April stuff n stuff

Alyssa took the above shot of Cali, and I snapped below of her in my boots.  She really likes to be fancy.

The pinewood derby was tough this year.  Tyler's car had a malfunction and didn't do so well.  These images break my heart reliving it, but I was so proud of him for keeping it cool, though I know he hurt inside.  He kept going.  There was 1 car that was slower.

Hoping....

After, the boys all played basketball and he got super sweaty (he didn't want to take off his jacket).  He got his certificate and this is the car.  He and his dad only got 2 days to work on it after our trip to Utah, just not so much time to work out the kinks.

Matthew lost his 2 front teeth.  I love how it looks, but it lasted a short 2 weeks.

Alyssa all fancied up for the neighborhood egg hunt.

The kids were very excited about our own family egg hunt.  They wanted us to hide the eggs inside b/c it was more challenging and fun.

Cali found a Bakugan.

And Matthew's eggs...

This shot below is hilarious.  Not sure why  Alyssa is crying and Matthew celebrating, but it captures a moment that just makes me smile.

Cousin Bennet came with his parents for Easter/General Conference.  He is wearing an outfit we gave him that Tyler wore as a baby.  I love that they brought him in that.  He is so cute and made me remember my boys being so small.

I love cousins playing together.

Gave our fish with the cancerous growth away to my friend, Amy.  She is the daughter of Tyler's kidnergarden teacher and we've stayed in touch with my photography.  I posted on facebook that we were looking for a new home for our fish, and she said she and her boyfriend would take him.  Glad she is excited:)  My boys still haven't asked where the fish is--2 weeks later.

Bye bye, Tyler-Matthew, the fish. It's been a good 4 years.  Given to us by our friends the Lloyds when they moved (their son named the fish after our boys). 

I met a fellow photographer for breakfast when she came to Austin.  She is Wendy Whitacre with Blue Lily Photography.  She did portraits for Nie Nie several times.  Always fun to talk shop, and she is also a member of our church, so a double nice chat from someone who gets what I do.

Artwork from Matthew

We went to look at wood and the kids loved this giant guitar made out of wood samples. 

I am LOVING me soon-to-be kitchen!!!!!  At the last minute, I upgrade our kitchen backsplash.  I always wanted it, but way back in September when we made our choices, we didn't fit in that upgrade.  But I knew I wanted it and kept dreading the tile that would go in.  When I saw what they did to our original home lot, it was in the middle of what I wanted and what we were getting...so I begged and pleaded and batted my eyes at Michael, and he agreed.  Really, I RARELY beg and plead and I really didn't do that, I just emphasized strongly how much I wanted it, and we decided to do it.

I get all squeely inside when I think of it.

I dropped the girls off at a friends home and checked the boys out of school early to see the Diary of a Wimpy Kid movie.  It had been out 3 weeks and though they had mentioned they wanted to see it, they didn't beg because we don't normally see movies at the theater.  I wanted to take them on a special outing and this is what we did. I love these boys, and to do this with them was as special treat.

My friend Tamiel is a self proclaimed packing professional.  She's come a few times to help me and I am SO grateful!

My sticker list we are putting on boxes to make unloading easier.

So professional, I tell ya.

We were pregnancy buddies with our babies due a day apart.

Lilli and Alyssa had nearly unlimited pretzels to keep them company. 

Cali and Kemp had a grand old time with the collapsed boxes.

Trampoline fun--the kids love to bring Cali on.

We went on an outing with our friends the Wilkinson's.  It was an hours drive away to 25 acres full of bluebonnets and longhorns.  We all at at McD's which apparantly was a higlight b/c of the pics, right?

Look at Michael  holding the catsup packet...ok?

Michael took a bunch on the little camera and I took a bunch on the big camera.

It was really fun to hang with the longhorns....

One of my favorite landscape shots from the day.

How about a Cali's almost 1 shot?  She's waving, a fun trick she does now.

I love this shot I got of the kids below.  To see more of our adventures on this outing, click here.

This is how I found Tyler when we got home.  That can't be comfortable. It was a long day.