Thankful Thursday

Pictures are from Easter weekend and we were surrounded by family, which is what I am so thankful for.
My mom and stepdad took the kids and I to a local church for an Easter egg hunt and bounce house and balloon animals. It was a lot of fun! Ryan had a meeting at the Boy Scout office so he couldn't make it.

The kids posing before the big hunt!

Sunday after church we went to Ryan's parents. After lunch the kids hunted eggs and then hunted eggs again and eventually grew tired of that and blew bubbles.

Brandon's eggs were very difficult to find, while Blaine climbed fences for his eggs.

I am just so thankful for my family. Love them lots!

Spring Break!

The kids had a great Spring Break. They are always out Friday before Spring Break and they love the extra day. I had asked my mom a few weeks pior if she could watch them a couple of days so I could go through and purge toys and outgrown clothes and she offered 5 days, Saturday through Wednesday. I knew I would end up going early to see them because that was too long for me. (just call me a hovermom)
On Friday before they left we visited the library, park for picnic and playing and then Braums for ice cream!

We met Mimi Saturday afternoon. She was going to have her hands full with my 4 plus my stepsister's little boy, Aeden.

Brandon is somewhere in this tree.

G and her ladybug friend!

I had a fun Spring Break too! I was able to hang out with my best friend Monday and another sweet friend Tuesday before going to my mom's to see my sweet babes! I didn't really get my to-do list tackled but that's okay.
Wednesday morning I took the kids to the zoo. We had a blast and then hit Cici's pizza, their "most favorite" according to Britton.

And later in the week we met cousins Kenzee and Kassidy and Aunt Jessica for lunch and park time!

Needless to say, the kids and I were NOT ready to go back to school the following Monday!

Brandon is a Boy Scout!

His final cub scout banquet was February 18 where he crossed over to Boy Scouts! He is super excited for the monthly campouts and more responsibility and youth-led decisions. Brandon's patrol, the boys he moved up, with have come up with a patrol name and yell (chant for camp) and cooked their own meals for the campouts. He was voted assistant patrol leader and is thrilled about that. Ryan is an Eagle scout and has been the best for Brandon and his then den, now patrol. The boys have learned so much from him. Ryan really has a passion for BSA and what it does for boys.

the boys receiving their cub scout achievements, before they crossed over

the now boy scouts with the ceremony team from Clinton.

so proud of this boy.

The Blizzard after skiing

I am obviously behind.
Upon leaving NM on Sunday we knew the northwestern part of Oklahoma was in a blizzard warning. We were not ready to leave NM but since we had to leave we were anxious to get home and not get stuck in any type of bad weather. The sky began looking scary about 3 hours from home but thankfully we made it.
The next couple of days were rough. We lost power for over 24 hours, our house got down to a chilly 52degrees and by the end of it we had been together for 7 days straight. We made the best of it. With lit candles at night, we played lots of games and the next day we made a blanket fort and played more games. By Tuesday it wasn't snowing anymore but I couldn't let the kids go play in the snow when they didn't have a warm house to come inside to. Although when I went outside to plug my phone in my car I thought it was warmer in the sunshine than it was in the house but I couldn't take chances.

B1 and B2 went all out making a snowman.

my kids were only really into eating the snow.

Angel Fire 2013

We went to New Mexico for some family time and snow skiing! It was such a blast! All the kids skied but really only the older two enjoyed it. Really, Blaine loved it the most and he's our most passive, easy going one. I kind of thought he would just take it or leave it. Brandon was cautious but he did have a great time. Britton, on the first day, after falling a lot, told me in a pitiful tone that he just wanted all the snow to melt right then. Gracelyn was a trooper, while she didn't have a blast, she still did her best and skied holding onto me or between Ryan's legs.

after our hair appointment that morning, we were ready!

navigator

Brandon set out to complete all of his school work on the way. He did.

Day 1: nervous but ready!

waiting for the shuttle right outside our condo!

Blaine!

Gracelyn and dad, this is how she skied most and why her dad's back hurt

Britton

Brandon

This conveyor belt took us to the top of the bunny slope. 

It was a HUGE help and so much fun for the kids.

Games, games, games!

We only got out once to to the grocery store and for souvenirs

 on the shuttle!

Day 3; sad it's the last day to ski.

Brandon wanted a pic with his skis

riding the lift with Britton

their last run.

mom and dad got some ski time in!

sister was sad to hear we had to go home.

sad to leave the mountains

open-mouth nappers, the ultimate sign of a good vacation!

The first part is Blaine but the trails merge and there's Brandon!


Blaine is fearless! He can turn better than some adults and gets up when he "wipes out" (his words.) He is a total ski bum!


Britton didn't love skiing but he did pretty good, when he tried.

For weeks following the trip Blaine talked about the trip, thanked us for the trip and asked us when we can go skiing again. He is hooked and we couldn't be more excited!