Easter Egg Hunt 2012...

I was so excited last weekend to celebrate Easter - this is one of my favorite holidays!  I think because I think like Christmas we get to celebrate in some really fun and "kiddish" ways but also to remember our Savior and his atoning sacrifice for us!  I'm so grateful for the knowledge I have of His life, His ministry and His sacrifice and love for us!  What a great holiday!

As part of the "fun" festivities... we had our city Egg Hunt and the kids had so much fun!  Granted it was over in about 10 minutes total but so fun nonetheless!

Daddy with the trio before the hunt began!  They were so excited but I don't think they totally understood why..little cuties! (You too babe!)

Our little three with some of their "bestie" neighbor friends Boston and Ryder with their daddy Philip getting ready!  Boston was awesome at the hunt!  Totally went in for the kill all by himself :)

 Austin and Jax looking a bit confused as to why their parents shoved them into a HUGE crowd telling them to pick up lots of eggs :)  So cute!  They caught on quick though

 All the kiddos gathering their eggs

 Jax of course totally took the cake on the most eggs collected! He meant business!!

 Silly pic of the 3 but I loved that they were holding their little baskets so excited with all their eggs

 Me with the kiddos after their collection (note the egg tally in Jax's basket compared to the other two) - Hee-Hee...

 One of the funnest things they did at the hunt was to have all these other "characters" walking around to greet the kids!  Rio could not get enough of "Frosty" - she was so excited, she kept going back to give him lots and lots of hugs!

 But...nothing could beat seeing Elmo there too!  Sadly, Elmo got his face cut-off in this pic but the kids loved seeing him there!

 Fun, Fun day!!!

Simple Joys

Why is it that I always think that it's the biggest, funnest, longest things that matter most? It's not! Kids are such a great reminder of the simple joys in life!

 Stuffing their chairs full of blankets and "stuffies" - so cute!  They have so much trying to put as many things on their little itty bitty chairs as they can

 Jax and Austin pointing out a little, tiny Lady Bug - they are so gentle and cute with these "Little Ladies" (as Rio calls them)

 Austin loves, loves, loves to let these little bugs crawl all around on him

Little Rio :) - so, so happy being outside looking at the birds and bugs

In our Sunday best!

Total mommy moment coming up so brace yourself...  My kids are so dang cute!!!  I just had to post these adorable photos a few Sundays ago after church.  They all looked so cute, I couldn't help myself.

All 3 posing for the camera

Okay, seriously?  So HANDSOME right?  He totally strikes the GQ pose all by himself - hands in pockets are a staple pose for Austin no matter what he's wearing but in this little suit, he could totally be in a catalog!!!!  Love you handsome boy :)

Jax saw Austin with his hands in his pockets and had to "try it too mommy" - what a cute boy you are Jax!  Loving the smile sweetheart!

And oh... my little Rio - what a beauty you are!  She loves anything sparkly so she was in heaven this day wearing a sparkly skirt and jacket!  Now if only her mommy could get her ponies angled right?  Ha-ha! Love you sweetie pie :)

We love our friends!

This winter has been so interesting because of the weather!  One day, we're out in the sun on a walk without our coats on and the next day it's freezing and either so windy we can't go out or it's snowy!!!!  So fun though to enjoy all the different days - we've kept ourselves very busy especially with our friends!

Our rocks in our front yard have been a lifesaver this winter - the kids LOVE to climb around and have amazed me with their ability to maneuver around the tallest and steepest of rocks!  Here's Avery, Austin, Rio, Jax and Lucas scaling the walls :)

 They look so tiny compared to these rocks but somehow they manage to make it all the way up - Rio, Reese & Austin

 Posing on the bench of one of our sweet neighbors

 All 6 of our little ones - Lucas, Austin, Rio, Jax, Reese and Avery - it's tough to get all 6 looking at the camera - one day maybe we'll catch one

 Thanks to our weekly playgroup, we had a super fun Valentines Party with all the kids.  My friend Heather planned it and had a cute "pin the arrow on the heart" game; it was really fun for the kids and my Rio was the only one out of the 3 to actually wear the blindfold! Oh, did I mention she had to have it backwards?  Silly girl!

 Josh, Ella & Jax eating their snacks before the games

 Austin, Rio & Maddy with Cash, Crew & Chase in the background

 We have made plenty of trips to the Dino Museum as well this winter - so much fun!

My cute friend Roxy introduced me to a fun way to feed the kids - Sweet Tomatoes!  Love it! And to be honest, as a mom somehow I feel better when we eat there than a fast food place :)

 SNOW DAY!!  (I think maybe the only one all winter where the snow lasted on the ground more than a day)  Our cute friends, the Wards let us come play with them on their hill to go sledding.  Luckily, Spence was home too so the kids got more attention and time on the sleds.  They LOVED it!!!  Can't wait to go again with them - I was amazed at how fearless they were and how much fun they had.

 Little snow bunny - she loved it the most I think...

 ...Jax probably the least (although he still had fun) I had to talk him into being okay with going on the sleds at first but after awhile he LOVED it!

 Lennox also joined us for the SNOW fun!  He had a few extra snowballs than we did and he was the first to call it quits :)

 Rio and the boys below enjoying their snowballs that daddy taught them how to make and eat (not sure I love that last idea so much but they sure did!)

 Here we go...

Two little snow princesses: Eliza and Rio cruisin' down the hill laughing all the way

Isaac and Jax starting out on the top...

 ...and landing on the bottom - so cute & all smiles!

 This had to be their favorite way to go downhill - "the more the merrier" - Isaac, Rio & Jax with Spence giving the push and Chelle watching and cheering them on!

Mommy even made it on with the boys and Lennox too!  What an amazing day we had!  Thanks Chelle, Isaac and Eliza

We also had a triple, triplet play date with Roxy and Angie and their cute little kiddos! 6 two year olds and 3 three year olds all in one space!  We had a very loud but very fun day with very little tears!  A great accomplishment - thanks Ang!

Cold Days of Winter

I am definitely a "sun kind of girl" and I love warm weather so although we haven't had much snow this winter - it is still winter and cold most days and we can't go play outside much. Anyway, I am so grateful that I have my little ones to "cheer me up" because I struggle this time of year - thanks Jax, Austin and Rio :)

Here are a few cold day pics that made it sunny around here!!!

One Sunday afternoon with Daddy and Jax and Lennox of course taking a little nap - Jax woke up from his nap and came out and laid down next to Daddy - I guess he wasn't quite done sleeping

Spence has not been home much at night during the week for the last few years and so when he's home, the kids are "all about Daddy" even when he's trying to eat.  My favorite is that Lennox is once again in on the action :)

I've said it before and I'll say it again I'm sure:  Girls will be girls and there is nothing like them!!! Little Rio in mama's tallest shoes but walking around like nothing

I had to include this pic because I think they are all so cute on the pillows "sitting tall" as they say.  And my little Rio with her "Dorothy's" on - she rarely leaves the house not wearing them - love it!

We had just come in from getting the mail together (hence, the coats) and the kids insisted on playing in the balls in the laundry baskets - so silly.  They could play for hours :)

Had to include our little miss once again all decked out with her princess shoes on - she earned them during potty training - she's such a cutie!

Rio insisted I "get a picture of Punzel too mommy" so here she is up close

Thank goodness that cousin Hayden's birthday is in the winter month of January!  She invited us to her party at Jungle Jim's!  Love that place so much - it is so, so fun!  Here they are with cousin Brinlee

Grandma with the boys - so glad she came with us!

Woo-hoo!  Pizza and cupcakes - they best kind of lunch and dessert!  Thanks Kristin & Mike :)

We had another super fun day at Bouncing Off the Walls with our playgroup friends - so much fun!  My kids could not get enough of it!

Boys in the Bounce House

We love our little Foulger triplet friends!  We made cookies together and gave all the kids a little frosting and sprinkles to make their own cookie - so much fun to watch kids be SO EXCITED about a cookie

Lucas, Reese and Jax

Austin, Rio and Avery eating and decorating!

Love this pic - the kids got shopping carts for their birthday and during the winter, they have saved us on many a cold day :)  This is Rio's - I'm not sure that she could stuff anything else in there could she?  She included the favs though - her milk, baby, princess shoes, doggy and a few other babies and balls... whew!!

And of course, I have to end on their favorite toy this winter so far...the vacuum :)  They'll play with it forever just laughing and giggling watching eachother - couldn't get any cuter!