Easter 2016

Ha! I'm writing this less than a month after Easter.  I'm so behind recording our life events that I feel that being less than a month behind is a major accomplishment!

Margaret and Alex visited during Easter.  That made it extra special, especially for Nickles who thinks Pierce is totally awesome!  The kiddos all love spending time together, so each year it seems like we kinda just let them get a bunch of cousin time in, despite it adding to the craziness.

Easter morning is so special...getting up early and going to Mass.  Jesus Christ is Risen Today has to be one of my favorite songs.  One Easter the organist didn't play it and it felt like complete apostasy! But more than the traditions, the knowledge that Jesus died, then rose again just for me fills my heart with hope.....hope that, despite being steeped in sinfulness, He can make all things new.
Allelulia!!

 

 Onto more temporal matters ~

we dye to blessed many eggs every year. 

Really we do.

23 dozen.

And I put five dozen I boiled back in the fridge.

Everyone starts out with a bang and after the first few dozen the bloom is off the rose.

Who knew dying eggs could become a chore??

Phu-ewtsa!  We're done!

Easter bread wreaths ~

They sure were yummy ~

 Reaching toward heaven ~

Uncle Ben is often more comfortable around the littles ~

These two worry me!

On your mark.

Get set.

GO!

Just because this made me giggle ~

He barely paused for a pic ~ and his eyes are scoping out more eggs.

Only this girl would toss her shoes to the side to scale a tree ~

The bigs adopt a little to help them join the fun ~

#bigfamilylife

Still searching ~

They put a pin in their archery-and-other-important-boy-stuff 

conversation long enough for me to take a picture ~

Halle & Katherine ~

Michaela even was able to make it home for Easter, even 

though she'd been home a couple weeks earlier ~

Yay!

The two cousins friends ~

And their handsome friend ~

Kid table ~

After a nap, we went to the property tp practice our golf swing and play some Bocce ball.  

Then it got co-old.  

Happy Easter to All!

Spring Break 2016

Michaela brought four friends home for spring break.  It was a crazy week, but I love that she actually still wants to bring friends home!  The kids enjoy the extra attention, especially the younger boys.  Max is in all his glory with so much undivided attention from so many people.

Mammoth Hot Spring ~ the terraces.

Michaela's car looks itsy, bitsy next to these bison ~

The Boiling River, between Gardiner and Mammoth Hot Springs.  

I'm sure all the serious soakers were super excited to see our crew arrive.

Let's build dams! 

Spring break in Montana!!!

Sisters!

And brothers too!

Kath's Basketball Season

If there's one sport we all enjoy, it's basketball.  When Katherine was asked to play this year, she was excited to do so.  She enjoyed playing...she especially loved her coaches!  That being said, the season brought with it many lessons.  They had a pretty small team, so Kath got a lot of playing time, but was typically exhausted by the time the final buzzer sounded.  At times it was difficult to face a team that had previously beat them soundly, but they marched on.  So, she grew in perseverance....and as long as one grows in virtue whatever they have done is a success!

One thing about my kiddos, and Katherine in particular, is they are competitive. 

Losing is not really laughed off!

Bringing the ball down court ~

The twins came for one game ~ that made Katherine's day!

She got better at free throws through the year ~ 

I'm sure she'll be practicing this summer, though!

The Happy Camper

And because we  I cannot keep things simple as Shannon continually reminds me, we decided to remodel our tiny camper.  It was acquired from a close family friend, so it has a bit of sentimental value, or else I may have already scrapped the entire plan.  What was initially planned and what it is turning out to be are two totally different stories.  We were going to replace a bit of water damaged walls and freshen up the interior, but we've discovered that when there's a little obvious water damage, behind the walls tell an entirely different tale.  Anyway, hopefully, we'll be able to get it back together after the house is finished.

A House Update

We have been updating our house in preparation for putting it back on the market.  We now have granite countertops.  I honestly cannot say that I love them.  They are very pretty and all, but I'm kind of a clutz and the constant clanking of dishes on the granite drives me a bit cra-zay.  But, like everything, surely a person becomes accustomed.  They are also a pain to clean.  And when it comes to cleaning, I prefer simplicity.  The tile back splash I love, though!  I discovered that I am the slowest grouter ever, almost immediately being fired by Shannon!

Shannon also upgraded our doors to solid knotty alder doors, as well as the trim throughout to dark stained knotty alder.  The doors are beautiful as well as the trim.  It has made the house beautiful, as well as making it a better fit for its mountain location.

A new front door with more glass and a wood interior has been added.  It lets in tons of light, but now I won't be able to hide when the UPS man rings the doorbell and I'm still in my pajamas!

Shannon installed a new dining light, but it required that the original hole be moved about six inches. As luck would have it, the paint we used a few years ago to paint the ceiling won't match.  I see a fun little project in the very near future.    

Next up is a master bath conversion/addition, which has begun.  Our current classroom is becoming the master.  As we boxed up books my heart became sadder and sadder.  Our books are our life.  We need all of them all of the time and to have to pack the essential books after having packed up the "extras" last year.....well, it was difficult.
This part will be the dirtiest of all; I'm not super excited about the mess.  I'm very comfortable with my bedroom the way it is.  I love looking out at the stars at night and out across our mountains upon waking in the morning.  When the bedroom is converted that won't be much of a possibility, due to it being on the other side of the house, but, like Shannon says, we are not doing this for us.    

   
A couple pics of the changes ~

Blue countertops and polished chrome faucets, be gone ~

No more constantly wiping the faucets!

The new pantry door.  Our old one had a hole in it, 

but it also had all the kids' heights over the years on the pantry side.  

I'm saving it for our new house....just haven't figured out where yet.

The front door needs to be trimmed ~

that should be done later today.

Preparing for tile ~

Boom! At least the kitchen is complete. 

We replaced the kitchen sink, obviously.  The old sink was awesome, because the basins were huge and deep.  Shannon and I were discussing keeping the old one for a laundry sink in the next house, but I told him to drop it off at the re-use-it store.  Knowing that often the minimalist Allison makes decisions that the sentimental Allison regrets, Shannon says, "Well, I guess I could do that, but think of all your babies that took baths in that sink."

It's now in storage.

March Funnies

Grandma was leaving the house after helping out. Nickles states, "I'm not a rock star, but Grandma sure is!"

Eric states, "Mom, why do eggs symbolize new life?  Rabbits should.  They reproduce and have new life very quickly."

Asked why he was wearing Katherine's cowboy boots to town, Nickles replied, "I couldn't find my shoes.  Lightening must have struck them."

Neal, a man that works for Shannon was installing a dishwasher and was a bit frustrated, mumbling under his breath.  Nickles admonished him saying, "Stop saying 'shoot'.  You will be a sinner!"
And the funny thing is, 'shoot' was all Neal was saying!

Eric was trying to photobomb while I was taking a picture of Annika.  The last couple months he has tended towards vanity and seems to think that his face will make any photo awesome.  I told him that he wasn't as handsome as he thought he was.
He retorted, "Well, that's not what all the girls say."
Overhearing the conversation Shannon said, "Eric, one of the first lessons in life is, 'Don't believe everything a female tells you.'"

April Fools Day has been less than productive around here.  Eric changed the language on my phone to Chinese, but then couldn't remember how to change it back to English.  I was super impressed.  Then, Nickles, my little six-year-old, got into the game, placing a glass of marbles on top of the refrigerator door so when the door was opened marbles scattered all over the kitchen.  He learned that one from his brother who used a cup of water on him.  Not my favorite day!

I asked Nickles why he hadn't made his bed like I asked him to.  He replied, "You must have dreamed it, Mom."

Never before have I felt as though I was living in a Calvin & Hobbes comic strip.

"Yes, Iceman, I am dangerous."

Max is supposed to be eating, but he has, yet again, turned the tables.

A little after dinner craziness ~

Hangin' with the girls ~

Breakfast of champions ~

Scattering dirt and vacuuming it up ~

all.day.long.

Max stole these boots from a friend that was visiting.

How he could walk in these clods is beyond me!