Exploding Sticks

June 2015

Ellie is getting to be such a big helper!

Levi's class performed some plays, take offs of fairy tales. His was a take off of Cinderella. He bought himself these wings to use for his role as the Cicada Prince.

This was our side lawn in May, before we put down some seed and a layer of compost.

And a month later!

It's funny how a lot of Ellie's playing revolves around her toys eating.....

Is there more reading, or more laundry folding going on?

First piano recital! Ian has been taking lessons from a girl in our ward for a couple of years, but he was her only student. In March we found a teacher for all three boys to take lessons and they had a recital at the retirement home. They all did great!

Hard at work, on June 15. Things are just starting to grow.

Happy birthday, John!

And the end of June - the garden is really taking off! The Hubbard squash and pumpkins are taking over already!

May 2015

It was twin day at school. Think they'll pass for twins? :)

Ellie decided it was purple day.

Caleb, the budding scientist, hard at work.

Getting ready to pull that tree stump out. We always put Grandpa to work when he visits.

We love to see the baby ducklings every spring!

Ian's first trip to the temple. John got to go with him. He also gave his first Sacrament meeting talk this month, which John also got to do with him :). They both did a great job! Ian's subject was about the temple trip, and how he found names to take (his uncle gave them to him :) ).

Levi learned weaving at school. He's making a blanket for his bear.

Caleb's Hopi house for a Social Studies report.

Ian's first backpacking trip! It was a 2 mile hike in to where they camped.

April 2015

April Fool's Day is another fun day to celebrate! This was what Caleb and Levi had for lunch. The juice was jello, and the cookie bag had carrot sticks inside.

This was John's April Fool's joke. He got them good, coming to the back door looking like that!

Ian was ordained a Deacon last month, and this month got to attend his first Priesthood Session of General Conference. We were visiting my parents that weekend, and John couldn't come with us, so he got to attend his first time with his grandpa, uncle, and cousin.

Just a cute girl with the Easter Lily. It was Easter weekend when we visited my parents. We made a quick trip to bring the tires to the van we sold last month. We drove it to my parent's with the snow tires still on....and had to get the new owners the regular tires before the deadline!

My sister-in-law shared the leftovers from her April Fool's Day activity with the Young Women.

Ellie's first time dying eggs. We haven't dyed eggs the past few years. She liked it!

Her drawing is really emerging into recognizable pictures. I learned about the progression of a child's drawing in school, and it's so fun to watch her pass through all the stages. It's pretty amazing, really.

They're climbing the walls!

Ian went to an outdoor science camp for a week (as part of school). John went with them for a few days. Ian had fun.

March 2015

Dr. Seuss's birthday is always a day to celebrate!

A beautiful spring walk.

Ellie loves her kitty. She plays with her like a baby doll. She named her Samantha, because her grandma's cat is named Samantha :).

When we visited Grandma and Grandpa, they found Grandma's old typewriter. They thought it was fun to type with.

Then they pulled out the really old one!

And they found the old cement mixer.

On our trip we bought a new van! Our old one was still working fine, but in anticipation of a 3000+ mile trip in the summer, John didn't want to risk driving it that far. So, we said goodbye to the trusty van we got when Caleb and Levi came home and drove home in this! The boys love that it has automatic doors.

Levi's Lego glasses. The windows flip down.

Caleb did a science fair project on fingerprints of identical twins. There are five sets of identical twin boys in our ward (including C&L) so he had lots of subjects. Yes, identical twins have different fingerprints. It's pretty interesting!

Levi's science fair project was on steam power, and how a steam train engine works.