Peter is THREE!

Peter loves to talk and if I will repeat it until understood!  He can kind of count to 10 and knows some letters.  He knows his colors and loves to go to "preschool with his friends", he always helps anyone making any type of food even though he has already burnt his finger twice.  He sometimes goes on the potty, but it is not a priority.  He likes to trick us and says "I just tricking you Mom".  He is a good eater and eats most things we are having.  He recently started throwing the ball to Zeus hard enough that Zeus actually enjoys it and brings it back to him.  He likes to pretend fight and kick and we have to watch him around Ephraim sometimes,  they both are getting to the point where they want to attack but don't like to be attacked.  He gives great hugs and anytime someone comes home he runs up and hugs their leg.  He misses Dallin right now and asks about him and when he is coming home. He is a sweet boy, very forgiving and loving but also curious and mischevious.  We love our Peter so much!

 This is our typical Peter boy - pen on the face and happy as can be about it!

 Peter celebrated his birthday on Saturday and Fitz and Theo were planning on coming, but then Fitz got sick so they were not able to.  But they got to come over on his actual birthday and they had fun playing together all morning!

 Bath time is a favorite time for Peter!

Brea planned and did Peters 3rd party, she even made the invitations by hand.  They had an easter egg hunt, played with balloons, ate yummy food and cake and jumped on the trampoline.  Peter was so sweet to make it a great party for him and he was so excited for days leading up to it.  He constantly talked about his party and his friends coming, it was really cute.

Daddy Daughter Dance

Alyssa is pretty lucky to have Jackie around to do her hair.  It was curled and styled beautifully for her special Daddy-Daughter Dance.  This is the first year that Alyssa got Dad all to herself and she loved it!

The beautiful girl ready for her hot date with Daddy!

They enjoyed the dance and then went to a late movie not getting home until MIDNIGHT!

Freezer Meal Ladies Night!

These wonderful ladies came over and we swapped Freezer Meals!  It is the best thing for us. I hope they enjoyed it as much as me.  We each made 10 of the same meal and swapped them.  I have been making them about twice a week and LOVE it.  It is fun to try different food than I would normally make and to see what other kinds of meals I can make ahead and freeze.  Plus a ladies night is fun to do every once in a while!  Some meals we did: Cafe Rio Chicken, Quiche, Cilantro-Lime Chicken, Vanessa Chilli, Cowboy Pie, Chicken Pot Pie, Ziti.

Happy Birthday Mom!

 When we came back Tara Odanhue called me up Tuesday morning (the day after we got back) and asked if I was free to come help her with something at her house.  I came over with Peter and Ephraim and she said the "project" was in her kitchen.  I walked in to find a cake with candles and they started singing Happy Birthday to me.  I was so surprised and felt so loved.  She made a two layer chocolate cake with chocolate icing all from scratch!  We ate cake and ice cream with four cute little boys, played, and went for a walk.  I told her I wanted to help her do SOMETHING, but she would not let me.  She is a gem!

My mom made and sent this cute owl basket.  I have it one the dresser in the living room and I love it.  She is amazing!

 

 On the way home from Granby Jeff asked what I would like to do for my birthday.  We had already had a great weekend and I felt like that was enough.  He kept suggesting things in Denver like the science museum or the zoo, but they all cost a lot and I wasn't really interested.  I was looking up some things to do and found a MINI-INCLINE in Castle Rock.  It was located at a park with a playground, so I thought that sounded great!  It was great, the incline was only 200 steps, so all the kids could do it.  Peter almost made it to the top himself, Jeff had to carry him the last 50 steps or so.  The playground was really fun - we will have to return.

We stopped at Dairy Queen for lunch and birthday cake - YUM!  Then that evening we hit the outlets at Castle Rock.  A 45 minute shopping trip turned into about 2 hours, but Jeff was a good sport and took Peter and Alyssa to Walmart and Lowes so we could shop a little longer.

 Brea made me this cute and cozy scarf.  She sewed it without me even knowing.  She also gave me a cute kleenex cover that she sewed.  I love her crafting abilities.  Jackie was also creative and I am sad that I don't have a picture, I thought I took one but I can't find it.  She made me to painted canvas's one with my favorite scripture on it which I have in my bathroom so I see it everyday when I am getting ready.  The other one is a family tree with each family a different leaf on it.  It is in my kitchen window so I see it everyday too!

This Happy Birthday banner just happened to be at the cabin, so Jackie put it up for me!  We didn't have too many pranks for April Fools.  Brea did ask me to get some ice water for her and when I did some gems came out instead of ice, that was fun.  Oh and we pretended that Alyssa had stayed home when she really went to the pool with us.  We got Jeff to believe it too, so that was fun.  Dallin was not with us, but he got Grandma and Grandpa good.  He stayed up late toilet papering their living room and put upside down glasses of colored water on their counters.  Grandma got him back by cleaning it all up before he woke up and pretending she never saw it, which frustrated him because he spent so much time on it.

Then....when we got home there was a package on our step with a card and present.  The card was really sweet but was signed by "Your Secret Sister" - ugghhh who was it!  When I opened it up I found this awesome shirt that I love!  I am so blessed by good family and friends that are so kind to me.  It makes me want to do more good in the world.

Spring Break in Granby

We had a great spring break.  The weather was nice and warm, perfect or spring break.  The first part of the week was spent with friends and relaxing around home.  We tried to do the zoo one day, but it was way too crowded so we ended up doing Pi-Ute Park and hanging out at home.  On Thursday we headed up to Granby with our family plus Korbin.  We stopped at SkyZone on the way up and the kids had a ton of fun jumping around for an hour.  Dallin is in North Caroline and spent his weekend in D.C. at the cherry blossom festival with Grandma and Grandpa.  We missed him, but we're glad he got to see the sights at D.C. and spend some time with his awesome grandparents.

 We spent the first day at the YMCA.  Samantha Felsted came up with us to help watch the kids and she had a good time roller skating and sledding with us.  I was glad that she could have some fun while up there.  She also is a great game player, and we love games!

Brea did Brians hair and thought it was so funny

The 2nd day we spent the morning at the YMCA in the craft room with the girls while Samantha watched our little boys.  It was fun to do ceramics, something I have not been able to do for a while.

Jeff and Brea helped Alyssa do some wood burning on this box.  It turned out so special and neat.  Brea also made a charm bracelet.  She is really into jewelry and making it was super fun for her.

 Jeff has been wanting to learn how to make pottery and he found out that they had a pottery wheel at the YMCA.  It started to make a bowl/dish but did not have enough time to finish.  It gave him more incentive to do it more often.

We all got together and tried to Marco Polo Dallin. That is not easy task with five other kids.  He was not available so we just sent him a picture.

Jackie and Vanessa made some yummy Num Nums (or something like that).  We did not have enough eggs, but Samantha went and asked the neighbors for some eggs in exchange for leftover lasagna.  It worked - they gave her 8 eggs!  Jackie was too nervous to even go with Samantha, but she made the delicious Num Nums and they were a big hit with everyone!

The Scaddens joined us that evening.  They are so fun to be around and Vanessa always makes really yummy food!

We had a girls night out at Grand Lake.  We thought we would go shopping for a couple of hours, but it turned out that everything closed at 5:00 and we got there about 5:15.  We found two stores open and did a lot of window shopping (literally) and saved money that way.  It was still fun to spend time with the girls!  We played car-bar-movie star (actually just movie star) all they way there and back.

 Jackie and I skied with Jeff and for one afternoon, but she hit some ice/dry spot and flipped/fell pretty hard.  Her neck and back were hurting so she stayed home the next day.  It was beautiful, clear skies and Jeff and I hiked up the mountain to the peak to take this picture.  I love being in the mountains and am so glad that my parents took the time and money to teach me how to ski.  I really enjoy skiing and was glad to have a day to ski with my love, Jeff.  I feel like that is one sport/game that I can actually be competitive with him at.

A beautiful sunset the first night!

This mogul run was a black and looked a lot harder from the top, but once I started it was really fun.

It was a blast tubing at the YMCA.  The little boys each had to go in their own tube, but they both loved it.  We would make a circle and all go down together.  One time I had Ephraim between Alyssa and I.  Right before we took off, Alyssa let got of Ephraim and went down first, everyone else was connected with Ephraim on the end.  He got whipped around hard and fast!  I was so worried that he would go flying out, but he didn't.  In fact, not only was he safe, but he was smiling and laughing so hard - he loved it!

Cramer life crazyness and cuteness

We took advantage of Garen & Elly living with us and went off for a getaway to Granby!  Unfortunately Jeff was not feeling the best, but we still had a great time.  We relaxed a lot, something that Jeff rarely does!  I love having my love all to myself for a couple of days!

 Older siblings are the best!

We had a Saturday that snowed some good "snowman making snow".  Jeff took advantage and spent his time with his children making a snowman.  Colorado weather can be all over the place and that poor snowman melted by the next day.  Peter told everyone that our snowman died!

Those older siblings are the best!  He got Peter down without even being asked.  I think he enjoyed the time to take a rest himself.

More zoo fun and a photogenic Dallin.  I wasn't going to pass up this opportunity!

 

 This picture is so good, Dallin changed it to black and white and  I really like it!

Good friends! Even if we don't live as close we still get together with the Kollers!

 Sledding fun at the community center!

 Brea found a tutorial on you-tube to make a swing for her room.  She used her own money and Dad took her to the store to pick out the fabric.  I helped her sew it the right way and then Dad helped her put it all together.  It turned out a little smaller than she hoped, but she still uses it every day.  It is a fun addition to her room.  Brea and Jackie recently re-decorated each others rooms.  It took about 6 hours on Sunday.  It was so fun to see their reactions and surprise to see what each other did.

Jackie was helping Jeff get a bed frame down from the rafters when the bed accidentally slipped and landed right on Jackie's barefoot.  We were afraid that she might have broken a bone, so I took her in and they did an xray.  Luckily not a broken bone, just a badly bruised ligament.  She just started soccer and had to sit out a week and then we had spring break.  Hopefully, everything is healed and she will be good for the rest of the season.  Brea also had to go into the Dr. that same day (a Saturday) for a bad toothache she has had all week.  We think it was from a sinus infection and she was given amoxicillin to take and it is all better now.  I am happy to have healthy kids!

 I brought home balloons from our RS birthday party and the boys loved them!

One Sunday evening we realized we could not hear nor see Peter.  We found him - in his room with a white powder covering everything!  We took everything out and vacuumed up what we could then swept and mopped but it was still there.  It wasn't until we were finishing up that we discovered what he had gotten into.  A full bottle of foot powder is now empty.  I could just picture him jumping up and down with an open bottle of foot powder and enjoying the fluff come out with every jump.  Wow though, it sure made a mess!

  Brea got this fun billboard light up display that she can change.

 Ephraim is ready for bed, he is so good about wearing his boots and does not fuss at all getting them on.  We are blessed!

Peter packed for his "trip" multiple times and had all sorts of goodies in his bag.  Sometimes clothes, and few toys, and a ton of pens and pencils!