Scenes of Spring...

Let's begin with March Madness since it just seems right.  We all fill out a bracket round here.  It's serious business.  It's also great homework for little hands to write little letters and studiously get the task done.  

In summary here is what we got:

Kael - Got 'er done.  With nary a care for rankings and nary a doubt about his selections.

Dax - Chose every top ranked team and then was clearly taxed when a match up came down to two top ranked teams.  The struggle was real.

Ace - Chose Butler to take it all because the dude, "Really likes writing 'BUT'."

Next up... our littlest Mischievan.

Boone has turned the corner and his usual stomping grounds have become mundane.  He is exploring new turf so to speak... including, but not limited to:

Underwear drawers.

The dryer.

The toilet.

He is a climber and he is trouble in it's cutest form.  Gross little human.  :)

How about that time I decided to show off for my friend across the street and a few cheerleaders and do a round-off back handspring?  Yep.  I nailed it.  It looked pretty damn good.  The adrenaline was pumping.  They cheered.  Then things went south from there... but on the sly because how embarrassing could I be?  I humbly admitted to RyGar the next day that I was fairly certain I had broken my wrist.  He sent me to the clinic to get it checked saying, "Amb I'm gonna be gone all week.  You better check before I go."

Here I am, yellow cast and shattered ego.

Note to self:  You are no longer 13.

But way to go out flippin'.

#soembarrassing

Boone also took a tumble and punctured the bottom of his tongue with his cute little bottom toothens, and the poor babe looked like a vampire all day.  We got some strange comments at church when our kid would grin at a passerby and drool blood down the sides of his mouth.  This went on for most of the first hour and finally after Ryan's tie, my hair and both our shoulders were covered in blood we called TOD on church attendance.  

The next day he was just peachy and didn't resemble a member of the cast of Twilight.

In other news... The chicks and bunnies are at IFA!

Boone is clearly a fan.

Cousin Elliott came to visit.  The friendship is already blossoming.

"Homework oh Homework, we're losing our steam, 

Our mama wants to wash you away in a stream..."

Not the right words to that rhyme?

But I speak the truth.  Someone is getting trunky and that person's name isn't Kael or Dax.

But seriously, check out their little stories and that cute penmanship.

Fine, I will persevere!

Pogo Stick Envy is real.  Kael did 209 jumps the other day and relished in the fact that we were all out in the yard watching and counting for him aloud.  He would have gone longer but the dang hose impeded his progress.  

Final few moments of cuteness comin' atcha... I've given them each a title accordingly:

Big Bellied Cowboy

Too Cool for School

The Best Spring Things In the Universe

BAM.  I packed in a half a month into one spastic blog post.  

I solemnly swear to do better.

Amen.

Scenes from the House...

It's no secret - moving is exhausting and all encompassing.  

The good news is we've mostly settled in. 

The bad news is there are still plenty of projects to tackle.

My Mom told me, "It's a journey - not a destination."

Sounds like a fortune cookie statement, but just the one I need at this point, so I'm going with it.

 The boys have taken to our new home like tiny rock stars.  They don't stress one iota about paint color, floor stain, or furniture placement.  Home, to them, is where their people are.  I should take a page out of their little books.

The house we purchased has a "clubhouse" in the back yard.  Kael took it upon himself to detail it like a boss.  Little man put in the work and it is sparkling.  He is so proud of himself.  So is his mama.

 Dax and Ace have been decorating the sidewalks like it's their job and breaking in the yard with golf clubs and scooters and soccer balls.  They're dedicated worker bees in their own way.  :)

We even baptized the bathroom floors with the splish splash of bath time.

 We've found a way to work lazy Sunday mornings back into the equation...

With time to read the cereal boxes before church.

And the nights are equally as fun as long as we're snuggled in together with a brother or two, a cool new gadget, and a good book. 

 We are pretty blessed.  And you're welcome in our casa anytime.

Capitol Cats...

This past week I gathered all my mama gumption in preparation for a trek to the State Capitol with all my fellers.  One thing I've learned is those little spongey minds of my offspring actually soak in a lot more than I ever think they are.  SO these educational field trips are worth it despite the profuse sweating/shlepping which I have referred to on so many occasions. 

The State Capitol was throwing a ginormous party in honor of Dr. Seuss' birthday and what better way to combine two things we're currently passionate about:  reading and politics - ok, Grandpa. Bonus - Cousins would be there!

We sent in our RSVPs so I wouldn't back out despite the fact that Daddy-o wouldn't be in attendance, and we rose with the sun and headed out with the baby back pack for Boone's morning adventure and my morning work out. :)

I'm so glad we did it.  We had a personal tour of the Capitol Building from my Dad's intern, Shay.  It was so insightful and I love learning the little tidbits about the history and architecture of one of Utah's most beautiful buildings... plus my mama taught me, if I jot it down, I have a higher chance of recalling these little snippets of trivial pursuit info for a future appearance on Jeopardy, so here I go... 

Bonus - The Lorax was there!  He lives in Moab.  Who knew?

Did you know the building was erected in 1912 and it cost 2.3 million dollars to construct?  It was then refurbished and the restoration was completed in 2008.  That project cost $227 million dollars. Inflation... is real, folks.  

The marble used throughout the building came from a quarry in Georgia and is the same marble used in the Nation's capitol building.  The chandelier in the middle of the rotunda weighs 1000 lbs but the chain to hold it weighs 4000 lbs!

There is natural light on every level thanks to the use of clever sky lights and window placement by a genius architect who also happened to have had a house fire as a kid, and made every door in the building steel with a faux wood finish.  I like him more already.

See those seagulls painted in the top of the rotunda? They look somewhat life sized from the vantage point of a regular joe on the main floor, but in reality their painted wingspan is roughly 9 feet!

Each of the kiddos got to sit on the House floor for a bit with Grandpa and watch him vote on several issues.  It was a reverent highlight for each of them, and he had stocked his desk drawer full of little trinkets he knew they would each love like little House of Rep coins and candies and chocolates.  He's either got this grandpa shtick down OR he is a kid at heart.  :)  

Boone had his snack outside the confines of the baby backpack in the "hex hallways" and if there is such a thing as tile envy - I officially have it.

After our tour and our time on the floor we were gifted our Cat in the Hat head wear and sack lunches and we got our picture taken with Curious George.  The photographer had a polaroid camera which he printed out our image with, and no joke... 100% intrigue and curiosity while our image appeared right before their very eyes.  :)

They met the Governor and were on their best behavior.  :)

And they learned he is far shorter than the Cat in the Hat...

 We had a great day.  We feel so lucky to have gotten to see the ins and outs of the Utah State Capitol Building.  It is such a beautiful place and we are so very blessed to have freedoms and quality public servants who are willing to do the work and take the time.

And cookies.

 And little faces...

 And posers...

To enjoy it all with.