Awesome April

April has been a pretty busy month so far.
Sarah came to visit for a week and we did lots of fun things!

The biggest news this month so far is that Ashlyn got baptized. Jody performed the baptism and it was a wonderful day. Ashlyn was breathtaking in her white dress, shoes, gloves, hairthing, new white earrings and necklace she got. I am so proud of her for making this decision!

Afterward in all white - pure and clean! When I was helping her get dressed she said she felt like she was in all-new "skin, breathing new air and in a new world!"

Before getting "dunked"

The kids colored eggs for Easter

We went to Papago park or Hole in the Rock.

The kids found a crater-like hole to sit in.

We went to see the traveling circus!

Here the girls are on an elephant ride - Cooper didn't want to have anything to do with it, so he jumped in the bounce house!

Goofing around waiting in line. We waited in line for an hour and a half! We were entertained by a traveling juggling unicycling clown.

Ashlyn found a llama that would let her hug it around it's long neck. She was in heaven as you can see!

March Monkeys

Happy St Patrick's Day! I made green eggs and ham for Cooper for breakfast! No one else wanted to touch the nasty green food! Haha! Cooper loved it though! That's ham cubes - the dying didn't go quite as well for the ham as the eggs. Complete with green plate and green shirt, Cooper!

Ashlyn also got her ears pierced this month. She ended up getting ruby earrings to represent her birth month July. She felt pretty! She didn't make one sound of protest. She was a little worried about it hurting but in the end, she said,"It wasn't so bad!" Of course she did have a couple of her favorite stuffed animals to keep her company and help her feel brave!

Cooper wanted a picture with Ashlyn.

After piercing

Before piercing

Ashlyn inspired Cooper to learn how to ride a two-wheeler by Februrary and so since the two of them were fighting over the bike, Ashlyn got a bike of her very own with the money she won for a Christmas coloring contest in December!

Also Ashlyn got the Student of the Month award at her school during the month of March. She got a certificate and a ton of free coupons for meals, pizza, ice cream at DQ, etc. plus she ate with the principal during lunch time that day and was treated like royalty.

Mama and I showed up to surprise Ashlyn at the special assembly where they announced her name as the student of the month.

February Fun!

I love this cute shot of Cooper dressed up as the Statue of Liberty! FUN!

Jody and I went to the Renaissance Festival for the first time this Feb. It was fun and here we caught a group of dressed up folks. We also both got hypnotized that day - sooo crazy fun!

I know it's hard to believe, but Jody and I actually went where there was snow. It wasn't too bad actually but I froze my toes off while sledding because my boots are not made for snow and cold. I promptly tossed them when I got home because I honestly NEVER wear boots here in AZ and even if I needed them some day they wouldn't help me for real! So - bu-bye boots! And on this hill the snow was so deep and every step up the hill went all the way up to my knees. I was exhausted by the time I reached the top! Below we are sledding down together on our separate tubes. haha!

Now this is an authentic "frozen" smile from me. It couldn't be helped!