I just LOVE surprises

Last week, my kiddos and I kissed my sweetie good-bye, sent him on his way, packed up our bags and boarded an airplane. Our destination: SLC! The fun part wasn't the plane ride (which wasn't SO bad). The fun part was that only my parents knew I was coming--no one else. I just love keeping secrets!

Alex and Uncle Paul

Nora, Jerusha, and Alex

Grant the dinosaur

Yeah, I know.

Me and my completely oblivious sisters. (Sorry Rachel, I don't know how you didn't make it in this picture. You were probably chasing my kids around the house.)

The second (or should I say fourth?) surprise was the hardest, and most fun to keep.....

11 weeks down, 25 to go....

I am a linguist

If you were to ask my kids what they ate for dinner tonight, this is what they would've said:

Alex: Manoni

Nora: Whack-da-noni

Grant: Macaroni

Somehow I don't remember 'interpreter' or 'linguist' being on the job description. It's just one of the perks of on-the-job training.

Growing up

I just love Spring...

Double Trouble

A few weeks ago, I packed up my kids and headed South. We bugged my in-laws in SC for a few days, then bugged my Aunt Julia in GA for a few more days, bugged Leisel (also in GA) for a few days after that, then headed back North. Anyway, my aunt recently had a set of twins. Boy and girl. They make babies #5 and #6. (It makes me tired thinking about it...Julia, you ROCK!) I had a great time. Here are the babies....

At first I thought they looked just alike, but I'm thinking they don't so much anymore. What do you think? They were probably a little under 5 lbs in these pictures. I love how the carseats just swallow them up! So, these are my newest cousins. Tell me, how many people do you know that are closer in age to their aunts and uncles than they are to their cousins? These poor kids will be so confused when they get older. Oh well. Makes life much more fun!

I love ya Jules, can't wait to see you again!

It was time...

My baby, well, my baby just isn't a baby anymore.

He, his daddy, and his big brother hit up the NEX barber shop for the big first haircut. I nearly cried when he came running down the grocery store aisle shouting 'mommy, mommy, haircut' and he looked like a different child. ahhhh.

Oh the silliness!

The other night Shawn and I were in the kitchen, Nora was in the bathtub, and Grant and Alex were playing some boy-ish game upstairs. We suddenly heard Grant shout, "Mom, Alex is in the bathtub!" I looked at Shawn (at the computer) and gave him the, 'well, go on, go get him' look, and he looked back at me (at the sink doing dishes) and said, "He said Mom". So up the stairs I scooted only to find this....

Thanks camera-man Shawn for saving the day!