Happy Easter!!

Things were kind of loud and crazy at home today and so I was especially glad for the wonderful spirit I felt at church.  I really love our branch!  We only have a couple of months left before we go back to our hearing ward and I already miss everyone!  On this Easter Sunday I just want to say how grateful I am for the Savior.  This past year has been especially stressful for a number of reasons and I really feel like I have become closer to the Savior as a result.  I am eternally grateful for His sacrifice and atonement.  The knowledge that I have of Jesus Christ brings me so much hope and peace.  I know that it is only through Him that we can have eternal happiness!

 Of course I had to try for some family pictures again even though the kids never cooperate and it is virtually impossible to get everyone looking decent and smiling.  This first one was the best of the bunch and even this one has Jared with a goofy face and Jenna scowling. Jenna is SO stubborn!  She refused to put down her punching balloon... or cards... or chocolates and was hiding them behind her back as she scowled -- in every picture!  Finally the balloon popped -- which only made her scowl worse! 

 

 

Instead of getting an egg dying kit this year Rick wanted to try something new.  He saw on idea on the Internet where you put food coloring into shaving cream.  The kids swirl the eggs in the shaving cream, let it sit for five minutes, wash it off and are supposed to end up with a marbled effect.  I do NOT recommend this technique!  It didn't work very well -- maybe because they didn't use enough food coloring or didn't let the eggs sit long enough, but washing them seemed to wash off most of the color and they were quite light.  It was also a HUGE mess!  There was shaving cream everywhere!  But at least the kids had fun! 

   Jaiden started playing around with the food coloring directly and dyed her hands more than the egg!  

 Jase and Jared filled all of our eggs for an Easter Egg Hunt for the kids...they got so much candy at yesterday's Easter Egg Hunt that we made them donate half of it to refill for our Easter Egg Hunt!  (I have to put my kids to bed, I will finish this in a minute!) 

   

Easter Egg Hunt

This morning we went to the Santa Clara Easter Egg Hunt.  Jenna was adamant about going even though she was sick.  They don't advertise at all and so it stays pretty small and low key.  They had TONS of candy and plenty of time for each group of kids to gather it up!

 

Jaiden

It was a busy week for Jaiden this week.  Besides her usual dance rehearsals, piano lessons, and homework, she also participated in the Science Fair, went on a class Field-trip to Snow Canyon State Park, qualified for and participated in the Track Meet at the High School, went to a birthday party at  Sand Hollow swimming pools, participated in an Easter Egg Hunt, and performed five dances (including a solo) at the Art Festival! 

 

  

Relief Society Birthday Party

I enjoyed our Deaf Branch Relief Society birthday party today!  I will really miss all of these wonderful members when we go back to our hearing ward!

Jenna

Jenna had fun but tough week.  She had high fevers on and off throughout the week, especially at night.  She seemed okay during the day and still made it to her Easter parties.  But then Friday she suddenly came down with a rash all over her body.  Poor thing!

 

 

Camping at Zions

Nephi and Melissa Julien invited us to join them on the "Jensen/Julien Great American Campout" at Zions Friday night over to Saturday.  They have four kids who are similar in age to our four youngest.  The kids are friends and enjoy playing and of course we enjoy hanging out with Melissa and Nephi!  Friday night the Julien's made Dutch Oven Chicken and Potatoes and it was SO delicious!!  They also had salad, grapes, rolls and dessert.  The kids roasted giant marshmallows for Smores.  The kids played loved exploring and played football and cards.  The temperature was a bit chilly and so we stuck close to the fire as the sun went down.

It was COLD during the night but snuggling with Rick in our warm sleeping bag helped.  There was lots of wind during the night and it was so loud and felt like it was going to blow our tent away!  It was a long night but I still managed to get some sleep and I was surprised how quiet the kids all were.  I had to do a midnight trip to the bathroom with Janelle but all of the other kids slept through the night without a peep.

We were in charge of breakfast and Nephi suggested a quick meal so that we could get checked out on time and on our hike.  Rick bought the food for that -- yogurt, bagels and cream cheese, cereal bars, apples, oranges, orange juice drinks, and a few other snacks.  We decided to hike to the upper emerald falls.  The kids were troopers on the hike -- it is 1.5 miles each way and parts of it are pretty rugged and steep, especially for Brenna and Jenna (age 3 and 4).  But they did great!  It was pretty crowded at the pools (and cold because the whole area was in the shade) but the weather was nice for the hike and it even got warm enough to remove our jackets in the sunny areas.

I really do enjoy hiking.  Rick quizzed Janika on possible questions for her up-coming pageant on the hike.  It was a tiring trip but I was glad that we got the chance to spend some family/friend time together in the great outdoors!