A Minnesota Easter with our FWLLF's (Friends we love like family)

Part 2 of our spring break involved another Bestie reunion with our awesome friends the Clarks! These guys were some of our best friends when we lived in MN and we hadn't seen them since we moved!

Brinley and Miley didn't really remember each other because they were so young when we moved but we told Brinley that Miley was her best friend and she was like, "YEAH!! BEST FRIEND REUNION!!"

I was just as excited to see my favorite gym buddy, dance party sidekick and bff Wendy! Love this girl like a sister!!

We started things out with an Easter egg hunt. 

In the snow of course, because that's how they roll in Minnesota. 

All the cute little snow bunnies ready to get some eggs!

It was cold, and wet, but they persevered and came home with a nice egg stash.

 Another highlight was THIS! Raspberry cheesecake cupcake, that actually WON cupcake wars and is pretty much like eating heaven in a cupcake wrapper. 

 We also indulged in lemon, strawberry, coconut, and salted caramel cupcakes. Gourmet desserts at their finest!

 In the afternoon Taber and I did a 9 miler because Cam and Wendy are awesome like that and totally watched our kids so we could run together! It was super cool running on the trails where I was 1st born as a runner 4 years ago. Total zen moment. 

 The next day was Easter and the bunny delivered!

 The kids at the top of the stairs waiting to hunt for eggs. (Cam decided to sleep in)

They found lots of eggs

and filled their baskets

 The girls also got little jewelry boxes to paint. They were pretty excited.

 When Cam woke up we tried to get him to look at his basket and hunt for eggs but all he cared about was the train. 

After a little coercion and some jelly bean bribes he finally looked for some eggs. 

 Cameron made us a fabulous crepe breakfast and taught Taber his crepe making skills. 

 Then we got the kids ready for church. Wendy and I had coordinated in advance and bought our kids all matching outfits. They looked soooooo cute!! Cam wasn't really into taking pictures though, he only smiles and poses on his terms. 

He did have fun breaking up the shots and acting like a wild man though.

Church was really awesome. It was great to be back in our old ward and see so many faces of people we love. It was another very "warm" part of our Spring Break. 

After church the kids dyed eggs and painted their jewelry boxes while the grownups made a delish Easter dinner of ham, cheesy potatoes, coconut candied sweet potatoes, this amazing pineapple cream angel food cake dessert, and rolls. I stuffed myself silly. It was awesome. 

When the kids went to bed we did a little X-Box kinect dance party. Wendy and I rocked it (naturally) but Taber and Cameron had some pretty impressive moves too!

The next day it was time to say goodbye :( 

 Everyone gave big hugs and promised we wouldn't wait 4 years before seeing each other again!

It was an awesome vacation and we're so grateful we got to spend it with people we love so much!

If you can't go to a PLACE that's warm for Spring break, go where the PEOPLE are!

For Teya's spring break we decided to do some road trippin' to visit some of our old friends back in good ol' Minnesota!

We loaded the 3 stooges into the back of the car around 4pm and set off into the sunset.

The girls passed out fairly quickly but Cam kept on partying in his car seat till we got there after midnight.

  I mean really, how can a guy sleep when there are movies to watch? 

(he takes his movie watching very seriously as you can tell.)

We stayed the first few days with our Boston General Mills besties, the Knutson fam. Taber and Jenny worked together back in Methuen and our familes all bonded during a work offsite at Martha's Vineyard. Ever since then we've pretty much considered them as family. :)

Our 2 oldest girls are just a year apart and have a blast together.

 Our 2 youngest girls are just a year apart and also have a blast together.

 And our 2 baby boys are just 6 months apart and were pretty excited to each have there own little wrestling buddy to rumble around with.

Like I said, who needs warm weather when you get the warmest welcome from the warmest people ever? Seriously we could've just hung out at their house all day and it would've been an awesome vacation! 

 But of course we had to do a few adventures so we started with the Minnesota Children's Museum.

Kids Loved it. 

Loved watching the girls play together. It's amazing how well they get along

The boys have fun together too, touching lizards and doing boy stuff. :)

They wore themselves out climbing through the ant tunnel

Experimenting with water pressure

 And blowing bubbles. 

 The next day we headed to the Maple Grove community center (where Teya had her 3rd birthday party!) to play on the indoor playground and do some swimming. 

 The maze was awesome and definitely improved since the last time we were there. 

 The highlight though was swimming. Teya and Brinley took off like little fish, and Cam just looked like a stud in his manly little swimsuit.  

 Swimming was followed by dinner and the silliest bubble bath I have ever witnessed. These girls got the jets going and made so many bubbles that it gave them a crazy case of the giggles. They were laughing so hysterically over their bubble beards and masks and clothes, it was honestly one of the funniest things I've ever seen and I'm sure a memory they will never forget. :)

The next day we set off to spend Easter with some of our other good friends in Maple Grove, but Jenny wouldn't let us leave without a fabulous "bunny butt" pancake breakfast. Seriously so awesome.

Up next: Snowy Easter Egg Hunts, More bestie reunions, and some serious X-Box dance parties :)

She didn't get the solo, but she sang her heart out anyway.

Teya wanted to sing a solo in her school's spring choral concert more than anything. She practiced and practiced, belting the songs out every chance she could get. She has a decent voice, can hold a tune, and is super confident speaking and singing in front of people so I thought she had a pretty good chance. The day of auditions came with 4 solos up for grabs. She tried out for each one, but came home broken hearted when she didn't get any of them. It broke my heart too to see her so dejected. I wanted to tell her that the teacher made a mistake, that she picked the wrong kids, that she was missing out big time by not picking Teya!

Instead I said, "You know what? Once I tried out for a play in high school. I really really wanted the lead, and I was sure I would get it. I thought I had an awesome audition but when the cast list went up, I didn't get the part. I was so sad I didn't make it after trying so hard that you know what I did? I ran out of the school and hid behind a bush and cried and cried! It's okay to cry when you feel disappointed, especially when you worked really hard for something and it didn't work out. But the next day I went back to school and I congratulated the girl who got the part, and then I went to play practice and put my whole heart into the part I DID get, even though it was small, I still decided to do my best, and I still had a ton of fun being in that play even though I didn't get the part I wanted."

Teya sat and thought for awhile about my story, then she wiped her eyes and said, "you know what mom, I'm going to do my best too, even though I didn't get a solo. I'm still going to sing my very best and I'm still going to have fun!" 

(can't tell you how proud I felt of her in that moment :)

Teya was good for her word and on the night of the concert, she sang her little heart out and had a blast!

The concert was for all the 1st and second graders. They had hand actions and even wore sunglasses for one song. It was incredibly adorable. 

The theme was "The Sound of Color" Love their little tie dye shirts. 

Rocking the hand motions.

Such a cutie 

The whole family came to support our little songbird. 

Of course Cam got bored after the first 3 seconds so Taber spent the majority of the concert wrangling Mr. busypants.

Towards the end we finally gave in and gave him an iPhone

And after that, the iPhone did not leave his hands.

Not even to take a sibling pic. Little stinker.

Brinley was super proud of her big sissy and can't wait till she gets to sing in the kindergarten concert next year. 

Teya and Mrs. H, her awesome 1st grade teacher. 

It was a great concert, and a great learning experience for Teya. Proud of her for doing her best and making the most of it. She really is such a good kid :)

How Lucky Charms and Green Food Coloring Saved St. Patty's Day...

Teya and Brinley burst into our room at 6am on St. Patricks Day yelling, "Did he come?!! Did the Leprechaun come?"

Taber and I looked at each other with confusion and slight panic thinking, "Whoa wait... there was supposed to be a leprechaun?!!" 

Taber was quick on the save and told me to distract the girls while he ran downstairs to "check if the leprechaun had come" (wink wink)

Fortunately we keep our pantry stocked with several reserve boxes of Lucky charms at all times, so "The leprechaun" opened up a box, spread it all over the kitchen and living room, and took a green dry erase marker and drew shamrocks everywhere. Mischievous little devil... :)

The girls came downstairs and were all laughs and giggles at the naughty leprechauns mischief.

And since we were being all St. Patricky I decided to throw a little green food dye in with some whipped cream and topped the girls eggo waffles with green cream and lucky charms marshmallows.  

The girls deemed it "The best St. Patricks day ever!!"

Which is kind of cool to know that we pulled off the Best St. Patricks Day ever without even planning it. All we needed was Lucky Charms and green food coloring. Who knew? :)