Memorial Day

I like to visit the graves of family members on Memorial Day. Nathan has an aunt buried nearby, and my grandma is buried not too far away. We visited both graves this year. I think it's important to remember those who've gone before us and what they've done for us. It was a beautiful (and hot) day. S loved the windmills on the graves at the cemeteries!

Afterwards we had a bbq with Nathan's family. We had a nice time hanging out with everyone.

Fun outside

We're doing better this week and have been enjoying the sun. Thank heaven for sunshine! It's been beautiful weather all week and I wish it would stay like this all summer (and not get so hot!). We bought S a new slide. It's not very big, but she loves it and it has been a draw for the younger neighbor kids, too, which has also been fun.

And....because of some extra slide time, she was finally brave enough to 

go down the big slide at the park by herself. Yay!!

She also got some of her own sidewalk chalk, play dough, and some new crayons.

A hard week

Just as S was getting over strep, she caught some other bug (probably in nursery). She was throwing up all night. Poor girl! She's never really thrown up before, so she didn't even understand what had happened at first. She was in good spirits even as she continued to be sick. I was the one becoming distraught watching her suffer. Finally, she was so tired she demanded to go back to bed (a very uncommon request!).

I was buried in laundry the next day, not to mention cleaning and disinfecting everything. By the end of the day I was on top of things again. But the next day, Nathan came down with what S had and he was up most of the night. Even though he didn't need my help, there was no way I could sleep while he was up and sick.

Just before Nathan got sick, we noticed some spots on S's skin, scattered all over her body. The next morning it was worse: red blotches all over. We decided she needed to see a doctor to find out what was going on. We were worried it was a reaction to the antibiotics she's been on. 

Nathan was home sick and feeling miserable. I was supposed to take my parents to my dad's doctor's appointment, but didn't want to expose them to the bug in our house. Thankfully, my brother-in-law was willing to take them. The doctor, actually a PA, didn't know what the cause of S's rash is. (I do NOT love useless trips to the doctor's office. Can't they give me a refund if they can't tell me what's wrong??) We're keeping an eye on her and she's off the antibiotics. In addition, this day I slammed my finger in the door, found out my mission president passed away a couple months ago, and S spilled water all over the bathroom floor. It was one of those days!!

Today, things are looking better. Nathan is feeling better and working, and I am not sick! I SOOO do not want to catch this bug.

Lovely Lilacs and Darling Girls

I love lilacs!! The sweet, lovely, delicate blossoms are always gone too soon. My sister-in-law, Angela, is a talented photographer and wanted to do a little photo shoot with her daughter, our daughter, and another cute, baby girl cousin. Things worked out so that we were able to be part of it. She got some really great pictures. I love them!

We mothers are planning on these girls being great friends :)

I love her sweet expression in this one.

This one I love for her impish smile.

I also got to be in on a few pictures with my sweet girl.

I love being a mommy. And I'm so blessed that this sweet, little girl

 is who I get to be mommy to. It's the best job in the world.

2 weddings, no funeral

Nathan's niece got married last week and we were able to attend the sealing and the festivities afterwards. They are beautiful people and it was a happy day for all of us.

The very newlyweds...

My sweetie and I

S playing poke-your-fingers-through-the-holes-in-the-table with Aunt Tara and having a great time.

S playing in the garden at the reception with some other kids. 

We think it's likely that she picked up strep sometime this day =(

 S meeting the pretty bride in her princess dress (she's thrilled as you can see!)

And the other wedding was for our sweet neighbor across the street, who's been living with her aunt and uncle. They've watched S for us and she loves all of them. She calls Briana "Aunt Briana."

A fun Easter weekend

We had a great Easter weekend spent with some of my family. First we visited my brother, Eric, in Weber County. It was a beautiful day and we enjoyed relaxing outside with them. To start off, S and her 2 cousins hunted for Easter eggs in the backyard. There were lots of eggs to find and they all had a great time.

Did we find them all?

S loved swinging...

 ....and jumping on the trampoline.

We had a delicious lunch together and hung out in their living room.

Cute girls at the piano...makes me happy =)

From there we drove to Idaho Falls to spend the rest of the weekend with my sister Lynda. S remembered playing with a dollhouse last time we were there and asked to play with it again.

Another cousin

...and another. =) 

S has lots of cousins on my side of the family, but they're all older than she is. I love that in spite of the age difference they play and spend time with her. She loves it.

Lynda is well-known for making yummy food and she fed us well all weekend. She'd bought some small dessert dishes and wanted to try them out. I made one of the desserts here. They were too fancy to not take a picture!

Our family Easter picture.

I'm grateful for the Easter holiday. I think it's the most important of all the holidays. Because of Christ's atoning sacrifice there is hope. Regardless of how dark or difficult or hopeless the circumstances, there is hope because of Him! I am grateful for the light and hope I have in my life because of Him. I know that He lives and rose from the dead. I love reading the account in John of Mary discovering Him. I love that He first appeared to a woman. I love how personal and tender that experience was. It helps me remember that Christ knows me and loves me personally, too. Thank heaven for Easter!

New threads and sunglasses

We found a new suit for Nathan (he's been needing one for a while). You can't see it well in the pictures, but it's a dark blue with small stripes. We like it!! S also wore one of her new spring dresses to church for the first time. They're my cuties!!

S got her first pair of sunglasses. I look in the rear-view mirror one day and this is how she was wearing them! Whatever works! I decided to get her a pair of sunglasses because when we've been in the car and the sun is in her eyes she yells, "My eye is ruined!" LOL.