Doran's rock collection

Doran had his first ever homework assignment this week. I have to admit that I was much more excited about it than he was. When I was little I loved to collect rocks and I always had some pretty cool ones. Granny and Poppy's yard had so many cool rocks and I found them all. So Seth and I bought a few rocks for cheap and then found some. We would ask him what he thought and he would just shake his head. I don't think he will be a rock collector like me....
Now today has been a rather comical day. Doran has said some pretty funny stuff we don't want to forget! First, Seth and Doran were playing swordplay on the wii and Doran said, "You're going down sucker!" Seth and I both busted up laughing and Brock of course repeated it word for word!
Later on we were driving to the store and Doran was paying attention to the traffic lights. He always will yell 'Greens on! Go' or 'Reds on! Stop'. He really loves those traffic lights. Well Seth was turning right at a red light and when Doran felt the car move he yelled, "No Daddy! Its red, you have to stop." Seth tried to explain that you can turn right on a red light if no cars are coming. Doran was so mad! He yelled, "Daddy you ran the red light! I am going to hit your face!" We could not believe it! We were laughing pretty hard. We thought he was going to be our little NASCAR racer not a police officer. It looks like we were wrong. He said later, "You ran two red lights Daddy."

Motorcycles and Fire Trucks!

Anyone who knows our little Brocky knows he is a dare devil. He has no fear of anything! This weekend we went to the motorcycle and rv show at the southtowne expo center and he was in heaven. He was trying on helmets, sitting on dirt bikes and atvs, and running around checking everything out. He cried when I made him get back in the stroller to leave. He had so much fun. Seth always says in a couple of years they will be riding dirt bikes and I just nod my head and think ya right! Well Brock may prove me wrong!

Today we saw a fire truck and ambulance parked and letting little kids in to see. Brock of course loved it and Doran cried to go in the store with me to get milk! They are such opposites!

More pictures

When I say Thanksgiving Point is my favorite place I wasn't lying! We went today to get the kids out and have some fun since our yard was so wet. They had a lot of fun going without the stroller.

When we got to the waterfall part there was a crowd around one of the bridges. This is why! A nesting owl. It is just hanging out on a cliff by the furthest south waterfall. I thought it was pretty cool and Doran loved it. I would love to be there when the eggs hatch but I am sure those chances are extremely slim.

Brock loves his Daddy! I love how he loves to kiss and hug. He probably won't much longer so I have to take advantage of it.

Doran is obsessed with worms all of the sudden. We saw one on a path there and I picked it up and threw it in the dirt. He thought it was pretty cool watching it go down into the dirt. The rest of the time he kept crouching over and looking for more worms.

OUTSIDE!

We have been spending a lot of time outside lately. It has been warm for the last two weeks up until yesterday. The boys have gotten tan and are wearing shorts. They love being outside. The other morning I was outside weeding and the boys were playing on their bikes and my friend/neighbor (and the love of both Doran and Brock's lives) Kenzi texted me to look across the street at the park and the picture above is what we saw! There were tons of deer! It was pretty cool to see. I didn't know deer even came this far down into the valley.

Jayce slept over Friday night. When I woke up this is what I found. Doran is a cuddler! I don't think she was very happy about him laying on her!

A little bit later Brock came out and laid on her too! They are watching Bakugan which explains why Doran wouldn't even look at the camera. This last week he has been saying "My name is not Doran, it is Dan." Dan is the main character in Bakugan. He has had many names: Astro Boy, Junior (Dale Jr.), Battle Force 5 which was later shortened to Burt, and so on!

This is pretty cool! I brought the bikes Santa brought the boys outside now that is warm and Brock knows how to ride it! He will just get on a peddle away. I don't know when kids usual learn how to peddle but Doran still can't figure it out so we thought it was pretty fun that Brock did!

Look at him go!

Last year I posted a picture of a peacock on our house. That night I realized it wasn't that cool when I heard how loud they are! Well this was our neighbors house this morning! There were 6 peacocks just hanging out on the front and side of their house! I had to take a picture!

Ok we are starting to finish the back yard. I decided to take some pictures. I never put pictures of our progress last year so I figured I would now! This picture was taken when we were under contract. It was a jungle!

Here is a picture of one side looking down from the porch. We put in the concrete curbing last summer.

Here is the other side. We also put in mulch last summer with the help of my brother Ry-cracker. Way better but I still need to plant some flowers. I hate yard work!

We had the backyard graded a few weeks ago and brought in dirt and had it trenched. He also trenched the strip up front and we will put grass there when we do the back. Saturday Seth and our neighbor Adam laid concrete in our back yard and this little square up front so people can walk up to the house without stepping in the mud until we get grass. I think it was a great idea Seth had to put it there!

We put road base on the side of the house to extend the RV pad back. Hopefully in a few years we will be able to have it be concrete all the way back.

Here is the pad they laid outback! I think it looks so awesome! I am excited for the yard to be done so the kids can play on it and maybe have a table out here so we can eat too! I am glad we had a neighbor who was willing to help and did such an awesome job! We are gonna owe them big time!

Here is the back. I wish I would have taken a before picture of it too. It was a jungle! Weeds were taller than the deck! Once the sprinklers are in we will probably grade it one more time so it is smooth and then on to the sod! We can't wait to have a backyard!

Our (my) favorite place!

One of my favorite places is open again! The gardens at Thanksgiving Point. The boys love it too, I don't know how much Seth loves it, but he will take me any time I ask. The boys definately forgot about it over the winter so it was almost like taking them for the first time. They both carried quarters to buy fish food and when we got there the fish food was empty. They were so sad. Luckily the fish still thought we would feed them so they hung around!

I asked them while we were down by the waterfalls what their favorite part is and they both said the waterfalls. Then I asked them in the car on our way home and they both said the fish. They had a blast!

I can't wait for the tulips to bloom. They are my favorite flowers and it is so beautiful there when they are everywhere. I made Seth promise today to take me a lot during the festival. He is the best!

Easter weekend

We had such a fun weekend. Friday night we colored Easter eggs and I forgot to take any pictures. I wish I would have because Doran's face when we pulled the first egg out of the dye was priceless.

Saturday we had Granny's Easter egg hunt, which to some is known as the hunt of the century! She always does so much and all the grandkids love it. Doran has been so excited and has been talking about it since St. Patrick's Day.

Here are some of the kids watching the eggs and treats get 'hidden'.

I was pretty sad that Seth had to work all weekend. He didn't make it to a single family get together. But since he wasn't there, Brooks helped Doran hunt and I helped Brock. Doran got so much stuff he almost had his Jr. bag full. Brock probably got 20 things.

Jayce is the best hunter there is. She always gets the most stuff. I think the look on her face shows how much she loves it!

Brock found a thing of bubbles but it had been broken open. He was very concerned because once he found those he no longer wanter to hunt he just wanted to blow bubbles and how can he blow bubbles if they are spilled? He kept saying "I found 'em Mommy. Oh no, they're gone!"

Easter morning! So fun! I was in my room getting ready when I heard a sound in the family room. I came out and Brock was just sitting on the fire place going through his basket. He had found the little Easter egg gum and was trying to get it open. He didn't get that it was a special day. So I gasped really loud and excitedly hoping Doran would wake up, he did! He came running and yelled "Oh my goodness!" The rest of the morning he just talked about how the Easter bunny was so quiet, he came in and didn't even wake anyone up with his hoppin'!

Once I got the boys ready we went over to Grandma and Papa K's for breakfast. It was so good! Kevin made a breakfast casserole that was full of jalepenos and it was out of this world! They gave all the grandkids cute outfits and treats in a little sand bucket.

Then we got to come home and enjoy a quiet morning and afternoon of conference and toys! Then we went over to Nate and Samantha's for the Engman Easter party! Nate and Samantha got the coolest playground this week for their kids and my boys were in heaven! (I would be too... in fact I was even a little tempted to climb in and play ;) )

Brock had the time of his life! He would still be playing now even though it is freezing. I think it is the first Easter I remember waking up to snow!
Then we had another Easter egg hunt! Brock still didn't get very many eggs and Doran was mad he had to stop! After the hunt was over they both started getting really whiney and Brock made me hold him non-stop. So I decided it was time to go home... Brock was asleep in the car before we made it 30 seconds! It is a good thing we only live a mile away from them!