Quick Trip

Our nephew, Kyler, was getting married and we all planned to go up to the wedding, but then things came up so that it turned into almost a Daddy-Daughter trip. Lafe took Jamie, Laura, and Kelcie and drove with his brother, Brian, and his daughter, Autumn, up to Provo, Utah. We had reserved a condo because it's cheaper for our size of family to do that than to get a hotel.

Cool sleeping arrangements!

Beautiful blossoms

Same blossoms the next morning! My girls were THRILLED that it was snowing!!!!!! They had never seen snow fall, and were just ecstatic!

Experiencing snow!

Kyler and his beautiful new bride.

While the girls were waiting, all the girl cousins went up to a Beauty School and got their hair done - SO MUCH FUN!!!!

All the girls cousins - that were there..... Can you believe there's a few missing? Yes, we had a girl boom in our family from about 1997 to 2004!

On the drive home they stopped to see some dinosaur fossils...

What a fun trip and great memories! So glad they could go and have so much fun!

The big 13!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jamie turned 13!!!!!!!!!!!! I have 3 official teenagers in my house now!!!

The kids got her a purple, bunny pillow-pet!

We got her new bedding - a down comforter and pillow from Ikea - she's been asking for one and was so excited to sleep in them!

Jamie on her birthday, ready for school! Wearing her new shirt she got from Eric and Sonya, and sporting her new glasses (that I forgot to post about :) ).

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JAMIE!!!!!

We're so glad you're in our family!!!

T-Ball

Talin's playing T-ball!!! He's been going to practice for about a month, and now he finally gets to play the games! He's so darn cute in his uniform that the girls and I finally had to quit telling him how cute he was :)

Very intent in the first inning.....

Up to bat.....

How he felt about half way through :) "When is it over, mom?"

HUGE smile as he got to run all the bases because he was the last hitter!!!

His first game he decided it was long - but I think a lot of that was because he didn't know what to expect or really what he was supposed to do, so it was long because he was unsure. Last night's game he said he had a good time. Can I just say how hilarious it is to watch 10 5-yr old boys??? I feel for the coach! He does a great job and is very patient! And, wouldn't you know there's another boy on the team with his name? He spells it different, but it's VERY confusing.

Kirk Adams for Congress

Last night we hosted a "Meet and Greet" for our good friend, Kirk Adams. We got to know Kirk and his family well when we lived up in Mesa and really enjoyed their family. We were really glad we could help with his campaign for Congress. I really enjoyed listening to him speak last night. He had great ideas, and has proven he's not afraid to fight for what he believes in - even within his own party. We were very impressed and I think everyone who came was impressed also. It gives me hope to hear someone that has real, do-able ideas for the issues in our country and an honest outlook on thing. Thanks, Kirk! We're glad we could be a part of your run for Congress!

Eagle Court of Honor

Ethan had his Eagle Court of Honor last Sunday - it was so nice! He and two other boys got their Eagles at the same time, and it was so nice to share the Court of Honor! So proud of my boy!

The Oath

Receiving his Eagle

Getting my mother pin :)

Ethan's table. I made a board with lots of pictures - some really cute ones from Cub Scouts, too! Lafe sent away for a flag that had been flown over the Nation's Capital in honor of Ethan - so neat! Then, I had a picture matte for everyone to sign who came.

Grandma Starr teasing him :) Ethan chose his Great Grandpa Allan as his mentor, and because he's already passed away, he gave the Mentor Pin to Grandma. Ethan noticed that Grandpa Allan had received the Silver Beaver Award in Scouting, and had decided that he wanted to get as high as he could in scouting. He was able to get one of Grandpa's old neckerchief slides at one of the reunions, and has loved having it. So grateful for Grandpa Allan's incredible example still present in his grandchildren's lives.

Grandma and Grandpa Starr

Grandma and Grandpa Carroll

Congratulations, Ethan!!!

More Birthday...

For his birthday, Talin got a gift card to go and get a Build-a-Bear! We've been to Build-a-Bear with the kids twice - both times for Spring Break instead of going somewhere because I was pregnant and due that week (with Talin), and then the next time he was a baby. So, although we made him a bear both times so he could be included, he doesn't remember that and has never had that experience. Plus, Lafe took me for our anniversary and the gift cards were half off :)

He picked one pretty quick! A Green (his favorite color) Camoflouge Bear.

He liked giving him a bath - he really wants to go and buy a brush for him when he saves his money ( I thought that was funny!)

Giving him a name - Meet Wiggly!

With "Cars" clothes, of course!

Miracle

Happy Easter!

THis is so beautiful! THe Atonement became a miracle in my life when I realized that even if I was the only person on the earth, He would have come and Atoned for me. And, when I realize its the same for every person here, it is beautiful and wonderful and makes you truly want to rejoice!

Guess who's 5 ?!?

Talin is 5!!!!!!!!!

Talin turned five!!! He's been SO EXCITED!!!!! He wanted a friend party, and our schedule lately has been/is CRAZY, so we were lucky to find a time for a party. Lucky boy, he also got to register for Kindergarten on the same day!
He had a "Ball" Party. The invitations said, "Bounce on over.." and we gave them each a bouncy ball. I've heard that many of them carried that ball around and even slept with it :) So, all the games had to do with balls. This one was marble racing (yes, pinterest) - it was a hit!

Baseball

Basketball

Hot Potato/ Popcorn - this looked so fun, I want to try it!

Human Bowling - so funny!

Opening presents..... He has NO expression! It drives me crazy! At least we got him to say thank-you. He loves his presents, just no expression.

Blowing out candles....

All the goods - see, he is happy!

No more training wheels at the Carroll House!

Erin mentioned to Talin last Friday that we should take his training wheels off and just try it. He said "OK!". Erin was shocked and quickly took them off. So, she steadied him....... ran alongside for a sec.....and he took off! Just rode away! Even turning on his first try! We were amazed!!! First time without tears from falling and getting discouraged! He was so proud of himself!

Do you see that smile???

I had to get a picture with Erin so she gets credit for teaching him.

Getting the bike out of the field after he crashed into it - that was kind of funny! He hasn't quite figured out how to stop :)

We're still amazed! I guess he was ready?!?!?

Lost Dutchman State Park

A few weeks ago, Laura was looking in her Faith in God book (goal setting program for the young girls in church), and came across a goal to plan something for her family to do. A hike was a suggestion, and we'd been talking about going on a hike because the weather has been SO BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!! So, she started researching for a hike over Spring Break. Ethan headed off to Mountain Man Rendezvous for Scouts, so he wasn't with us, but Aunt Cathy and Helen came!

Laura, with a few suggestions from Mom and Dad, decided on Lost Dutchman's State Park. It was a nice hike - just hard enough for a challenge, and just easy enough to enjoy the surroundings and the day. This is Erin, Jamie, Helen, Kelcie, Laura, and Talin in front of the trail that Laura picked.

Resting on the "up" - Kelcie is the yellow shirt way up there. She was in the lead for the longest time - I found out later that she thought we were going to actually climb the mountain - like the straight up part. So, she was a little disappointed, but still ok.

Jamie and Kelcie with the beautiful valley behind them.

I had to get this view! Isn't it pretty? I loved all the yellow flowers with the cool mountain formations and the beautiful blue sky - Arizona is pretty like this......when it's cool :)

It was a fun activity and it was even more fun that Laura researched it and planned it!

Spring Break

So........it was Spring Break last week. We decided to just hang out here since we just went to Disneyland, and so we tried to make it fun....

We made "Glurch", or homemade silly putty/ slime/ flarp. It was SO FUN!!!!!!!! The kids, all ages, played with that for 3 days for hours at a time!!! Definitely worth finding the Borax at Walmart!
This is Tuff Talin while the girls are being "girly"
While I was gone one day, I came home to learn that Jamie had created a "Spa Day" for Kelcie and her cousin, Helen! I found these pictures and it looks like they had a great time! Cucumbers and all!
They got cute new hairstyles....
And a dip in the.........hot springs? When I got home they were watching a girly movie with popcorn - what a fun sister!

Sadie Hawkin's Dance

Our Stake decided to put on a Sadie Hawkins Dance, so Erin asked a boy in one of the other wards to go with her and then made a group with one of her friends. She asked him with a big pile of hay in his yard, and a sign that said "Hay, do you want to go to the dance with me" (or something like that). (It was a cowboy theme) He answered with a cute bullseye with the arrow on "yes".

Before the dance, they came to our house and blindfolded the boys. They led them all around our street, which is mostly empty fields, while we set up their dinner in the field next to our house.

Then, they ate bread with oil and Taco Soup. The other kids had a great time serving them. We even sprinkled the table with peanuts and pistachios like the restaurants!
They had a great time - great kids! They came inside and messed around and played the Wii before they headed to the dance, which sounded like a BLAST! So fun.........

WICKED!!!!!!!!

So...........

Lafe took me to see WICKED!!!!!!!!! For our Anniversary, he surprised me with AWESOME tickets to see Wicked..... on my birthday!!! We've wanted to see it for a long time - actually, he wanted to take me to it several years ago, and I wasn't interested. Then, I found the music, fell in love with it, and we've wanted to go ever since. The kids were dying that they couldn't come - hopefully next time we can take them because it's just SO AWESOME!!!!!!!