Our Easter weekend adventures....

Here it is...pictures from our Easter weekend adventures. We actually had a full week of Easter fun. We started off the week coloring Easter eggs for F.H.E. The cousins came over and we had a blast coloring eggs and decorating a bunny cake. It ended up also being a birthday celebration for cousin Brittyn.


Grandma had so many different colors to dye the eggs and the kids loved finding what surprises grandma drew on the eggs before they were colored.

Here is the cute little bunny cake. I think it turned out pretty good for being thrown together at the last minute! The kids loved it, especially Brittyn. He picked out the color...Blue! I've never seen a blue bunny before but I guess there's a first time for everything!

Our next adventure for the week...ROCK CLIMBING! Oh we just love that there is so many great climbing spots in Utah and we don't have to drive all day just to get to them! I must say, having a baby while on a climbing trip isn't the most fun but we managed. Here is little Ryker catching some z's. He didn't get too many of those during the whole weekend and now we are paying for it. He is sick and also having a rough time getting back on schedule. Darn those schedules.

Randy had some fun repelling in some slot canyons with his buddy Dave while mom and the boys hit the stores! Luckily for mom the kids were angels at the store!


Ryker LOVED the dirt! And everything else he couldn't have...rocks, leaves, sticks.

Our next adventure was camping with the Riddle's! Let's just say by the time camping came, mom was worn out! It wasn't the best camping trip ever but I'm sure there will be more exciting ones to come as the weather gets warmer.

Here's the Riddle family (all except RaNell)

Ryker doesn't look too thrilled....Mom is actually putting on a fake cheeser (I felt how Ryker looks)

Rayden sure loved the camping. He loved playing with cousins and playing with all the toys he got in the Easter hunt. The Easter Bunny left so many sage brushes full of toys, candy, & MONEY!

We ended the weekend with a wonderful relaxing Easter Sunday. We enjoyed a wonderful church meeting where we could remember the Savior and the sacrifice he made for us. Most of all we cherish the true meaning of Easter that HE LIVES and LOVES us!

Like Father...like son!

Home Depot visited the school and helped the kids make bird houses. Rayden was so excited that Daddy was there to help him with his! I just love this picture of Daddy and Rayden together. They look like twins with their haricuts! Rayden said the other day, "I want pokey hair like Daddy!" Randy convinced me to let him cut it a little bit shorter than usual. Rayden was so excited to have Pokey Hair!

This is a classic picture of Rayden with his tongue hanging out....another thing he gets from his dad!

When Rayden got home from school he was so excited to show everyone his birdhouse. He showed Grandma and Grandpa and even Great Grandma and Aunt Tyla who live accross the street! He even got to keep the Home Depot apron, which he was so excited about. I don't know what I would do without his wonderful preschool teachers! He abolutely loves Preschool!

"JUMP" start on Easter

We got a little jump start on Easter this year. Rayden was so lucky to be able to go to an early Easter egg hunt with his cousin's Rylan and Kylie. We had such a fun day and luckily the weather was just perfect! Rayden got to see the Easter Bunny and he even got to see and pet a little bunny.

The kids had so much fun getting easter eggs and playing games! Rayden is so excited for the Easter bunny to come next weekend! He is finally old enough to really understand all these holidays and I have to say it is hard for me to get used to it. I grew up the youngest of 6 kids and so I always knew there wasn't such thing as fictional characters. It is fun for me to live out those surprises that I never had through my own kids! I just hope I don't ruin it by not being careful.

Root-Beer Cookies

Okay, so I made some delicious cookies today!!! Most of you know that I love cooking - especially if it involves a new recipe that I have never tried before! When I stumbled upon this recipe I just knew I had to try it out! I find it very odd that I hated root beer all growing up. I especially hated it when treats after my softball games were always root beer flavored Popsicles or root beer soft drinks. I also hated that every young woman's activity ended with root beer floats. I think around age 19 or 20 I really started loving root beer! I know it is strange, and I have so many other foods that I used to absolutely detest but now are my fav's. Anyway, I thought since I liked root beer so much now that I would try out these cookies. They were a little sweet at first but I think that's because I had frosted a whole bunch and kept licking the frosting. Once I waited an hour or so I tried another one and.....Loved IT!!! You can check out the recipe at make and takes.

Super Star

Rayden is such a character! He is so dramatic and just loves putting silly hats or glasses on. These are some fun ones we picked up at a fast food restaurant. Of course he had to show them off to all his cousins that we were on the way to visit at the time. Most of them on daddy's side are girls and they just loved the pink glasses!

Lately Rayden has been so concerned that he is never going to turn 5! He just starts crying and says "Mom, I'm never going to be 5 and I'm never going to Disneyland." Since we are plannig a Disneyland trip just shortly after he turns 5, I keep telling him that at soon as he turns 5 we will go. Most of his friends at pre-school have already turned 5 and he is just so worried that he won't ever! To be a kid again and worry about turning 5 seems so wonderful to me! I just love my sweet little boys and the adventures we have together!

Bring on the sun!

Rayden wanted to play with Playdough so bad! So I made some real quick and sent him outside! He loved it.

Ryker loves the warm weather too! He puts everything in his mouth....leaves, dirt, rocks! We are so excited the weather is getting warmer. We spent all day outside for two days in a row! We love it.

My first born....

I've seen this tag going around on some blogs and thought it would be fun!

1. WAS YOUR FIRST PREGNANCY PLANNED?
Yes

2. WERE YOU MARRIED AT THE TIME?
Yes

3. WHAT WERE YOUR REACTIONS?
Excited and very nervous!!!!

4. HOW OLD WERE YOU?
20

5. HOW DID YOU FIND OUT YOU WERE PREGNANT?
I woke up early and went running for the first time with my newly wed hubby. I felt like such a whimp because we had only ran a block and I almost passed out. After the second block I turned around to head back home and fell down on the road and refused to go any further I was so sick.

6. WHO DID YOU TELL FIRST?
Other than my husband I have no idea. I think it was my sister-in-law, Rosanne, who was living in Missouri at the time.

7. DID YOU WANT TO FIND OUT THE SEX?
No!

8. DUE DATE?
July 24 - Pioneer Day for Utah folks.

9. DID YOU HAVE MORNING SICKNESS?
All 9 months

10. WHAT DID YOU CRAVE?
Snow cones, beef jerky, Fruity candy like starburst and skittles

11. WHO/WHAT IRRITATED YOU THE MOST?
Mostly just being alone and being sick

12. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CHILD'S SEX?
Boy!!!!

13. DID YOU WISH YOU HAD THE OPPOSITE SEX OF WHAT YOU WERE GETTING?
No way! I was so excited to have a boy!

14. HOW MANY POUNDS DID YOU GAIN THROUGHOUT THE PREGNANCY?
I think only about 20 pounds.

15. DID YOU HAVE A BABY SHOWER?
Yes. I have some wonderful friends!

16. WAS IT A SURPRISE OR DID YOU KNOW?
It was a wonderful surprise!

17. DID YOU HAVE ANY COMPLICATIONS DURING YOUR PREGNANCY?
Nope, just sickness the whole time.

18. WHERE DID YOU GIVE BIRTH?
Heartland Health in St. Joseph, Missouri

19. HOW MANY HOURS WERE YOU IN LABOR?
About 4 hours

20. WHO DROVE YOU TO THE HOSPITAL?
My wonderful husband Randy

21. WHO WATCHED YOU GIVE BIRTH?
Randy

22. WAS IT NATURAL OR C-SECTION?
Natural

23. DID YOU TAKE MEDICINE TO EASE THE PAIN?
If you know anything about me the answer to this is so obvious! Of Course!!!

24. HOW MUCH DID YOUR CHILD WEIGH?
8 lbs. 1 oz.

25. WHEN WAS YOUR CHILD ACTUALLY BORN?
July 22, 2004

26. WHAT DID YOU NAME HIM/HER?
Rayden James

27. HOW OLD IS YOUR FIRST BORN TODAY?
4 1/2

I love you Rayden!! You are such a sweet boy!