Real Spring

We have had some beautiful days this week, nice enough for the boys to wear shorts to school---about which they are thrilled.

Thursday, for instance. It was a gorgeous day and Hyrum had taken a long morning nap so I knew he wasn’t going to go down while Sariah was sleeping. I took him outside, put a hat and sunscreen on him and let him independently explore the backyard for the first time. I worked on cleaning out the flower bed along the house, but what I was most attentive to was my baby boy as he spent time in bark, pea gravel, grass, on cement, trying to climb a ladder, and all else by which he was fascinated. In his little hat, the vision was priceless. He is making the transition from quadruped to biped as vehicle of choice.

Bryant is learning all kinds of expletives at school and reporting to me daily. Uggh. He's into baseball right now and we've spent several afternoons this week playing catch. Talmage isn't quite as practiced at catching and took a hardball to the face yesterday.

This is Talmage last night. He finished the fifth Harry Potter this week, and pictured is the sixth.


Prior to this we had initiated the fire pit. We sat around, the kids in their jammies, reading by the light of the flame. We all love it.

Sariah Salon

James and I both had our hair and make-up done tonight.

Sariah was phenomenal today. Pleasant, patient, helpful, and happy.

She cracked me up a few times too. She said, "Vard is the most taller and Kase is the most strongest."

New Cousin

Yesterday, when they went to bed, the kids knew that Uncle Severin and Aunt Haley had gone to the hospital to have their baby. Sariah was the only one still awake in bed when the phone call came. She was so excited to hear she had a new GIRL cousin! In fact, as soon as she woke up this morning, she wanted to go and hold her. We decided to wait until the boys got out of school on an early release, and we all drove up to Moses Lake to see our new baby cousin! She really is precious, and the kids could all feel that special feeling that comes when holding such a new one. Sariah held her at least 3 times during the course of our short visit.



Congratulations Severin and Haley!

On the way home, since the Moses Lake McDonald's wouldn't honor the kids apple dipper coupons, I sprung for fries and water. In my rear view mirror I watched Hyrum LOVE his first exposure to fries. He couldn't get Talmage to hand them to him fast enough. I also saw Bryant rip his fry bag open and lick it!

Snowy Spring Break

The week we look forward to for so long is coming to a close.

We wanted to take the kids on a day trip sometime during the week and early on it looked like today was going to sport the best weather. We have had fairly sunny days, although cool and sometimes windy, all week. Today we woke up to overcast and threatening rain. Being our last opportunity however, we packed for cold weather and headed out to conquer our plans---a hike up the bluff across from Vantage to see the Wildhorse statues.

It was raining as we left and about halfway into our hour and a half drive the rain turned to snow! Real snow on April 2nd! The kids were loving it. We couldn't have planned for anything more exciting for them. Our skepticism about our hike was doused in the carols of "It's Beginning to Look a lot like Christmas" and "Jingle Bells." When we pulled up to the bottom of the bluff we asked the kids if they wanted to hike in the snow. Not a moment's hesitation. They donned their layers and were rearing to go. After James spent a minute out of the van he suggested I stay with Hyrum. So, Hyrum and I watched from the van with binoculars as the adventurists hit the trail.


I wondered from my post how long the gaiety would last in the wet cold. I needn't have feared. They came back as happy as they left.

Sariah was ready to warm up in the van, but when I suggested I'd like to make the hike while they picnicked in the van, Talmage and Bryant were eager for round two. I was happy to have their company.


When I had imagined our Spring Break day trip, I had envisioned short sleeves, caps, water bottles and perhaps the year's first application of sunscreen. It didn't exactly turn out that way, but I don't think anyone was disappointed with snowballs and Christmas carols. In fact, James instigated the Hales spirit fingers. When he calls "spirit fingers!" everyone's arms go up in the air like we are riding a roller-coaster and we have a with a quiet scream.

Great fun.

IHOP

The boys both had fantastic reports from their teachers during parent-teacher conferences last week. We decided to take them to IHOP this week during Spring Break as a reward for their good behavior and hard work. (IHOP is the only place we can go where everyone will eat happily.) On the way, as a reminder, James asked, "Does anyone know why we are going to IHOP?" Bryant jumped right in and responded, "For our good report cards." Without hesitation, Sariah puzzled added, "Oh, I thought we were going for dinner." Every day that little girl has at least one one-liner that is a guaranteed hearty laugh.