Steam Punk Ninja

So ...  Steampunk. Have you heard of it? It's kind of new to me. Wikipedia defines it this way: 

1. Steampunk refers to a subgenre of science fiction and sometimes fantasy—also in recent years a fashion and lifestyle movement—that incorporates technology and aesthetic designs inspired by 19th-century industrial steam-powered machinery.

The way I define it in my mind is: a blend of old school and new school, including technology. Hash has been making me think about steampunk lately.

When he gets on his bike, he thinks he's a cowboy (old school). Then he pushes a button and makes a power-up sound (new school tech) and then he yells, "Giddy-ON!" I love it!

Then today he comes out dressed like this:

He's a Ninja (old school).

With body armor and 3-D glasses (new school tech).

Don't forget the boxing gloves and pioneer pop-gun!

This guy has steampunk running through his veins!

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Spring Snow

We only had two days of snow this winter. And now finally we got a doozer of a storm in APRIL!!! I've got to be honest, it made me wish winter. I really actually missed it this year. The storm started with a very dynamic and window shaking wind storm. Then the second half of the storm came in and dumped about a foot of snow. Hash could not wait to go outside and play.

What that entailed was pulling boxes out of the closet where I had already stored all of our snow clothes. Now I have snow clothes spread throughout the basement, on the stairs (I'm not even kidding), in the entry way and the garage. But I'm not complaining. It has been fun to have the snow. It's been 36 hours and the snow is GONE. 

But we had a lot of fun while it was here!

Funny story: So we needed twigs for the snowman's arms. I told Hash to go up to the field and find some. Well, it was still snowing and windy and after a while, I hadn't heard from him. So I called for him and heard nothing. So I trekked up to the field and called for him. And I called for him again and again. All I could see was snow and sage.

I started to get really nervous. Where was he? The wind was blowing snow in my face, everything was white, it was cold. I could just imagine him cold, perhaps injured, out there in the freezing cold, blinded by the wind and snow. In my mind, the sun was already setting, even though it was only 2:00pm. I ran frantically into the field, tripping over rocks. I scanned the snow looking for any sign of life. Where could he be and how would I find him in this blinding white landscape?

Then I saw his red coat. He was lying in the snow. "Bryce," I yelled and ran to him. He didn't move. When I reached him, I knelt down and he started laughing. "I tripped," he chuckled and rolled over, his cheeks red and wet. I smiled back at him and laughed. He wasn't lost. He wasn't hurt. He was just having a little fun and teasing me was the best part. Turkey!

We gathered a few twigs and headed back down to the yard, tracing our tracks. Only then did I realize that I could have just followed his footsteps in the snow and found him easily enough. I hadn't even seen them. It makes me think about how easy it is to miss the correct path, even when it is right before me. 

So crisis averted. But look at my brave, little tulips. Hope they make it.

I love to see the yard covered in snow. 

So Hash had been playing in the snow for an hour and then Parker came home and they played together for another hour or so. When they finally came in, they were ready for a hot cup of cocoa.

The next morning, there was still snow and I knew it would be gone by the time school was out. So Hash and I rushed outside and built another snowman and a snowdog for the neighbors. 

Good-bye Snow. 

Hope you come again!

Notes

Notes and letters are quickly becoming part of our family identity. Here are a few of the more recent ones. 

When Sterling was growing up and was out late with friends or on a date, he would come home to a "check-in" letter on the table. It would usually ask who you were with, what you did, what time you came home, etc. So our children, as they are getting older and out late more often, come home to the same type of letter on the table. And Sterling is always interested in a "FULL REPORT." Well, one night, Ster was out at a late-night meeting so Sydney left him this note and he responded. 

I also often find letters from my children on my bed. Often they come because they know I've had a rough day and they just want to cheer me up. Sometimes they are letters of apology. This one is from Parker. It was a letter of the second sort. :)

It kind of makes up for days when bedrooms look like this. And have looked like this for weeks. 

This is another letter I found on Parker's bedroom door. Apparently Rachel was entering without permission and getting into things she shouldn't.

My favorite part is the hashtag. This new generation, I tell ya. 

And I absolutely love getting letter after letter of beautiful artwork. Being a mom, raising this family of mine, is a beautiful kind of work!

Spring Break at the Zoo

It had been about a year and a half since we were at the zoo and I figured spring trip was the perfect time for a return trip. 

We especially love the Rocky Shores area of the zoo. We could watch those seals swim for a long time. How can you be so graceful and so blubbery at the same time?

Oh but the highlight was this cute little baby orangutan. He was so adorable, playing in his little nest and then he started walking around, holding on to the ropes. I don't think he could walk on his own. We watched him for a long time too.

We had limited tickets for the carousel so Parker and I sat out and took funny pictures.

It was a good day!

Strawberry Jam

OK. That's a super blurry picture, but hey! Look what I did! Last year we ran out of strawberry jam and it was horrible. We actually had to buy jam from the grocery store. Bleh. So this year, during spring break, I rallied the troops and we cranked out the strawberry jam!

Rachel and her siblings did a great job trying to keep Sarah's boys entertained. This is a picture while it was working. Cooper really preferred to be in the kitchen cooking but Milo was entertained off and on by his great babysitter, Rach.

Here we are, hard at work!

And Cooper hard at work. This is the BEFORE picture.

And the AFTER picture. Extra hands on deck to make sure the toy tower, I mean, highly valued jam doesn't fall.

I love working with my girls in the kitchen. Millie, in particular, enjoys it too. She helps me make dinner most nights! 

Busy boy.

And look at that busy boy's cute mom. I'm so glad she could come!

Easter weekend

This is the first year I've needed more than one pot to boil our easter eggs. I've got to be honest, I'm glad to have to use two pots. It makes me very, very happy. 

Coloring eggs can be stressful sometimes. Some eggs crack. It takes so long to get a dark color. There is always using the color you've been waiting for. And there are spills just waiting to happen. But this year turned out pretty well, I must say.

(Do you see General Conference on the computer in the back ground? I'm not sure how much we gleaned from the Saturday afternoon session.)

We marked each egg with an initial so they wouldn't end up in the wrong basket. 

And here's Sydney, showing off the thumb print on her egg.

Beautiful girl!

We started Saturday morning off with our annual neighborhood Easter Egg Hunt.

Dear sweet Miss Edna. Our lives would not be as full without you.

(This post is a little out of order.) 

So after the neighborhood hunt, we listened to conference. Lunch. Then colored eggs and listened to the afternoon session. 

Sunday morning, lo and behold, there were Easter baskets hidden in the backyard!

As always, there were new books for the reading in their baskets. And I was just tickled pink to see Hash reading, honest and truly reading, his very own books. 

My mom came over for lunch and watched the afternoon session with us. After that, we went to Uncle Grade's house and had a Jerusalem style dinner. And Owen colored some eggs the traditional Ukrainian way.

He also gave a very nice and well prepared presentation on how Easter is celebrated in Ukraine. Made me want to experience it some day. 

I love to see my kids with their older cousins. And Carolyn is a great one!

Aunt Bryn did a wonderful job preparing a very authentic dinner for everyone. She is amazing!!! Also, DaLynn gave a slide show presentation about easter using her experiences during her Jersalem study-abroad trip. What an amazing opportunity for her. So much depth of knowledge!

And of course, there was another easter egg hunt. This was a fun one because they had to look for eggs with their own name on it. So after the easy ones were found, everyone was yelling out each other's names. It was a glorious noise. Everyone helping each other. Fun way to end a wonderful holiday.