Easter Dresses

I got a laptop last year, which I love, the only down side being my cords and camera are never in the same place. So a couple weeks late our the kids in their Easter clothes. Sort of smiling, it was fairly windy. The boys lasted two photos, Tanya made it through a third and as you can see the chilly wind didn't bother Morgan or Ana in the least and we took a few pictures. Most of Morgan's the wind blew her skirt up or her hair across her face, so we have this silly, extravagant pose that turned out the best, funny girl.

Ethan was baptized today!

Ethan was baptized today. What an exciting day for him and our family, he is my baby and last one to get baptized. He and Ashley sang a song, I spoke on baptism and Ashleys brother gave a talk on the Holy Ghost. It was a beautful day and we were so lucky to have so many friends and family members come.

Ethan and Troy by the font.

Ethan, Troy and both Grandpas, no need to say who's father is who's, you can tell it all by the height. : ) Troy confirmed him after the baptism, it was a very sweet blessing.

Ethan, Ethan and Ana. It was fun to have our good friends the Tufts come. Ethan and Ethan have been best budds the past couple years.

Grandma and Grandpa Keller gave him a beautiful picture of Jesus.

Alysa wanted in on the Grandma time, so cute.

Ethan recieved his Bible and Book of Mormon from Grandma and Grandpa Tingey.

I didn't get pictures with anyone else, sorry. He got a fun tie tack from Grayce and I will take him to pick out his cub scout clothes and book. We had a wonderful lunch after and enjoyed visiting with everyone. What a happy day, I just love my little guy (who's growing up way too fast! Where has my baby gone?)

Spring Break

This week was our spring break, but due to a birthday, play practice and a baptism we decided not to attempt going anywhere. So we made lots of things and the kids finally got to play outside and ride their bikes (a lot). I've been working on cutting out and sewing some costumes and making some (small/simple) props for the Jr. High musical. Oh, and cutting off pants for shorts this summer. In the process Grant and Morgan have become facinated with sewing and have been asking me to help them sew things. I finally told them in the summer we could make some things, but some how Grant talked me helping him sew the wallet, pictured above, out of cut off levi's. Pretty clever kid. It turned out pretty good for just winging it. Then in Young Women's Tanya learned how to make these scarves and finished this one this week. We also painted little china sets for the dolls and not pictured made lots of cool rings. It was a fun week, but I'm ready for school to start so I can finish all the little things I started, Grant would appreciate that too since the sewing machine and craft stuff is in his bedroom.

Happy Birthday Ana

Happy 9th Birthday Ana! We were planning another birthday party at Kangaroo Zoo, Ana worked all month for a party - she has some behavior issues at school and she went 3 weeks only getting written up 9 times, that is less than half of what she usually gets! We were so proud of her. But we planned the party over spring break and everyone was out of town so we talked about doing a big present instead. She is always "borrowing"/taking Morgan's mini and ds so we got her her very own ds. I think it more than made up for not getting a big birthday party.

Morgan got her a Hannah Montana doll, if you know Ana she is obsessed with Hannah Montana and likes to be called Ana Montana. As for Grant in all the pics who knew? He's usually hiding from the camera, so we'll take what we can get.

The bike

So Morgan and Ana had both out grown their bikes from last summer and so we headed down and got a new bike for Morgan and Ana got Morgan's old bike (which she is always asking Morgan to ride). When they got home Ana just ran through the house down to her room. Troy said she was upset because she didn't pick out a new bike. So I headed down to talk to her, thinking all the while of starting a grateful journal like fellow adoptive mom, Wendy ; ). So I sit down by her on the bed and aske her if she is sad. She yells YES and pouts and burries her head in her arms. I said that I thought that sounded more like she was angry than sad. She looks up at me and yells YES again. She starts to pout and then spits out, I jealous of Morgan's bike! I broke out in a big grin and held back a laugh, because for Ana that was a great sentence and how did she know what jealous was? We haven't gotten to that emotion, maybe at church.... So I asked her what jealous ment and she said she wanted what Morgan had, I again was so impressed. So we had a little chat about being happy and being jealous doesn't make us happy. Then I told her the big secret, that the younger siblings get to go on more trips and get newer stuff in the end. I being the oldest (and a bit spoiled) shared some stories of my younger (and very spoiled - you know I'm teasing you Kat) littlest sister. By the end she was wide eyed and smiling and took off to ride her new/old bike. Later she did have to ask Tanya and Victor if they knew what jealous was, my fault I let it slip that I didn't think they knew what it ment, and from the blank stares and Victor's, "What is this?" question we both knew the answer and that twinkled stayed in her eye the rest of the night.

Easter

Another first, even though the kids lived in the Ukraine and the Ukraine is famous for it's Ukrainian Eggs, the kids had never been on an Easter Egg hunt or colored Easter Eggs (died American style or painted Ukrainian style). So Saturday we joined the neighborhood Easter egg hunt. Because of the snow they moved it to the tennis courts. It's for ages 1-12, so Grant avoided all pictures and since Tanya had never been on an Easter egg hunt we let her run around. I think she enjoyed it more than anyone else.

Tanya was the only one excited to have a picture with the Easter bunny.

Ethan just wanted pics with his friends being silly, no Easter bunny involved!

Easter Sunday the kids found their baskets by their doors with the color of eggs they had to go find through the house. Troy and I slept in and so I didn't get pictures of their baskets. The usual a silly, small Easter toy, t-shirt, book(s) and some candy and whatever was in the Easter eggs they found.

After conference we colored Easter eggs.

Priesthood Session

This is Troy making a rare posting appearance.

There are still quite a few "firsts" with our adopted kids, now a year into it, but certainly less than there used to be. Tonight was a good one: Victor's first priesthood session at general conference.

I explained it to him earlier today. I warned him it would be long, but that he, Grant and I would all be going and I hoped he'd enjoy it. I also let drop that there was a good chance there would be ice cream afterwards. He was game at that point.

The first 1/2 hour went fine. The next hour he was struggling but largely hanging in there. The last 1/2 hour he was the horse heading toward the barn and was pretty wired. Overall, I was proud he sat through it and even listened occasionally. He of course had to keep the Victor humor going, and would whisper a wisecrack to me or Grant every 5 or 10 minutes. Often non-sensical, but occasionally funny. Here are a few of the funnier ones:

Victor: Next time I am going to bring a pillow
Dad: No, Victor
Victor: And a blanket
Dad: (At this point, dad understands it's a joke) Ahh, I see. Very funny.
Victor: And my bed

Victor: Dad, I am hungry. Can I eat you?

Victor, referencing the conductor as he directs the choir with broad arm movements: He is Kung Foo man.