April Part I

No.  We don't want our life to calm down.  We liked April.  Yes I know it's now May 6th but I did start writing in this blog 2 weeks ago so that counts.
When we started on the building of our home things were really hectic.  It felt like we spent hours stressing over the details of the home.  We often went on day trips to get relief from the stress of building a custom home.  We were one minded on FINISHING the Home so we could just sit back, relax, perhaps pick up on the adding more kids to our little family and not stress about our living conditions.  We wanted a comfortable place where we could stay in all day long and love it.  Yeah right!
  That's not really in our nature I guess.  Yes we do have a lovely home that we love so so much.  Yes our lives are calmer now, no building and planning stress.  Yes we could spend all day inside because we love it.  No, there's no such thing as staying inside all day long for the Seattle Stevens.  We simply love to play.

 Because the kids are not allowed to bounce on the beds and sofas around here, we took them to the bouncy house again.  We might as well get a membership there because the kids LOVE it.  My friends Michelle and Harmony know this and invited us twice this month to go there.  We went one of those times.

 Conference was so great this year.  It was our first in our house and our first on the HTPC Dan built.

A Very Happy Birthday
April was so full of events that I'm going to split it into two parts.  Part one started with my birthday since that was on the 2nd of April. Most of my friends around here were available to celebrate it with me so we all took the celebration to a very fun place in town.  Triple XXX.  The name says it all. It was a riot and it needed to be that way since this is the last year of me being in the 20's.  I can't believe I'm that old already and that I have 2 kids!!!  I still feel like I just left college.  Most people think I look 21.  Thank goodness I haven't practiced with my MA degree in counseling yet because I don't think people will listen to what I have to say judging by my age and little expertise.

 Just look at my meal!!

 We all had a root beer

 They brought out the hat, glasses, and ice cream and I couldn't help but feel like a dork.

 Gifts from my sweetheart and family

He made my FAVORITE cake --Warm caramel ginger cake.

 So many flowers from my friends

 EASTER EGG HUNT

Little sister first while big sister was in school

Adventures Kids Spring Festival and Egg Hunt

A little ride to the carnival in the Fireman's truck.  Reena was a fan.  Debrie, not so much,.

 

Obstacle courses

Oh no!!  Watch out for my bum!!

Reena got to control this robot.  She stood in line for this and was very patient.  So cool.  After this she really wanted to build a robot with her daddy.  Dan spent hours looking up robotic stuff.

Games and bouncy houses.  What's more fun than that for a kid?!

So happy to be here.

Easter Egg trick or treat?  At the village stores.  I could spend a whole day at all the unique  shops they have here.

We had a wonderful dinner at Dave and Kim Stevens house, our cousins, for Easter.  The kids had a wonderful time as usual and we finally got to meet sweet Kelsey for the first time.

10 Years Later
I met up with another friend from High School this month.  It was so great to see her.  She and I went out to lunch and I brought my 2 kids with me and almost scared her of ever wanting kids.  She thought they were cute but we did not have a peaceful lunch.  It was interrupted many times with this and that.  See, according to Mormon standard I'm super slow in popping out the kids, but to my HS friends I'm super fast.  Since I'm a convert to the faith, most of my friends are non-members.  Most of them just barely got married.  Some are still not, just dating.  My friend Sang here is one of those.  Still in the dating stage like the other 33 percent of my friends.  Only a handful have kids.  I'm the one with the most and I'm taking 3-4 years between kids and after marriage.

 

 Science Day

We've finally settled in our house (hopefully no more moving for the next 40 years) and have started planting some fruit trees.  We've put in 4 way cherry tree, apple, 4 way pear, peach and hardy kiwi, and grape vines.  We also started trying for another baby for a couple of months now so keeping our fingers crossed.  I'm still training for the Marathon in the interim.  Still can't decide if I want to sign up for the Logan, UT one with my sis or just run to Seattle and that's 26 miles and call it good.  With all the scary baby news in Dan's side of the family, I'm scared.  Boy or girl I think I just want a healthy pregnancy and baby when it happens. With the pattern I see in my family, it'll probably be 2 more girls, though I'd like to see God prove me wrong and we could balance our family a little with a boy.  Dan loves his two little princesses though and doesn't mind. I'm the one that's surrendering :).  But I do love my beautiful girls.  They are priceless!!

I showed them how much I love them by driving to Home Depot, picked up some materials and put together a sand box for them to play with one afternoon.  Moments I don't want to forget.

I had a chance to substitute for a friend and taught preschool for her for a few weeks.  Brie got to know a few other kids in her yet-another-preschool.  This kid will hopefully be smart.

I remember now why I love living here.  Spring is so gorgeous it melts my heart every time I go for a drive or jog around the neighborhood.  There are so many different shades of green and red, yellow, blue, purple, pink.  Beautiful camellias, rhododendrons, magnolias, cherry blossoms, hydrangea and so many of my favorite native flowers blooming.  The leaves on our plants are becoming more visible and it is exciting to watch it grow.  The earth is so beautiful.

That concludes our first part of April 1-12.  Stay tuned for part II of April 12-30 Spring Break 2012