Pheonix (March)

In March our family went to Phoenix to hang out with Jana and Brads family while they were there for "spring training". I had never been there before (that I could remember) so we figured a quick trip would be fun. It was really warm outside with WAY to much traffic for our liking!

While we were there, we visited the zoo. It was fun and the kids really enjoyed the animals.

The zoo has an aquarium section were you can pet the rays. Kodi stuck her hand into the water and one of the rays ate her hand/arm. Owen pulled her up and it was still stuck to her! lol She was really excited and kind of freaked out to tell me all about it (I was looking at another fish at the time.).

We got to feed the giraffes... The kids all got a big kick out of doing that as well. I think it was one of the big highlights of the zoo.


This baby zebra that is laying down was only two weeks old.

Easter weekend

For Easter, we headed to the "pink corral sand dunes" about an hour away from our house. We went with our friends Don and Nicole and their two kids and Bridger. It was cold and wet for some of it, but just enough to make the sand not so dusty! (:

We got their fairly late, so we had just enough time to set up camp, have dinner and go to bed.

BO's helping make the fire pit...

Owen put Tylar in the camp chair and I think something in the cup holder freaked her out! lol

Easter morning, we woke up to all our easter baskets. Bridger even got one!

After we got dressed for the day, we headed outside so the kids could ride their dirt bike... BO's just a little obsessed with it. It scared the crap out of him, but he didn't want to get off. He went back and forth from Bridger and Owen. It was so cute!



Of course Rylee had to have a turn. Owen showed her how to ride it, now she was ready to try it all by herself. Owen had to be right next to her though.

Tylar liked it too and didn't want Bridger to stop.

The kids doing their easter egg hunt. It started to rain so they were a little rushed, but they still had fun.

Gardening...

Before...

This is our plants that were started inside (thanks Jeff) and some by me. (:

This is the garden right before we transplanted everything. Kind of scary hu? lol

After...

Here is our jungle after a good month of everything going!

The kids and their BOOTS...

Owen and I found Kodi and BO these boots on sale for $4.00 in February. They haven't taken them off since we bought them... Even to sleep. It's hot here and these are still their shoes of choice!

I had to document Tylar's first attempts at crawling too... She is such a big girl, it kills me!

I'm mean...

Okay, to start Rylee said I was a mean mom! I kind of am when they don't listen or do something they are repeatedly told NOT TO DO! (; so on this occasion, Rylee was standing behind my couch on Tylars bouncy chair. I was laying on the couch and told her three times to get off it and that she was going to break it. she didn't get off so I knocked her off of it with my foot. I know, I know, that was mean! Well, she fell (not far) and started screaming. I was shocked because it wasn't a hard fall or very far off the ground so I thought she was screaming for nothing. I jumped off the couch and looked where she was laying and saw blood everywhere! Now I know what you are thinking. What happened was, when I pushed her off, one of her feet was between the fabric of the couch and the other was on the bouncy chair. Well, there was a furniture staple sticking out where her foot was and it got caught in her foot and tore it open. I felt awful, so I took care of the bleeding foot and held her for a long time. She told everyone for the next two weeks what I had done. I still feel terrible about it! I took a few butterfly bandages to it and it healed nicly. (:

Mother's Day

I just want to take a minute and thank all those mothers out there. Your job does not receive the recognition you all deserve. I have had a wonderful mother to take care of me as I have grown and who I think is one of the greatest grandmothers ever. My children truly love her more than she knows. We do not live very close to my parents but she is still a major part of our lives and that takes work. I love you Mom. Thank you for everything you do for me and my family.



Now for my wife Bree.



First. Take a second to look at her. Isn't she gorgeous?



I know I am lucky.



Bree is truly the love of my life and treats me way better than I deserve. She takes care of me and the kids so well and does more than she needs to, and we still ask her to do more. She works so hard to teach the kids, feed us all and clean up after everyone that she never has any time for herself. Bree is an amazing person who truly does get more and more beautiful every day. I love you Brianna and hope that our marriage, love and family continue to grow as it has for the last seven years. Thank you for being you and loving me. OP