Easter

We had a fun-filled Easter weekend.  The day before Easter we had a fun dinner and egg hunt at Alan's dad's ex-wife's house.  Her name is Malia.  (All of Alan's family have a great relationship with her, and our kids love their FOG--"favorite other grandma.") 

Malia really outdid herself.  She made cute gift baskets for the little kids (with homemade superhero capes!) and also for the big kids.  There must have been about 300 hidden eggs, too!

Maggie wears her new cape almost day and night

Jared's batman cape

All the cousins on the Stout side.  But his picture is now outdated, because we have a new cousin just born!!!!

Evy liked looking for eggs, too!

 We also had a fun dinner and egg hunt with my side of the family on actual Easter.  My kids sure love playing with their cousins!  I unfortunately did not get any pictures of that day, but we sure had fun.

Alan's Birthday

Alan's birthday was fun.  He got some of his presents a couple of weeks early, but then we had a yummy dinner of chicken enchilada soup, fruit and dip, and ice cream sandwich-cake closer to his actual birthday.   Alan has requested this cake every year for the past 5 years or so.

This present was some new white shirts!  How exciting!   :)

We got a basketball hoop as sort of an early birthday present for Alan.  I am excited for Jared to get into basketball, because I would really like to put him in Jr. Jazz when he is a 3rd-grader.  

Happy Birthday, Evelyn!

We were able to celebrate Evelyn's birthday over several days.  Some sweet old ladies that live a couple of houses down from us brought over this cute (but a little funny-looking) cake that I think is supposed to be a lamb (or a poodle?).  The cake was a thank-you gift for Alan shoveling their driveway a couple of times during the winter.  We decided to use it as an early birthday cake for Evy to destroy.  

Lamb or poodle?

Evy's cheeks are all red because she had a little bit of an allergic reaction to some strawberries.

 Evy often puts her hands behind her head like this.  She does it when I read stories to her in her rocking chair.  I think it is so cute.

Yummy cake!

Do you want some, too?

Evelyn is our first child to actually give us a show with eating/smashing her birthday cake.  We were quite disappointed with Jared's and Maggie's first birthdays.  Ha ha.  

 About a month ago I got bit by the crocheting bug and decided to make Maggie and Evy matching lavender dresses to wear this spring and summer.  (Seriously, it had been about a year and a half since I had last done any crocheting.) The pattern I found online was in Maggie's size, so I made that one first and then had to try and alter the pattern to make one Evy's size.  I admit that I had to undo quite a bit to make it finally work out.

I finished Evy's dress on her birthday.

I LOVE this picture.

This next video is of Evy opening up one of her presents a couple of days after her actual birthday.  

Arches National Park

About a month ago Alan started a new job (no particulars here since this blog is public). Although he liked his old job, it was time for a change.  He was very overworked and under-appreciated, not to mention the fact that he would never ever be able to take time off during our kids' spring and fall breaks. Well, since he started a new job, he was able to take a couple of days off and we went to our family favorite, Arches!  

We went during the same weekend as two of my brothers and their families, a friend of my oldest brother and his family, and some friends of ours that we knew from our first married student ward at BYU who now live just a few blocks away from us.  We spent some time with these friends of ours, but we also did a lot on our own.

We camped for two nights in the campground in Arches National Park.  I was nervous taking Evelyn, not quite sure how she would sleep, and it turned out I was right to be nervous. She did NOT like sleeping in her pack-and-play in the tent, and consequently spent 1 1/2 nights sleeping in the car with Alan.  Maggie was also up lots of times during each night.  Ah, well, I guess we don't go camping to get a good night's sleep, right?

 Our first day, before we drove into Arches, we actually went on a hike near Moab to Corona Arch.  This was a new hike for us, and we loved it!  It was very hot and a bit long for Maggie, but it was worth it.

My siblings and I bought this new child-carrying backpack as an early birthday present for Alan.  It arrived the day before we left on our trip and worked wonderfully!

 Near the end of the Corona Arch hike, there were lots of little cairns that people had built all next to each other.  Jared built his own, about 3 inches high.  :)

Some crazy adults were climbing to the top of Corona Arch and swinging off the top.  We saw several of them do this.  Can you see the guy in the middle and also someone standing on top of the arch?  You can also look up YouTube videos of people jumping off this arch.

Alan and Evy

Resting in the shade of Corona Arch

This picture was on the way back after seeing the arch.  This is also where Maggie had her first experience peeing in nature without a toilet.  :)

All of the next pictures are in Arches National Park:

Jared and Alan climbed on top of Sand Dune Arch

Maggie loved playing in the sand with her cousins at Sand Dune Arch

This is the only picture I am in on the whole trip!!  Ha ha.  We hiked to Landscape Arch.

Tunnel Arch

Pine Tree Arch

Alan and Evy underneath Pine Tree Arch

Jared and Maggie sitting underneath Pine Tree Arch

Maggie climbing in Double Arch

Alan took this video. Sorry it is sideways.

Maggie looking a little sad by Double Arch.  This was minutes before a big meltdown.

Jared and his cousin by Double Arch

 We also hiked around the Windows and into Turret Arch:

Turret Arch

Standing under Turret Arch and seeing one of the Windows behind him

The "spectacles" with the nose rock between

My attempt to get a picture of Maggie by some pretty yellow flowers

Jared was a more willing model

On the primitive loop trail around the Windows

We loved our little trip to Arches and can't wait to go again soon!