Easter

Easter this year was so fun. I loved doing the baskets, the eggs, and everything for Emmy because she was so into it and was so excited about everything.

The week leading up to Easter, we did those resurrection eggs that tell the story of Jesus. She loved to read the scriptures in each egg and learn about the Easter story. She asked to do it every day.

We did our baskets and eggs on Saturday. Emmy was beyond excited about her basket and also wanted to open Zach's eggs too.

We went to the annual egg hunt at the park and saw the Easter bunny!

Yes, I know she looks like a ragamuffin. It is nearly impossible to get her dressed decently and her hair done.

Zach had a blast at the hunt. He would toddle over to an egg, pick it up, open it, take out all the candy and dump it on the ground, then move on to the next egg. It was awesome!

After the park, we came home and dyed eggs. Emmy loved it and keeps asking to dye more eggs every day. She even made her own "dye tablets" by cutting circles out of paper and coloring each one a different color.

On Easter Sunday, we had the usual church battles, but Emmy was adorable in Primary. She gave the prayer in the microphone, sang the songs and participated in Sharing Time. She loves Primary so much. She sits in her little chair and listens to the lesson. Sometimes she comes up and gives me a hug and then goes and sits back down.

I decided that is why I got called as Primary president...so I could see her be good for at least one hour a week. :)

She looked so cute in her dress!

After church we made a bunny cake to take to Easter dinner.

And I can't get over how stinkin' cute Zach looked in his Easter suit.

My dad hid some eggs for the kids to find after dinner. Emmy was really excited about this and she found the most eggs out of everyone!

He even hid some "golden eggs" with special prizes in them for the adults. They were hidden in really hard spots, but we won a Texas Roadhouse gift card!

It was really a fun Easter and it was good to reflect on the resurrection of our Savior. We spent the whole week trying to teach Emmy about the resurrection. One day she asked if the flowers that die will go to heaven too and come alive again. What a cutie!

Beach and hotel

Ever since our vacation to California last year, Emily loves to play "beach and hotel". It was her turn to choose the activity for FHE and she chose to play beach and hotel. She got her beach stuff and packed her backpack with her swimsuit, sunglasses, hats (for everyone), her pjs, her bunny, and some snacks and toys. Then she laid out a big blanket on the "sand" and we all had to sit on it. Then we "swam" in the ocean wearing our sunglasses. Then we had some snacks (a graham cracker, a chip, and some other random things she had put in ziplock baggies in her backpack.)

She sure does drive me nuts, but she also can be so darn cute and funny!

In mourning

Yesterday I got out of the shower and heard Zach crying. I went to see what was wrong and I found him trying to get away from Emily, who was CUTTING HIS HAIR!!!!!

I cannot even begin to explain how extremely mad I was. I loved Zach's hair. He had the cutest curls. And I was even more mad because I had specifically put the scissors on a high shelf so Emily couldn't reach them because she has been having a cutting problem lately.

So, what did she do? Waited until I was in the shower, then got a chair and climbed up on the counter and climbed up the shelves to get the scissors.

Poor Zach looks like an enlistee now.

He looks like a completely different person. I just hope his gorgeous curls will grow back quickly.

The demise of my social life

Every time I try to get together with other moms to go to the park or have a playdate or something, it is a total disaster. Why do my children not like to go anywhere or do anything or be around other kids???? It's driving me nuts! What am I doing wrong?

I pictured motherhood as something totally different than what it is turning out to be. I pictured chatting with other moms at the park while we watched our kids play. I pictured outings with other moms and kids and everyone enjoying themselves. I pictured having people over and the kids playing together while the moms got in some adult conversation.

Instead I get kids climbing on me and whining at me instead of playing at the park. I get kids hitting me and yelling at me and telling me how mean I am when I tell them that other kids are coming over. I get doors slammed in my face when I try to get them dressed to leave the house. I get complaining and throwing things when I tell them we are going to go somewhere. I have to drag them out of stores kicking and screaming because Emily is whacking Zach because she wants to sit in the baby seat in the cart instead of Zach.

Seriously, she is out of control. She is constantly yelling and hitting and being a complete terror. And I don't know how to handle her.

I'm trying to make friends, but she is making it impossible. For example, the other day, I saw some neighbors out walking. I decided to invite myself to join them and I loaded up the stroller. Emily screamed and screamed and said she did not want to go on a walk with anyone else. So the neighbors went on their way. Without me and my fit-throwing child.

Or how about when I saw some neighbors at the park and went over to try and chat with them, and Emily starts whining about how she can't play at the park when there are other kids there and throwing herself on the ground in major fit-mode. Or when we were going somewhere and Emily pooped her pants on purpose so we wouldn't go.

I am tired of this. I miss being fun. I want to do fun things with my kids and I want to have friends. Yet this is why my children prohibit me from having a social life. I love my kids, but sometimes I don't think I was cut out for this whole parenting thing. I think I got jipped on the good parent genes.

Is it wrong of me to want something besides playing candyland all day long? Is it unreasonable for me to expect my child to get dressed and leave the house? Is it bad that I wish she would enjoy going to the park or storytime or whatever instead of hitting me and yelling how mean I am for making her get dressed?

Emmy pot

Emmy sure keeps us on our toes. Sometimes I get SO frustrated with her, but sometimes she does the cutest, funniest things.

One day she decided to "decorate" Zach's crib.

She gets very excited for people's birthdays and loves to eat birthday cake and help with the candles. She often plays "birthday" and makes a cake with her pretend food and gets random bags and puts presents in them. Here she is helping Daddy blow out his birthday candles.

She is getting better at playing with other kids. She does best if it's just one friend, and it's at our house. But she still is apprehensive about going to other people's houses.

She actually was really excited for Conference this year. She lined up all her animals to watch President Monson and made sure they were tucked in.

We had a different activity and a different treat for each session. She was excited to find out what the treat and the activity were each time. One of the sessions was Bingo and she actually did a really good job of listening for the words and even insisted on getting blackout before eating her treats.

We did Bingo, General Authority paper dolls, speaker ties, and temple puzzles for the activities. She got tired by Sunday afternoon, but for the most part did really well. I was so proud of her!

Even though she really pushes my buttons quite frequently, I sure do love my Emmy!

Zacharoni

Loves his baths.

He put his shoes in the toilet! Eeew!

This boy loves to eat!

Chop chop

Yesterday I decided it was time for a change. I went into my hairdresser with this picture....

And I came out with this... 

I really like the shape, but I wish it were about 2 inches longer. I miss my ponytail! I had a hard time figuring out what to do with it for yoga last night. I don't like my hair in my face at all when I'm exercising! Hopefully this will be a fun change for spring!