Turns Out Gardening Rules

I wish that I had taken before and after pictures of our backyard...I am learning that I am really terrible at that. Just know that Aaron completely over-hauled the back portion of our yard single-handedly and turned it into a really great garden! Finn had a great time helping him plant everything and I just couldn't pick my favorite picture of the two of them. Aaron has worked so hard on this and is very excited to reap what he has sewn!

The garden tonight!

Our grape vines get more and more lush every day! By the end of summer they will be twice this leafy.

We got hooked up with a cheap trampoline and a playhouse for free so suddenly our backyard is sweet! We are excited to spend many a summer day out here.

Who Put the Hop in the Hippety Hoppity Hop

The title of this post comes from the singing stuffed bunny that Finn and Kate got from their Grammy c/o the Easter Bunny. (Easter morning Finn exclaimed, "Mom! The Easter Bunny gave me himself!") It was a big hit with both the kids and all their friends. I put it in storage a week ago and I still can't get the song out of my head.

Leading up to the big day, we had an Easter party with some playgroup friends. Finn and Kate loved the egg hunt and playing and eating with their buddies.


Kate LOVED holding her Easter basket. On the drive home, she fell asleep immediately with it clutched in her tiny hands. When Finn saw me take a picture of her, he figured out a way to get his picture taken too.

Saturday night we colored Easter eggs as a family. I got this fun 'monster-egg' kit that the kids, including Aaron of course, had a lot of fun with.

Easter morning was so fun. Finn rushed down to my room to show me the puppets that the Easter Bunny brought for him and Kate. They were both so excited about their baskets. It was also fun to have our very own backyard to have an egg hunt in. Finn was very interested in the true meaning of Easter this year, and I loved teaching him about the resurrection and the gift of the atonement.

To top it off, my plum tree was in bloom making everything look so Springy -- it was an Easter miracle!

She's a Smartie

Remember this post? Finn knew all his letters by 20 months old and we attributed it to his love for Wheel of Fortune. Well, I guess Pat Sajack doesn't deserve the credit after all because we haven't watched that show forever and Kate (22 months) knows all her letters now too! I knew that she knew a few, but she surprised me a while ago by spouting them all off while I was reading her 'A-EEE-SEES!' (an alphabet story book that she likes to look at) Not only did she know all the letters, but she knows the name of every single picture in the book too. (Like, the mole on the 'M' page...what 1 1/2 year old knows what a mole is?) Letters are just something my kids' brains latch on to I guess. Like, Kate still hasn't figured out how to use the word 'yes' but she can tell a 'b' apart from a 'd'. Whatevs. We'll take what we can get! Finn was so cute praising his sister when she got a letter right. Watch the video at your own risk, I think it took up all 8 gigs on my memory card.