Zach's School Field Trip

Zach, Tate, & Riley

This is our friend. Well... we thought he was our friend until he started peeing in front of us just like this.
Zach, Tate, & Riley checking out the Black Bear.

Zach had a field trip to Hogle Zoo and I thought it would be fun to volunteer to be a class mom. Zach was so excited to go! He was so thrilled that we had to pack a sack lunch. He asked me everyday leading up to the trip if he could bring a Lunchable. I caved and took him the night before to get our sack lunch (no, I did not get a Lunchable too, in case you are wondering). I've decided his teacher must have grilled it into them that they had to be at the school by 8:45am or the bus would leave, because he kept reminding me and telling me over and over and over..... "Mom, we can't be late or the bus driver will leave without us!" The morning of, I got up early and got ready and went to wake Zach up. He mumbled something and rolled over and then all of the sudden sat bolt upright. "MOM! WHAT TIME IS IT??" The kid cracks me up! Needless to say we made it on time and Zach rode the bus with his friends while mommy and a couple of her friends followed in moms car (I get car sick very easily and have been known to get car sick driving myself !). I was paired with another mom and together we had 3 kids total. That's the perk of living in an area where parents are really involved I guess. We had a blast and I love that I got to spend such a great day with just me and Zach!

Easter!

Zach and Ava Easter Morining before church.

We had a great Easter this year. Zach and Ava were so cute for us and had a lot of fun and it was great that the weather cooperated!
Chris was a real peach to take this pic of me and my kiddos! Love how I'm not
even smiling and Ava looks like I smell bad! Zach and Ava hamming it up for the camera while dying Easter eggs. Ava quickly found good use for the extra "crowns" for her princess easter eggs.
The finished product.
However, no one really wanted to eat a speckled egg!
Z-man on Easter morning.
Ava's basket from the Easter Bunny.
Zach's basket from the Easter Bunny.


We had an easter egg hunt at Grandma & Grandpa Baddley's house where they were spoiled. This kids had a lot of fun and we all had dinner together. Aunt Krissy and Uncle Josh were there and helped Z & A find their loot.


Zach & Ava finding Easter treats at my Mom & Dad's.
Ava got this super fun bubble machiene and it entertained her for hours.
It REALLY puts out alot of bubbles!

Bubble fun.

My mom gave Ava a jump rope that has light-up handles.....
She would jump so hard and fast that she kept loosing her shorts.

The Saturday before Easter we had our annual Easter egg hunt at "Grandpa's Pasture." This is the Easter egg hunt with the Lessig side of the family. We packed a lunch and headed out to Hooper for our fun day. However, it was bittersweet because Grandma Garner couldn't make it. She is still recouperating from her fall earlier this year.



Chris, Zach & Ava right before the egg hunt. Mitch, Anne, & Cannon are in the background on the left. We love them!

I love this picture! Ava must not have inherited her moms equilibrium because she had a blast piling on to this old merry-go-round and she never got sick. I'm sick just looking at it! Lily is next to her and Jaden is in the front .

Lately, I'm really into....

• Perusing Etsy, saw it on the news and just can't get enough of it.

• The idea of starting a book blog, after I'm finished with the semester of course, ( I know, seriously, this is so much more ME than this type of blogging. Glad I thought of it :)

• Learning to run (yes, it is something I have to LEARN)

• Possibly registering to take the CNRN (Certified Neuroscience Registerd Nurse) exam this fall....again. I have always found an excuse out of taking it (having babies, not enough clinician hours, and maybe just too lazy).

Funny!

Zach and I had a good laugh at this. In fact, whenever we think about it, we bust a gut.

How Are You Doing on Your Test?

This morning as I lay in my bed, Zach snuggled up next to me and turned on his DS. He was playing for a few minutes before he said "Mom, I'm doing good on my test, right?" (never looking up from his game). I started laughing and told him I wasn't testing him on his ability to pass Super Mario Brothers. He then briefly looked up and said "No silly. I mean my test, you know, my TEST?" I was totally stunned. I knew then what he was talking about. And as I got all choked up I replied, "Yes Zach. You are doing VERY good on your Test and Heavenly Father would be so proud of you." I'm so blessed to have Zach. I often feel accomplished when I show him how to tie his shoe or sound out a difficult word, but honestly... They have taught me more than I have ever taught them in the short time since they were given to me. What a wonderful beginning to my conference weekend.
In case you are wondering... About 2 years ago or so, I wanted to explain to Zach the importance of our short time here on earth, and what Heavenly Father expected from us. That this is just a small part of the BIG plan. I also wanted him to be aware of Satan and know that he could never hurt us unless you let him, because sometimes kids associate Satan with someone who could physically hurt us. After many explanations on my end and many confused looks on his end, I came up with The Test. I told him that we were sent here by our Father in Heaven as a Test. I told him that we CHOSE to come here and take this Test and that nobody made us come here. I remember telling him that sometimes people ask us to do things that we know is not right and that this is all part of The Test and he has to remember that it is a Test and to always do what's right so that we can pass our Test. I said that if we pass our Test our reward is to live with Heavenly Father forever in Heaven, and that this is the GREATEST reward, even better than "noodles and white sauce" (his favorite thing). For several weeks after that conversation, I would encourage Zach by telling him that he was doing great on his Test and other times trying to encourage him to think twice before doing something. It kind of lost momentum and months would go by before I would remember to remind him of The Test. I think the last time we talked about his Test was around his birthday in October. But as I look back, I believe that this is the best way for ME to teach my kids. I have renewed motivation now to teach this simple learning to Ava.

Thanks Zach, I love you.

Faith in something greater than ourselves it enables us to do what we have said we'll do, to press forward when we are tired or hurt or afraid, to keep going when the challenge seems overwhelming and the course is entirely uncertain.

~President Gordon B. Hinckley