A little cereal in a baggy, a sippee cup full of milk and some pbs, and I can get something done (for a minute or two) on a Monday morning. Olivia could watch Super Why and Dragon Tales for hours. Carter hasn't perfected the couch potato. He watches Elmo's world for a minute and then moves on to his next area of destruction.
All the boys in the neighborhood thought it was summer. I guess since it wasn't snowing and above 65 degrees there was a need to take off their shirts. They ran from house to house and through the park with water balloons and super soakers.
Now that is some sense of style. Carter's helmet and those glasses are fabulous! She came outside with her swimming suit in hand and wanted to put it on. I told her the boys were crazy and she should keep her clothes on.
After a really cold soccer day last saturday, it was fun to sit and watch the boys games in the warm sun. Here is another classic look from Jackson during half time.
Jackson is obsessed with soccer lately. He always wants to practice with anyone who will kick a ball around with him. He plays everyday at recess, too. The park behind our house has a soccer field, and he goes out by himself a lot to practice his power kicks. He told me today that he realized why he didn't used to be as good as he is now. He said it was because he never practiced.
Hayden is tons of fun to watch. He is so quick and aggressive. It seems like he is on the ground all the time.
After thinking last week that spring must really be here, I looked out the window and found snow coming down again. The weather this year is going to put me over the edge. I think I screamed out loud.
I guess Eric just can't get the scout master thing right, because he is now doing scouts in our new ward. We have been in 5 wards since we have been married, and this is the 4th time he has been 2nd counselor in young men's. Last Monday, Alec Howard came over to bring him a mentor award. Eric was his scout master 2 wards ago. Alec said more than 1/2 of his merit badges he got when Eric was his leader. 
I finally got the kids into get their hair cut. These pictures were taken just before bedtime, so they are not looking their best. Hayden has been begging to get his hair cut for a few weeks and Jackson has been begging not to ever get his hair cut. We went to great clips right before Hayden's baseball picture, so he was very excited. He wanted the lady to spike it up for him. I ruined his excitement when I reminded him that he was supposed to wear his baseball hat in the picture. I realized that Jackson and I made a bit of a scene as we were arguing after he was done with his haircut. He claimed it was the worst haircut ever. I told him the lady would fix it, but he claimed she would just make it worse. It is kind of a weird length. It would look better shorter (in my opinion) but he for sure won't go for that. All of his summer blond was finally cut off, so he's ready for it to get bleached out again. The lady who cut Olivia's hair couldn't get a word in. Olivia would not stop talking. She is hilarious. Our primary president called last week to ask the kids questions to do spotlights. She could not wait her turn when Hayden was talking. When she finally got on the phone, she wanted to tell the primary president everything--but not always what she asked her. When she was asked where she was born, she said Heaven. Then when asked what her favorite scripture story was, she told her she wanted to talk about something else. I guess you had to be there for the full effect. What are we going to do with our diva. She once told me, "Mom, if you could stop talking to me, that would be great!" She obviously did not like what I was telling her. 
We were so ready for a really warm weekend after our unseasonal snow this spring. It was mid-high 70's (not really a heatwave but much better than the past month) on Saturday and Sunday. It was nice to get a little burnt at our 3 soccer and 1 baseball games on Saturday. Besides the fact that we were rushing from one game to the next, it was a great day. It was cute little Hayden's very first baseball game, and he was so excited until he came downstairs for breakfast Saturday morning. His little leauge requires the boys to wear a cup. The poor 7 year olds. I had Hayden's in a pile with his clothes. He asked me what it was. I told him and he replied firmly that he was not wearing one of those. I convinced him, and then the whole game he walked kind of funny and looked like he was adjusting himself. At the end of the game he ran to the port-a-potty. I guess he couldn't get it off in time and wet his pants a bit. He was so upset and I felt so bad for him. He says he is not playing anymore if he has to wear one of those things. 
I forgot to take my camera to the Saturday games, so here are some pictures of Sunday afternoon. We went to the park behind the house for a game of catch with dad. Within minutes 4 neighbor boys had joined to tackle Eric. It is Hayden's favorite thing to do--playing with dad.
Olivia enjoyed it too. I had to keep reminding her to pull up her pants. That girl has no bum and I can't find pants that stay on her.
(A little out of order) Carter woke up with his eyes gooed shut. He couldn't even open them. I was surprised how happy he was, though. He was singing and laughing. I think I would be screaming if I couldn't physically open my eyes. It took me a long time to get them cleaned out and opened.
Jackson wanted to take a picture of me to put on the blog. Lovely, I know. I was just sustained yesterday as our new ward's enrichment leader. I really don't know what they were thinking. I blurted out to the bishop when he asked me,"Are you serious?" I am going to need to pray a lot!!!
Jackson is always on his bike riding around the park or the neighborhood with the neighbor boys.
If Carter sees one of the kid's helmets, he freaks out until he can get it on his head. It makes him so happy no matter where he is. It was cute to see Carter in this outfit, becasue it was Jackson's back when we lived in Texas and then Hayden's. He is the only one who kept his Sunday clothes on all day. 
Whenever I push Olivia on the swing she tells me she wants it like daddy does it. I evidently can't push her just right.
Look..... there is a picture of Eric. Jon Bailey wondered if Eric was still in the family, since he was not represented in the blog. I have since put the family picture at the top. 
Okay bloggers....... I started a blog 2 days ago and I am already getting complaints that I need to keep up on my blog. This blogging stuff is pretty intense. I started looking at friends blogs and an hour later I decided I better be a mom. This is what happened at our house while I was on the computer. Carter tried to help me.....
Then he got really mad when I was ignoring him . I was a little too into everyone's blogs and not into taking care of Carter. Then the boys got home from school and I gave them each a 1/2 of a donut left over from the morning. Olivia had a huge tantrum, because she didn't get any of their donut--- even though she had just had more than them right before they got home. I put her in time out in her room. I started looking at everyone's blogs again. Time passed and I realized I hadn't heard Olivia in a while and had forgot to get her out of timeout. I went upstairs to check on her.
She was fast asleep in her bed. I am such a great mother!!
My first picture woke her up and she is now asking me what I am doing. I go back downstairs and ask Jackson why he is not doing his homework.
"I can't concentrate on my homework, because my tooth is about to fall out. It hurts too bad."
"I also can't eat dinner. I have to just eat my left over blizzard. Dinner would hurt my tooth too much!" (How do you flip pictures right side up by the way?)
This picture was actually taken a few weeks ago while I was trying to do laundry, but it just confirms what a great mom I am!!!
This is a view of our back yard. It is also just a bunch of dirt. Thank goodness we have the park behind our yard for the kids to play in.
This is the kids with their cousins Malik and Rhys at the children's museum in SLC over spring break.
The kids love aunt Hillary's dog Toby. Carter especially loves to play in Toby's kennel.
Carter and Olivia used their Cousin Camden and Owen's Easter baskets as hats during our visit.
After about 20 different friends and family members have told me I "have to get a blog," I decided to finally start one. I don't know how to do anything fun or exciting yet. I just followed the steps, so hopefully you will see much improvement in the next few months. I guess something is better than nothing. This is a picture taken 2 weeks ago on Easter morning. My kids are pretty darn cute. I still can't get used to shaggy hair being the style. Jackson (9) says his hair looks good, but I am definitely not convinced. Hayden (7) is smiling and happy as usual. Olivia (4) --by some miracle-- is wearing her glasses. Carter has not ripped them off her face. No one has sat on them or stepped on them, and we didn't have to say a prayer to find them. It is no surprise that Carter (18 mo) has a ball in his hands.
Who knew that we would be searching for Easter eggs with snow on the ground. It didn't seem to stop the kids, but I was grumpy with our early Easter and snowy weather.
Doesn't every little girl want a shovel for Easter? Olivia was obsessed with getting a shovel. She talked about it all the time, so what was the Easter Bunny to do?
Carter is our little Hayden. I call him Hayden all the time by accident. He looks a ton like Hayden did at that age. Hayden was much calmer and easier to take places. Church is for sure not a relaxing experience.
My in-laws Anita and Ron came for Easter to visit us in our new house. We were in the middle of trying out different fireplace and mantle decorations when this picture was taken. I still don't know what to put there. Any ideas????
My 3 boys...... Carter, as usual, has a bump on his forehead. I guess it is the age, but I have never seen a kid that climbs, falls, crashes and climbs again more than he does. This picture shows another view of Jackson's scroungy hair look. His mom really does care about him, but I don't know how much longer I will last before I make him get a haircut.
The boys found their roller-blades down in the theater room. They wanted them to ride in the park behind our house.
