April - fun and exhausting

We played a matching game for FHE trying to match up the topic with the prophet/apostle who spoke on that topic at General Conference. I was the one looking them up, so I'm not sure how I'd have done, but I was impressed at how many the kids got right!

School picture time!

And then we took some of our own pictures at home (mostly so I could try out my new light kit, but also to let them have fun).

BFS = Best Friend Sisters

Alee wanted to make expressions for different emotions. Can you guess which one is "serious"? (That was her favorite to make.)

 This one was posed by Alee.

This is naturally posed face by Alee. It says, "I'm jealous because it's not my turn anymore."

Twin time

This one was the closest to a real photo attempt. I probably should plan a time to take "real photos" for the wall - it's been 3 years!

I'm sure some "fairness expert" (=grandparent) is asking, where is Carolyn and why did Seth only get 1 picture? 

The answer is that Seth helped me set this up before school on a late start day and only had time to take a few. The girls got to take theirs the next day on an elementary school early release day. 

Carolyn did not choose to participate in this silly activity.

Awards Day.

Alee got an award too - she doesn't get grades (the other three had all A certificates) - but Alee got a PE award for this quarter. (There were other all A's in 5th, but Carolyn was first in the alphabet, so I got a picture before the rest of the kids went up there.)

Last year, I went up to the school to watch the news show each time one of my girls was participating in it. So, I went up this year on the week Alee's class did the news show. She got to be anchor! (Probably because she's a good reader and could actually read the teleprompter.)

It took me 2  days of trying to make it back from middle school drop off to the elementary school and make it in time for the news show!

And some "have to" things...

Like haircuts ...

(He wants it long but manageable and the salons and barbershops don't do it to my liking, so back to practicing boy haircuts. I did buy some nice hair scissors with my birthday money.)

 Like 72 hour kit rotation...

(This is the first year the kids helped me unpack everything about to expire (or already expired because we didn't rotate in October) and repack their own bags. I was so impressed with them.)

What one of the girls has in hers:

All packed up ready to go in the backpack with the other supplies:

The weekends in April were all booked, but they all were fun. The 2nd weekend (remember, first was General Conference?) we went up to Rob's parents' house and celebrated Grandpa's birthday (Dave) - by going to Frankie's Fun Park. Who says you can't have fun when you're over the hill? ;)

 I'm a little concerned about their future driving skills, but that's Rob's problem to worry about! He's already volunteered for that job!

Look at her cute little hot dog (Anything little is cute for girls) ;) 

(There were 2 half sized ones)

We all enjoyed mini-golf, except Alee (whom I probably should have sent home for rest time with  my MIL)...but she survived by singing her way through the game. Rockstar!

The water squirter bumper boats things were fun too once it warmed up.

 The hooded one hardly got wet at all.

I love when they play nicely together. (Hand-clapping games)

The third weekend of April was for good family moments. 

Cousin time

Grandma was so excited for us to meet a cousin I'd never met before.

 Rearranged den ready for my cousin's baby shower after my new SIL's temple endowment.

The fourth weekend began with a Thursday night strings concert for Seth.

And then the wedding...so many pictures (I tried to narrow it down). 

I didn't take as many as I usually do since there was a professional photographer there. (I did take extra videos in case my brother wanted to do something with them later because he's really good with videography.)

 (I made that a few days before the wedding. It was the only thing I sewed for the wedding.)

 Not only did we not take a family picture, I think I had a short child take this picture. Where was my photo brain?? I should have taken lots of pictures while we were all matching!

All the cousins

 Names and ages (so I don't have to do the math later when I'm looking at this in a book):

Seth (13), Carolyn (11), Kaitlyn (9), Evelyn (1), Natalie (9)

Thomas (4), Luke (3), Chloe (7), Alee (6)

Cousin Love

(The sun is too bright!)

Marilyn Monroe moment here! (Thank goodness for little white shorts under the dress!)

I love how my kids just strike up a conversation with family. Carolyn and Grandma were having a little discussion about who knows what. I'm so thankful for the blessing of having great-grandparents around for my children like I had.

We only got one 4-generation picture before the professional called us up for some "real" photos, so I'll have to get my other 3 girls a 4 generation photo later. 

(Same for Seth; although, I wish I'd gotten one of him on the Bailey line so it's all boys and all Baileys. Hindsight is 20:20)

After some time to rest and recuperate, we all get dressed again for the reception. Mom herding in the grandgirls...(She made that little smocked dress my niece is wearing.)

I think a short niece took this picture judging by the angle; she did pretty good. 

The happy bride and groom.

I didn't take any of my parents except for a few of them dancing - and like everything else mom does - she was going so fast, I had to run circles around them to get a picture!

Brittany and Jacob

 David prepping the honeymoon car.

(I only got videos of Jared and Kristen, so no pictures of them. too bad.)

Alee wanted to dance so badly, so I stepped out and let her have a turn with Dad. (She did convince Uncle David to dance with her. She tried to get cousins, but boys are sometimes difficult.)

Alee walked in wearing the scarf that we had just gotten for her over the weekend, and said, "Look, I'm a German Shepherd!"

It took me a minute to realize that what she meant was, "Look, I'm a shepherd from Germany". haha

So, the moment was picture worthy and all joined in.

I finished off the last weekend of April with back-to-back field trips. Alee's on Friday and Seth's on Saturday. Alee went to a local county museum and learned about farm life and colonial past times (and toys). Seth went to Carowinds Music in the Park festival where his school's orchestra won first place in their division with a superior (highest) rating! And he came home with a goofy hat (which will probably end up in the girls' dress up when he tires of it.)

Field Trip Day 1 selfie:

Playing with a colonial (replica) ladder toy

Learning to plant corn

Learning to stuff a scarecrow

Field trip day 2 selphie:

 the squid hat

After the picnic dinner and awards, we had a few more hours in the park, but it pretty much just rained (mostly lightly) until it was time to leave when it started pouring down! Of course, my group was at the very back of the park and we had to run/fast walk through the pouring rain. We were soaked through every layer of clothing by the time we got to the bus. 

Seth had a fun day and was glad I chaperoned this year to be with him.

And that was April...at least the busy exciting parts. 

The rest was the prep for those weekends and the normal routine of the day.

I'm finished with most of my volunteering (except I am helping with the plans for the 5th grade graduation celebration cookout and showing up on field day - but I mostly do that to get pictures of my kids). :) Now it's time to plan our summer fun (and the summer not-so-fun like chore schedules so I'm not the summer maid!)

Heading into May....let the countdown to summer begin!