April 2021

General Conference

This year, we did Conference bingo blackout again with jelly beans. Maverick said he loved listening to President Nelson. I love little traditions that help keep my littles a bit more engaged. We also got our traditional conference donuts. I was taught conference is a good time to switch out 72 hour kit things! What a solid idea. This is what the boys' buckets looked like, minus clothes/pjs. 

Easter

Our sneaky Easter bunny hid our baskets again! The boys were pretty quick to find theirs and were sure to help Brielle locate hers, too. We dyed Easter eggs (which held the boy's attention for all of maybe 3 minutes) and listened to Conference. We had the majority of Lehi's family over (including Grandpa Jensen and Grandma Linda)! 

Gina and Bill put together the cutest little Easter egg hunt. They had gold eggs with money and papers in the others that they got to cash in for things that didn't fit in eggs (like chips, cereal, and toys; you can see Lincoln eating the fruit of his spoils). Gina and Bill even made sure to have things for the youngers (Brielle, Becket, Oaklee) like yogurt bites & sippy cups. The kids were in heaven. We finished up the evening with an awesome Easter ham dinner.

                                      

Fun note: boys favorite books: Fly Guy (Maverick), Elephant & Piggie (Lincoln) 

Bike Brothers

This might just be one of my favorite quotes from this month. Maverick was outside, helping Lincoln ride his bike w/no training wheels. He told him with uttermost confidence and sincerity, "touch my hand if you trust me."

Park with Cousins 

Sometimes, we are fun moms and let our kids play together ;) It is hard to beat the simplicity of a park play date. 

Maverick Turns 7!

We started off the morning with Maverick's #2 favorite foods--breakfast tacos (ironically, we usually eat them for dinner). Maverick requested a Menchie's oreo ice cream cake this year, so I was off the hook in making one. ;) We played with water-beads, had cousins/family and Thomas over for cake. On Saturday, we headed to Boondocks as a family. Maverick told us he really wanted to play laser tag. We signed up for a designated time, and played lots of games while we waited. The boys all went in for laser tag while I wrangled Brielle (trying to watch on the screens they had outside). Lehi said Lincoln kept getting targeted by older kids and it was pretty lame of them. Mav and Linc both stayed very close to Lehi and seemed to have enjoyed the experience. I figured Lincoln was having a rough go in there when he was -10, -17, -18 on the score board. I would silently cheer him on when it jumped to -5, 0, etc., indicating he had hit someone.  

Maverick is extremely creative, loves math & his engineering class at school. He has a great imagination and loves playing with Lincoln and Thomas. He loves playing the Switch (Pokémon game). He is a huge social butterfly. He is a fierce friend and very thoughtful. Maverick is also very stubborn and hard on himself, which leads to power struggles sometimes in our home. He can be a tough kid, but most days is so much fun to be around and keeps us smiling with how much he loves his brother (Brielle is growing on him as she becomes easier to engage/play with). He has the memory of an elephant & recalls things from Texas or random conversations on a dime. Sometimes, we are not sure if he is listening, but it seems that he ALWAYS is. He is a curious kid. Maverick is going to do great things; we just know it. 

Tulip Leaf Festival 

Ronnie and I were all proud of ourselves for signing up for Thanksgiving Point's Tulip Festival tickets early and getting it on the calendar. ...we might have pulled the trigger a bit too early, because our tulips ended up being mostly tulip leaves & stems. They hadn't quite bloomed yet. There were a few patches here and there with some blooms, but for the most part, it ended up being a really cold walk through the gardens. We for sure hyped it up for the kids, though, so they didn't know any better. ;) Next year, we will shoot for a week or two later. 

Brielle's Wall Project 

I am working my way through the house, doing small projects to update/beautify the house. This was one I was really excited for! It turned out awesome. Adding all the spackle was strangely satisfying and the brick accent added some fun character to Brielle's room. The all-tan got a major make-over with white walls, a white ceiling, and sweet accent wall. 

Lehi's Birthday Feast

Another birthday in the house! Lehi is an old, nerdy man at heart, so naturally, we threw a Texas style BBQ birthday party. I spend way to much time watching videos/reading information about how to smoke brisket. It is a cut that you really don't want to mess up because it is so expensive! Flavor was totally there, but a smidge on the dry side for me. I think next time I need a longer rest & lower temperature on my smoke. But look at that smoke ring! I made a stupid amount of food for sides--sweet potatoes, mac & cheese, beans, and friends brought stuff too. It was a feast and a packed house, which is the best way to serve it. 

Thomas Birthday Party 

Since the Thomas side of the family has so many birthdays, we decided to do a Saturday potluck with a birthday cake to celebrate everyone. The cousins loved the swing, which Grandpa stationed and took on the honorary role of "pusher." We roasted marshmallows, ate a ton of great food, and enjoyed the beautiful weather. 

It should also be noted--as it is a historic moment in our family history--we roasted Peeps over the fire for the first time and the caramelized sugar and ooey-gooey inside did not disappoint. They were a crowd favorite. Lehi told me we will need to stock up on Peeps next Easter for next summer's trips. 

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