Volcanoes and Bikes

We learned about volcanoes the other day. After watching some youtube videos on them we built one out of salt dough. We walked around the neighborhood and gathered "greenery" and such to make it more fun. Reese quite liked the baking soda/ vinegar reaction.

I look at this face and think, "how do I ever get upset with her?" 

She learned last month to pedal! The motion clicked and now she LOVES riding her bike all over. Thankfully the weather has been nice so we can spend a good portion of the day outside riding bikes. Ivan gets jealous of Reese's big bike, so she is nice and lets him have turns while she races around on his little tikes bike.

And yes, she dresses herself most days. I don't know that I'd put these 2 patterns together myself, but it actually turned out kind of cute. If this skirt is clean she picks it without fail. Good thing it is size 6 - 9 months :)

We bought her a princess helmet this week because she is getting pretty quick on her bike now, and thankfully she loves wearing it.

Feeling Blessed

This last week was filled with a new adventure for our family. Eric started a new job!

Last August Eric finished up the coursework for his Masters in Public Administration at the U of U. We have job searched all over the U.S. and Canada ever since, and even after multiple interviews, nothing ever came to fruition. Although we were grateful for the employment Eric had during the interim, we were hoping and praying for something that would put his newly acquired degree to use and allow him to start in the career path he had chosen.

At times when I'd get frustrated with the job hunt, I would feel that Eric was simply being saved for something our Heavenly Father had in store for him. The past few months have been really trying. Although the job hunt was stressful, that was only a portion of the trials we have been facing. Thankfully arm in arm, and with the help of our Savior, we have trudged through the messes. I feel that we have endured well for the most part, and that we have been blessed for that. At the end of February, things with the job hunt finally came together. The timing and perfect lining up of the events that led to the job were more than coincidence, and we know the Lord's hand guided us to this very unique job opportunity.

Eric is now the Special Advisor to the Lieutenant Governor of Utah. It is and will continue to provide Eric with experience far superior to any he would have gained in any of the other jobs we applied to. Although there are still messes that need our consideration, it is nice to have the financial side of our trials laid to rest and invigorating to have Eric so excited about this new career.

Discovery Gateway

For our ward playgroup a month or two ago, we went to the Discovery Gateway Museum. It was so cool! If I had prepared better, I think my kids would have spent the entire day there, totally entertained. But I was SO hungry after 4 hours.

 Reese was in heaven going grocery shopping, taking the groceries to the little house, putting the groceries away, and then mothering the babies.

 Ivan wanted to try everything. He especially loved all the bikes, cars, trucks, and the garden area where you can pick the veggies.

iFly

Thanks to this guy's awesome wife, there were five REALLY giddily happy guys the other night! Rachel surprised Micah with a night of iFlying! Eric was lucky to join in on the fun and I was uber lucky to get to laugh my butt off for probably 2 hours straight. High speed air hitting one's face does some beautifully funny things! The pictures suck, sorry, but I did what I could (plexi glass = no flash, semi-dark room = I need a flash!, so I went without and got a bunch of blurry pics)!!

 These are the three who moved into my single's ward six years ago! I instantly had my eye on Eric! Jeremiah and Micah could tell because I guess I was "smiling too much at Eric not to be interested". Go figure. I probably looked like a crazy person - whatever - it got me what I wanted :) 

 Jeremiah insisted on helping Cameron with his outfit. As you can tell from Cameron's face, he was reeeealy grateful.

Red power ranger briefing the group.

 A little cousin affection on the sidelines.

 Rachel documenting the adventure on film, thankfully, because iFly gave the DVD that Rachel bought to the other group flying with us, nice....

Yep those earplugs did end up in his ears eventually...yum!

 See! Giddy as a schoolboy!!!

The Flyers:

Dallas - serious at all times, and in all things, and in all places, or at least while flying with a man holding on to him!

 Eric - perma grin!

Micah - love the cheeks!! (Don't be embarrassed, my cheeks would have flapped too)

Jeremiah - "mouth wide open flying is the way to go, especially since my nostrils are toned enough not to look like that one guys...."

Cameron - not serious at all times, and in all things, and in all places!

Admiring Dallas flying above them - getting even more stoked!!!

 Does this face not scream Liesl from the Sound of Music?... when she finishes singing "I am 16 going on 17" and then screams "Weeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!" Go watch that part, you'll know what I mean!

 His smile got bigger and bigger with every passing second!

 I think I saw a little smile 

 Beaver mouth! The wind did wonders for your smile Cam!

Fill those cheeks!!

 BLOOPERS:

The same face you were pulling when you took me Latin dancing years ago, but even more intense. Air dancing must be much more euphoric!

 Uh Jeremiah, did you forget people were watching....?

 Cameron the ballerino!!

 "Am I flying, am I flying?"

 "Whatever you do, don't look down!"  

And to end the night, Micah let Reese ride on his dad's bear and she snuggled right into it. She loved nuzzling her face into its thick furry coat. 

Kids screw with your head...

They teach you that boots make perfectly good gloves,

that sometimes when you are playing "paint" on the computer, you realize it'd be very cool to transfer your creation onto your body, even though you are three and perfectly aware that you aren't supposed to draw on your body - you have to make exceptions (and you know you are really cute and can get away with most things if you repeatedly say "It's a assident mom"!

 They make being tickled look like utter enjoyment,

 and they wake up with crazy splotches ALL over their body

that continue to multiply, swell, and turn into bruises (Erythema Multiforme from a virus he had the couple weeks prior - look it up, causes much more fuss than is needed)

 and then 5 days later look as if they never had a problem on their perfectly beautiful, smooth skin....

2 more pics from Micah's phone

Reese trying on a sweet hoodie, that zips up into a shark face/mouth. The mouth is mesh so she can still see. 

 Watching a surf competition and a bunch of surfers not in the competition as well. They were lined up in the ocean as far as you could see. So neat.