May 6th, 2012

This week I met up with my sisters in New York City! The first few days of the week were spent getting ready for the trip. I can't believe how much work it takes for a mother to leave  for a few days. Here's a recap of our fun trip.

• Gerren and I both flew in early Thursday morning. I slept and got ready for the day while Sarah went to pick up Gerren. Once they arrived we all went to lunch at Tiny's Sandwich Shop. Then we walked down Canal Street and I bought a purse and sunglasses. We also stopped by a place called Economy Candy. The coolest candy store I've ever been to. Very cheap yet contained a selection of candy from around the world as well as candy from our childhood. We also had to stop by Lululemon. 
• We then bought tickets for Mary Poppins on Broadway, went back to Sarah's apartment to get ready, grabbed a slice of pizza and headed to the show. Mary Poppins was very good and the scenery was amazing. After the show we headed to a diner for a very late dinner. By bedtime were we all exhausted!

• Friday morning Gerren and I slept in until 9:30am! I guess we were a little tired:) Sarah had made us massage appointments at 11am for our birthday presents so we hurried to get ready and headed out. The massage was one of the best I've ever had! 
• Sarah had then purchased tickets for us to take the ferry to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. It was fun to visit such a famous landmark. Ellis Island had a great museum about its role in immigration. It was really fascinating. We had a late lunch on Ellis Island and then back to the city to visit the 9/11 Memorial. The Memorial was beautiful. I loved seeing the new World Trade Center towers as well. 
• After visiting the 9/11 site we had dinner with Gary at Gyu-Kaku, a Japanese barbecue restaurant. It was very good and fun to cook our own meat at our table. Gary then took us to a pastry shop called Venieros. I tried my first cannoli among other goodies. It was seriously delicious! After our yummy dinner and treats we of course had to stay up until 1am talking...just like sisters do!

• Saturday morning we went for a 6 mile run in Central Park. My sisters are in shape because they are currently training for a 1/2 Marathon and a 1/2 Ironman. I am not in shape so I barely pulled out 6 miles but I couldn't let my big sisters show me up:) 
• For lunch we went to my favorite place for a New York slice...Rays! Yummy! Then we went shopping again at Lululemon and walked to the MET. As always, the MET is completely amazing. I really liked the Egyptian artifacts. Sarah then took us to an off-shoot for MET, The Cloisters. Very Cool!
• For dinner we stopped at the Delta Grill. THE best mac & cheese and BBQ pulled pork sandwich I've ever had. We also stopped at Junior's for cheesecake...and boy did we get a lot of cheesecake. We were home by 8pm and ate cheesecake, watched a movie, and talked.

• Sunday morning Gerren FORCED me out of bed for another run. This time we ran just over 2.5 miles. I actually felt pretty good after the run:) Sarah took us to a restaurant called Cowgirls for brunch. The french toast was so good! 
• We then made stops at Levain Bakery and Trader Joe's for more goodies. By then it was almost time for Gerren to head for the airport. I hung out at Sarah's place for a few more hours before I grabbed on more slice of pizza and then headed for JFK.

I am so grateful for my wonderful sisters! I had the best weekend! I sure wish I lived closer to them:)

April 29th, 2012

There is only one picture form this week...

• Brynn made a fort in Bodee's crib. She is very inventive. I haven't figured out how Bodee was suppose to get in the fort but it was very sweet of her to build it for him.

• This was my last week teaching preschool! Yay! I have been part of a mom co-op preschool for three years so I'm very excited for Brynn to attend a regular preschool three days a week next year.
• I was talking with Addy's teacher this week and she mentioned that Addy is up to reading at Level 14! Wow! Great job to my Addy girl!
• Friday night Todd and I went out on a date. We met up for dinner at Chili's with our friends, Shawn and Katie. It's always fun to have some alone time away from the kids.
• Bodee loves watching Spiderman now and even says "iderman". He will also point to the different parts of his body when you name them and Todd has taught him to show his muscles:) He is one fun and cute kid!

April 22nd, 2012

I'm behind on my blogging so here is a catch up the last couple of weeks.

• On Tuesday this week Todd decided to drive down to Las Vegas for a work conference. He left at 5am Wednesday morning. Brynn came in our room just after as he was leaving. After he left she said "I miss Dad." I said "I know, Dad's the best!". She replied, "he is the best...unless he puts me in the Disneyland crusher!".
• We met up with Todd on Friday morning in Salina for his Great-Uncle Dee's funeral. Todd was so sad about the passing of his Uncle Dee. He was honored to be asked as a pallbearer. The funeral was very nice and a great reminder of the full life Uncle Dee lived. Todd's father, Chris, spoke at the funeral and did very nice.

• The DeVerl Boys. Theo DeVerl, Todd DeVerl, and Boden DeVerl at DeVerl Clark's funeral.

• My handsome boys!

• The kids did very well the day of the funeral. A two hour drive to Salina, Then sat reverently during the viewing, funeral, and grave-site followed by a two hour drive home. They did so well we stopped at Chuck E. Cheese to play games. As always, they had a blast! 

• Saturday was a very beautiful day so we took the kids to the park. The girls hit golf balls (Addy did a great job connecting!) and we played catch with our gloves and baseballs. Great family day!

April 15th, 2012

This week was Spring Break for both Addy and Brynn. We didn't go anywhere special but I tried to do something fun each day so the girls would have special week.

• Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday had temperatures in the high 70's/low 80's so we definitely spent those days outside. On Monday we spent several hours at Nepture Park (the cool new park we all love) with the Tongi family. On Tuesday we visited This Is the Place Park. Our pass expires next month so we wanted to get one last visit in. All the new baby animals were there so the kids loved it. Of course, our favorite Tongi family joined us.

• Bodee LOVED all the animals. There were baby lambs, chicks, and rabbits. He just couldn't get enough of them and kept trying to hold them all. 

• Wednesday was spent at the Lehi Legacy Center. The girls started private swim lessons with Elizabeth, which they talked about all week. Then we stuck around and played in the water for a little while. The Legacy Center has one of those huge buckets that fill up every so often and then dumps everywhere. I kept Bodee away from the huge splash until the very end. He did not like getting dumped on!
• Thursday we went out to lunch at Culvers and then went shopping at Costco. 
• Friday we used our pass to the Living Aquarium. They opened a new exhibit since the last time we were there: Otters! All the kids really enjoyed watching the otters, especially the one that kept swimming right in front of the tank. They also enjoyed watching the penguins get fed and jump into the water.  

• I became a Zumba addict this week. How is it I have never tried this workout class before? I love to dance and it is definitely a workout! I went three times this week and  I can't wait to go again next week.
• I spent HOURS this week updating our 72 hour kits and food storage. I update our 72 hour kits every April and October (General Conference is my reminder). I always restock the food before it expires and update the clothes as season and size needs. I use to have a pretty good food storage but after moving to Salt Lake it definitely dwindled. I revamped our food storage and now have a easily rotatable three month supply. Meaning, I have exactly three months worth of breakfasts, and dinners, with one loaf of bread each day for lunch. I am missing just a few food items and of course I don't have a three month supply of water but I definitely feel better knowing we are following the counsel of the prophets and being prepared the best we can.
• Todd's cousin Eli was baptized on Saturday. Todd took the girls to the baptism in Provo. We think it's great when the girls get to see others making the baptismal covenant. Just a couple more years and Addy will be baptized. Wow, time sure goes fast!  

April 8th, 2012

• On Monday this week the kids were invited to a Birthday Party for their friend Faith. It was at one of those jumping places with the huge inflatable slides and bounce houses. Of course, they had a great time. This was my favorite picture! 

• Just a sweet little boy taking his afternoon nap. Just one of the few times I don't have to wonder what he's getting into now:) 

• Seriously, proud Mama moment! All the kids grabbed a book and were quietly reading (or just looking at the pictures, but still...) 

• Friday was Crazy Hair Day at school. We made Addy's hair into 14 different ponytails and they gave it a Candy Land theme. We put in the Candy Land cards, people, and pieces of candy. It was pretty fun for Addy! 

• Grandma Bassett had her annual Easter Party on Friday evening. As always it was a smashing success with lots of cousin fun! We just love being so close to family. 

• On Saturday morning we went to our last and final Easter hunt. This one was a Smiths Grocery Store. They rope off aisles per age group and dump tons of candy on the floor. Surprisingly, there really weren't that many kids so our three came away with bucketfuls. We ended up giving half of it away since the children had eaten WAY to much candy this past week. 

• EASTER MORNING! Our Easter Bunny hides our Easter baskets so the kids have to search around the house to find them. Boden's was on a chair in the kitchen. Brynn's was in the coat closet and Addy's was in tub on a stool. Some highlights from the baskets...candy (of course), a long jump rope, Squinkies, little trucks for Bodee, nail polish, and a few summer shorts and shirts.

• Sunday morning with their new Easter dresses on. Beautiful girls and a handsome boy! 

• Dying Easter eggs. Always a good, messy time! 

• This picture makes me laugh for two reasons. First, his face. But second, his shoes. Bodee is obsessed with wearing these new penny loafers we bought him for church shoes. He wears them all the time and when I take them away he puts on Addy or Brynn's shoes and clomps around the house. Boden also frequently brings shoes to me to put on him and says "shoes". So funny but so cute! 

• The girls cut out the cookies last night and today they decorated the cookies. They sure are creative and even Bodee ended up joining in and decorating a few cookies, I mean eat frosting:) I love holidays because the kids just get so excited about EVERYTHING! I'm glad I get to be their Mom and help them make fun memories. The  cookies below were decorated completely by the kids. I did not help at all. I think they did a great job! 

• Saturday afternoon we decided to take a family bike ride. Brynn and Boden were pulled in the bike trailer by Todd and Addy road her own bike. We biked on the Jordan River Trail and ended up riding all the way to Thanksgiving Point. It ended up being a very long way and Addy did so great. Even with the hills. Once we got to Thanksgiving Point we bought the kids 25 cent ice cream cones. I think Addy earned more than that so next time she can get a big cone with bubblegum ice cream!
• Brynn cannot stop talking about her birthday and hasn't for the past 9 months. This week she told her father that for her birthday she wants to go to Disneyland, Seven Peaks water park, and golfing with dad. She then told her preschool teacher that she is going to Hawaii for her birthday. When I informed her that would not be happening she stared to cry and said "You and Dad and Addy and Bodee get everything and I get nothing!" I think I have a long road ahead of me.
• Saturday morning we were working in the yard and Brynn was actually being a really good helper weeding. After we were done she said "that was a big job for a little girl".
• This morning at church Brynn went out to get a drink before Sacrament Meeting started and missed the Bishop walking around shaking hands. She insisted that she walk up to the stand to shake his hand; so she did and talked to him for a minute.
• The other day I was folding laundry in my room and Addy came in to talk. She was being so cute and silly. I love being able to have more grown-up conversations with her as she matures. It is becoming a time I really cherish.

April 1st, 2012

• Last Sunday was Grandpa Bassett's birthday! Todd really enjoys grilling out so for his dad's birthday he took over some ribs to cook for him. They were yummy! Todd is getting really good at grilling ribs.

• Here are the kids with Grandma and Grandpa Bassett. Brynn was in charge of putting the candles in the pie and if you notice they are ALL over the pie. 

• Addy had to get two teeth pulled this week because there is crowding in her mouth already. It was a little painful for her for a few hours but on the upside she got to put two teeth under her pillow for the tooth fairy that night. She also got sung to twice by her kindergarten class the next day. The song goes...

Look in Addy's mouth and what do you see?

A great big hole where her tooth use to be

But she wiggled it and giggled it 

Until it fell out.

Now there's a great big window in her mouth!

• Early Saturday morning we took to the kids to an Easter Egg Hunt at the local park. We got there just in time and all the kids were able to pick up a few eggs filled with candy. It took Bodee a few minutes to realize what was going on but once he found a little bag of mini marshmallows he didn't care about anything else.

• After the egg hunt we took the kids to One Man Band for a quick breakfast. 

• Saturday was a beautiful day! We listened to a few conference talks but since we don't have cable and the the internet wasn't streaming it very well I ended up taking the kids to the new cool park for about four hours while Todd went up to Salt Lake to help his uncle move. I didn't realize it was that warm out and we all got a little red-cheeked from the sun. 
• Brynn was also very excited because she climbed to the very top the huge climbing tower I showed a few weeks ago. Go Brynn! 

• Saturday night the kids were so excited to have their cousin Grant over while his dad went to the priesthood session of conference. Here they are all snuggled up together watching Kung Fu Panda. 

• Todd has a reclining chair that he often sits in and through the last few years it has been given various names such as "The Snuggle Chair" and more recently "The Macker Dad Chair" because as Todd calls himself the "Macker Dad". (Whatever?) So it's always cute little family stuff until Brynn tells her preschool friend that he can't sit in the chair because it's the "Macker Dad Chair". I could tell her little friend what like "what are you talking about?" It just make me laugh because she was so serious.