Easter Events

I wish I could say this year was the year that I really planned up to Easter... but it seems that Ryan's work schedule has been worse lately and the book I bought last year to prepare just did not get pulled out in time. And truthfully I don't know that it was age appropriate. Maybe in a good 5 years.
The Easter Bunny visited on Friday afternoon... Tanner mentioned he thought the Easter Bunny might not be. We had Family Home Evening and then I took the kids to hide for the "game" while Ryan was supposed to hide their baskets. But I think he took too long. And Tanner did too. I think he was starting to put two and two together and so that prompted his question.

I tried to have some resemblance of an Easter Dinner, but my day had been busy with extra kids in the morning and so dinner did not seem too pulled together either. Ryan worked Saturday til 9pm and then left Sunday morning for the VA hopsital and met me early monday morning for Emma's tube surgery (that's another post) so that he could relieve me of Landon. The week before was stake conference, which we went to without him too and then Easter Sunday, and that left me thinking how I much I would love to live near a grandma's house. We did bring him dinner on Sunday and he did not get paged or interupted and so that was a successful visit.

For Family Home Evening, after Easter, I did do the scriptures with the 12 eggs (that mom shared with me and I found again here ). I do love these eggs and next year for certain they will be out and used much earlier.

Easter 2008

Love Notes

As I was at our Relief Society Birthday Celebration tonight I noticed in the far corner of the pocket of my apron which my Grandma had sent me this week, there was a slip of paper. I pulled it out thinking it was garbage and noticed the smallest, smallest little blue envelope with "Lacey" barely able to fit on the outside. I opened the envelope to find in my Grandma's handwriting, "You are loved by so many. I am proud to be your Grandma. Much love. " I know that I am most certainly not her only grandchild to recieve such a note- a glimpse of her heart. And I know that the many is really not too many. But in my own moments of all too often feeling pretty mediocre and drab and sometimes unimportant being "just a mom" she reminded me that I was her grandaughter first. That she sees me in such tenderness is quite poignant- isn't that how I feel about my own children? It is. And it was nice to remember and feel the pride and love of someone that has been so important in my life. I will try harder to remember that and not be so easily discouraged. I will treasure this little note from her always.

Spring Training 2008

Felt Like

Spring for a moment anyways- new bike needed for Tanner this year. He has grown so much from last year. Maybe for his impending Birthday we tell him ;) . He wants to know why the Easter Bunny can't bring him one? Ryan said he doesn't know what kind of Easter Bunny brings a basket like that. (If yours does, please don't tell.)

Thanks for your work postman

I found this on my door today... thank you Aunt Julie and D. Such a treat and thoughtful gesture- especially since this weekend will be a bit lonely since Ryan works all weekend and I know that Easter Egg Hunts are going on at various location with family members.

Thank you Grandma! I cried when I opened your box and found the toile apron. I love aprons and will think of you everytime I use it- and all of your "leftover" kitchen items.

Thank you mom for the brown bags and for the great books! I think the potty book has been definite incentive this week and the stickers are the best of all-
I got great wood blocks from this crafty lady in the mail this week too. Thank you Heidi! Far more than necessary.
And finally, a bit ago, my good friend Jocelyn sent me this Heather Baily toiletry clutch cause I mentioned I was always looking for one. As if she doesn't have enough to do... she is so giving with each of her talents.

Blogger OOPS

Sorry if people have had there names googled and found off my site! I have removed all last names of friends so that you won't be googled from me.... I forgot to put "No" on searchable option under settings as well. Big OOPs. Sorry. That has been changed!

IF

the Ear-Nose-Throat doctor tells me "only ONE in a hundred kids" has a polyp on the tube inside the ear that is formed due to the body rejecting the tube after many months and then causes minor but still necessary surgical removal, I should automatically know since Emma has these tubes, that she will be the ONE in a hundred kids. So, surgery is planned. It is minor- but certainly not to my Emma. And maybe not to me as I manage her.

I loved hearing...

Ryan knock on Emma's door (although it is rigged so it can't be shut) and I heard him say to her, "Honey, I'm home-" as he entered to play kitchen with her. She thinks he is more fun to play with than anyone in our home. Maybe because I did not have a father that played with me the same, I have found myself studying how they work and feel deep respect for the love and bonds that unite a father and daughter. The adoration in Emma's eyes, and in his eyes for her, always touches my heart. I cannot help but feel so thankful that these little people in my life have him.

LOST

Please return the ONLY set of car keys we have for Ryan's camry. He realized this morning at 7 that he could not find them and upon frantic searching I told him to take my car so he wouldn't be late. He asked me to "look for them please." I have torn apart this entire home. Cleaned as I have gone and finshed 4 large loads of laundry thinking they might be inside a stray pocket. I've asked Emma if she has seen them twice and she tells me they are "in the door" pointing to the nice Pottery Barn Keybox I bought for our home 8 years ago because this key losing situtation was far too regular. I checked in with Ryan at noon and told him I've looked everywhere (and I am house-stuck for the 4th day in a row) and he says....."I think I remember having them in my pocket when I was out in the snow on Saturday. We should look outside." Why didn't you call me earlier I asked? So....I'm offering a reward for their return so I don't have to share my car and continue this madness of pointless searching. Reward: My husband will mow your yard (front and back) all Summer long. I'm desperate.

Update: Found. I mentioned to Ryan all the places I had looked & that I told the neighborhood kids I would pay whomever found them outside five bucks. I told Ryan maybe he should re-trace his footsteps exactly "starting from the car. I looked out there, by the shovels, and your tools, but not under the car." Guess what? They were under the car. Ryan says he wants his finders reward of five bucks. I told him I'm running away from him tonight at 8:30 to be by myself (somewhere that they have carmel hot chocolate to pay myself the finders fee.)

Snow came our way...

Ryan was on-call and when he called home to check in he said his attending was stuck in the snow and he did not know when he would get off. (Ughhhhh... for me. Such long days, but hard on him too I know.) They sent the students home the day earlier and so he was pretty much working as a one-man team. He slept almost 4 hours and hadn't showered in 48 hours and when he got home I made him lunch and he did his wind-down routine of watching some EPSN game and then got up to shower and go to bed, I thought. But, I realized he put on his coat and went outside to play with Tanner. We got a foot or so on our driveway.


Putting this cute cone head happily to work...

And testing Ryan's fort-making skills. Tanner said he and the boy across the street did the base and "helped some". From inside the house I kept hearing a "wack" and assumed they were having a snowball fight.

The "wack" was the snow being packed into the cubes and the worker was 90% Ryan.

And the boys had fun and the fort/igloo/castle (says Emma) did not collapse on them.

But, Ryan collapsed in bed. I noticed he took some advil or something and when I came up to bed he was snoring. Was it the long shift or the endless shovels of snow? Maybe both. But, we have such a good dad in our home. He always finds time to play and work hard and our kids are blessed to have his example.

Worth Mentioning

- Landon was officially inducted into Nursery today. He did well, and certainly better than his older brother and sister ever did. Ryan reminded me we have a 3 month break until the new baby comes and I realized I am very unprepared and it stressed me a bit to hear it stated in such a way. So please don't.

- Baby #4 is still nameless.

- We had a pretty solo sang at church today. The song was sang so well and it was moving (thank you Holly!) . Emma noticed right away and turned to the pulpit to watch the singer and then looked at me and said, "Aghhh, like Cinderella!" and the singer was wearing a color that resembled purple and then she added, "A purple Cinderella!" The sweet spirit the singer brought touched my heart and even my little Emma's. I could tell- and what greater compliment could someone ever get from an almost 3 year old? Is not that the highest compliment ever?

- Emma tries to lift me when she wants me to do something for her right away and then says, "You're too heavy!". Great. I'll take the Cinderella compliment please.

- I'm working on scheduling Tanner for some week-long Summer camps. Just 2 or maybe 3. I just have no idea what to expect with my life. I will have a newborn, of which Ryan won't be able to take time off from work at all to help (and so Grandma Stephens/Mom you HAVE to come please!) And then a family reunion with just a 2 or 3 week old baby in California and then one in Idaho and Ryan has to fly back early for work. So, am I insane to think that I can travel all over the place with 4 kids but 2 of them lap children? That stresses me more than a bit. I'll stop thinking about it for the moment.

Future...

Guitar Hero Champ. He loves it, loves it, loves it. He tries to put his fingers in the right place too. He obviously can't play the game quite yet, but he thinks he is. He knows what closet it is stored in and stands at it and screams until I give in and give it to him. And, if someone takes it away from him (besides Ryan) you can hear me yelling over the screaming, "JUST GIVE IT TO HIM!"Too bad he has to share the only guitar in our house with his Dad. Actually, between the two of them, I'm not sure who likes it more.

He came-

just shy of leap year and to my brother-in-laws sweet little family. Their baby number 4 could have found no better home awaiting him.

Matix Joseph

February 28, 2008