The kittens are here!

On Tuesday, April 21st, James discovered this on his way out to work.  

5 kittens!

It's amazing to watch Mato's motherly instincts.  

 

BEFORE

On Wednesday, April 22nd, Bryant was "bonded."  He wasn't too happy that day.  In fact I think the direct quote was, "You can have my good attitude back in 2 years."  Now we have two metal mouths.

Just in time for his 12th birthday!

He decided to postpone his birthday mud pie until Sunday when it wasn't so painful to eat.

He woke up on his birthday at Teancum Timbers.  James had taken Talmage, Bryant, and Hyrum up for the annual clean-up. 

Mato is still very protective of the little guys, but allowed Rex and Lyle to hold her kittens this morning. Twins holding twins.

Finally Seeded

We started putting in the solid set the first week of April last year.  Yesterday, the seed went down.  That was after A LOT of prepping for the last 3 weeks.  Raking, and raking, and raking, and raking.  Talmage was out with James ALL DAY yesterday.  He was so exhausted, he fell asleep on the cement floor last night.  Today he is limping around a bit.  He was sitting on the back of the 4-wheeler on a 2X6 that was connected to a chain.  The 2X6 extended a ways out on each side of the 4-wheeler and as James was going past the play set, it caught and flipped Talmage off backwards.  He popped right up and said he was fine, but he's feeling it a little today.

Sunday before naptime. Some things just make me very happy.

Tonight was Bryant's Priesthood Preview.  Talmage is the Deacon's Quorum President that spoke at the Priesthood Preview.  Bryant will turn 12 on Saturday.  It happens to be the annual Teancum Timbers clean-up so James will likely take Talmage and Bryant up the night before to camp since Bryant needs one more camp-out to achieve his next Boy Scout rank.

Spring Break

After living with a yard full of 4 feet tumbleweeds, we knew what we were doing this Spring Break.  The fun part of it was having our sidewalks poured.  Other than that, it was A LOT of weeding, raking, burning, and good wholesome work in the sunshine.

The kids were pretty sure this is not what "Spring Break" was supposed to be about.

So, feeling a little guilty, I took them to three restaurants Friday afternoon to claim all their "freebies" they had earned at school...

...and hiking up Badger Mountain on Saturday morning before General Conference.

It was one of the prettiest Badger Mountain hikes I remember.  Little wild flowers everywhere, hardly any wind, and tiny, little prairie dog creatures we'd never seen up there before.  

On our way down, we saw a young family, mother and father each carrying a little one, and they looked like they were second guessing their decision to hike.  She made a comment like, "So someday they all walk on their own huh?"  I smiled and nodded, but told her we'd been there before, "Hang in there."

April Fool's Day

I don't know how late Talmage was awake putting together his "fools" but this is what we woke up to the first day of April.

Not to mention, we couldn't find him that morning.

Bryant and Sariah caught the spirit and visited the Freeman's house while they were on vacation.

Lyle Style

Lyle announced himself one Sunday morning, "Lyle Style" and took a bow.  

I'm sure someone prompted the words, but no one prompted the grin and the twinkle.

39 Years Old

Another batch of my favorite things.

A priceless gift from Lizza, a few photos with my Grandmas at my birthday party.

I am so proud to be her descendant.  She was 50 years old when I was born, but I'm sure she was buzzing around like a 30-year-old.

Friday the 13th

At Dr. Almond's for the first time.

Just before the pain set in.

He chose black and gold for his first set of rubber bands.

Baby Chicks

Our neighbors, the Freemans got baby chicks.  We had to check them out.

The chick is cute, but not cuter than that grin and those freckles!

Husband/Wife Conference

Bless Aunt Haley for taking on the crew while James and I went to Seaside, OR for our Seminary and Institute Husband & Wife Conference.

You'd never know James had double hernia surgery one week prior to him crawling around on the ocean rocks so he could get this picture for his kids.

"Precious and few are the moments we two can share."

National Pancake Day

The Pinewood Derby and the flu for the last two years has robbed us of this favorite tradition.  The kids were excited to introduce it Rex and Lyle.

Early Spring

We had such beautiful days in February, I kept telling the kids, enjoy them, they won't last.  However, it never really got cold again.  It's been wonderful to be outside.  (Hopefully it was cold enough sometime over the winter that the spiders died.)

President's Day we got invited to the Woodward's Pool.  Heaven for little guys in the middle of winter.  Hyrum's toothless grin makes me so happy.

Swim trunks and irrigation boots on our early spring walk.

Valentine's Day

Bryant wanted a steak dinner for Valentine's so our kids had steak for the first time.

We've come a long ways with this boy and what he will eat!

Each day from Feb. 1st to Valentine's Day I tuck a note and a treat in the pocket of a Valentine's Pillow for each of the kids.  These were the priceless notes that Bryant wrote to the kids one day I asked him to substitute for me.  They are all great, though probably too small to read, except for one, which I'm guessing you can tell he wrote to himself.

Stephen Allen Hales

 The morning after Ada was born we received an email from Mom Hales that Stephen had passed away.  Only 5 days prior, we had learned that our good friends the McBrides had lost their son Nathan while he was serving in Mexico.  The end of January was very emotional for me.  

Winter Wrap Up

 When Bryant saw these get-ups at the Dollar Store, he couldn't resist.  Rex and Lyle loved them.

My Winter Brag Line before I took it down.  Very blessed to have kids with such good minds.

Ada Danielle Wells

January 21st she finally came, Ada Danielle.

Since we aren't close enough to have our own pictures with Ada, this is the one I'm posting.  

Something about Kase being a dad really makes me tickled. 

I'm so happy for he and Brielle. 

(Every time we facetime, Ada is bright-eyed.)