Easter and Pix With Chicks

Easter wasn't particularly different this year in any way.  It was just nice.   We had just gotten back from our trip to Nebraska.  It was also time for Jonathan's 9 month pics and since it was Easter time, I took advantage of something I've been wanting to do with them - Pix With Chicks by Sara Karem Photography.  Mary is 3 1/2 here.  I wasn't really planning on pics at 3 1/2 but the gimmick is pretty fun.  So why not?  I like to get pictures often and with a variety of photographers.  The only thing I wasn't happy with was the newly painted beige background.  In past photos, she had  a bright sky blue blackground - which is much better for pics with baby chickens.  But I can see why that wouldn't be great for other times of the year.


Aren't they adorable???

I think this photo really captures Mary's personality.

Such a sweet boy.  I adore him!

I need to trim Mary's hair, but she won't let me near it.  Still, it is such a sweet picture of her I think.

Here is my big boy at nine months old.

I'll post more about this later, but for one of our play dates with Stephanie and Sigmund, we made those hard sugar eggs that you can look into.

Easter baskets

 Mary's

 Jonathan's.

I decided to make a simple Easter breakfast this year.  The usual cereal for Sunday morning breakfast just didn't seem right.  : )

Easter morning.  Once a year I think it is fun to coordinate the family.  Our colors this year were navy blue and pink.  Sailor inspired outfits were everywhere this spring.  I tried getting Jeff a pink tie, but I had to be satisfied with his old blue one instead.  : )

 We met at my sister Jennifer's for Easter dinner and a hunt afterward.  This is all the family gathering to watch Mary and Sigmund find their eggs.

 Aunt Cat watches from the window.

 It was a good hunt!

 Sigmund

 Mary

It was a very happy Easter indeed.

Nebraska

This is a catch-up post.

I wanted to record our little trip to Nebraska we took to visit my sister, Beckie, and her family the last week of March.  "We" is Me, my kids, my sister Catherine, her husband, Aaron, and my Mom.  We all drove out in Catherine's van.

This trip was pretty rough overall.  I think if I had to do it over again, I would.... but only because I love Beckie so much.

Our first day driving, we had pretty poor road conditions.  It snowed for about half the trip out that day.  Aaron drove - and most of the time I felt safe with him behind the wheel.  But it was truly dicey in spots.  I learned a few things on this trip.  And one of them was that next time, I will wait before braving that kind of storm again.  It just isn't worth the risk, you know?  We had no reason to be out there on that particular day.  Of course though, this is easier said than done.  When you are all packed and ready to go, it is hard to wait.

The other thing that made the trip difficult was that the night before we left, Mary developed a fever.  It wasn't very high - but still... she was sick.  I wasn't sure what to do... but Jonathan had been sick earlier in the week and his fever only lasted about a day/day and a half.   Plus I knew I wouldn't be able to drive out by myself with two kids.  So I just decided to go for it.  But poor Mary.... she wasn't feeling good the whole time.  The fever developed further into a full cold and she coughed much at night - often waking Jonathan (since the three of us shared a room).  It was pretty rough when I think about it.  Also, on the drive home Mary got either car sick or she had caught some bug because she started throwing up and continued to until the next day.  Poor baby.

I felt bad that everyone else in the car had to deal with it.  But actually, I was able to keep it fairly contained.   I tried to warn them about driving with kids... ; )  Considering everything, I think my kids did very well.  We only had to stop for Jonathan a couple of times and most of the time he was happy.

I felt a little insecure about my parenting on this trip because Mary threw fits every day and in front of people who don't have kids.  (BTW, I think this trip was the final frontier on the troublesome three front.  After this trip, Jeff and I noticed that the worst of it was over.)  But looking back, I think I was consistent and fair and I wouldn't have done anything different - except maybe not bringing a sick kid on a trip.

But like I said, being with Beckie made it all worth it!  And despite Mary not feeling her best, she loved being with her cousins!  When we first got to Beckie's on that Saturday, Mary ran inside and disappeared with S.A. (her cousin just a year and a half older) and reappeared wearing her pajamas.  It was cute.

It was fun to see Beckie's home and eat her meals and not have to prepare them.  ; )  (Beckie and I have a good system... She'd prepare dinner and I'd clean up.)  It was great to just be with the extended family!

We had a couple of fun outings.  We went to a few Mormon History Spots as this area of Nebraska was passed through by Mormon pioneers.  And also on one of the days, Beckie and I took the kids to the Omaha Zoo.  It was a great zoo!  Lots of fun.  Here are some pics...

The Drive

Uncle Aaron and Jonathan

Hanging out in Beckie's comfortable home

Cousins Jonathan and Little C

The Mormon Trail Center
Grandma Bonnie with the Grand kids at the front of the Mormon Trail Center....

 ...Which is right across from the Omaha temple.  Pretty huh?

 Sister Missionaries were our tour guides

Aunt Catherine tries out what many of our ancestors must have slept in when crossing the ocean to be with the Saints.

  Cute Cousins

As my Mom said, these TINY log houses must have provided so much warmth and happiness to those who had them.

 Mary in front of Salt Lake Temple display - the temple that the Mormons built when they got to Utah.  My parents were married there.

 Jonathan and Me in front of the Ox cart.  "Here comes the ox cart.  Oh how slow!"

 Little C is adorable.

The Omaha Zoo
Perfect travel conditions for my kids at the zoo curtesy of Beckie.

 Cousin S.A. crossing a bridge near the monkeys.  She is totally adorable in looks and personality.

  Beckie's oldest 3.  I love them like they are my own.

Beckie often was standing and nursing at the same time.  I guess that is what you do when you have 4 kids!  She's pretty amazing.

Monkeys big and small

Eating lunch

Probably my favorite day of the whole trip

The Penguin exhibit I swear was right out of Happy Feet.  We had fun except for one moment when Mary disappeared.  Luckily I noticed right away.  I was stuck behind a ton of people with the strollers.  Beckie went ahead to find her.  Mary told us, she was "Swimming like a penguin".  : )  I HATE those scary moments!!  Thankfully she was okay.

This next area was my favorite area in the zoo.  It was set up like a Bayou - dark inside and their was a boardwalk through it.  I heard what bullfrogs sound like!  I never knew they were so loud!!  And check out the creepy crocodiles...

And I just had to include this last photo.  It makes me smile every time I see it.  The morning we left, S got up in the wee hours with us - snuggled in his blanket - to just be with us as we were packing up.  Oh he is a dear boy!!!

Yes, it was definitely worth it!