last weekend

Friday my cooking class for kids made

Bunny Bread

and Egg Salad.

It was fun.

Saturday we ran down to Utah Valley to see our newest family member!

Marcus & Brittany welcomed 

Claire Nicole

to our family!

Isn't she BEAUTIFUL!

Only three days old in this picture.

Sunday I taught Relief Society.

Then made these spring cupcakes for Tiffany's mission farewell.

Our sweet Tiffany is going on a mission.

She is going to Atlanta, Georgia!

We are so very excited for her.

and just for fun

Finn & Crew

a birthday dinner for jack

(Jack is 22 & opening presents!)

If you have been reading this week you know that last Saturday was Jack's 22 birthday!

He came home on Sunday for his birthday dinner- and he may or may not for the first time...

 have brought his, "girlfriend."

YEP- you read it right people--

Jack. 

JACK HAS A GIRLFRIEND

~OH MY GOSH~

That is all I will say about that.

Johnny, Brittany & Marcus came up!

Brittany is such a good sport.

She is expecting a baby THIS WEEK! 

And... she is going to be induced if she doesn't come by this Friday.

It's a GIRL-- so happy to have a baby girl around!

 Grandpa & Finn

 I asked Jack what he did last year on his birthday?

He was just getting out of the hospital in Maceio, Brazil.

 He had the closest thing to an American donuts they sell in Brazil that day for birthday cake. 

Fun times.

 Every year for his birthday Jack requests an Apple Pie & ice cream.

So of course, Apple Pie it is.

It was an extra special day...

Because it was also the first time Finn & Crew had come to Grandma & Grandpa's house!

They are a month old now you know?

They have only been out to see the doctor- that's about it. 

Chloe, Crew & Brit.

I was so busy making dinner:

Bacon Burgers with all the fixings

Home Fried Onion Rings 

Apple & Blueberry Pie

That I didn't get enough pictures to really document the event.

dang it- I guess I should have asked someone to be the designated photographer.

next time-

 

Happy Birthday Jack-

what's up?

The twins sleeping at night- 

nope- they are not even close to sleeping through the night!

Soon... we hope for Laura & Brian's sake.

It was record warm here last Thursday & Friday!

73 degrees

So warm-- Chloe got SUNBURNED during an outdoor activity at school!

Can you believe this?

Saturday night Hailey performed at a benefit concert to help raise funds for a local arts foundation.

It was so fun to see her perform & she looks so pretty!

 Megan sent me this darling photo of Joey-

who got my postcard in the mail!

I send lots of good mail, especially postcards to the boys. 

It's so fun for me & them.

Finn in action:

Crew in action:

These twinners are really starting to look more alike.

They made their first trip to our house on Sunday for Uncle Jack's Birthday Dinner.

Woo Hoo- twins out of the house!

They are one month old already & as cute as can be.

I love to get pictures of them yawning. Oh I just love to take pictures of them.

Grandpa & Crew

***

Thank you for all your sweet comments this past month-

published & private.

It's been a hard winter with lots of health issues for my sweet Chloe.

I'm happy to say she is getting better & better. 

These things take time- and time is what we've got.

Thank you for your prayers & thoughtfulness.

 We have really needed them & that is a hard place to be in.

 I am so grateful for so much kindness. It's not easy- but what else can you do? 

I don't know why she/we have to go through this, but we do and it's not cool. It's not fun and it's not comfortable. It is what it is & we are making the best of it. 

Life it Goes On

jack turns 22... wow

This past Saturday 

March 16

My Jack turned 22.

wow 

It's been almost a year now since Jack got home from his mission in Brazil.

So happy- so happy to say he is home.

Well- he is in the state & living in Provo, Utah where he attends Brigham Young University- which was his childhood dream. He is feeling good- mostly good. He came home pretty sick with malaria (it's inactive) and fierce stomach & headache problems, after spending nearly the whole two years of his mission service severely invaded by worms & other ailments (like several bouts of salmonella poisoning, dengue fever etc.) We've seen specialists, and frankly do need to see some more.

 But- he is much better & keeps getting better.

We are blessed.

He worked hard on his mission through it all- he has these amazing stories. It's so fun to have his companions  visit with us and to hear about it from their perspective- really amazing & crazy & scary & how did my boy get to be a man so fast? I love this kid.

So- for his birthday in true Jack style- he had an adventure.

His best buddy Corey & he were up with a group of friends watching a movie the night before his birthday & it got late-- they decided at this point- they probably wouldn't get up if they went to sleep. Instead of going to bed- they headed up to their favorite fishing spot. All they had on them was their poles & knives. They bedded down next to the fire they made, on the ground. 

When the sun came up & they could hear the fish jumping-

 they got up and within 15 minutes had each caught fish.

What else would you do with fresh fish on the morning of your 22 birthday?

Grill it on a make shift grill of course!

Man vs. wild has nothing on Jack & Corey.

A couple of months after Jack came home I was in getting my temple recommend renewed & I broke down & cried. I cried to the poor guy and said Why? Why did he have to get so sick in the service of God? He told me an amazing thing that has stuck with me-

He said, Jack has an adventurous spirit. He went places & talked to people other missionaries may not have been able to see. He wasn't afraid. He had what it took to put himself on the line. He will be blessed for being that missionary & he will be watched over by angels for the rest of his life. 

This rang true in my heart.

Writing this post reminded me of that interview & those words & yes-

 we all have different missions in our lives.

I hope I have the courage to follow through with mine.

Happy Birthday Jack

two babies

Finn on the left

Crew on the right-

they are easy to tell apart....

for now.

Finn has taken the lead with the weight gain- he's a whole 3 oz. bigger than the previously larger Crew.

Crew isn't quite sure what to think about that.

He's a deep thinker. 

On this day 

3-11-13

Their sweet mama was trying to sleep & I was purposefully keeping them awake--

hoping she could get a little more rest after a very un restful night.

Believe it or not- these little buggers will be one month old on Friday!

They sure are cute!

cooking class & babies

My March Cooking Classes are in full swing.

Here are a couple of shots of the kids cutting up veggies.

Last week we had a class all about getting more veggies into your life!

It is interesting & fun to see the kids react & try new things.

This week we worked on jazzing up our home lunches. Here the kids are cutting up veggies to go into tortilla wraps.

We made ham/turkey & cheese wraps with ranch & veggies

and pb & j wraps with banana- both great!

It's spring time in Megan's town & pretty close in our town.

I am getting lots of "at the park" pictures texted to me & I LOVE it.

Yesterday Chloe & I walked - yes walked, it was so nice outside!

Down to see the babies.

This was our welcome at the door!

Brian & Laura are such great parents.

(smiles from Finn)

Today I spent about 5 hours straight with them!

What a fun time- twins make single babies look easy.

These boys are so good though- really good babies.

Really lucky parents!

More on our visit in tomorrow's post.