It's Spring!!!!

I am so happy that it has finally warmed up for the kids to enjoy playing outside and for me to open all the windows and air out the house. Our backyard has been full of friends lately... playing football, digging in the giant dirt pit (trampoline hole), swinging on the swingset, and playing basketball. The newest attraction to our backyard is "our" cat named Trigger. It wandered into our yard and has been getting so much attention that it just keeps on coming back. Maybe the plentiful food source is part of the reason (we have a serious infestation of voles). I'm seriously allergic to cats, so its been kind of nice to have Trigger helping out with our vole problem without feeling the true obligation of a pet owner. The kids are enamored with having a "pet"- until Trigger decides to return back to his unknown owner.

Prepare yourself for an overload of baby pics - Alyssa started clapping when I took her outside and I couldn't decide which pictures were my favorite so I posted them all.

Look I found some dirt! Do you think it tastes as good as carpet fibers??? Let me find out.
Alyssa adores Rebecca - sometimes she even prefers her over me!
Look at all those teeth. She finally is learning to enjoy "real" food and has learned to let out some pretty loud screeches at the dinner table when she sees us eating something she wants.




I'm a bulb lover! It's so nice to have the yard decorate itself in the spring without me doing any work. They were definitely worth the investment.




Emily was so excited to have her hair fixed "cheerleader style" today.

Surprise!

The other day Emily took me downstairs to show me a little surprise. I was preparing myself for the worst based on her "surprise" a few days before when she dumped out the dirty laundry and toys all over Alyssa's room so she could build a fort out of baby blankets, the empty toy box and laundry hamper.
But when she led me into the "unfinished" playroom I was totally shocked to find that she had been busily working to clean up and organize all of the toys to surprise me. I love how she stacked up her dishes just like mine - plates on the bottom from biggest to smallest and cups up above. She's so sweet!

Easter 2011

This year we decided to relax a bit and stay at home for Easter. We enjoyed going to a "Walk with Christ" presentation about the Savior's life at one of the Stake Center's (church). On Saturday we did the usual, egg coloring and Easter egg hunt. Now that the snow is all gone we discovered that our backyard is full of very clever "hiding spots" thanks to the voles who are trying to take over our yard.
Rebecca enjoys giving her names cute little names like Sophie, Zu-Zu, etc.

Emily wanted to all dressed up for the occasion -
and then climb into our "trampoline" hole looking for eggs with her fancy dress on....
AAAAAHHHH!
Rebecca was so competitive about finding the "bonus" eggs she didn't have time to smile for the camera.
Not much signs of new life on our trees for Easter... but at least there's no snow.





So now I just have to put the finishing thoughts into my "Easter" Relief Society Lesson
entitled "O That Cunning Plan of the Evil One." I think whoever picked the topic months ago didn't realize it would fall on Easter Sunday!

Monoscholothysynthesitis???

I found the following typed note in Rebecca's backpack this morning:

Dear MRS. Byverson,
ItShas come to our attention that our daughter Rebecca neal has a rare disease. called monoscholothysynthesitis. SO SHE cannot go to school. Don't bother sending homework home with her. JUST SEND HOME SOME OF THE hot lunch. IT is proved to be wondrous t oher health.
SINSERLEE HEIDI AND JARE D NEEALLLL

Apparently Rebecca is really enjoying the new typewriter that Jared brought home from work for her. She's intelligent enough to know this wouldn't go over with her teacher... and just wanted to have some fun showing it to her friends. They were selling a of a few unused items at his office and when she heard about the typewriter she begged me to convince him to bring it home for her. I think she likes it more than her Christmas presents... although it took me while to figure out how to use a typewriter again so I could show her.

Why do shots have to be so poky????

Emily went to get her Kindergarten shots this morning and it was pretty traumatic for her. When her sobs subsided the first thing she said was, "Why do shots have to be so poky? It didn't help that her little sister started to scream before the shots even began and soon the 2 girls were screaming in chorus in the little room. So Emily and I had a little "tea party" to help ease the pain of the day and get her smiling again.

Alyssa's Accomplishments

Alyssa has been busy at our house lately.... too busy!
She learned to crawl a few weeks ago and has been getting into trouble ever since. She doesn't care much for regular food other than milk- but she sure has a knack for inspecting the carpet for little particles of yarn, plastic, paper, food - whatever the vacuum missed - and popping them in her mouth. I've quickly discovered that my house is not very "baby-proof."
She has learned how to wave "hi" after a lot of training from her siblings.
She especially loves hanging out with her big sister Rebecca who is anxious to hear her cry in the morning so she can get her out of her crib to play.
And she loves to yank her pigtails and hairbows out to create her own new WILD look!

Skipping to Grandma

Yesterday when I was making lunch Emily piped up with this comment,
"I want to skip being a mom and just become a grandma."
When I asked her why she replied, "Because mom's have to do what their kids say."..............
I think she has the order on that a little mixed up!
But after being woken up 3 times last night by my cranky teething baby and then having everyone "need me" to help with breakfast, lunches and hair fixing the thoughts of skipping to grandmotherhood started sounding pretty nice.
After the older kids headed off to school I gave Alyssa a bath and she looked just so adorable discovering the fun of splashing in the water.
Too bad I can't be on the "every other day" plan............. one day a grandma who can take naps and read scriptures without interruptions, the next day a mom who can be rejuvenated enough to just enjoy those priceless moments that motherhood brings.