Happy Birthday Kabree

  It's great to be 8!  Kabree turned the big 8 this week!  Because Kabree's birthday was over the weekend her class celebrated her on Friday.  It was so fun how her teacher celebrates the students on their birthday.  As a class everyone talks about what they like about the person who's birthday it is.  Kabree's classmates said she was athletic, great at math, when she set's her mind to something she never gives up, she is funny, they love her laugh, they think she is beautiful and a great friend.  Then they each made her birthday cards and sang to her, then they got to enjoy her birthday treat she brought to share.  Seriously what a fun way to build up their classmates and make them feel special.
  Because she will be getting baptized this year we decided to not have a friend or family birthday party this year.  So Friday we let Kabree have a friend over for dinner and a movie, she of coarse chose Mae to come.   Mae gave Kabree a white board and dry erase markers, they played for hours before we headed to dinner.  Kabree chose Arby's and the Smurfs movie for her night.

  Since we had 3 soccer games and Heather's Easter party Saturday Kabree's birthday was pretty crazy but she was a great sport about it!  She woke up to streamers, balloons and her birthday chair as per Keagan's request ;).  She was excited to get a friendship necklace to share with Keagan, a Poppel (from Keagan) and some more earrings from us.  After breakfast we hit the soccer field, Kabree won both games and shared cupcakes with her teammates, where they sang happy birthday to her.  Then we headed to Heathers Easter party for some family fun where Grandma Jane brought her a Moana birthday cake!  Then we came home to a visit from Grandpa Gary and Grandma Sally.

  I can't believe we have an 8 year old!  Oh how we love this girl and her sweet heart!  She was such a great sport about her birthday and all of the running.  She is always such a helper and doesn't want to put anyone out.  We feel so blessed to have this little smartie in our lives and love her to pieces!

Happy Birthday Keagan

  We got to celebrate Keagan turning 5!  She woke up 30 minutes early because she was so excited to start her day!  She told us a number of times earlier in the week that she hoped she got streamers on her door and balloons in the living room so she was one happy girl when she saw she got her wish!  She has been needing a bike but didn't think she would get one so she was pretty surprised to see that is what she got.  Keagan was so excited to take a treat to school, she requested Gushers and couldn't wait to share with her friends.  She was a little bummed that she couldn't just go to school for the treat and then go back home, we made her stay for all of school lol.  Keagan could hardly stand waiting until 6 for her party, she was so excited when her Grandparents started coming!  She requested a Moana cake from Grandma Jane and was so excited for her dinner of her favorite foods!

 Pretzel Maker pretzels, grapes, gold fish crackers, cheese cubes, meat chunks and jell-o

    Another thing Keagan said she really wanted for her birthday was to have water bottles with her name and pictures of Moana on them.  The things that make Kiki excited lol

 Grandpa Vance and Grandma JoAnn gave the girls a combined birthday present, a snowcone maker!

  I can't believe my baby is 5!  Oh how we love this girl and her excitement!  She was so happy to have all of her Grandparents here for her birthday, it made her whole day!  She was one spoiled little girl with lots of fun new things!  We feel so blessed to have this little spit fire in our lives and love her to pieces!

"...He has risen..."

  This is only our second year doing it but this is my favorite Easter tradition now!  My girls amaze me! We have been doing family home evenings based on Easter and the atonement.  Last week when Zach talked about Gethsemane and the events that occurred.  Kabree started sobbing when we discussed how Jesus felt every pain and sorrow we have or ever will feel.  She told us it made her think about how much she misses Pal and how Jesus felt that for her.
  Tonight we started off with the Gethsemane song (bad idea because it brings me to tears every time I hear it), then we read John chapter 19 and discussed with the girls as we read what each thing meant.  The girls listened so good this year and Keagan got sad when we talked about how mean they were to Jesus before he was hung on the cross and when we discussed how his family and friends must have felt that day.  Can you imagine being Mary?  How she must have felt that day, knowing what had to be done but to actually have it coming to pass must have been utterly heartbreaking.  I'm always so humbled when reading these chapters.
  As we made our rolls and discussed how they use to prepare the bodies for burial and what they must have felt and thought during that time.  As our rolls baked we read John 20 and again discussed what we thought everyone in the scriptures must have been thinking or feeling.  Then we asked the girls why the resurrection was important to them.  Keagan said because she wants to see Jesus again.  Zach because he wants to be with his family forever.  I said because I can see my family that I miss so much again someday.  Kabree crying said "I'm crying because I'm happy that someday I will see Pal again and I'm going to be so happy that day."
  We are a crazy, loud, busy family but honestly we are a family who loves our Savior and are grateful for the resurrection and all of the blessings it brings.

 

"...Show your true colors..."

  Dying Easter eggs is always full of excitement in this house.  The girls get a little wild at times, we had a few spills and several stained fingers but lots of fun!  So glad that we always have time to do these things together as a family!  This time of year I'm so grateful for my family of 4 and all the joy they bring to me.

 

 Kabree wanted to dye her egg half and half and decided the whisk was the way to do it

Keagan wanted to dye an egg half and half and decided using her hands was the best way to go :)