Easter Festivities

You might remember that Hazel was terribly sick during the week leading up to Easter. It was a bummer because we had so many things going on, which I briefly touched on here.

The Friday before Easter, Clara and I went over to Kevin and Chrystie's to dye eggs. In the car on the way over, Clara learned some new things. She may or may not be horrified to give birth (see top left photo for evidence). But, aren't we all? I loved her hair up in the messy bun and kept taking pictures. She started to get a bit irritated with it (see bottom right photo for evidence). I love her.

Clara had a lot of fun dying eggs dyeing eggs with cousins Mason, Jordyn and Tanner. Poor Mason busted his lip open a few hours early, stitches and all. Needless to say, he wasn't up for picture taking. Meanwhile, Ethan enjoyed eating the eggs, shell and all. 

The Saturday before Easter, Clara and I went to the Easter pageant with my parents and Lilly.

A friend hooked us up, again, with the best parking and it made the experience so much better. Just like last year. Clara was mesmerized by the pageant and while I admittedly don't appreciate seeing it every single year, I love the questions Clara asks because of it and the ensuing opportunity I have to explain and bear testimony of our Savior. One needs only to watch the Easter pageant to feel peace and hope.

On Sunday, the Easter bunny came. That's always fun, but I enjoy it not being the crux of our Sunday. It's a very fun, but very small, part of our celebration. I love dressing up my little darlings for holidays and taking pictures. I was proud of myself for buying their dresses and shoes early so I wasn't stressing about it the night before. I usually wait to find the best deal on a dress, which often never happens, so I end up paying just as much for something I don't like much and it gets pretty stressful. I guess I'm finally starting to learn a thing or two about simplifying life. Anyway, I knew I'd have to bribe the girls for pictures. Clara is usually pretty good. Hazel isn't bad, she just won't look at the camera.

They are being really silly in lots of them, but I did get some pretty great pictures of their cute faces. At one point, Clara was trying to get Hazel to smile by saying, "Cheese!" and poking her fingers into her cheeks. So Hazel did that too.

Before we got in the car to go to church, I tried to take a few more with my phone. Hazel just chilled in the corner while Clara posed and smiled without any prompting.

And here are my two favorites. I especially love the one on the left. Like maybe I'll blow it up giant love it.

My family rotates Sunday dinner and usually if a holiday meal doesn't fall on my Mom's week, we'll arrange things so it does. Easter Sunday fell on my week to host and I decided it'd be fun to have Easter dinner here, give my mom a break for a change and have an Easter egg hunt in our magical backyard (that is drowning in weeds so it doesn't feel so magical right now). I knew it'd be a bit difficult to coordinate the food since we don't get out of church until 4:30pm and Jason doesn't get home until even later. But with some help on the food, Lilly coming over to help and Jason's family coming a bit early and letting me boss them around, we were able to get everything done pretty much right on time. I wanted to eat outside, but our porch is messy and loud and it's kind of a pain to carry all the tables and chairs to the party side of our backyard that isn't loud. So I decided we'd just have it in the front yard. Our yard is big enough, there is grass and we are at the end of a cul-de-sac in a very quiet neighborhood. No one has to drive past our house to get to their house so it is extremely rare for a car to drive past our house, especially on a Sunday evening.

So here we are, Easter dinner 2013 in the Penrod's front yard.

I planted wheat grass for the center pieces and put chocolate eggs in them. I was pretty proud of myself for that one. :)

We had some of Jason's brothers come with their families and Connie was in town for the day so she got to come too, making our guest count 34. It was a pretty great day.

The egg hunt in the back was fun. It would have been better if the backyard was cleaner, but oh well. I love this picture of Clara. She looks like a ghost, sailing across the ground.

Cabin Trip #2

Sunday, March 10th, the day we left from Cabin #1, Clara got sick. I was hoping it was a 24-hour flu, but it was 4 days. FOUR days of stomach flu just like Hazel had (except Hazel's was an extra day) a few weeks later. Clara only threw up once, in her hair, and while I was trying to rinse it out, I had to lay down to keep from throwing up. I thought I was pregnant (might have been?) and didn't think I was sick. It was not a great way to begin Spring Break and I was horrified that we'd infected at least some of the 11 other kids at the cabin with us. Plus, we were going to have to miss out on the next cabin trip. Fortunately, none of those 11 children got sick for their Spring Break and Beka pushed back our trip a day. In the end, everything worked out well. This time, we went to Danny's parent's cabin. We rode up with Beka and her kids. Maren and her girls met us up there and she was kind enough to let Lilly ride with her. Rob and Heather and their girls met us up there as well.

Our views.

Day 1: we arrived, went on a walk and stayed up late playing games.

Hazel eats her Pringles 3-4 at a time.

Day 2: drove all over looking for the goat farm (that we found), drove past an old historic schoolhouse, visited the goat farm, had a picnic at the park, played at the park, hung out, dinner and up again late playing games.

The goat farm had llamas.

And no one was there so the owner showed me where they make the cheese and told me all about how the government regulates their pasteurization process. Fascinating. Unfortunately, they only had a small sample of the cheese. They stop milking the mom's several weeks before their babies are due (in April) so they were out of cheese. But, I decided we'd go back to get some cheese and feed the babies (we actually went yesterday... so I guess that's how life goes when you take over a month to blog about something).

It was funny to see my kids' reactions to the goats. Clara absolutely loved them. Hazel liked them, until they made any movements towards her, and then she squealed and backed away. Clara needs some pet goats. I might have made that a goal of mine: find a way to allow Clara to have a few goats. Also, do Clara's hair so she doesn't look homeless.

 

The two year olds suckered Heather into reading to them on multiple occasions.

I know I already have pictures of these kids eating their ice cream on the deck. But I was taking these pictures and Clara was being a nut (see picture on left and in middle). So I said something to her like, "Clara, stop paying attention to your ice cream and smile" to which she laughed and smiled but Braden and Landon simultaneously looked over at her. It was really funny.

Hazel was entertained by this slinky for so long and I was entertained taking pictures of it for just as long.

Day 3: packed up, cleaned and headed home to Jason, who was on day 3 of being sick in bed.

Despite Clara declaring the first day of the trip a "disastrophy" because she "thought we were going to have a nice, fun trip and the boys were just fighting and yelling and it hurt my ears", we had a lot of fun. I had the best friends in high school and I'm so grateful we've kept in touch and are still able to spend time together after all these years with our families. I also quite enjoy the spouses my friends have selected, it's just double the fun.

The End.

Cabin Trip #1

March brought Spring Break and Spring Break brought trips to two different cabins with two different groups of people. Ironically, they were just a few minutes away from each other in Pine. Trip #1 was with our friends the Fillmores and Welchs. We left late Friday afternoon. The Rim was expecting an intense snow storm and I was afraid we weren't going to make it. The weather, however, surprised us and the drive wasn't bad. There was a crazy hail storm on one stretch (near Mt. Ord) where we saw three cars that had spun off the road and crashed. Once in Pine, the snow was coming down more heavily and we barely made it up the driveway to the cabin. We were glad we left when we did. This is hail, not snow between Mesa and Payson.

We didn't get as much snow as the weathermen predicted, but there was enough snow to sled in and enjoy the peaceful silence that only snow brings. What is it about a fresh blanket of snow that is so magical?

Hazel's absolute favorite part of the snow was eating it, just like when we played in the snow earlier in the year.

She even laid down on her stomach and ate directly from the ground.

Not just once, but over and over. I got an awesome video of it.

As if being in a cabin in the snow wasn't picturesque enough, there is this darling, and practically perfect, playhouse. Can you see it nestled in the trees?

It even has lights!

Clara woke up Saturday feeling tired. She was up late the night before so I thought it was because of that. While we all went out to sled Saturday morning, she went back to sleep. It was sad enjoying all the snow without her, but later in the afternoon she woke up and felt like she wanted to play in the snow and sled. 

Here's Hazel and Carter, just three days apart, trying to make a getaway.

Both girls loved sledding. Hazel was especially entertaining because she'd let out this high-pitched giggle/squeal that could have easily been mistaken as a cry.

Somehow I feel like this picture captures Jason's personality so well. Gentle, soft, calm and easy going. (Unless sports are involved.)

One family picture at the end of the day with everyone looking. Yay! I brought Hazel's boots, but she found these purple sparkly boots in her size at the cabin and wouldn't accept anything else. 

I had to teach Relief Society that Sunday, so we headed home after breakfast. But not before Hazel came tattling to me that someone was being mean to her or that she was being mean to someone. I couldn't quite decipher it, but she took it very seriously.

It was such a lovely weekend free of internet and full of good food, relaxation and friendly conversation. I told Jason how I feel so grateful that we know so many good people.