11 years

Happy Anniversary to my best friend. I can't believe it has been 11 years. The weather today is alot like it was then. Windy. Thanks Matt for making these the best 11 years. You are a wonderful husband.

Easter

We had a fun Easter weekend. We started things off Saturday morning by looking at the Easter goodies that the Easter Bunny had left for the kids. They each got a Zhu Zhu Pet which were the biggest hit. After breakfast we went to the Easter egg hunt at Fat Cat's. It was really nice because it was indoors and there weren't very many people. The kids all got a bunch of eggs and had a good time.

On our way home we had to stop at Broulim's and the Easter Bunny happened to be outside. So we took the kids to get a picture and the boys, especially Collin, were terrified of the bunny.

When we got home we colored eggs and had a lot of fun doing that.

The weather was really nice on Saturday, so we got quite a bit of yard work done while the boys napped. We also put the tramp up, which the girls had been requesting for quite awhile. After the boys woke up from their naps, we went outside and had an Easter Egg hunt. It was a fun and busy day.

Here are the kids in their Easter outfits. It was a struggle getting the boys to put theirs on, because they have never had a tie and they were not to sure about them. They looked so cute when they finally all got dressed.

For dinner we went to my mom and dad's and the kids had another Easter egg hunt. We got plenty of candy to last for quite awhile with all of the festivities, but the kids had a fun time.

A Love Note

Today when Kayla got home from school, she wanted something and started yelling at me to come right now. She wasn't being nice or asking nice, so I said I wouldn't help her until she asked nicely. Well that's when she blew up. She started screaming and yelling at me, so I grounded her. She didn't like that to much, so she stomped up to her room with a piece of paper. A few minutes later she came down for a piece of tape, and then I went upstairs and found this taped to her door.

I had a hard time deciphering the note. Let me remind you she is kindergarten, so I have to give her credit for just sounding the words out and trying the best she could to write her note. I finally had to ask her to tell me what it said. Here is the translation. "No 33 year olds allowed in my room but Dad."

Not long ago she started yelling at me again. She said she is never going to listen to me again, so I replied that I won't listen to her either and I will not help her with anything when she asks. I know that sounds a little extreme, but I will just see how long it takes her to crack. I am hoping pay back will teach her a lesson.

We have been really busy the last couple of weeks. A couple of weekend ago, my sister and her two girls came up from Logan for the weekend. It was my youngest sister's 30th birthday, so we were celebrating that. We took everyone and went swimming up at Green Canyon Hot Springs. It was a lot of fun. Aiden is my bravest in the water and was loving it. He didn't want a thing to do with the tube and just wanted to walk around on his own the whole time. Brock wasn't sure about it at first, but him and Collin really had fun. They just had to be in tubes the whole time. It was alot of fun. After swimming we went to McDonald's for lunch. The boys are in love with the toys at McDonald's. They love to eat fast so they can start playing and then they hate to leave. Aiden especially hates when it is time to go. He does this loud grunting noise and he just does it over and over again.

My niece Bailey with Brock

Collin

Last week for FHE we took the kids to the Craze. It is a family fun zone with laser tag, mini golf and a play zone for kids. Once again the kids had a blast. We even played a round of laser tag with everyone. The boys couldn't wear the vests, but they just ran around with us. We had alot of fun.

Aiden

Matt has been getting an early start on some outdoor projects this year. We want to build a new deck off of our new addition, but before the deck can be built we had to cut a tree down. So here is Matt scaling the tree with the chain saw. It only took him about an hour to cut it down. He is so handy to have around.

I keep thinking life will slow down, but it never does. There is only a month left of school and then the crazy summer adventures start. It should be a lot of fun though, busy or not.

Another trip to the ER

Yes, you read the title right. We have done so well the last year not having to go to the ER, but that luck ended on Thursday. Thursday morning Collin woke up having a hard time with his breathing. So I gave him a breathing treatment and he was doing quite a bit better. So, I took all the boys to their last day of preschool. At the end the parents got to go for snacks and closing circle and by the time I got there, Collin wasn't doing to well. So as soon as preschool was over, I headed home and gave him another treatment. We kept doing treatments throughout the day and they helped for about an hour and then he wasn't doing to good. So after dinner I sent Matt and Collin to Community Care. Matt told them I had done 5 breathing treatments throughout the day and they tested his Oxygen level and it was at 87. Not so good. So they told him he should take him up to the ER. So Matt came home and switched me places. He had homework to do, so I took Collin and he stayed home with the other kids.

We got to the ER around 8 p.m. They got him checked out and they did a chest x-ray, gave him a heavy duty breathing treatment and then they hooked up an IV to get some fluids in him and give him so meds. The first try on the IV was a no go, so they had to try a second time. The poor kid was totally traumatized. To top it all off, it was past his bedtime and he was so tired. So we waited for the IV to run and then they gave him some antibiotics through the IV because there was some yucky stuff around his lungs. So by the time they did all that, his breathing was definately better, so they sent us home. We got home around 11 p.m. and Collin was still awake. He was such a little trooper and did so well. After a weekend of all three boys coughing and having snotty noses, they all seem to be feeling better. Thank goodness, because I hate being sick at our house.

Last night all the boys wanted to get in the playpen and play and they laid down. All three of the them fit, but they looked like sardines all lined up. It was pretty cute.

Brock has really been into dressing up in Kayla's dress ups lately. He is so darn cute. His dad just loves it.

New Fad

The latest thing to do around the Nielson household is to wear girl shoes around and get undressed. Matt had the brilliant idea of teaching the boys how to take their clothes off all by themselves. Yes, that is a good thing sometimes, but other times it isn't. They just randomly take their pants off whenever they want now. They also love to get in the closet and get Kayla's shoes out and wear them around. It is quite humorous.

Collin, Aiden and the fashionable Brock

Beating the Winter Blues

I don't know about anyone else, but we are all so tired of winter. I am so glad that the snow is melting and that we are starting to see grass again. The girls are going outside and playing a little on their bikes and it is so nice to just have them go outside. The other day they were playing outside and the boys just stood at the door watching them. So, I put their coats, hats and gloves on and we went out and rode bikes for awhile. They loved it. I can hardly wait for Spring and Summer so they can go outside and play.

Aiden

Brock

Collin

The other day Kayla came home from school with a big owie. The picture doesn't do it justice.

She had slipped on a patch of ice on her way into school that morning. She said she didn't cry and she just got up and went in and told her teacher. They took care of her there and she did just fine. The only problem is that she is starting to pick the scab. I keep telling her that it is going to leave a huge, nasty scar if she picks it, but she doesn't seem to care.

Matt has been studying non-stop for his Comprehensive Final for his Masters. It is a 6 hour test on Wednesday and we are all keeping out fingers crossed that he passes. If he doesn't, he will have to study more and take it again. I don't know who is more anxious for him to be done. Him or me. If he passes, he will only have one more class that he will take in the first summer term and he will officially be done in July. I am so excited for him to have time to do projects and spend time with us. It will all be worth it in a couple of months. Keep your fingers crossed that he passes.

Last Day

Friday was our last day of vacation. We got all packed up and checked out of our condo. Then we drove back over to Old Town and walked around for a little bit. Then we hit the road and headed back to Long Beach to fly home. The kids had mixed feelings about coming home. Kayla was so ready to be home and Paige wasn't quite ready to leave. She loved every minute and she was by far the best of the two. Matt and I decided that Kayla wasn't quite at the perfect age for that long of a trip. Before we take the boys we are going to make sure they are at least 6 or 7.

My dad came and picked us up at the airport and we were welcomed home by snow. I sure didn't miss that lovely white stuff. I sure didn't miss the cold either. I could hardly wait to get back to Rexburg. My dad pulled in the driveway and I think I was out of the car before he even stopped. I was so anxious to see my little boys, that I couldn't wait. They were so cute when I came in. At first they just looked at me kind of funny for a minute and then they all ran over to me and couldn't stop saying Mom. They kept hugging me and they were so cute and excited to see their sisters and dad too. It was so fun and nice to get away and just spend time with Matt and the girls, but it was so good to come home. We had such a fun week.