The Past Year

Best Friends

Today my neighbor Brittney took her son Bradley and my Ella to the treehouse museum and they had a ton of fun. It is finally nice enough outside so she got a cute picture of them together on the rocks out front. They are six months apart and Best Friends. They play almost everyday. He loves trains and she loves dolls.

I LOVE YOU

Just a couple hours after her temper tantrum today she wanted me to take her picture and tell me how much she loves me. She just learned how to do this sign and thinks she is really cool.

I'm Hiding

Ella had a temper tantrum today AGAIN. One of several daily tantrums that I now get to experience. She asked me if she could play with another set of toys and I asked her to clean up her mess first. She didn't like me telling her that so she went and hid where I couldn't see her and she couldn't see me.

Piano Teacher

This is Jacob with a picture of Katelin's Piano teacher. Her name is Shayna and she is almost 16 yo. She is the best! She also just happens to be our neighbor and live right across the street. We love her and Jacob can't wait to start piano next year when he turns eight.

How'd I Do?

As soon as she was done playing she turned around to see everyone's reaction and then got up and went to her seat. This is her getting up and she looked very pleased with herself.

Dance of the Butterfly

She played Dance of the Butterfly and she had it memorized but she still read the music anyway. It was beautiful.

Piano Recital

Katelin had her piano recital last week and did very well.

Handyman "NOT" For Sale

This is my great handyman that I love so much. He put knobs and pulls on all my kitchen cupboards for me. He is so awesome. I really appreciate all he does for us.

Visit to Portage

The day after Easter we took off with John to head towards Idaho for a short trip and stopped in Portage, Utah. That is where his dad was born and now where he is buried. So we went to go see his grave and tell our children alot of the old stories about Grandpa McCrary.

Playing DS

John and Jacob are playing Jake's new game. Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games. Who do you think won? Who is having more fun? Who is this game really for?

Easter Dinner

For Easter dinner this year we had a crowd. It was great. We turned the dining table the other direction and moved the couches out of the way. So it went lengthwise from the dining room to the other end of the living room. We added two folding tables to make one long table. Then we covered them all with newsprint and crayons so everyone could customize their area. We had Gramda McCrary, Grandma Scott, Grandpa Scott, Jody, Ivan, Catherine, Ben, Toni, Bekah and our family. We were stuffed.

Time to Eat

Can you guess who likes to take pictures?

Aaaaagh!

This is Jakes honest and true feelings about picture taking.

Crazy Picture!

After about 60 pictures trying to get all three kids to look at the camera and smile at the same time, they were sick and tired of it. So then they had fun! Thank you grandma for trying so hard to get a good shot.

Ready for Church

Whew! Ready to go!

Getting Ready

Getting ready to go to Church. Ella loves to get her hair done. She knew she was cute. All day when people would say how pretty she was, she would respond by saying, "Yah!"

What's In Your Mouth?

The kids baskets had bubble gum Easter Eggs and Reeses Easter Eggs in them and when ever someone asks Ella what is in her mouth she opens it to show you. Can you guess which one that is? All her candy and gum was gone by that night.

Katelin's Eggs

Katelin was having so much fun she had a hard time posing even for a picture. Look at her eyes, she is still searching.

Jacob's Egg

Jake started by following Katelin around the room and after about five minutes was wondering why he wasn't finding any eggs. Then he got creative and really started hunting.

Ella's Eggs

We woke up grandma and grandpa to come join the fun! So grandma helped Ella while mom took pictures. This year Ella got it. She really likes hunting for eggs.

Easter Baskets

This is our kids first thing Easter Morning. They still have that, I just woke up, look on their faces. We had just gotten back the night before from the Discovery Museum so they all woke up pretty tired and surprised that the Easter Bunny came becuase we hadn't even set out our baskets or anything. And this year the Easter Bunny only hide our real eggs that we had colored. Katelin was a little upset by the fact that we had forgotten to take our zillions of plastic eggs out of the storage bin and the Easter Bunny didn't know where to find them. So next year we better be more prepared for when he comes. Katelin was so excited though becuase she finally got a Tomagatchi. Jacob got a new game for his DS and Ella got some pretty new panties. Yes, we are trying to give her the idea "again" that it really is O.K. to go in the toilet.

Park City & SLC

We were so excited to get away to Park City. We did the whole Grocery Store Chicken Dinner and took it back to our Hotel and watched Enchanted. We did a little outlet mall shopping and the kids really enjoyed swimming in the heated swimming pool After about fifteen minutes they were cold and came back for a nice warm swimming suit bath. The next day we drove to Salt Lake City and went to the Gateway Discovery Museum. It included a lifesize beehive for the kids to play in, a construction zone, house, grocery store, park, river, treehouse, and farm. The entire upstairs is for older children mainly and consisted of tons of science hands on exhibits as well. Jacob spent most of his time at the river and as he put it, "It was sweet!"

Pre-Easter Family Get Away

Jakes Field Trip

Jacob and Mom got to go on a field trip together Last Thursday before Easter Break. They started by going to the Ogden Nature Center where they learned how to make paper and made some to take home. Then they walked around and explored the wildlife preserve while learning about the different birds, animals and trees native to the area. We then went to the Treehouse Childrens Museum. They started out by acting out an Old Asian Folk Tale and Jacob got picked to be the Dragon King. We learned about other countries and they told stories. Then they got to explore for themselves and let their imaginations take them where ever they pleased! Jake Love It!

Jacobs Field Trip

Colored Eggs

Today was short day at school so Katelin and Jacob got home early. It was perfect because Ella was down for her much needed nap and Grandma and Grandpa were here. Dad even stepped away from work for a minute and decorated a few himself. Jacob's favorite egg was one he named "The Sunset Egg." We had a fun time coloring our Easter Eggs together and mom was very pleased that there were no major spills or accidents involved in this years annual coloring tradition.

How to trap a Leprechaun

Katelin knows that our sneeky Leprechaun must live in our rocks out front because that was where the trail originated from. So after breakfast they set the trap.

1. Get a box

2. Put an old shoe in the box

3. Put tissue over the box

4. Put a gold coin on the tissue carefully so it won't cave in.

5. Hide and wait.

They went in to watch cartoons for a few minutes and when they left for school this morning the Leprechaun had taken the gold coin, and didn't get caught.

WHAT WENT WRONG?

Green Eggs and Ham

The kids loved the whole green eggs and ham idea and gobbled it up. Ella, on the other hand, didn't want to eat any ham that was now green and ate her toast. We even broke out our festive green dishes.

St. Patrick's Day 2008

We woke up this morning to a green trail from a Leprechaun. Katelin and Jacob figured out that he must have come in through the front door and then down the hall to their rooms. He tried to go down the stairs and then came back and went to the kitchen and turned the dogs water green. We are watching Grandma McCrary's dog Mandy right now. The leprechaun then went to the fridge and turned all our milk green and exited through the garage door. The kids saw his trail leading to our neighbors house.

While Dad was away the kids will play!

While John was in California on business the kids were busy having fun. Carolyn took a few pictures of them to send me. Enjoy!

Jake in nearly 4 feet of snow

This Winter was quite a snowy one. On Super Bowl Sunday we got over 21 inches of snow and the kids had a blast. Here's a few pictures including some of Jacob playing in the deep snow.

Grandma McCrary out for a walk!

John asked his Mom if she wanted to go for a walk out front and she about came out of her skin. She was excited because she had hip surgery in late February and this was her first time out.

Katelin's School Drum Program

Katelin played the drum at her 3rd Grade class recital. She did a great Job! Here's a few pictures from the performance.

Jared and Amity went to Disneyland and had to buy Winter clothes for Alexis. Hawaii doesn't get very cold so they had to buy everything new before they left. Before returning home they shipped all of the new "Cold Weather" clothes to Ella. She thought it was Christmas when the package arrived. Here's a few shots of her trying them on.