April

April first came and I wasn't as prepared as usually. We all know this day ranks as just about my favorite day of the year! But with 4 kids I just wasn't up for the usual planning and scheming this time around which was dissapointed but I was too exhausted to care haha

  I pulled a few things off anyway.  of course we did our traditonal brown e's for the teachers. Braden tried to back out but I made him do it! 

I didn't have anything planned for my friend Mindy (what could too the "free goats" ad in Craigslist from last war anyway?!) but the opportunity presented itself and BAM! Got her good!

Enjoying the nice weather

My friend through together anneasyer potluck at the park that was a lot of fun. Everyone brought 12 eggs per kid. A few parents hid the eggs on the playground while the other parents wrangled the kids then off they went to hunt!

Reese was the smart one. Instead of going for eggs she went for everyone's picnic blankets and took all their food! Especially the Cheetos!

Dying eggs

The weekend before Easter Grandpa Jefd and Grandma Judi had us over for Easter dinner. Judi always does the best baskets for the kids and they love to get there and look through them. 

Reese fairly picky about who holds her this year but she let gradma Judi hold her plenty!

My dad's traditonal blown and water colored eggs:

Easter morning at our house!

After the eggs hunt:all the kids had fun this years and thought it was hilarious where the bunny thought to Hide eggs. Riley didn't bring up the fact  that she found out the "truth" aboit the Easter Bunny last year and I'm hoping she somehow forgot!

Reese got into the candy while I was taking a shower later that week. 

Easter Sunday fell on General Conference weekend this year. This is when the president and other authority figures prepare talks and deliver them world wide to both members and non members of our church. They offer guidance, love and revelation given to them by God. I loved the talks this year-what I heard of them anyhow-hard to listen with kids! We had the kids quietly sit for the first session (2hrs) and we let them play during the second session. We of course feasted upon Lynne's "general conference breakast" of biscuits and gravy. SO GOOD!

Braden and I had our first mother-son dance at school! It was soooo fun!! We danced our hearts out. Braden showed off his best moves-including a few had stands-in the beginning then grew bored with all the dancing, I convinced him to dance a few more songs with me then I asked the DJ to play a slow song before we left. I definitly tested up holding my boy and slowly dancing with him. I am so lucky, I can hardly believe it some days. 

All the cousins! Braden, Cody, Nathan, Lucas 

Reese (and I and everyone else) LOVES all the candy dishes at Oma's house. 

Softball and baseball pictures came in. They came out great!

Braden LOVES playing catcher. 

This girl LOVES her babies. She always has a baby in her hands and about 99% of the time she has two or three of them. Until this month she preferred them strictly naked. Sometimes with a blanket. This month she realized on her own they needed a diaper. All her babies have diapers now and I often find one diaper and one baby wipe out, while she is off looking for her stinky baby. 

Until this night-Riley had never hit the ball. When she got up to bat there was two outs already. She swung once-strike. Second swim she hit and made it to first base (she carried the bat with her almost all the way!) The parents in the stands were shouting for her to run because for the first few seconds she just stared at the ball! That begun a 5man rally and she made it home!!!! My mom and monte were visiting and got to see it all. We went to frugos to celebrate after. 

Max had his first IEP. It went good and smooth although it was hard to hear that he was officially enrolled in the "special education" program. I know it's so let for speech but it hurt when the reason was because "his speech delay greatly impacts his intelligibility". It's true but no one wants to hear it! We lucked out with the sweetest, nicest and smart speech therapist who is also his case worker. Max may have a small crush! Max's first day of speech therapy was a success. 25min session once a week with a great teacher! We made his teacher snicker doodles the night before and we later found out those are her favorite! He got to take home a yellow folder with "homework". He likes to practice and is doing good. So far he is mastering his "k" sound. We made her homemade blueberry muffins the next week to pass the time before class started (10:30am is hard to wait for!)

My friend Rachel bought these boots for Riley and now they for Reese!

I threw a shower for my brother inlaws fiane, steffani. I had some help from my other sister inlaws and Katie and it turned out great! We did desserts and "mock tails" and since it rained that night I got some hot cocoa to go with!

On each table was a quote from Matthew saying something he loved about steffani. 

All the sister inlaws: Lisa, Ashley (marrying Andrew in June), steffani (marrying Matthew in May) me and Heidi. 

Dad and Judi took grandma Ruth out to breakfast and sent me this picture

My sweet boy

Braden still loving baseball more and more!

Riley got to play catcher for the first time and I have to admitt I was nervous. She doesn't have the best arm and is super proficient in catching so I thought it might be, hmm, a little embarrassing when we have a couple decent catchers. But she blew. us. away!!! She did AWESOME! Solid throws back to the pitcher, she was focused and huddled for the ball. I hope she gets more playing time! She also loved it. 

Reese helping me bake. She cleaned the counter for me...(this was after we were done!! No germs!)

Reese has gotten so good at using that black chair to get anything she wants/needs. She rarely asks us anymore, she scoots it around the house and climbs right up! We can't leave anything out anymore!!

Shelley took Katie and I for a walk up Mile High Rode

A few side notes this month. 

-Reese's favorite books right now, hands down, is "Good Night Moon". I read it to her before every nap and ever night before bed. She picks it over all the over books we own. 

-Max and Reese are mamma's kids this month. They stick by me and want mostly just me. Max crys a lot this month if he thinks I will leave him, even just to another room. 

-reese says stop "bop!", bubbles, and is starting to parrot a lot of other words-finally!

-she is still SUPER sassy and can dish out quite the attitude!

-not only is Reese good at, but loves the "bloop" game. She will point to your chest and say "what's that" and then run her finger up and bump your nose and say "bloop!"  She rarely looks down if we try to trick her-smart girl. 

-Braden is excelling at school and is getting good at reading, sounding out and recognizing words. He has been excited to notice the word "the" all over the place and will call to me "MOM!!!! Mom!!! It's says 'the'!!!" 

-Braden read "hop on pop" with help this month!

April treated us well! We are loving the warm weather but did have a few rainy and cold days mixed in.