celebration!

First off was the friend birthday party. Luckily Kissie was available to help. All of Violet's friends are so sweet, I wasn't too worried about the 8 girls, but I wasn't sure I could do eight girls and Luke. It turns out I totally spaced Luke, poor guy, so I didn't have any of the crafts or activities or treat bags ready for him, so Kissie was nice enough to take him out on a Kissie Luke date. I still can't believe I didn't even think of at all! 

We did a little bit of a spring theme. The girls decorated flower pots at the beginning.

And then they played pin the tail, bingo, 

 and did a bean bag toss. (Here's my cuties pre-party)

They ate flower sprinkled cupcakes

and opened presents. Violet had some help opening the presents-- all of them were so excited to show her what they gave her!

Then we headed outside to plant flowers in the pots they decorated and do some hopscotch and sidewalk drawing. 

Altogether I think it went pretty well! It could have been shorter (an hour and a half instead of two) or I should have planned a few more activities, but all in all Violet had a great time and I'd call it a success. Even if I did feel like a truck had hit me afterward. I couldn't believe how sore and tired I was a few hours after! 

The only hang-up was that I couldn't find the beanbags we borrowed from a neighbor after the party. Kevin and I searched all over the house and yard, they seemed to have disappeared into think air. The next day I was set to buy fabric and make replacements, when Luke opened the office closet and pulled the basket full of beanbags out from the bottom shelf, tucked way in back. Who would have thought?? I swear I looked in that closet, but obviously not well enough. He's stronger than I gave him credit for to have carried them all by himself! 

Kissie and Pata graciously took us out to dinner to celebrate Violet's birthday on a Friday night, and were able to come to Cora's first soccer game afterward. It was a fun afternoon at Red Robin! 

And Violet got her huge free birthday dessert. Yum!

Violet's actual birthday fell on General Conference, which is one reason the festivities were spread out. I guess that will happen to her every once in a while. We spread the present opening throughout the whole day, and then she got a lot of playtime with each present. We ate her favorite foods, including french toast, sausage, chocolate milk, hamburgers, and cheese puffs, had a delicious brownie mint Oreos icecream dessert-  yum! 

Violet absolutely LOVES Oreos, they are her favorite treat, so she took those into preschool to share too. 

Happy Birthday to our sweet Violet!


At 4 years old Violet weighs 40.34 pounds (82%) and is 42.36 inches tall (91%).

Emily's Wedding

We had a great day celebrating my friend Emily's wedding! Kevin and I were able to attend the sealing, really it was one of the best ones I've ever been too. The sealer had some really neat remarks, and it was a perfect start for their lives together. 

We dropped by home to pick up the kids, and with a little extra time we did a photo shoot of them in their Easter clothes, all ready for the dinner and reception.

The dinner was delicious and the reception oh-so-elegant, it really was a perfect day. Congratulations to Rhett and Emily! Emily and I carpooled to high school together, were in Young Women's together, roomed together for a bit in college, volunteered at Pioneer Theatre together for 5 years, and much more. 

The girls were especially excited to see Emily (a real bride!! as they said) in her wedding dress. They were in awe and all the kids did well at the wedding festivities (what a relief!).

The reception even had a photo booth, which was pretty cool, and the girls were so excited about. What a fun idea!