random pics

This is Emily the spy with all of her hi-tech gadgets.  She spent a long time making her wrist gadgets.  Derek made her the belt with pockets so she could put her popsicle stick bombs in it.  So cute:)

Derek the cowboy.  He begged me to make a vest one day and I really did not want to.  Taking out my sewing stuff is very overwhelming for me.  But, I decided to sacrifice my comfort and time (what a good Mom!) to throw together a vest made from a pillowcase.  It turned out pretty good for a last minute project.

Little Sarah is learning to write her name.  She does a pretty good job and I can often find her with paper and pencil writing all sorts of letters.

My Little 4 Year Old

My baby grew up when I wasn't looking!  She is a big 4-year old now.  She is such a big girl now.  She is swimming under water this year.  She is starting preschool at home (not my choice, but she wants to do school like Derek and Emily...so what the heck...why not?).  She is such a goof ball with crazy hair and the sweetest smile. 

Notice her VERY short bangs just in time for her 4th birthday...when will she stop!  She says she wants to be a "cutter" when she grows up.

She wanted chocolate cupcakes with mint frosting, so that's what she got.  Of course I also made vanilla for the boys in the family who don't like mint.

Make a wish!!

Quack, quack, quack

For a few days we had frequent visit from a pair of ducks.  The kids fed them bread and provided them with a bowl of water.  After awhile they didn't come back, but it was fun.  A couple times we came home and they would be walking down the side walk to our front door just as if they had knocked and no one answered, so they were leaving.  

Presenting...Professor Derek

Darrell has been doing some chemistry experiments with the kids in the evening.  Derek has been making up experiment tools, experiments, and chemicals...of course with Legos.  

I especially love his lab notebook complete with molecular drawings.  So very creative:)  He says all of his experiments have to do with explosions.

He had Dad and I sit down so he could demonstrate one of his experiments.  He even had his mixing dish pop up with explosion sounds.

These are a few of his chemicals.  He has matching small legos in each of them to represent the chemicals.

Silver Creak

During our March visit to Snowflake, we visited Silver Creek.  The kids love playing in the water and looking for "creatures."

Derek and Darrell looking for a snake

Crawdads

The Snake

Emily courageously touching snake

Sarah and the snake

Large toad at the bottom of the water

Crawdad

Sarah + Coal

The kids always get filthy when we are in Snowflake, but this was pushing it.  Sarah found a charred piece of wood and decided to rub it all over her face.  Such a beauty:)

Derek is 8!

My little boy has turned 8.  I can hardly believe it!  He has grown up so fast.  He is such a special little boy.  He is helpful around the house.  Does his chores and favors for me without whining.  He is so curious and full of adventure.  

We had a very small and intimate baptism.  In attendance were Great Grandpa and Grandma Brimhall, Grandpa and Grandma Lamb, Grandpa and Grandma Lamb, Aunt Becky, Uncle James, Aunt Courtney, Uncle Nick, Aunt Katie, Cousins Jayden, Jolie and Harlie, and of course parents and sisters. He was baptized in the old mains street chapel in Snowflake.  I just loved the feeling in the room and watching my little boy take the step of baptism. 

In my family for our birthdays we got to pick our dinner and dessert.  So I have continued that.  He actually wanted a breakfast: "morning mixup" (eggs, sausage, tater tots, cheese).  For Dessert he wanted "dirt cake" (whipped cream, chocolate pudding, cream cheese, oreos, and gummy worms).

I also made brownies for those who did not want dirt cake.