Spring Break

So, our spring break started with a bang...8 inches of snow. Thankfully by Wednesday it was all gone and the weather was great. We made it outside to do some bike riding and playing with friends, etc. Here are some pictures to show you what we did this week.

I finally used my brain and made the kids chore charts. Seriously, I never had thought of this before? They worked like a charm and seriously helped with my stress level. I knew at least one or two things off the house cleaning list would get done everyday, and they all, including Walker, were excited about helping. It was great. Tarin came up with a plan for every day of the week. It went like this...

Makeover Monday - Hair, Nails, etc. Walker got his toes painted too, but we didn't manage to get too many pictures of him this week.

Target Tuesday - we went to Target to get new shoes with the money grandma gave us for Easter...kindof turned into a fiasco with 4 kids, but we did it and made it work. Not much a post c-section mom can do about her 40lb - 3 -year old who won't get off the floor...Thank goodness for bribery and treats at the end of the store.

Walk Wednesday - We went on a walk/bike ride and the kids also made some fabulous crafts. . Guitars made from cereal boxes...Tarin came up with this all on her own. . LOVE HER. She was such a gem and was THE biggest helper this week. I never even had to ask her to do things, she just did them with a big smile on her face. I have never been more grateful for my sweet 8 year old in my life...or her life, for that matter.

Travelling Thursday - We drove to Hot Springs to meet Dan for the weekend. This was quite the feat to get all 4 kids ready for a weekend getaway, pack the car, snacks, movies, etc without the help of a husband, etc. I think I spent a good 24 hours solid getting ready. Tarin stayed up late with me Wednesday night to get all the laundry done and pack the bags. That is one HUGE difference I have noticed with 4 kids. Getting out the door took us until at least 1PM each day. I am usually out the door by 9AM excercised, showered, etc. Life with a newborn is loads of fun. We made it though. 3.5 hour drive with NO stops and just in time to feed Wyatt again. We stayed at the Embassy Suites in Hot Springs and it was nice to be able to swim, sleep in a little, and enjoy some spring-like weather.

Fabulous Friday - Simply because all Friday's are fabulous, especially the ones where we see Daddy. We did a few work things for Dan, but mostly went swimming. Went up the Hot Springs Mountain Tower. . .rode the elevator up and walked down..which is the way to do it when you are packing 4 kids. Walker started to get sick Friday afternoon, so we took it pretty easy for the rest of the day.

Sonic Saturday - Duh...Sonic Happy Hour. We went to a really fun park in Hot springs and the kids hiked around the lake and got to throw in lots of rocks. Dan took us to a fun restaurant for lunch called the Purple Cow? Ella even got a purple cow milkshake. It was Purple Vanilla....and of course she loved it. The food was great. And we made it to Sonic Happy Hour with 1 minute to spare before the prices went back to normal. Slushes and Diet Coke all around. It was FAB.. Thanks to those slushes and diet cokes, the drive home took us more like 5 hours than the 3.5 it took us to get there. Lots of pee/puke stops. Walker was still sick.

Spiritual Sunday - which didn't really happen because 3 of the 4 kids are sick...with fevers/coughs. Looks like my spring break will end with a bang and kids home from school on Monday. YIPEE!! Tarin, my saving grace this week, is now suffering from a 103 degree fever and Walker seems to be on the mend. His fever is now low-grade, but still there, and his cough is still the same. Ella is just coughing. We decided to spare the ward our illness and just stayed home today. Dan felt bad leaving me with 3 sick kids and going to church, so he stayed home too, since he really will be leaving me with 3 sick kids tomorrow and going to Minnesota for the week. So, Dan made crepes for those children who could eat and we just had a nice relaxing Sunday morning. It was LOVELY. Happy Spring Break to you all....For the most part, our was AWESOME and SO SO SO much better than what I thought it would be!

First Day of Spring....AKA Last Day of Winter...

This is the masterpiece that Dan and the kids built last Sunday. It was supposed to be the world's largest snowman, but ended up being the worlds only conjoined snowman twins. Our neighbors thought it looked like something else....come on people, get your minds out of the gutter...

Hopefully this first day of spring will also be known as the last day of winter. Living here in Northwest Arkansas for the past 7 months has really been a shock to the old system. I don't remember my feet being in shoes so many days in a row as they have been the past few months. I honestly didn't paint my toenails for 3 months. . . that's a record for me. The first day of spring was on Saturday and at 4PM it started to snow, it is now 3 PM on Sunday and it is still SNOWING. Not just snowing but raining ice and sleet. There is probably about 6 to 8 inches of accumulated water. It is CRAZY. I am trying to convince one of my crazy kids to go out front and take a picture to document it. After sacrament meeting, they called off the rest of church, it has been kindof nice to come home and enjoy a few extra hours together before Dan takes off for the week.

It is spring break for the girls this week. I am grateful because it means we won't have to wake up and get out the door to catch the bus, but nervous because it leaves me with all 4 kiddos all day by myself. . . at least through Thursday night. Thank goodness I have some good neighbors and friends and hope to have some playdates planned for the week so we don't get too bored! I am praying for patience and the desire to do fun things with the kids, since it looks like the first day of the break will be spent inside waiting for the snow to melt.

Wyatt is almost a month old, can you believe it? I can! It has been a LONG month..I keep reminding myself that the first few months are the hardest and then things progressively get easier..at least with the night time part, and the feedings will be spread apart, etc. He is starting to give us some real smiles and be awake for longer periods of time. He is such a great baby, and I feel so lucky to have him. Poor kid, as number four, I have a feeling he will be spending the bulk of his babyhood in the carseat. I figure to celebrate Wyatt's 1 month birthday I will begin a new diet. Wish me luck! I have two more weeks before I can get back on the exercise wagon, so I will hopefully get a kick start on the weight loss......

Anywho...those are my Sunday ramblings. If I can convice someone to go out and take a pic of all the white stuff, I will post it!

Happy Birthday Walker

Tomorrow our big boy turns Three...If you can't tell from the pics, he has always been such a happy fun baby to be around! He cracks us up daily and is such a good boy! Thanks Nana for making such a great photoshow and taking us down memory lane. This little boy has had quite the life so far....trip to Orlando, Hawaii, Utah, San Antonio, TX Hill country, and many more places. Let's just say he is pretty well traveled for a three year old!

We love you Walker! Happy Birthday!