Easter and so much more...

Thank goodness for Easter Sunday,  we've been so busy these past few weeks that it's hard to keep up with everything.   But Easter weekend came right on time and along with it came general conference.  thank goodness.  i am so greatful to have a prophet of God here on this earth as well as many other leaders placed in my life to help guide me when i've gone off course.  it's so funny all the many different things people hear directed specifically towards them during conference.  this year for me was forgiveness and listening to my children.  i know there are many other people who listened intently to conference and probably didn't hear those things at all, but trust me when i say- it was screamin' loud and clear in my ear as if Heavenly Father was thinkin' i'm deaf.  i'd like to say i usually don't have a problem with the first, but those who are close to me know that i've struggled with one situation in particular recently.  so i did what i've was asked and i'm so thankful for His patience with me.  i love the feeling of weightlessness and freedom from the adversary's grasp when we do as were asked.  as for the second, i can see this as an answer to my prayers.  raising seth the right way so he can make wise choices and return to our Heavenly Father has been weighing so heavy on my heart lately.  i feel that i am ill prepared to protect him from the dangers of this world.  i think of my girls often, and want to be close to them.  i want them to know how important they are to me and feel i am there any time they need.  but instead i find myself living so far away and feeling like i cannot help them at all.  but the answers are there, they always have been.  And just like always, Heavenly Father patiently reminds me.  Read my scriptures, have daily prayer, and listen to my children.  Crazy how simple it is. 

On Sunday  LaRee and Chloe came over for conference and between the two sessions we had lunch and an easter egg hunt.  Lunch was simple and perfect.  Nothing too fancy- just potato leek soup with roast beef sandwiches.  The egg hunt continued the easy going pace of the day.  If i could sum up my Easter in one word, "perfect"- just the way i like it. 

easter egg hunting

yes, sometimes the bunny lays eggs in trees.. lol

my sweet boy

my silly niece

ninety

On April 3rd my granny turned ninety years old!  i cannot explain how blessed i am to still have a granny.  i love my granny!  she is one of the neatest people i know.  alot of the time when someone starts getting older they start losing some of their faculties... but not my granny!  not only is she the super sweet granny that makes you eat every time you stop by (hot chocolate and cookies are a must), but she is as sharp as they come.  she keeps up on current events and her memory is so keen that she can throw a story at you regarding most things you'd ever want to know about.  she is physically healthy and has an unprecidented love and devotion for her family.  there are many great and amazing people in this world  that i'd like to have similar trates to.. but i'd be thrilled if i could even be a hint of the woman she is. 

her name is Florence Emily Totten, and i'm lucky to be her grand daughter and have her name.

April Fools Day

Last Thursday about an hour before seth came home from school i realized it was April 1st,  and thought to myself "holy crap it's april fools day!".    i had two gullable boys primed and ready to be my fools and absolutely nothing planned.   So i called my friend Diana and this is what we came up with-

our faux dinner

the mashed potatoes and gravy were actually vanilla icecream, caramel, and a lemon starburst for a pat of butter.  the fish sticks were just vanilla wafers covered in peanut butter and crushed cereal.  the peas and carrots were candy i found in monroe. and the ketchup (not pictured) to go with the fish sticks was seedless strawberry jelly.  Had it not been for the potatoes melting from the "hot gravy" my boys would have been none the wiser.  We found these on a Disney family fun website- just one more reason to love Disney!

this was my faux"dessert"

Cupcakes made from meatloaf with mash potato frosting. They are a bit on the ugly side, it was a really bad back day.  These were awesome.  Shockingly my boys didn't even know they were fake while they were unwrapping them for their first bite.  Words cannot do justice in explaining seth's reaction- i am still giggling inside.  He was so excited to have a dessert dinner and then to get dessert afterward as well! what could be better!  As he sinks his teeth into what looks like a delicious strawberry frosted chocolate cupcake, the flavor of meat, potatoes, and onions envelopes his mouth...  lol.. he spit it out so fast and exclaimed "mom! there's something wrong with this cupcake! what did you do!".  He didn't even realize that it was meatloaf (one of his favorite meals).  i was laughing so hard i could feel the pain in my back pulse- but i didn't care... this was priceless!  I love April fool's day and i am so blessed to have such great guys to make my life complete.

the fastest dinner he has ever eaten!

my sweet hubby- finally getting to the meat of the dinner

Seth enjoyed the dinner so much that he requested a faux breakfast.  Here is another great Disney idea.  Eggs sunny side up on toast? nope.. toasted pound cake, with vanilla yogurt and an apricot half on top.  lol.. i loved his one and so did seth!

What a ham!

A few weeks back, Seth told me he had a speaking part in a musical the fourth and fifth grade classes were putting on at school.  A little bit in shock, my immediate response was, "really?".   Up until now Seth has always refused to do anything onstage, with exception of the school concerts where he is just another face in the crowd.  He's always said "i can't, i have stage fright".   So i assumed it was probably a small class project.  I was quite surprised when we showed up to the 1:15 program and the entire school was there.  And again at the 7:00 program, in which the entire auditorium was filled with standing room only.  The program was wonderful.  All of the kids did such a great job, the music was fantastic.  (So much so, that i woke up this morning with the song "go west" still ringing in my head)...  And there, right there, smack in the front of it all was my little monkey.  He was so excited to be a part of it,  that somehow he found his way to the front of every scene.  What a crack up.  The best way to describe it is just that he was a total ham!  I was laughing so hard the entire time that i had to brace the video camera on the chair in front of me just to keep it from shaking.  I am so proud of him conquering his fears.  I love my sweet boy!

Seth (middle) and two friends before the play-

seth was a trapper, cowpoke and a pioneer man

In the pictures below, look for him in the brownish-red vest

singing the "go west song"

seth as a "trapper", his favorite role

the finally, front and center...lol

(sorry it's blurry- blame it on my crappy camera)