April

So apparently once-a-month blogging is the new way around here. Some of my favorites from April:

Parker and Claire playing video games together

 Some Angry Birds hooded towels I sewed for a school auction

 The view from my favorite cross country ski trail

 Partying with some friends before saying good-bye to our good friends, the Ottes

 Mommy and Clairey!

 Went for a very emotional run the day of the Boston Marathon. So grateful that my dad, who was there running the race, and many other members of my family, who were there watching, made it through their trip safely.

 Cute playdate with friends - all lined up watching a movie. Why sit in a row on the couch when one long line will do? Especially love Tobe playing with Claire's hair.

 Playing outside - crazy kids not wearing jackets! It was 8:30pm in this picture, by the way. Staying light nice and late!

 Claire basking in the sun.

 Cleaned their room yesterday. So what's a girl to do? Run around in circles while chatting on a fake cell phone, of course!

 Parker getting outside and playing catch with James.

 Little twins!

Easter

We've had a pesky, strange spring this year in Alaska. It keeps getting really warm and melting all the snow, then dumping a whole bunch more. So Easter weekend we had a TON of brand new snow, but it was warm and gorgeous out.

So we had a little outdoor egg hunt with the cousins in the snow.

We did the obligatory egg-dying.

 Claire, for some reason, was really excited to put her dyed egg inside this plastic egg.

We took some quasi-successful pictures of the kids before we went to church.

And we went over to my Grandma Teddy's for yet another egg hunt.

I think we've got enough candy to last until Halloween.

Happy 6th Birthday, Parker!

Oh, that pesky 6th birthday - when they turn from little kids into big kids. And with Parker, I swear, it happened almost overnight. Look at this big kid. Isn't he getting handsome? This picture seriously brings tears to my eyes.

As a big-boy 6-year-old, Parker has retained all the qualities that have made me cherish him so much over the years, ones I feared he might lose as he grew older. He is mellow. He is creative. He is kind. He is a great brother.

But now he is so much more, and I love getting to know more of his personality as he gets older. He loves math. He loves designing and building, and wants to be an archi-neer (architect/engineer) when he grows up. He is obsessed with hockey, ice skating, and playing in the snow. He is a great reader. He loves school, particularly music, Social Studies, and Science. He has loved reading the Book of Mormon with our family this year, and is always the first to remind us if we forget.

 He is such a cool kid, and I am proud to be his mom. As hard as this transition into big-kid-hood sometimes is for me, I can't wait to see who he grows into. Because who he is so far is pretty dang awesome.

Spring Break!

Every year on Spring Break, I'm insistent that we get outside. It just seems wrong somehow to spend your whole Spring Break indoors, even if it 30 degrees outside! So today we took the cousins and met some friends at a local elementary school. The kids ran around for a few hours while James and I froze our buns off.

February Happenings

I just realized that I was so concerned about making the slideshow for the 500th Post-iversary that I never posted any actual pictures from February. Here's what we were up to...

Claire was her typical cutie self...

 We did a lot of ice skating. All the kids have improved so much this year. Parker, especially, has taken to skating super fast and aggressively, and has announced that he is ready to start hockey.

 We took the kids to a cross country ski day where the older kids tried out some skis...

 ....and Claire spent a lot of time laying down in the snow.

 James and I also started cross-country skiing. It's such a great way to get out and enjoy the winter and the beauty of Alaska, not to mention a great workout. Loving it!

The girls dressed up all cute for Valentines Day.

James got these fabulous Forever Lazy things for me for my birthday. Awesome! Just what every Alaskan needs!

 

 Marci and I took the big girls out on a  cross-country ski loop. It was a little long for them.

 Claire was a kitty.

 And the kids had duct tape day at school and looked darling!

Happy February!