April 2014

Soccer season has begun! Adam turned 6 the week it started, so he was mistakenly put on a team of 4-5 year olds. We went to one practice and sorted it out, his new team is 6-8 year olds. So even though he is the youngest on his new team, he feels like he fits in better there. He loves soccer practice!

We saw this interesting vehicle on the way to Orchestra and I just had to take a picture. Weird van limo truck thing.

Daily life.

Adam finishing another workbook.

General conference weekend! 

Bring on the puzzles!

Adam and Rachel built a tent like in the scriptures.

We made s'mores.

Gooey s'mores.

These little lizards were mating and fell off our vine, we were so interested to find out they have green bellies. We love watching them on the back fence. We googled why the lizards always do little push-ups. It said that the male lizards do push-ups for the same reasons male humans do...to attract the ladies! We thought that was hilarious.

Happily practicing. We are studying short stories by Nathaniel Hawthorne right now and Sarah is working on her novel, Kyka.

We had a weekend where a lot happened, but no pictures. Friday night Heather Velasquez had a big dance party for couples at her house, which was super fun. Saturday morning we had soccer games and in the afternoon was the annual stake BBQ. Sunday I had YCL camp meetings and then rushed home to play hostess for the Bishop Youth Fireside. It is so nice being surrounded by such valiant youth. They are really inspiring. I'm so glad we get to serve with them.

We had a playdate at the park with Abegg and Johnson friends while we were waiting by the school for Sarah and Rachel to be done with AIMS testing. We decided to have them take the test, just so they'd have the experience of being at school taking standardized tests. Rachel made friends and said it was fine, but she couldn't feel the Spirit. Sarah said it was awkward and she was the only one with brushed hair. They both said the snacks they were given were nasty.

Easter time.

The annual egg hunt our friend Linda organizes was fun as usual.

We invited our Buddhist friend Sally with her little girl Sadie. She was very interested in why we celebrate Easter and we got the chance to talk about the Atonement and story of the birth, life, and death of Jesus Christ which was all new to her. She was intrigued by how bunnies and candy in eggs is traditional, frankly I'm intrigued by that too. We did discuss the symbolism of the eggs with rebirth, but I think it got a little lost in translation. She is married to a Jewish man who is an English teacher at the high school. It was great to meet him and talk about book recommendations for the kids. He is very supportive of my homeschooling, which I appreciate of course.

Linda with her boys.

Candy makes Benton happy. Any food makes Benton happy.

Twas the night before Easter and Mom and Dad headed out to the Symphony!

Downtown is beautiful at night.

I love the old buildings.

I love the architecture.

I was trying to get this picture of Tyler's school we passed by, but he cut it off. He says he'd much rather have pictures of me than his old law school. I'm glad. I do want to mention that after he graduated his school changed names. Instead of Phoenix School of Law it is now Arizona Summit Law School...but his degree is still good...I hope.

As Rachel's cute count down to Easter shows, it is now time for the Easter Bunny to visit.

He hopped by our house.

The kids found eggs he left behind.

One egg had a secret code that opened this safe and released an egg with a clue to a present from Grandma and Grandpa Cole.

They chased all over the house and finally found each clue that led them to this...

A red convertible Mustang for their Barbies with extendable back!

A Barbie game began of course. What a great Easter.

At work Tyler's friend Brenda had a birthday. We have a private joke with her about when we came into the office and after we left Sarah had left all her paperclips in a giant chain. So for her birthday we made her a paperclip chain necklace and bracelet with ribbon and beads intertwined, and a card. Tyler said she loved them and wore them all day. She is such a sweet lady.

Adam's older soccer team, the Cheetahs. He had a great coach and had lots of fun.

We watched our friend Mandy's little Colby while she had a dental appointment.

Sarah got major snuggles.

Then Mandy brought us sweet rewards of service.

The jubilation of finishing another book.

The picture day at soccer was chaos. A huge wind storm blew in and made it crazy!

Our pictures turned out though. This is Rachel's team the Cobras.

Go Cheetahs.

After the soccer games we prepared for the temple. My friend Yoshi received her endowment! I was so proud of her and so excited that even though she is in a new ward now she had so much love and support from both wards. That was beautiful to see. It was a beautiful day! The wind howled outside, but the joy and peace of the Lord reigned inside the temple.

Lego fest. I love that our whole family takes time to enjoy Lego building together.

We did some bank errands during the dress rehearsal of the final concert. This new bank had cool glass outside like mirrors that we naturally had to dance in front of. I wonder what it looked like from the inside. I'm sure the tellers are used to people jamming out in front of the bank, they probably have lots of security footage of that kind of behavior.

The next day we were on our way to the last concert of the season. Sarah was Concert Master and we were all dressed up and ready for a special night. We stopped to pick up Meg for the concert and while we waited for her I loved how Dad got out and played basketball with her brothers in his suit and all.

Adam fell asleep on the way with a mini wheat in his mouth.

Later he woke up and kept chewing like he'd never been asleep.

Sarah received the director's award for her division and a scholarship. So special. She has loved playing with the Metropolitan Youth Symphony and loved getting to know her conductor Mrs. Allston.

I just thought this was cute. It's tender that he is watching tv with his bear Bonesie, yet not so tender that he's clutching him round the throat to MAKE him watch. Silly.