Flower Pot Party

Our courtyard got together to paint pots and plant flowers. Most of my neighbors painted beautiful designs and were super artsy. Mine were plain jane, but I think I love the solid colors! Now if I can keep the flowers alive that will be a real miracle!

And Everett went on his first car ride and was in heaven! He's growing up really fast lately.

Daddy's Birthday Week

Last week was Jimmy-Jim's birthday week and T, Evie and I planned yummy meals and desserts and had little presents for him to open everyday. We're new to this whole birthday week deal (I got the idea from my friend Natania, but she's amazing X a million and does birthday month!) and James was so surprised when he came home Monday night to treats and Talmage's big SURPRISE!

We did something fun everyday...but somehow I didn't take a single picture from the rest of the week. On the actual big day (he turned 26 on the 13th) we went to lunch at The Axe and Palm (burgers, fries, milkshakes and fountain root beer--my fav!) Everett sat on the table and ended up mooching off of everyone's meal! In a way I can't believe that he's only 26--that seems so young. I guess I'm feeling old lately ;)

T and I made Daddy a HUGE cupcake for his birthday, and frosted it with his favorite cream cheese frosting. Talmage picked out the sprinkles and the candles and was SO excited. Unfortunately the cake met an untimely demise...

Bummer, huh? Luckily it was still delicious. James said he hopes it was not a sign of how his 26th year will turn out!

We had Rowan and Cedar over so that their parents could go out and it was a ton of fun to have a full house of kids to party with! They were so good together, as always. The next night Comfort and Kit took our kids and they were a little loco. I'm afraid we definitely got the better end of this deal!

James got lots of nice gifts and was so grateful for all the love. He kept saying how spoiled he felt, which made me feel like birthday week was a job well done! We LOVE that Dad-Man of ours and we were so glad he felt special on his birthday.

A few randoms...

Last week we went to Happy Hollow with some friends and Evie was all smiles when I let him sit like a big boy next to his brother on the ride. It was adorable.

We also went to Santa Cruz and met up with my parents, younger brother Chase and some teenagers from their ward who were on a special Spring Break trip. The kids were SO nice to Talmage and he felt like a million bucks. It was adorable too! That's my brother doing the superman pose on the ride above.

Papa and GG came to visit on Saturday and T loved showing them how he rides a bike and playing with Papa in the little toy house. We also had a delicious lunch with them. This picture has absolutely nothing to do with that day, but I somehow didn't get my camera out so here you go! PS in case you're wondering--he actually didn't even ride his bike the day this picture was taken. He seriously wears that helmet nonstop!

Our Easter

Hope your Easter was as relaxing, fulfilling and wonderful as ours. Sunday was spent as a family of four--eating yummy food, getting in new Easter duds and remembering the precious gift of our Savior Jesus Christ. It was amazing!

Easter Hunt & Baskets

A family from church invited the whole ward over for a Easter brunch and egg hunt on Easter Saturday. There were TONS of people and it was so much fun. Everyone brought 12 eggs and everyone could find 12 eggs, but T got really lucky because I brought 12 eggs for Evie too (so he really got to find 24!) He was in heaven!

The boys checking their loot. Evie loved sucking on the eggs, and T got right to work inhaling a ridiculously large amount of chocolate. He would open an egg, unwrap the candy, inhale and repeat. It was hilarious to watch! I think Everett felt like a big boy and really enjoyed having his own basket.

Everett showing us an egg and his cute smile. Talmage picked out the easter baskets for himself and his brother--his had to be yellow (his favorite color for quite some time now) and he wanted Ev to have a blue one. They looked great.

That little cheesy T! I would love to get a picture of him looking at the camera with a real smile--but we're in that phase right now.

Family of four at the Easter egg hunt. It was a great morning and T is still talking about it.

Both boys needed new carseats so they each got baskets and seats! Neither have even taken a second look at the carseat, but the baskets were a big hit for both. (Note to self--next year buy 2 rolls of cellophane because one roll doesn't cut it. And even though this year Evie didn't care that he had the unwrapped basket, I'm guessing next year he will!)

T looking through his goodies WAY too early on Easter morning.

Evie was so sweet. He loved looking through his basket and it kept him busy for almost 45 minutes! Happy first Easter baby boy.

All of us in new Easter clothes getting ready to go to church. Other than baskets in the morning, our Easter Sunday was focused on the Savior and the true meaning of the holiday. We loved it.

The boys looked SO cute. I love their guts and I'm so glad that they're mine. Cuteness!

Oh Evie Ev. Has there ever been a baby that smiles more than you? I don't think so! You're a doll.

Ana's BIG fat greek Birthday party

Remember that one time when a big bunch of goofy & giggling gals got together to celebrate Ana's birthday party and ended up dressing up and acting out her life? Funniest.night.ever. My cheeks still hurt just thinking about the hilarity of it all. Thanks girls!

So their personalities

Call me crazy, but something I missed most while we were on house arrest was taking the boys to the store with me. Is it always smiles and joy? No. In fact, during this trip to Costco the boys sat next to each other in the cart for the first time and Talmage punched Everett every time he made so much as a peep. It was not ok. Everett in turn attempted to steal every sample that was offered to his brother. It was war. BUT...it feels good to be out with both of them. I like not having to explain that my baby is at home, and I really don't like feeling awkward as I try to decide whether to tell them the full CHD story, the watered-down version, or perhaps just that he's with a 'sitter. I like myself as a mom of two little boys, and I like it when they are with me--crazy or not.

This picture shows their personalities so well. The person standing behind me in the returns line was making faces trying to get the boys to smile. Talmage was skeptical and not impressed. He's a sweet little boy when he wants to be, but he is definitely not a pleaser. He's not going to smile just because you've asked him to, and he doesn't care if you dance or sing or make faces. Everett, on the other hand, would smile at a card board box if it asked him to! Such a flirt. I love learning more about these two and seeing their personalities shine.