Last April Weekend

Wow...last day of April. How does this happen, it was seriously just Christmas. And tomorrow is May 1st. Life just doesn't slow down. We ended the month with a pretty fun weekend. It was busy of course, but a good one.

Friday night, I met up with this lovely lady (please excuse her in this picture, we took 3 and this was seriously the best one...she has some serious, sensitive eye issues. The girl would wear permanent sunglasses if it was acceptable)

These two aren't bothered by the flash, they look perfectly lovely. The four of us met up for a quick dinner together (no kids)

where I ate this...fresh mozerella sandwich with red onions, basil, and tomatoes...yum! We then went and saw "Lucky One" with Zac Efron. I loved it, then again this is my kind of a movie. My sisters and mom always make fun of me cause I am probably not the best movie critic out there. I am pretty simple minded and usually go for the silly romance shows. Action bores me, thriller/drama is too much to think about and comedies usually aren't my kind of humor. I absolutely despise any movie with Jim Carey/Adam Sandler etc. Not my kind of humor... This movie was right up my alley. We had a great night.

Saturday mornings are always spent on the soccer field. My Carson is making some serious improvement, he usually ends up making a goal a game (which is really good for him), this week he actually made 2. And the second one was totally awesome, required some major skill. He was so proud of himself and so were we.

Next we headed home to deal with this sad thing. Let me tell you a story about a tree. Very sad. We ripped up most of our landscaping when we first moved into this house 2 1/2 years ago. We bought this tree and I was in love with it. It did very well that first summer, and then last summer it ran into some serious issues. A few of my flowers and such had some issues with spider mites, we hired a pest company to start spraying every 6 weeks. Most everything came out of it except for this tree. It killed off half of the tree. It was near the end of the summer, so I decided to just leave it be and see what happened in the spring. Well, this is how it looked...half a tree. So sad. So we pulled out, headed to J and J nursery and came home with a new one.

And here she is, much better. I am telling you people, I lost some serious sleep over this poor tree incident. I was seriously so upset about it. I know, I have issues. All is right in the world again, my tree no longer looks pathetic.

We also picked up some garden soil and steer maneur. I like to mix that deep, dark soil and fertilizer into my existing dirt. Just jam packs it with extra nutrients so my flowers will do that much better. You gotta get it mixed in, then give it a few weeks before you plant to let it settle. My mama taught me this little trick...she's got a green thumb.

We then headed inside, got the boys cleaned up and loaded up our stuff to head out for the evening.

It was my father in laws birthday that day and we met up with family for dinner at Red Lobster.

I have not been there in I don't know how long, tasted pretty good though..

this is all that was left on my plate.

We then headed to Davis Lanes and put our bowling shoes on.

Well the boys did, not me. I don't enjoy bowling. Shocking right, I am so athletic and coordinated and all..ha!

My boys love it though. Absolutely love it. Pretty sure it is Lincoln boy's idea of a perfect evening. He was seriously going nutso through dinner waiting to get to the bowling alley. Fun was had by all. We went with the Cano's and another old family friend and Carson and their little girl got along perfectly. They had so much fun.

Sunday afternoon after church, I threw together our favorite summer salad and met up with the Cano's again for dinner.

We had cake for this birthday boy,

and spent the rest of the evening outside riding bikes. It was a lovely weekend. Perfect end to April. Happy May 1st!

Friday Favorites...

Friday favorites(a day late)...you excited?? So thrilling looking at my random, nonsense pictures of the past few weeks. Just little moments that are making me happy. Its the simple things right. To start things off, are you all as obssessed with nature at the moment as I am. I swear I have got to be the world's biggest nerd, but I get such a charge out of the beauty of new life. I literally walk around my yard every single day to take inventory on my trees and shrubs. They are changing and growing every single day. As cheesy as it sounds it absolutely thrills me. I am almost have this weird reverence like feeling for it all, so amazing watching it all spring back to life again. I know..nerd, nerd, nerd.

Kids are still totally loving the tramp...even Drake. My big boys are so cute, cause they know when he is on there they have to be so very careful. They are such good big brothers and watch out for him so well. Makes me proud to see the way they look after him.

Made the big closet switch. My closet isn't big enough to hold both my summer and winter clothes (well, either that or I have too many clothes, I prefer the first explanation.) Anyways, I keep a big hanging wardrobe thing downstairs that I store the rest in and as the season changes I make the switch. Things are pretty ugly at first, my bed was covered in clothes while I scrubbed my closet and reorganized.

In the end however, it turned out awfully pretty. Color coordinated and everything.

Yard work is in full swing (I love the fact that I came flying out of the house at 7:30 on a Saturday morning, with my pink VS pants on, the world's ugliest blue zip-up and curlers in my hair to snap this picture of Thiago mowing the lawn. My poor neighbors, what must they think of me.)

We are having the most perfect spring this year. Our weather has seriously been so mild and spring like. Which is really weird for Utah. We are usually having colder temps and last minute snow storms. Cross our fingers it stays this way. I have gotten started on my flower beds. Pulling weeds and getting the dirt ready for my annuals....

Look at that hosta poking through...oh, the excitement!

Also working on my back beds. Spent 3 1/2 hours in my strawberry patch the other day. Don't you worry that I picked the hottest day of the week, 86 degrees and right smack in the middle of the day. I was dying. My arms look like they got in a fight with a prickly vine, in the end I was the winner. Patch sure looks pretty.

Pulled out the boys' outside toys. We keep them locked up in our shed through the winter months but we got them out the other day.

Lincoln boy...what a charachter.

Last Saturday night, we had a birthday party to attend. My brother in law planned a surprise party for his wife. Thiago couldn't come, he had some big clients they were taking to the Jazz game that night and he HAD to go. Ha, at least that is how he worded it. Had to go, hmmm. Anyways, so it was just me and the boys..

It was Hawaiian themed. Really cute. It was so nice that day we were able to be outside. My mother in law made all the food. Yum!

My 2 little ones have both had colds and were feeling a little clingy that night. I basically had one of them in each of my arms all night. Wouldn't go or look at anyone else. Especially Drake. I think Carson is the only one that got to enjoy the party. Me and the babes just sat huddled together the whole time. Oh well.

Lets see..what else. We made up a batch of cookies to take over to our new neighbors. They are very nice. They have all older kids, the youngest are twin girls going in to high school. Very sweet, they are super cute to my kids and Carson thinks they are fabulous. You know Carson, he loves about everyone he meets.

Lincoln boy had his first small part in primary the other day. Carson has given quite a few talks and prayers and such but this was Lincoln's first prayer. He did great. Primary is still kind of a struggle with him. For as firey as my boy is, he really is pretty chicken when he is left on his own. He cries and carries on for his dad or I, everytime we drop him off. I seriously dread it all week long. We'll keep at it though, he has to learn eventually.

Had dinner at my moms last week also. Over 80 degrees that day. It was beautiful. Our first chance to eat out on her patio...

We grilled and had a bunch of summer salads and chips. It was perfect.

A refreshing, light summer cake for dessert...

A sad little Drakey bug. He was still feeling under the weather. I tell ya this kid has some major attachment issues going on right now. He likes his mama a little too much. We need to cut the cord, ha!

Few more pics...just a cute one I took one late afternoon with Drake and his cousins. I feel so fortunate to live so close to my sister. We are seriously unseperable and are always together. I love it though and so do our kids. They see each other practically every day. Constant little friends. Love them. (Yes, Drake is in his pj's. This was the day I did our Strawberry patch, Drake was a little too interested in the dirt and I just let him have at it. He was a mess, he got a bath the minute we came inside.)

Here he is the next morning, when I went to get him out of his crib. Happy as can be. His sleep habits are getting better all the time. We had 3 nights this week where he slept the whole night through. This mama was in heaven!

And to end on a happy note. Look at this view staring at me outside my bedroom window. Pure happiness friends!

A few new..

Well, I am a terrible blogger lately. 2 reasons...April is kinda boring and I am kinda just not feeling it lately. Don't know why. Hoping to snap out of it here soon though. In the meantime I am stopping by tonight to share a few new purchases with you....

First things first.....ta da!!!


My honey got a new car. Well, not totally new but new to us. Its a 2008 Honda Accord and we are feeling pretty happy with it.






Isn't she pretty?? Poor honey, this car has been a long time coming. He has basically driven a clunker since we've had Carson. He has always wanted me and the kids to have the nice car, and 2 hefty car payments wasn't really in our budget so he just drove an old 98 Chevy Malibu. It treated us well and we really packed the miles on that thing, but I knew the minute he got his promotion the first thing we needed to do was get him a decent car. So we did...and he's happy.


The kids' favorite part is the sunroof, my favorite part is the heated leather seats (Theo likes to freeze me out while we are driving, he likes the air on even when its snowing outside)and Thiago's favorite part is the radio controls on the steering wheel (very convenient).



Awwww, he looks so cute in there. We are going to tint the windows still but you get the general idea. The only other thing we need to do is get rid of that stupid Corinthians ball hanging from his rearview mirror. (Ha-ha...just kidding babe, well sort of kidding.) He loves that thing and no matter what I say he has assured me that it is staying.

Okay, next up....


we got a trampoline.



Cannot even tell you the joy this has brought into my children's lives. They are crazy in love with this thing and literally spend half of their day out there (which in turn makes me in love with this thing, ha). My dear neighbors (ya know, the ones that moved) bought this tramp not even a year ago and decided it was to big of a hassle to pack up so they asked us if we would like to buy it for a ridiculously low price. Heck yes! It is seriously so much fun. Have you guys jumped on a tramp lately, I mean really jumped. I kinda go nuts back there (surrounded by the trees and fence of my yard of course). It is a blast, makes you feel like a kid again. We love it.


K, this next thing is probably only interesting to me. I am sure you guys could care less but for documenting purposes...


all 3 boys made the big carseat upgrade. They were all ready to move on to the next size, I was just waiting for Drakey bug to reach 20 pounds. He still hasn't. Close enough. So here is Cars in his booster seat.


Lincoln in the semi booster (or whatever you want to call it)


and Drake in his forward facing toddler seat. This is a big deal people, I am telling you. This kid thinks he is really something. I mean walking AND a forward facing seat. He is cool stuff right now. He absolutely loves it. I love looking back there and seeing that little face staring back at me in my rearview. The other day Cars was at school and Lincoln was playing at my sister's house so it was just the little chub and I,running a few errands together. I had got him a small Chick-fil-a kids meal at the mall and sat there feeding it to him in the food court. He is kinda slow though and we needed to hussle to go pick up Carson. So I loaded him up and just decided to hand him the rest of his food as we were driving. So I did. Glanced in my rearview to see this cute little face staring back at me with cheeks stuffed full of chicken and 2 giant waffle fries in each hand. He saw me and immediately got this goofy grin on his face. It was classic...love that little monkey.



And last but not least, my new read. Kelle Hampton's "Bloom". Have you guys heard of this? Do you know who Kelle Hampton is?? She is seriously my all time favorite blogger, she is positively inspirational. She is not only beautiful herself but has the 2 sweetest little daughters I have ever seen. And to make it even sweeter, her little Nella who is now 2 was unexpectedly born with Down Syndrome. Her book "Bloom" is a memoire on her experience since Nella has been born and all that it has taught her. She talks about finding beauty in the unexpected. I have been reading her blog for over a year now. She not only is an amazing writer but also takes the most beautiful pictures. She is the kind of person that is constantly looking for the beauty in everything. Such as a new box of crayons, sunsets with her daughters, homemade apple pie. She finds the joy and laughter in every situation and is so talented at sharing that through her blog. I enjoy her blog so much and knew I needed to have her book the minute it came out. I have loved reading it. Just makes me happy, she is exactly the kind of mom I strive to be. Trust me, if you get bored, google Kelle Hampton and her blog will pop up everywhere. You won't be sorry.

Alright, yay for you if you made it through this blog post, I was alot wordy than I had intended on being. Oh well...happy week my friends. I'll try to be back a bit sooner this time. Although, I make no promises.