What Have You Done for Your Neighbors Today?

Yeah, so this morning I got a call from my next door neighbor. She is a sweetie and always takes care of our dogs and chickens when we are away. She is a widower of just over a year and a half and she has more energy than anyone I know, save my mother-in-law. She is always looking out for us and doing nice things. Today, I realized just how way too nice she is. She saves her scraps for our chickens. Last night she had come down and thrown some salad scraps in the chicken pen. She called because she didn't want me to panic when I saw the potato peels. (Chickens can't digest raw potato peels, which she knows.) I wasn't concerned, I mean, they're chickens, but she was concerned and so she had cooked the potato peels, just so our chickens could eat them. There's going above and beyond the call of neighborly love. I wonder if she wants to take the chickens off my hands, she's way nicer to them than I am.
On a side note, I called Aaron today and asked him when we are moving. We have had a relatively mild winter with not much wind, but lately, the wind has been kicking up again. As I helped the girls into the car today, my grocery list was ripped out of my purse, thrown 15 feet into the air and didn't come back down until it had crossed the road and landed in my neighbors yard. It proceeded to rush across weeds and backyards. I got in the car and actually drove around the neighborhood looking for my grocery list...yeah, pathetic I know, but I couldn't remember what was on it. I was hoping it had caught in a tree, or fence, but alas, I couldn't find it. The wind was pretty strong, so I'm guessing that someone in Iowa or maybe even Illinois now knows that I needed half and half and asparagus! That paper also had my to do list, which obviously I'm not going to memorize since I wrote it down...so now, I have the rest of the night off because I no longer have a to do list. Sweet! I love relaxing!
So there is my randomness for today. Good neighbors and down time, who could ask for more!

Statue

Our Elders came over Sunday for the last time. Both Elder Crawford (which we expected) and Elder Sholes were transferred on Monday. We were sad to see them go, they have been a big part of our life and we felt like they were a part of our family. We took a picture and my camera is set up to take about eight in one setting. When I looked through the pictures I started laughing. We all have some small movements, some of us larger movements than others...such as Louie jumping up and going for the camera. However, I was shocked to see that Elder Crawford hadn't moved at all in any of the shots...was he even breathing? That is the question for the day, I can't figure out how he stayed so still. He didn't even blink, not kidding. So here's a good-bye to our Elders and we wish them the best of luck on the rest of their mission!

Official!!!

It's officially spring, or so it would seem since soccer season has started. Lanny had his first game on the 17th! He did great and had some really great kicks. It was an awkward game considering most of the kids couldn't even see the ball, let alone run after it, they were all too bundled up. It was freezing! I was tempted to join in, just so I could run around and try to stay warm. Yesterday's game was cancelled due to poor weather. I'm told this is how spring soccer season is, you either freeze on the sidelines, or the game is cancelled. Oh well, Lanny is excited to be up and running! Louie has decided that she wants to play next year, so maybe we'll have even more soccer pictures next season. Aaron wasn't there and instructed me to take lots of pictures. I would have, if my fingers hadn't been frozen, as it was, he's lucky I got a grand total of like 8!

More...

Yep, the Easter Bunny came to visit us while we were in Utah. It's great that it snowed, because we got to see the footprints he left behind while hiding the eggs. The kids and cousins decorated the eggs and put them in the fridge. Lanny left a note on the front door directing the Easter Bunny to the fridge so that he would know where the eggs were and he could take them and hide them. It was really cute. The Easter Bunny even wrote a note back!

This is one of my favorite pictures from the trip. I have a very similar one of me and my older cousins waiting by the exact same door. Waiting...waiting to run out and grab all the eggs!



We went to a super fun place called Discovery Something or Other...wow, my mind is gone. But it was fun nonetheless. They had a whole area dedicated to pretend play. I couldn't keep Kessie away from the cash register, she loved checking people out. At one point she "beeped" all of Louie's groceries, loaded them back in the shopping basket, then looked at Louie and in all seriousness said, "Have a nice evening!" I roared, it was too cute! We were lucky enough to get to go with Auntie Liz and Uncle Brian and the cousins!

Is Anybody There?

Yes, we're still here, I've just been a bad, bad blogger. We've had so much going on from Spring Break, to Soccer season that I haven't had a chance to get some pictures up. Updates needed.....Louie lost her first tooth!!! Yeah, she is so proud and loves to show people, but her permanent tooth is already almost all the way in, so there really isn't a gap anymore, bummer, I guess it's time for the next tooth to come out! We went to Salt Lake for spring break this year. The best part was that Aaron got to come with us. He bought me a Suburban and so he drove us over so that we could pick it up and drive it home. Then, between the weather and the Suburban not working quite right we managed to kidnap him for the whole week! One whole week and he didn't go to work once, it was fab!!! We went for a hike, went up to Logan (which was one of the best parts, mainly because we went to Pepperidge Farms, Gossaner's Cheese, and Casper's (they sell Fat Boy ice cream!) who doesn't love food!?!), and my parent's flew out from Maryland to see us. We spent time with family, including Aaron's family and we had an Easter celebration together. I even got to see my sister whom I haven't seen in 3.5 years. I took a ton of pictures, but here are just a few!
Ten and a half years ago Aaron and I stood outside this temple and got our pictures taken. Wow, time goes so fast! I much prefer this picture to when it was just the two of us! Life is way more crazy, but way better for that craziness!

Loved all the dormant trees encompassing the path. Sad to say, but this was the nicest day we had. We got outside, and by evening it was storming, and continued storming for the rest of the week.

We're all a bit out of shape, but Louie pooped out quick. She simply sat down in the middle of the trail. She was done! I took her picture and told her Daddy would think she wasn't an outdoor girl, she promptly jumped up, ran over, stuck a smiling face in the camera and said, "Take my picture, I'm an outdoor girl!"

The beginning of the hike, excited with adventure! Yes, Kessie carried her chips the entire hike!


Here is a group shot at the hospital while visiting Grandpa Steve. Thanks to everyone for your prayers. He is doing well, his positive attitude amazes me, and we feel so blessed to have such a great grandpa!