Mother's Day

The kids and Michael made me feel very loved this Mother's Day.

 I got to go to a Mother's Day tea (had to decline the sweet tea) with Henry's preschool class.

 Awesome.

 Love this sweet boy.

 I've started collecting the kids' Mother's Day notes through the years to make a display.

 Robbie made me awesome cards and gifts in Kindergarten and brought them to me with breakfast in bed from Daddy.

 And Henry, too!

Michael's breakfast hit the spot. I am grateful to be a mother, truly grateful, despite my ineptitudes. I am deeply indebted to my mom and my mother-in-law for their examples of faithful endurance and kindness and forgiveness.

A visit from Nana and Papa

In the middle of April, Nana and Bapa came to visit! They were a huge help with projects around the house.

Dad helped paint drywall patches and installed door handles in the basement among other things, and Nana helped me a ton by wiping off all of the surfaces in the basement storage areas that had gotten covered in drywall dust, among other things. Such a pain. (Nana also discovered lots of mouse droppings and things that were eaten by mice . . . they have yet to return, so I'm hoping they left after they decided there was nothing else interesting to eat.)

We did manage to fit some fun things in the middle of all the chores.

 There was some puzzling (we finally found that missing piece!).

some reading,

 some more reading,

 some cooking and Costco errand-running (here was Nana making Easter pear bunnies),

 and even some family bell-ringing on Easter Sunday (we practiced "Jesus Has Risen").

 Nana brought up her special tea set, and the boys enjoyed using the little cups and plates for chocolate milk, carrots, and cookies.

On Saturday, my parents watched Robbie and Henry so that we could go up with the youth to the Philadelphia temple. Clara performed the baptism for one of her ancestors whose name she had found with Nana's help the day before. Even though Clara was very nervous, she did it! It was wonderful being in the temple with her and Daddy. A kind sister in the ward watched Benjy while I was inside.

Since we were gone on "bunny Saturday," the Easter Bunny paid us a visit on Monday evening!

 Look who found an Easter egg. (Looks like he has a couple stored inside those chunky cheeks, too.)

 So grateful for grandparents!