Spring Snacking

Here's a fun spring snack to try. It's a mix of the "dirt cup" idea and fruit kabobs with a cute spring twist. Bo and I made them for preschool snacks and they were simple and yummy, kind-of-healthy and a huge hit!I always seem to finish my "projects" after the sun goes down, so thus, the lack of natural lighting for the pictures - photography is not my talent!Simply make chocolate pudding and let set in individual serving cups. Top pudding with crushed oreo. Cut pineapple into chunks and be sure to make little slices in the top of each chunk for a daffodil look. Stem and slice strawberries into halves. Cut green apples into thin wedges. Skewer fruit with apple slice arching upward for a "leaf", and fruit at the top to make a flower. Good luck getting your skewer to stand upright in the cup (extra chunks of oreo for propping helps). Finish off with a gummy worm over the edge (it's the kids favorite part). Enjoy!

Preschool Graduation

Bo wrapped up preschool this month. Of course it all comes to an end with a cute little program.
He is still not a fan of "cheesyness" or being front and center, but at least he gets up on the stage now - that's better than last year. We grade by improvement around here.

Just don't ask for a smile

oh my, did we catch him almost singing?

and surely he can't be attempting some hand motions? Wow, improvements galore!

But we sure love our Bo. He is our "middle" and our star whether he steals the show or not. He is on his way to kindergarten!

And watch out preschool, you have this monkey coming your way in the fall!

12 Happy Years

This guy and I...after 12 years together, we have learned to be good at just a couple of things. One of them is making time to be together - just the two of us. We have been faithfully having weekly date nights for 12 years running. They usually aren't extravagant and often not even planned out. We just get the babysitter and get in the car and drive and figure it out from there. But we do it... and it has been one of the greatest joys of my life with him. So when our anniversary or a speical occasion comes along I never worry about planning or expecting anything different. I am just as happy with same 'ol-same 'ol (because the same 'ol makes me happy). But somehow in the midst of all the traveling he's been doing for work, bishoping, and the hecticness of life with 5 crazies (our kids) he pulled out a little "Bart"-style anniversary. My awesome husband always seems to find a little way to make our anniversary new and special and unique year after year. This year it was a day together skiing on Mt Hood.

The weather was gorgeous and the view breathtaking (even with some guys finger blocking part of the landscape :))Perfect spring skiing. Then when our legs had enough, we scarfed down a feast at Famous Dave's and did a little shopping together - yep, he even shops!.

When we got married, we were young and dumb and pretty unprepared. I took a chance on this guy and boy did I get lucky! I knew when I married him, he was a good man. I just didn't know how good he really is. I knew I loved him then, I just didn't know how much I could. Here's to 12 happy years together and an eternity more. Love you babe!

Look Who's 2!

My BABY, that's who!!

ALL ABOUT LUKERS

-He is loud, bossy and rough (what choice does he have as the 5th of 5 boys -He fits the bill well!)

-His favorite food is cantaloupe and sunflower seeds (shell included)

-He has a scowl that he has practiced and perfected

-He's so ticklish you can hardly change his diaper or dress him

-He loves books and trucks

-He loves to be goofy and crack himself up

-He is a daddy's boy BIG TIME

-He loves piggy back rides down the stairs

-He loves to wrestle (or swordfight or anything rough)

-He loves showers by himself

-He is LOUD! (maybe I mentioned that)

-He is bossy (and that too)

-He is rough (in case you missed it)

-He gives the BEST "tight squeezes" any 2-yr old could!

-He has the most contagious laugh

-He's world's cutest little guy

-He is absolutely loved and adored by his brothers

-He'll always be our Baby Luke

Lukers had his 2nd birthday party at Red Robin (original, huh?), after cubscouts and inbetween baseball practices - but we made sure it happened and that this sprightly boy had a night that was all about him. I still can't believe my baby is officially a terrible-two year old, although we think the terrible"ness" began a while ago (if it starts early, does it end early??)

I love you sweet boy!

BYU Women's Conference

My mom has been going to BYU Women's Conference every spring for the past few years. This year, I finally wasn't pregnant or nursing a new baby, so she invited me to come along! I undertook to task of getting the planets to align to make it possible for me to slip away for a weekend. With the help of an amazing babysitter who even braved an overnight stay with our 5 crazies, and a husband who juggled all of his tasks and mine...I was able to spend 4 days in beautfiul, snowy Provo and enjoy some much needed "girl" time.

The conference classes themselves were amazing - truly inspiring! They alone would have been worth going for. And time alone with my mom - just the two of us was worth every effort. But if that wasn't enough...the rest of the company of ladies and the accomidations were to DIE for. Explanation: My mom and dad are part of a special Leadership Council for BYU (my mom always tells people jokingly..."if you donate enough, you could be to!") So BYU uses the conference as special retreat for the council women and makes it an absolute "retreat" in every way. The other 70 ladies who attended were incredible woman - beautiful, kind, generous, and involved in wonderful things. We kicked it all off with a special tour of This Is The Place State Park in Salt Lake City, and then continued on to Sundance where our cabins awaited us. I've seen some beautiful things in my life, but the cabin used for the group gatherings and the second one where my mom and I slept in were unbelievable.

This was the cabin that we had all gatherings and ate all our meals. It belongs to an amazing family that has 11 grown kids and 50something grandkids! The woman in the red suit standing in the middle of this picture is Sister Kristen Oaks...yep, she came and spoke to us one evening.

The cabin that my mom and I slept in was just walking distance away. We didn't get to spend a lot of time there, but it was gorgeous - I could have just sat in the quiet rooms all weekend and drank in the beauty. It was like an enchanted fortress.

Beautiful views from about every window

A grandkids bunkroom that slept 16 and was simply amazing

And a game room with that had EVERYTHING imaginable! My boys were drooling over the pictures.

There were amazging meals, evening devotionals, beautiful luncheons, shuttles that drove us to BYU campus and dropped us off curbside for our front-row seats in the Marriot Center, sweets on our pillows each night before bed, See's candies set out at every table, a goodie bag for conference filled with a journal/candy/gum/mints, and Ogio luggage with BYU logo embroydered on the front as a take-home gift.

To say we were pampered was an understatement. To say "thanks" to my mom for toting me along is simply not enough. It was a wonderful weekend in everyway!