Our Star Daughter

Angie is doing a science project on starfish and she is supposed to document her work with pictures--so you lucky people get to see her in the process as well! We started this weekend working on making the starfish model, which we will later perfect and finish. So, this will be like a continous post, just like a movie sequel--maybe even two!

In the beginning....
Mad scientists?

The art of the perfect rip...

Grandma and Grandpa Visiting

We had a great time with my parents coming to visit this weekend. Mom even made a yummy dinner on Sunday and spoiled me by helping out in so many ways. No matter how old we get, it is always nice to have Mommy come home!

Here's Mom and Lyle with Ella as well--she was snoozing away when we took the last picture.
This is just a cute one of Logan reading to Ella--such a pair of literary scholars!

Bumbo FUN!

Thanks for the Bumbo Aunt Jenny! I love feeling so tall and seeing the world in a new way!

I am VERY pleased with myself in this thing!

But I still like to relax for a good toe sucking break every once in a while...


It's so tastey....

And always brings a smile to my face!

Orbital family picnic

Jack's work does a really fun family picnic every year at Kiwanis park. We always look forward to free food--so we're in for sure!

Ella decided to go for pretty in purple that day.
They always have face painting, and to me it was more like face art--I mean, that was a pretty detailed unicorn!

Basketball man!
Angie got quite a hat--she used it to later become an elephant!
Ella and Sunny enjoying the outdoors
Oh, and here is Ella's version of sitting up--We want her to feel successful so we don't tell her the truth. Sorry about the blur--it was taken on Jack's camera.

Well, there's a little update. Hope all is well with everyone!

Introducing.......

SUPER ELLA!!

She may look like just another pretty face...
But she always digs deeps to find and solve the injustices of the world.

She laughs in the face of danger!

And devours her enemies in a single bite. We our so proud of our superhero daughter. Who knew??

Easter in Eagar

Good morning and Happy Easter to you! I am so glad to see you here on this lovely day!

"Aunt" Tiffany and her nieces (one of whom is only 6 months younger than herself!)

What studs! In cool new duds! They really are buds! Don't go play in the mud--s. (Obviously I am not Dr. Seuss.)

All the men together--in case you couldn't tell.

And then this one is--you guessed it--I won't even say it because I bet you already know!
One more of the girls in the house--this is post church so the hair isn't quite up to par, but luckily their smiles are! And of course Ella always has a good hair day!

These next pics are of Saturday before Easter and our family picnic.

Kirsten was such a wonderful aunt to Ella--she just cuddled up in her arms and slept the whole time we were there. Love the face--I think she was trying to eat the blanket!
The Whiting tradition is to go to this lovely spot by this lovely waterfall for a picnic every Easter. Our kids had never been there before so they were very impressed and had a lot of fun exploring around.

The falls were very big because of all the runoff this year.
Here are the hunters getting ready for battle....Jack only cried for a few minutes when we told him he was actually too old to hunt eggs this year--it really has been a long time coming and I think he took it very well. However, we decided to still let him pose for the pic.
While the eggs held the traditional candy and toys, I also tried something new borrowed from an idea from the Ensign (church magazine) of putting pictures of Christ in some of the eggs at different events in His life. Then the kids had to bring me the picture and tell me about it to get the candy. It made things more fun and hopefully helped them think about the true meaning of Easter as well.
Tiffany looks like she's doing pretty well with her stash.
Yumm--candy makes us happy!

Grandma and Grandpa Thurber enjoying food and nature--we are so happy to have them with us!

Here's Sunny enjoying the spoils of her foresty egg huntin'.

Hope everyone had a wonderful day remebering the miracle of life and the wonder of the life of Christ--we really take for granted the fact that here in Mesa we get to see The Easter Pageant every year at the temple grounds. I abolutely LOVE the last part of the pageant where Mary Magdelene finds the empty tomb. In the pageant she does this beautiful dance to show how joyful she is over the news. I always want to get up and dance with her, and it always makes me cry without fail, even though I have seen it for many years now. I usually don't get very mushy on my blog, but I just had to make a comment about the miracle of Christ and His sacrifice for us--how wonderful to know, as Mary did that Easter morn so long ago, that HE LIVES! Happy Easter everyone!

Happy Spring!

Hope you are enjoying the best season of the year! We celebrated the big day with a picnic and some games with friends at Freestone Park. Jennie and Brynlee and Raelyn dropped by, but unfortunately I don't have any photographic evidence. Obviously Ella was excited for Spring to be here...
I can't wait for the picnic! However, I also just like getting my diaper changed because Mommy likes to sing to me!

Here are the worthy racers ready for the big event..
It was quite a day at the field. I believe Angie was the hopper to beat.
The wheelbarrow race gave some Spring goers a chance to reclaim their position as champion racers...
Another exciting and bitter drama of sweat, grass, and a few spills. (Actually, I usually am very PC with races, due to the fact that one of my children who will remain nameless, but his name starts with a L and ends with a AN, gets rather upset at times with losing. So I just said that if everyone was a good sport then they would all get a prize for each race. This seemed to keep spirits high, but of course never stops the kiddos from knowing who the real winner is. I'm okay with winners and losers though, just as long as we all get along!)
Ella was a beautiful onlooker and commentator and enjoyed her time with her catterpillar friend. How nice to be out together enjoying this beautiful time of year! I love Spring!

Fun in the sand.It always has to include water doesn't it?
Hope everone is enjoying this great weather while it lasts!

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