Easter and Spring Break: B R E A K D O W N

Our classic front yard picture - the week before Easter, after church (wish I would have retightened my dress and redone the boys hair), after trying to use the timer (until a gracious car pulled over to take one for us). Don't I have 4 handsome boys?!?!

I LOVE springtime. We're really trying to soak it in, because we know it doesn't last long here in the Midwest (and then the heat and humidity kicks in!). I love the colors, the buds on trees, the birds chirping, the runs and walks and parks and playtime in the yard, the freckles starting to spot my kids' faces, and that they are requesting their shorter/summer haircuts. It starts each year with the Family Home Evening lessons on Spring "miracles", and the blessing of our Savior, Jesus Christ. How truly blessed we are - and nothing beats seeing your little ones gain testimonies, and learn to love Jesus. At fast and testimony meeting, Cooper was drawing - but listening - and turned to me after a testimony was born, and said, "Mom, everything is just TRUE!" It melted my heart, and I am so grateful for the Spirit, which touches even the smallest of hearts, bearing witness of the truth.

Spring Break started off our season... tried to make it fun.

a. Kansas City Zoo - I'm convinced Beckett is the perfect age to take to the zoo. He got SO excited at every animal... and I love that Cooper wanted to practice his photography so I could be in a picture with my boy. The only thing that was horrible... was when he threw his hat on the ground at the opposite side of the zoo... and I had to RUN it down... in the nick of time for the sea lion show. Can you saw sweaty pregnant woman?!

b. My 3 zoo boys! The best dates.

c. Visiting the gorilla... see how Beckett can't even take his eyes off the animals for a picture?!

d. St. Patrick's Day - tried to be a good mom and do the whole green breakfast... magical green milk. As you can see one boy loved it...

e. and one boy didn't. :)

f. Osage Beach mini trip - one of my closest friends' (Jaime Bell's) sister, Kimberly, had her wedding reception in Osage Beach. I took the 3 boys (while dad went to the BYU basketball playoff game in Oklahoma City), and we took a mini trip. It's a fun, touristy, area in the Lake of the Ozarks. We spent the day at "Miner Mike's and Buster's". It is a SUPER fun place with a few indoor rides (here the boys are on the covered wagon ferris wheel), TONS of fun arcade games, and an amazing indoor "maze" (glorified playground with ball pits and slides galore).

g. The Bell side of the family at the wedding reception. What a fun time with amazing friends, great food, and fun memories. The boys loved seeing grandma Coni (who used to live here), and Beckett loved the chocolate he kept getting from the ladies each time he would visit the kitchen.

h. Dad's day off during Spring Break - we had fun feeding ducks at Lion's Lake... ready to hit the park with our nerf guns... but, ended up pit-stopping at the UCM college baseball game (where each boy came home with a baseball, and we got to see a grand slam!).

i. Beckett liked sharing the old bread with the ducks. :)

j. Coloring eggs. Lots of fun with the magic crayon.

k. a little too much fun for Dad.

l. Gunner's Easter Party at preschool. They made these great bunny hats. Gunner is sitting by Nora, who is our cute little carpool partner.

m. Beckett loved getting to take part in the egg-hunt part of the party.

n. Gunner, after the hunt, before the famous "bean-bag boogie" with the Easter-themed bean bag to add to his collection.

o. Cooper (age 6) in his Easter best.

p. I just love these 3!!!

q. Beckett (22 mos.)

r. Boys!

s. Gunner (age 4)

t. Easter Egg Hunt at the fairgrounds. The way the boys' ages fall - they would have all 3 been in different areas for hunting... so, we let Gunner move up, and Dad went with Beckett. Here they are taking off to the eggs.... and poor Gunner soon realized he was a little behind. I managed to calm one of his famous (and thankfully less-often) emotional breakdowns, in time to get his eggs. Fun times!

u. Austin Reed, Cooper and Gunner getting ready to hunt!

v. Beckett showing me his loot. He is always such a happy boy and so excited about everything. Each egg brings a big squeal, a "wow!" or an "oh yeah!". I love it!

w. Fun to get pics off friends' cameras! I love my boys! Not necessarily seeing myself pregnant. ;)

x. Gunner excited... with his buddies Zander, Austin, Cooper. Love his smile when his eyes light up.

y. Goof!

z. TOO much candy!

* Everywhere we go we get told what a cutie he is. That is the good thing about pictures... they help remind me that he IS cute... despite his too early terrible two tendencies. :)

We also enjoyed a fun egg-hunt at the state-park with the Bells and Browns, where (at Cooper's request) the eggs were actually hidden instead of just laying on the ground. And lots of yummy food and family time with General Conference too!