Spring Done Sprung!

Me:  You can't have all four seasons all in one day!

Utah:  Hold my Jello Salad!  Watch this!

 

I know the calendar tells me it's still Spring for a month and a half, but I don't care.  I'm reminded of the old saying, "If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck...it's a freaking duck!"  Well, school is out, the temps are in the 90's and the kids ask 12 times a day for a shaved ice....it's freaking Summer!

 

So, with Summer unofficially under way, I bring you the random pics of Spring and the adventures (and not so adventurous adventures) of the most blessed man and his little family.

 

March

 

Sarah, Leah and Dax at the production of "Alice in Wonderland"

Sarah and Molly at the musical, "Newsies"

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Sarah gets sucked in a little to the St. Patty's Day marketing and Maternal Peer Pressure. 
Luckily, there are still no Leprechaun traps in our house though.

Dax with the Leprechaun outfit he made in Preschool

Nothing says "It's good to be a kid" like sleeping in a tent fort.



Fort Leah Dax

Leah and Dax both passed their certification to advance to the next level in their swim lessons

Leah's was most happy this year about being able to conquer the high dive.



One of our favorite family dinners is "Make Your Own Pizza Night".

I went with a Lou Malnatti's style Chicago Deep Dish

We got together for a little birthday celebrating
(Aunt Marie and Uncle Josh)

 

Happy 14th Birthday to this kid.

Baby Reagan and Leah

Sarah chaperoned Leah's class' field trip to the Dinosaur museum.

Pretty much all through Spring, these two are either playing so well together
that it makes everything in the world right....OR....they are constantly annoying
each other to the point you want to lock them in their rooms forever.

This kid has become very self dependent the last season.  He brushes his own teeth, washes his
own hands, puts on his own shoes, socks and clothes.  He doesn't get everything right, but he
is surely growing up, which makes me both happy and sad. 

With Annual passes to the aquarium, your certain to see aquarium pics in every
month of the season.  The kids are lucky to have a sweet Mom who takes them.

Spring means rainbows.  Rainbows...not for gays only.  ;)

 

April

 

Dax got a big hoot out of the prank played on Marley this April Fool's Day

But he was less than impressed with the mess made of his room and the frivolous waste.

Marley and her angry eyes.

Leah loves getting pranked on April 1st.

We bought 1/4 of these black angus cows.  Currently we're fattening them up
at Uncle Jake's and Aunt Erin's, and then....BEEF!  It's what's for dinner! 

Spring in Utah is always beautiful.  This is the view out our bedroom window.

Oquirh Hills Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

It was an extremely cold and windy day.  Even the ducks couldn't quack it.



We were so stoked for Jake and Erin and baby Reagan.  They were sealed for time and all
eternity in the temple in April.  I felt bad because when I got there, my recommend was
expired so I hung out with the nephews until they were finished.  I also felt bad that because
I was supposed to take pictures for them, but when I got there, something was wrong with my
SD Card and it wouldn't work.  It was so blasted cold anyway, there wasn't much time for
pictures.  On one count I didn't drop the ball, thanks to Sarah's help.  We made strawberry
shortcake for their reception dinner afterwards.  It was good.  We had lots of leftovers which
was totally fine with me!

Josh helping to keep Reagan warm.

I'm really fortunate to have the family I married into. 

Auntie Sarah loves her little niece, Reagan and Reagan loves her!

Jake and Erin exploring the loot!  It was also Jake's birthday.  Double Gifts!

Reagan got in on the action too

Dax being a clown...as per usual.
We attended a great surprise birthday party for Aunt Lisa.  I don't know why,
but we didn't get many pictures.  We were probably having way too much
fun to take pics.  Here are a few below that we did get. 

Josh and Marie helped Tim out with some of the logistical planning on the
ground here in Utah since Tim and Lisa live in Washington.

Jake and Erin

Leah waiting for the guest of honor to arrive. 

Reagan during one of her on again spells.  She is always on again off again
with me.  :)  :( 

The dinner and party was at Archibald's restaurant which is a converted old
grist mill at Gardener's Village.  Very nice place. 

Cole didn't want his pic taken...sorry, bud.  It done got took!

After a very good meal, there was a magician to entertain us.  Here is Lisa,
the birthday girl, acting as the magician's assistant. 

Dax was asked to help out for one part of the show, and as expected, he stole
the show and hammed it up on stage. 

After the surprise party, we walked around and looked for Fairies around
the village.  Here we are on the wishing bridge. 

In our family, we bleed Red, White and Blue. 

They found a fairy

 

Aunt Lisa and Uncle Tim stayed with us for a week and a half.  Of course, they brought birthday
presents for Dax and Leah.  They are so kind. 

Leah loves Legos.  She made this phone stand to hold her ipod. 

Daddy giving Dax his monthly ear lowering. 

Dax was lining up his cars side by side and ran out of space so he continued
to do so down the line all the way under his bed. 

Another trip to the Aquarium.  Here is Dax petting the sting rays.

Leah and Dax in the Amazon forest part of the Aquarium.

We got to watch baby Reagan for a few days and it was fun.  She's so cute!

Is Marley locked up to protect Reagan?  Or is she locked up to protect her
FROM Reagan?

Leah likes having a little cousin (sister) around

The kids were stoked to go swimming at our friend's, Tim and Jan.  They were
so kind to open their home to them to go swimming while parents played
games and made tacos. 

It was a great break to the seemingly never ending cold that was Spring this year.

 

May

 

May started out not so well.  I had a tooth ache and, rather than deal with it
myself (I pulled my last wisdom tooth with a cavity myself), I decided to go
to the dentist who talked me into having my other 3 wisdom teeth removed.
What a pain!  I am still not sure if the Wisdom Teeth Guys know what they're
doing or not.  At times they seemed very capable and at other times they
seemed to just want to be done with me.  Either way, whether it be just a
long recovery or a misdiagnosis, it sucked and I'm still in some pain a month later.

 

May sucked!  There is no other way to put it.  And people always
ask, "Why haven't you been to the dentist in so long?"  Not many
other things have the potential of ruining an entire month!

Mother's Day!  A HUGE part of what makes me the most blessed man alive,
is my beautiful and amazing wife, loving and nurturing Mother and strong and
with it Grandmother.  I'm fortunate to have all 3 within a couple miles of me.

Two of the most important ladies in my life.  Sarah and Mom.  Happy Mother's
Day, Mom!

These kids love their Mama!

Sarah and Grandma.  We're so fortunate to have her near us. 
Happy Grandmother's Day, Grandma!

What would Mother's Day be without flowers?!

 For her Mother's Day dinner, Sarah chose Prim Rib, Fingerling Potatos, Honey Glazed
Heirloom Carrots, Yorkshire pudding and gravy. 

I got a new bowtie from www.woodify.me .  Go check it out and buy
one too!  You'll be stylish as well as helping out a young man with
his entrepreneurship class and aid in the reforestation of America!

Me and my boy

We went to the Eagle Mountain Pony Express Days Rodeo with the Reeds.
Below are a few more pics.  We had a blast!

My favorite part of the rodeo was the overall sense of national pride, love for
God and country and an obvious appreciation and recognition of the importance
of family.  If you're Jonesin' for some patriotism and God loving fun, hit
your nearest rodeo.

Leah and her cousin, Jake.

Dax cheering on a cowboy!

Still as cute and dumb as ever.

Leah at her school dance festival.  They did a great dance to the song, "Celebration" by
Kool and the Gang

Dax got himself a sugar mama

 

We went with some friends, the Van Ausdals, to a restaurant called Garage Café, in Draper, UT.
The food was okay, granted, I wasn't the best judge...I was still dealing with my wisdom
teeth extraction and was more cognizant of the pain I was in than how good the food tasted. 
It did have a fun theme though and I couldn't help to think of my good friend, Shannon, as we
ate and took it all in.  RIP, Shannon.  I imagine heavenly kingdom would be themed like this
restaurant. 

Dax in front of one of the many race cars at "The Garage Café".

Leah brought her fan to church. 

For Christmas, Sarah's Aunt Kathy from Ohio gave the kids some cash for
Christmas.  Sarah ordered presents they wanted and the kids were so stoked
when they came.  Leah got Legos.

Dax was stoked to get his first peddle bike.

Dax got a new bike!  Thanks, Aunt Kathy!



Petting the Armadillo at the Aquarium

Eventually May brought the end of school and warmer nights.  On
that first warm night we hit Shiver Shaved Ice Shack for some cool
and refreshing sweetness!

We like to give fake names for our shaved ice orders.  As can be seen
on her cup, Leah called herself, Ruby, this go around.

BRAIN FREEZE!!!!  Dax's cup shows part of his name, Captain Underpants!

Leah had earned points all Winter by doing chores.  She spent some of those points on taking
a friend, Margot, to Froyo. 

 

One night, we got to go celebrate Aunt Marie's Birthday!

Sarah got to go to school lunch with Leah one day.  They had Dutch Donuts
or something like that.  Basically, they were funnel cakes.  Sarah didn't mind.

 

We attended the reception of my cousin, Sarah's and EJ's.  They were married
 in the Los Angeles temple, but celebrated with a reception in Provo too. 

Leah holding Sarah's train.  I'm not sure if Sarah wanted that or not. 

A family who receptions together....

Dax learning early how to wait out time at receptions. 

I'm glad this little girl loves her Daddy. 

The reception was across the street from the house Sarah lived at in Provo
 before we got engaged.

So, Spring has sprung.  Maybe not officially, but for all intents and purposes, June is part of Summer in our book.  Spring was busy.  What these random left over photos don't show is the camping trip to Lava Hot Springs, or all the soccer games, cheer tryouts and piano recitals.  This doesn't show Sarah and the kids' trip to AZ or the many changes happening around us.  We truly are blessed and count those blessings often.