what else has been going on (including Easter 2010)

We finally harvested our lemons

And what a delicious harvest it was. We made a beautiful pitcher of lemonade which everyone greatly enjoyed over dinner.

June and I made a huge snowman on March 5

It was gone before the boys made it home from school. (she is obsessed with eating snow)

Brenden performed in the 4th grade dance

The teachers paired up the kids at the beginning of the year and they've been practicing traditional ballroom, square, line, and swing dancing every Friday afternoon. While he didn't win any wards for enthusiasm, we were so proud of him for doing it all even though he was super nervous and had to dress up and actually hold hands with a girl. (Don't you love Maude's striped tights?!) Way to go, bud. It's over now.

Scott & Brett went snowmobiling

Brett brought his snowmobiles down from Idaho and they found a great trail with plenty of snow up at Strawberry Reservoir.

June plays more baseball

She loves the equipment best of all!


More fun with a cape

This black cape (which I think is supposed to be a vampire cape but was modified to work as a magicians cape) is our best flying cape, as June is demonstrating here. What a body!




We took the boys snowboarding at Brighton

This was Oliver's 3rd lesson, and he was so proud to show us afterward how he can get on/off the lift all on his own, strap himself in, and heel-side-turn like a pro. It was quite impressive indeed. Brenden is doing great too, although he doesn't really like doing toe-side-turns either (any pointers from those who have taught kids on how to get them past this hurdle?). It was an ideal day with perfect conditions for spring skiing -- fresh snow & warm temps.

Easter 2010

Easter was on General Conference Sunday this year, which meant we didn't have regular church, which meant we had no great excuse to dress up - no new outfits this year. So it was a casual Wiley Easter this year.


We colored eggs on Saturday between conference sessions. It's fun to have kids old enough to actually be able to follow the instructions on the tie-dye egg kit (that would be the boys and absolutely not June).


We woke up to 5 new inches of snow on Sunday, so Grandma & Grandpa & Christine came over for a long winter walk and an indoor egg hunt. Too much candy. Delicious deviled eggs. Scrumptious egg casserole for breakfast, and Honeybaked ham, homemade applesauce, and funeral potatoes for dinner.


What else?...

• Huck's dying to crawl but hasn't figured it out yet.
• He cut one of his big front teeth yesterday.
• He ate a whole banana by hand on our long car ride last weekend -- both impressive and totally gross
• I've been pretty good at 6am yoga a couple days a week, and have even been (gasp!) running on the treadmill a bit.
• We had FHE for the 4th week in a row tonight -- a new family record. I've started trying to focus on and pass off at least one of the boys Faith In God requirements every week (since up until now I've been a complete flunk-out at the program)
• I need to transition June out of her crib. Huck would like a turn. I'm not looking forward to that process.
  
• Oliver has started playing spring soccer. Brenden will start baseball at the end of the month and June will start a pre-school baseball team in June. I can't even tell you how excited she is about that.
• My car is disgusting. It rained dirt a couple weeks ago, as it does here from time to time, but I never got it washed, then we went on a trip and the inside is full of red sand, but now it's raining more and on Wednesday it goes to the garage to get the brakes fixed, so it just doesn't make sense to clean it yet. But I'm dying it's so gross.
• I'm intrigued by e-mealz. This might be my solution to the stress and agony that is dinnertime. Menus and shopping lists created and published every week by real moms with real kids.
  
• Our yard is starting to bloom. I've taken advantage of any opportunity I could to go out and do some yard work - I really love working outside. Is spearmint a perennial here? We had a ton growing in our garden last year and I tried moving it to a new spot because it was just taking over, but I'm not sure if it will survive. That smell reminds me of our childhood home in Silver Spring, MD. I'd like to plant some vine-y things to grow down into our window wells now that we've finished our basement.
• We've been watching the movie "Scripture Bugs" a lot around our place lately, and there is a boy band in it (they are ants) who make wearing a microphone headset look really fun. June just had to have one. We fashioned one out of a coat hanger and black felt and she wore it all day long, mostly singing the ABC's.
  
• It's 1am and both Huck & June are awake. Guess that's my cue. The End.
  

Happy Birthday June! (thus marking the end of the Wiley Birthday Season)

June turned 3 on March 21. We made the mistake of telling her about 2 weeks early that her birthday was coming up, so by the time it came around she had big ideas that had been described at length to anyone who would listen about what her birthday celebration would entail. I had sort of hoped we could get away with playing it down this year, but alas that was not to be.

We started with a friends party on Saturday. This was a very last-minute thrown-together party so we were grateful to have 3 friends able to make it. We played 3 games -- costume dance party in her room, baseball in the entry hall, and balloons in the basement.

We had cake and opened presents. The kids were all good sports and June had a great time. I felt bad there was no theme or coordinated goodie bags or decorations. I know if I tried I could put together a really first-rate 3-year-old birthday party. This wasn't that. But it was just fine.

Later Saturday night we went to Chuck E. Cheese's -- just as June had planned. Christine, Grandma & Grandpa met us there for mediocre pizza and tears over lost tokens and not enough tickets (doesn't that sound fun?!). June wanted to wear her princess dress & black cape and we let her, because, afterall, who are we really trying to impress at Chuck E. Cheese's.

The next day was her actual birthday on Sunday. She opened a few presents in the morning, and then insisted on wearing her cape to church, so we made sure she also wore the "It's My Birthday" pin prominently, as if that would give us a pass on the church fashion faux pas. After church she opened the rest of her presents which led to more costume changes.

One of her favorite gifts this year was her very own authentic karate uniform from Grandma & Grandpa Wiley & Brett. As soon as she opened it she put it on and started practicing her moves.

She's gotten really into team sports and all they entail -- in particular the equipment and the cheering. Soon her new pom-poms were added to the ensemble (Oliver is trying out her new bike)

but the pom poms were quickly traded for butterfly wings and wand when that gift was opened.

When the bubbles set was opened, the party moved to the back porch, which called for the donning of the black cape and an "Amazing Karate" show.

Grandma & Grandpa & Christine came over for Sunday dinner and more cake.
And at last the celebration came to a close. (That is, except for the fact that she doesn't get the concept of time at all, so keeps wondering almost every day if her birthday has come back again yet.)

But the biggest gift of all was one June gave to me -- she is now completely potty-trained. She was reluctantly accepting of the whole activity, and it only really took her about 2 days in-the-nude and one motherly-breakdown for her to get it -- including at night. She didn't want any fanfare or accolades. She was happy with a few treats but not insistent.

Coloring Ni Hao Kai-lan printouts and watching episodes of Dora on my phone kept her occupied. What a champ she's been. What a relief.

Happy Birthday to my sweet and spunky girl. You make me laugh every day with your crazy ideas and uninhibited performances. You talk my ear off, and surprise me constantly, and bring such life into our home. I love you June Bug.