March

On March 3rd, we had our ultrasound and found out we were having another girl!! So excited to even us out :)

We put a balloon in a box for the kids to open, 

and the best was when Brooklyn said, "It's a girl. For ME!!!" ha ha so cute. She may have been talking about the balloon, but she had been telling everyone, all pregnancy, that "my mom has a baby in her tummy, and it's a sister."

So she was right.

We used our Krispy Kreme Valentine coupons that our cousins in Virginia sent us. I don't think my kids had ever been there before and they loved it.

Thanks Ella, Brynli, Isaac, and Lucy!

The guinea pigs in their stylish pink zebra house that Casey made up for them.

Brooklyn was ecstatic when Casey brought home, yet some more guinea pigs. They were 2 big white ones. She named one "Marshmallow" and one "Crème." CJ didn't like "Creme's" name though and renamed it "Ninja" :)

Since Payton's the oldest, he usually gets new shoes, and CJ gets the hand-me-downs. He talked daddy into letting him pick out some new shoes. I kinda let out a yelp when I saw them, and tried to quickly recover with a, "wow, those are cool." I was shocked how bright and colorful they were. But man oh man does he love them.

 

We got to celebrate my dad's birthday and Serrano's, and had a bigger than expected crowd with Grandma Freeman, Uncle John and Julia, and Heath and Soraia.

 

 

These buddies had a great time playing in a multi-sport clinic for a few weeks.

Brycen Terry, Carson Gardner, and CJ

They never have any fun when they're together.

Brooklyn loving Kid's Club with Dewper, the Chick-fil-a cow, and the Easter Bunny.

 

Payton's school had a carnival, which is always a fun time. CJ and Payt got to race each other in these huge inflatable balls. Reminded me of hampsters in those big balls :)

 

I think Brooklyn loves animals more than any of my kids. She oohs and aahs over them, always wanting to hold/feed/take care of them.

Well sadly for her, she bent over too far into Zul (the bearded dragon's) cage and fell in. For the 2nd time. She was screaming hysterically and totally freaked out. She managed to hit his water bowl, which made the sand stick to her face and mouth. After I got her cleaned up, she said with relief, "he didn't eat me. He didn't eat me." ha ha. Nope. he didn't. In fact both times she fell in, he just sits there and stares at her. Doesn't even move. I guess that is a pretty good pet...

 

 

 

February

Well February brought my 30th birthday, which seemed weird to think that I was out of my 20s :)

 

 

My sweet Lia friend took me out to breakfast at Cracker's, which is yummy as always.

 

Then later I went to pick up my mom so we could go to Sweetcake's, but when I walked in, holy cow I was beyond shocked to see a bunch of people that I love, yelling 'surprise' at me. I literally backed up to the door that I had just walked in, because I was like, "what the heck is going on?"

 

I could not believe it. I had consciously thought there was no way Casey would throw me a surprise party, so I wasn't looking for any clues, and it never occurred to me that my dear sweet mother would pull it off.

I looked at her and said, "so we're not going to Sweetcake's?" ha ha

So fun! I loved visiting with ladies I don't get to see very often. Thanks to these 2 wonderful ladies for being so awesome and showering me with love :)

 

Later that afternoon, we took the kids and 2 of Casey's co-workers to the Gilbert Temple Open House. It was beautiful and such a marvelous place. I sure hope our kids and guests could feel the Spirit there.

Finished the night off at IHOP for dinner. You know me and my love of breakfast :)

 

 Other pics from the month:

Brook hopped in her jeep with her Minnie and blanket, and told me, "ok we're all ready to go. Bye. Love you. We're going to Home Depot." ha ha

 

CJ used his own money from Christmas to buy playdough, and made "our family" into snowmen. Cute.

We hosted a little Superbowl party, and my boys totally appreciated my super basic baking skills when I decorated these sugar cookie bars with their team name.

Payton made a fort and locked himself in there for a while, not letting anyone see what he was making. He finally emerged with this helmet. How creative is he?? I loved it :)

Brooklyn was so ecstatic that she got chosen by Dewper to go check the mail at Kid's Club. Highlight of her life, ha ha.

Funny Chik-fil-a cow covering her face for the picture.

CJ was doing his laundry, and loved the warm clothes feeling so much that he climbed in.

Payton played in a basketball league, coached by David Hall in our ward, whose son Madden was also on it. He struggled a bit this time. Although he loved when Daddy could take him to practice, he mentally decided that he didn't want to be an NBA player anymore when he grows up, so he kinda stopped putting forth the effort when he played, which was a bit frustrating to watch. But Casey talked to him about it, and he did a little bit better towards the end of the season.

 

His school did a Boosterthon, and Payton got pledges for each lap that he ran. He ran the max 35 laps that he could fundraise for, and then ran a few more, totally like 51 laps.

He wasn't excited at all when he saw I was there rooting for him, ha ha :)

Valentine's breakfast

 

 

 

The kids had been wanting to go to the new Riverview park, so we did on Valentine's right after school. They had a blast.

Such a cool park!!

I noticed Brooklyn outside playing with Penny and tried to sneak out and take pictures. Little kids and dogs make such cute pictures.

 

When I sweep/mop and put all the chairs in the living room, Brook likes to be the bus driver with her "friends" and go on adventures.

 

I figured I'd try to keep the floor clean for a smidge longer by eating dinner outside, since it was beautiful weather.

Brook doing a trick. "watch this mom!!"