Easter 2013

Just like spring break this Easter was my favorite... The kids are really coming to understand the reason we celebrate Easter and Christmas. Especially Belle, she taught all of us at the Mullins home about Christ and what he did for us. She taught us all about the Resurrection and then started to teach us all about Joseph Smith and the first vision! I was blown away about how much Belle does listen and knows like it is her favorite story. Easter is so special to our family. Being together and really trying to remember every incredible detail of the Atonement. We told the kids the Easter bunny is just something we do to have fun but when Easter Sunday is here it is purely about our Savior.

We pulled up to the Mullins home and got ready for Grandpas famous Easter egg hunt. Cash and Belle took of and every egg they found was like finding gold. Their faces lit up with pure excitement. They searched every nook of that yard. Paige was very content being held by Monkey. Who she is completely in love with... I don't blame her one bit! I love how every holiday the Mullins family invites other families and the missionaries to spend the holiday with. I loved watching Cash by the elders... I couldn't help but think one day that was hopefully going to be him!

After finding the jack pot and having a delicious lunch the families left and Belle and Cash got some well awaited Grandma, Grandpa, and Riley time. I honestly think the Mullins home is my childrens favorite place to be. Mark and Chloris took my kids and they helped plant vegetables. I could tell that Belle and Cash were so proud to be helping and so proud that Grandma and Grandpa let them plant seeds on their own. There is a reason I take so many pictures. It isn't to just because I want to remember every detail of my kids forever, it's also because when I look at each picture as cheesy as this sounds I can remember the smell, the feel, the story, the emotions, and the love we have for one another. Every picture I take is a memory I am not willing to loose. Like watching from a far, I can see the how immensely my children are loved by the Grandparents- It's something I don't want to interrupt, so I save it. Another thing I love is watching my kids with the Mullins old dog Riley... Riley is so special to Belle and Cash. Riley has become their baby. They found out that Riley got bit by another dog and had stitches... Belle and Cash's heart broke! The moment they saw Riley they carefully went up to her and softly stroked her black fur and hugged her and Belle said softly, "It will be alright girl, we are here." Cash put his arms around her neck and gently kissed her head. They spent so much time with Riley. Cash kept coming into the house saying he was hungry and grabbed graham crackers... he did this over and over... Finally Monkey followed him and saw that he was giving them to Riley to feel better! So sweet!

This will probably be a new tradition I do with my kids for now on every Easter. I decided to get some candy and go on a Easter Date with my kids. We left and went and sat on the bridge and ate candy while watching the river and we talked about each other and then about Jesus Christ and the Atonement and the shared their how they felt about it. It was wonderful! Belle was the teacher as usual and Cash sat a listened to every word she had to say. It was way special.

The rest of our Easter weekend was spent playing football, baseball, chickens, more Riley, an amazing out of control delicious dinner... where Nate said, "I feel bad for Mothers, Dad's have it easy!!!" He was referring to the chaos my children were making at dinner. Belle needed everything and asked me a million things to get her, "mama i need bread, mom more ham, more bread, can I have WATER, NOOOO a good drink please, oh more bread mama mama!!! MAMA! MORE BREAD, hey MOM!!", Cash was crying and having a melt down about me not holding him or spoon feeding him and also that Grandpa was not next to him, AND Paige screaming if I wasn't shoveling food down her mug SOOO.... Nate and Ben were starring wide eyed at me like what on earth is happening!!!! Ben pretended to be like me and he looked like he was a chicken with his head cut off. Dinner hahah was wonderfully delicious chaotic meal- I loved it! And even though I was ready for bed at 5pm I was so grateful for my family- (even if there is not a dull moment). And Especially grateful for my Savior who loved all of us so incredibly much. Happy Easter

Mullins... KOA gettaway!!!

This spring break was by far my favorite. We spent it with the Mullins!!! We went to Warrenton, OR at a place called KOA. This place was sooo COOL... it seriously had everything. The grounds had a indoor swimming pool, hot tub, outside had a tree house thing, basketball, volleyball, tether ball, huge chess set, projector kid movies, huge bouncy thing, all you can eat pancakes!!! FABULOUS!! The first part of our trip was spent at the famous ship wreck beach! It was my favorite the sand was so smooth and the waves were perfect! We had so much fun. Mark and Chloris bought little kites that were a HUGE hit!The kids loved them. Seeing them with their grandparents is one of my favorite things to watch! My kids are instantly cling to them. The Mullins family is so fun. They are always ready to do something fun. We played baseball- which Belle is fantastic at. She is a natural. She can hit that little ball so far and so well. I could tell she was so proud of herself. We flew kites forever and Belle got pretty good at it. Cash wouldn't leave grandpas side... He had a couple melt downs if he wasn't close by him. I loved it when Cash ran up to me holding some kind of gun shell??? I think! He said, "Look Mom... my grandpa gave this to me!" He then pulled it close to him and hugged it. He treasured it almost as much as he treasures Grandpa! I loved watching Belle always wanting to hold Chloris's hand and walk by the water together! I loved watching Ben and Nate going out to the wrecked ship and a wave almost knocking them completely over!! Oh such good times, I am going to miss this family so much when we leave August.

After a amazing day at the beach and a full belly from a delicious tail gate picnic we headed to KOA and straight way my kids wanted to hit the pool! So we all did! Then we played on the tree fort... ship wreck to be exact, I was a shark or I was the lady that was stranded in the water..or i was suppose to just be the storm...Thank you Belle!! Then we had a fire with hot dogs, chips, dips, veggie trays.. etc! Happiness! Then we ran in the rain to the kid shack where they were showing the end of a movie.. so the kids and I ran to the HUGE bouncer thing and jumped in the rain!! The kids cracked up when I fell feet over head on landed in the mud! They thought that was hilarious! Then we all ran to get warm and went to bed in our little cabin that the kids called "our cabbage"!!

(Dad and Cash awaiting the ladies to get out of the bathroom!  haha cute!)

The next morning was spent eating all you can eat pancakes, bouncer, and major basketball game, where Belle was the ref and took Nate to time out, chess competition- monkey dominated... embarrassing Nate!!! haha just kidding, tether ball, swinging, and back to the beach!

We stopped at the look out where the Columbia river meets the Ocean and it was gorgeous!! We seriously lucked out on whether... So perfect. The beach again was incredible. This time round the boys spent their time jumping of a huge dirt hill trying to do the most crazy karate kicks!! HILARIOUS!! Chloris and Mark played Frisbee with Cash man and Life was good!!!

Times like these I wish would never end...Times like these makes me really understand what is most important. I am so blessed to be apart of this Mullins family!