Tuesday, April 26, 2011

A Whole Plethora of Topics

Easter, perhaps one of the greatest holidays in the Family B's arsenal, has come and gone. I will now speak the truth: for the Double B's fam, it is the holiday of the year, where we all get together and play for several days. They did it with their cousins when they were growing up, and now that they're all "growed" and all, they're doing it with their kids, which I think is rad. Extended family is like the honey butter on a delicious hot scone. The scone, by itself, is delicious. But add honey butter and it's like crack. You know what I mean.
Here's all the cousins, plus Grandma. If you'll note on the front row, Olivia is being happily dangled in the air by her brother, and Katelyn is being happily dangled in the air by her Daddy, albeit assisted by one of her twin cousins. I can't see either of their cute little moles, so I can't really tell which one it is. This much I know: It is Kathryn. Or it is Julianna.
We had a very, very adventurous and fun week. I did miss my blog, though, because I have a deep affection for the blogging world in general. I feel like... like... we talked when we all blog. So now I have a whole arsenal of topics, which could be either exhausting or exhilarating, but that is all up to you. I will blab as usual, you shall choose your reaction for yourself.
Man, I am like Yoda here or something. The Double B is rubbing off on me.
Last weekend I took K.J. and Olivia to see one of my favorite plays, 'You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown.' It was a community production, but it was so great! I was more then impressed. I have actually been waiting and waiting for someone to do it so my kids (who deeply love all things Charlie Brown) could see it. It was Olivia's first play, and she sat in rapture. Except when she would giggle hysterically at Linus and his Blankie (being a blankie girl herself) or at Snoopy and all his adventures. She also really liked Lucy, which is a character I wouldn't mind playing myself. She's so bossy. I love it.
K.J. also really loved the show, too, feeling a kinship with Charlie Brown and Snoopy. He laughed so hard, it was so adorable. It was really a great production, I was thrilled to be there and enjoy it. We sat on the first row and they took the show right out into the audience, so it was fun to be there in the middle of it, too. I just love live theater, especially when I can share that passion with my kids and have them enjoy it, too. I hope I'll always remember what it looked like to have tiny Olivia scrunched into the corner of her big theater seat, legs straight out, hands at her mouth, completely hypnotised by the show. So sweet.
My brother Matt and his family came down for the week for his first vacation in like ... ever. It was fun to be with them, but my personal highlight was going to the late movie just him and me to see -- hold your breath -- 'Hanna.' I had never even heard of the movie going into the theater, but oh boy! Now I've seen it, and I won't forget it! Matt is really, deeply funny so he had me in hysterics before the movie even started. As we were watching the previews there was a trailer for 'Furious Five' (how many can they make, by the way?) and the characters were flying off a gigantic cliff in their car into a huge body of water. Matt leaned over to me and whispers "Don't worry. I know what to do."
And that was it. I laughed for the next five minutes. Then the movie started, which I can only describe as the artsiest blood and massacre film ever created (with strobe lights), and every time Hanna would go after someone else I'd think "Don't worry. I know what to do." After the show we sat and stared for a minute and then I spent the rest of the night laughing, laughing, and laughing. Because it was a funny night, and that was the strangest movie ever.
It felt just like when we were up in Provo going to college together. Those were fun days.
Then we got to have the Double B's big sister Megan and her family come and stay with us for a long weekend. They have two cute twin girls just older then K.J. that my children think are the latest and greatest, so it was way fun to have them. Katelyn especially loved it! She was the happiest child ever while they were here (and that is saying something, because she's just a happy girl anyway), and every time she would see Megan or Steve her whole face would just squish into the happiest, gooiest smile. It was very charming, I'm not going to lie. Looks like they have a fan.
I have had a very diabolical cold the last week. It has tried to murder me, ala 'Hanna.' Yesterday I just succumbed to the misery and laid there all day long. And it worked, because I feel slightly more human today. I say diabolical, because it is. Who else do you think invented the common cold? I think evil minions. I really do. Plus, I have this problem. I can't clear my throat of junk like a normal person. And I know why. Because my brother Jon "hawks a loogy" (I can only spell that phonetically, I know no other way) yuckier then anyone else I know. And I had to grow up listening to that. And somewhere along the way, I lost the ability to save my own life from the horrors of phlegm. The Double B makes fun of me all the time. But really, I think I'm going to enlist in some helpful program, because this is simply no way to live. When minions attack your throat, you must be able to counter attack. And that is my final word on the subject.
A subject about which you had absolutely no desire to hear about, but hey, it's my blog.
Yesterday, while Mommy was being put down, K.J. and Olivia had free reign. And they spent the whole morning and early afternoon playing with pix-O's (thank you, Easter Bunny) and watching the Backyardigan's 'Mission to Mars' on repeat. Does this make me the awesomest Mom ever? I'm not sure. But I really do think it has put me in the running for some kind of major award.
This is Aunt Megan with the adoring Katelyn. Isn't that the cutest smile ever? It's okay. You can admit it!
The highlights of the week, of course, could have been the easter egg hunts. The kids get spoiled, because they have a fun hunt at both grandparents. My parents do the most hilarious hunt for the adults, it's way fun and makes me laugh most heartily. Very memorable. And the grand kids love their hunt. Especially this year, when the prizes were Webkinz! K.J. picked a dog he named "Zion." Olivia picked a horse she named "Diamond." And since Katelyn got a kitty cat, and as she is yet unable to name it herself, K.J. and Olivia took the liberty of doing it for her. It was a responsibility they took very seriously. K.J. was leaning towards "Salt Lake," but Olivia convinced him that "Gadget Love" would be the more appropriate choice.
I'm not sure if you know this, but 'Rescue Rangers' has come into our house recently in the form of DVD, and it is our new Grand Passion. And do you remember, the girl is called Gadget? And that Monterrey Jack calls her "Gadget Love" in his fancy Australian accent? So now you see how this has all come about. K.J. took Gadget Love with him to his first awake dental treatment this week, and he took it like a champ. He had to get a cap and have a tooth extracted, but he really cheered that dental assistant up when he explained the full story of Gadget Love.
Motherhood is such a crack up. Honestly.
And here we have the two performers at the family talent show performing "The Wise Man Built His House Upon A Rock." Primary songs can never be underestimated. And I mean that.
Dude, I totally have more things we could talk about. But I'll save that for another day.
Easter candy is the best. Life is good. Signing out.

P.S-itty-S.S. Olivia's amazing preschool teacher has created a blog if you or someone you know is looking for a super awesome-pants preschool next year. The teacher, Miss Shawna, is so great with the kids and I am honestly floored by how inexpensive it is for the quality and quantity of what they get to do. Liv is already registered for next year and Katelyn will follow! I really recommend her, so pass the word. She's amazing!

3 comments:

Elise said...

I missed you this week! Welcome back! I was *this* close to sending a search and rescue team (along with trained St. Bernard) to find you. I was SURE you were lost in the mountains.

So.

Glad you're alive.

:)

Ducksoup said...

i so kept wondering where you were all of last week. my M-W-F just weren't the same without you.

sounds like your Easter/Spring break was awesome. My parents also do a funny adult egg hunt. is it the same thing?

your post was amazing! one of these years i'm going to be on the ball like you and post things as they happen. probably in my next life...

Jen said...

Matt cracks me up, too. I love when he and Alex or Kyle and Ben and Alex get together, because they all make my face hurt from laughing. It's a good ab workout.