{Melissa's Visit}

My sister Melissa was able to fly down from Utah for a surprise visit during spring break! We had such a fun time going to parks, baseball games, out to dinner, and lots of fun dinners at home. We watched some funny old home videos and had some wild games of tennis, badmitton, and volleyball too.





At Ethan's game Kade showed us his skills, he could balance and shake his booty at the same time! He loves to make us laugh.



I love my sisters and my mom so much!! We just wish Ashley could have come from Hawaii for a visit too...missed you Ash!! I owe Cody big time for letting me have so much fun girl time, he watched the boys a lot during those few days she was here. Also thanks Sam for letting us steal your wife from you!!

{Spring Training}

This was our fabulous view at the Cubs spring training game we went to yesterday....I wasn't sure if the woman on the right had a top on, but yes she did although let's just say gravity hasn't been kind to her!! People watching is almost as fun as the game. Cody's secretary gave us some free tickets so we didn't feel as guilty paying the high prices for all the fun baseball snacks we bought for the kids. The weather was perfect, sunny with a breeze. It was fun and Rhett and Ethan especially had fun (Kade was ready to go once the food ran out)

{Flashback Friday}

Mountain Ridge Tennis Team 1996 (this is my sophomore year, I'm on the left - bottom row)

p.s. some of you have asked if I care if you start doing this on your blogs - of course not I would love to see your older pictures too!

{Ethan's 6th Birthday}

Ethan's much anticipated 6th Birthday was earlier this month! He had been counting down the days for a long time and was so very excited to have a party, special treament, and be a year older. He had basketball practice on his birthday that he didn't want to miss, so he had his party with friends the day before.

His party had a chef theme, and it was cute to come up with some fun recipes that the kids could cook and have fun with on their own. When they first arrived they got to decorate their own chef hat and put on aprons that Aunt April had personalized with iron-on vinyl. They were pretty excited and looked adorable all dressed up!



They made pizza sauce, squished and rolled out their dough, and made individual pizzas. While those cooked they played games like Waiter, Waiter, Chef (duck, duck, goose), Hot Potato, and an Egg race.




After eating their pizzas, it was time to decorate cupcakes. They got to eat one, and decorate some to take home.



It was lots of fun, lots of recuperation, and I had lots of help! I am so glad that Ethan has so many wonderful friends that he wants to be part of his special day....we had 17 kids and believe it or not there were more that I wish we could have invited!




On Ethan's real birthday he opened some presents from our family (Basketball, Football, Old Maid, and some Bakugans), and brought treats to school (Klondike bars). After school he had basketball practice, and then the Flake's came over for his requested dinner of Nachos and Rootbeer.....





We loved giving him birthday spanks and seeing him so excited about his fun presents. The night was complete when he came down the stairs wearing an outfit I bought for a baby shower (size 6-12 months!!). That's our Ethan, always trying to make us laugh!!!



Things we love about Ethan:

*he loves sports
*his crazy eyes (picture above!)
*he always has a plan
*right now he is my most sensitive and cuddly child
*he could go across the monkey bars when he was only 3
*he can climb trees like a monkey
*he loves to draw and color
*he can burp the alphabet (I don't love it but his brothers do)
*in Primary his arm is one of the first to shoot up when a question is asked
*he is quick to apologize and give a hug when he makes a mistake
*he loves to eat school lunches (ewww!) and is not a picky eater
*he's the class clown at school
*he loves Math

I could go on and on......we LOVE you Ethan!!!

{Fun w/ Grandparents}

Back in February (or was it January?) Gene and Cassie came for a visit. We love having them come, we always have such a great time! On a Saturday afternoon we went out to the desert to have fun with Gene and Dustin's handguns. Cassie was shooting as well even though I didn't get a picture of her! I was impressed!! I think the best part (for the kids at least!) was when Uncle Dustin drove his Armada through a huge mud puddle. They begged for him to do it again and again. So fun!



Titan, Kade, and Chloe loved to be spun around and thrown in the air by Uncle Dustin!

Chloe is pretty cute with Socks, she has the magic touch! We had a great time together, come back soon Grandma and Grandpa Ashton!!

{Flashback Friday}

This Friday I thought I would show some older pictures that have my Grandpa Andersen in them, my Mom's father. He is in the hospital right now, his heart is not doing well and he will have open heart surgery (his second time) any day now.

For as long as I can remember, my Grandpa has lived in Hawaii. Just a few years ago he and my step-Grandmother moved to Florida.

This is my Grandpa with a swing-set he and my Dad built in our backyard. Melissa and Ashley are trying it out :o)

My Grandpa has always loved dogs.

This is from a visit when Melissa and I were young (Melissa's on the left)

I love this picture too, here is: Michelle, Stephanie, Brooke, Brynn, and Chelsey.

{Boys!!}

Ethan brought home a picture from school yesterday, I wish my scanner was bigger so I could scan the whole thing. He was showing me what he drew...monkeys, spaceships dropping aliens, dinosaurs, etc. Then he laughed and showed me the little clouds by each object....they were all tooting. Typical Ethan......this is my LIFE!!!!