the best of the bluebonnets (the good, the bad, the funny, and the fat)

This is the third year we've gone to the bluebonnets. This by far was the most beautiful year...the cool spring and lots of rain made for one magnificent wildflower season in Texas! On our drive to and through Brenham we passed fields and fields of every type of wildflower in every color. It was by far the best year as far as children's cooperation, too! Some are more cooperative than others {ahem, Benson}. So here are the good, the bad, the funny, and the fat. Most don't need captions.

Here's what it's like trying to get all of them in the picture:

The girls sit patiently...

Then the boy tries to strangle the girl. Not exactly what I meant when I said, "Give her a hug."

{I'm mad because you told me to stop giving a hug, so I'm marching right out of this picture.}

{I'll come back, when bribed, and then I'll make a funny face, and Brynnie will be out of patience.}

{What?? What do you want me to do?}

{okay, no one look at the camera!}

THE CREAM OF THE CROP!

It was a blast!

the potty project

This is my latest project. He has to be fully potty trained by October, so he can (and WILL) go to preschool. Benson has very little interest in the potty...only when he's in the right mood, and the bribe is good enough. Which changes hourly. He'll be really good about "going" for several hours, and then wants nothing more to do with it. It's very off and on. I don't want to push too hard, because he'll just shut down the project completely. ugh.

I HATE potty training.

The bribes usually include Sprite and chips/crackers/cookies/etc. just to get him to sit on the potty.
At least he shares them, though.

Easter

It's been almost a month, but at least I'm finally getting to it...

So here's our Easter 2010 in few words and many pictures:

I found out that dying Easter Eggs isn't for the fainthearted.

While Brandon was at the Priesthood Session of General Conference, I dyed eggs with the kids. I'd been putting it off as long as possible, but finally gave in, as not to disappoint. I'm pretty sure it elevated my blood pressure by several points. We really missed going to Becky and Jamie's to dye eggs!

I made Benson strip down to his diaper. Would have done the same with Bay, but figured she's probably a little too old for that.

I realized while dying eggs that Benson's chubby little paws will probably be full fledged hands by next year. And I will miss them. I love soft little baby hands. I wanted to make sure I got a picture of Goon's to remember them. Bailey's disappeared overnight, it seemed. Being my first baby, I didn't know that would happen. I was sad to realize one day, when she was about 3.5, that her "paws" were gone, and she had real hands.

Speaking of "paws," I wasn't quite ready for these "paws" to be dipped in dye, just yet. So she kept happy and occupied with her Fruity Pebbles. She loves to eat these one-by-one, so it keeps her busy and happy for a L-O-N-G time.

Sunday Morning, the kids found their baskets, and then we watched General Conference. Then they donned their festive wear. I went a little carrot crazy and made the girls matching "pillowcase" dresses (from some 10+ yr old fabric from Guh L's stash!), and appliqued a shirt for Benson (and the Stewart Boys) to match. Then went to the Stewart's house for a big family dinner...



...desserts (that I made)...

...and a HUGE egg hunt with about 300 eggs!

I forgot to get a picture of it, but there were even eggs with binkies in them for the babies!!

It was a wonderful Easter!