The little guy and I just got back from visiting my Mom and the rest of my family in Utah. It was a big surprise visit for my Mom's birthday and even my older bro & sis-in-law came up from Arizona with their 2 girls to surprise her!
I wish I had the picture of her face when she saw all of us...she was definitely surprised!
(since I was in UT visiting family this weekend...I obviously wasn't home painting like I said, just trying to keep Mom off the secret! But, Bruce stayed home and he was painting for me, thanks babe! the room isn't done yet, it's more of a watermelon now than just pink...improvement?)
It was the first time my little guy and his cousin Kylee have met (they're 1 week apart in age) and it was interesting...he's kind of a bully!
For my Mom's birthday gift, we made sure to get an updated picture of all her grandkids together (there are 7 now, with 2 on the way!)...even though it will be outdated in just a couple months! I don't have it loaded on my computer to post yet, but these were taken the last evening we were together while the kids were playing around. I wanted to get a couple of Chase with some of his cousins....but they ALL wanted in on the action (funny...why weren't they this way when we were doing the actual photo shoot?!).
I don't remember asking them to make a funny face...but all of them seem to have had the same idea at the same time!
I think they were getting the idea from all the adults standing behind me making faces to get them to smile & laugh!
When I was done taking pictures, I got up and started to walk away...but a few of the kids wanted to do what the adults were doing...trying to get the other kids to keep smiling...I thought it was funny and got a picture of them trying to make the other kids smile for the camera that wasn't around anymore!
When I was planning the trip out there, my sis suggested getting this monkey back-pack that has a leash for a tail, so I could keep tabs on my, very active, little guy while we went through the airport. He liked wearing it...if he could hold the leash himself...(kind of counter-productive, but oh well!). It worked out pretty good actually and I didn't have to struggle to keep in close! I wanted to get a picture of him in the airport with it on and as soon as I got out the camera he was smiling and ready for his picture to be taken...later a bunch of people commented on how cute they thought he was and how he loved the camera, I didn't realize he was drawing such a crowd of attention!
We had a good time and it was fun to surprise my Mom! We're looking forward to having my parents & sis come out for baby Bennett's arrival this summer!
(P.S. - congrats to my bro Billy & sis-in-law Bri on their little one expected in Oct...I'm not spilling boy/girl until they say so first on their blog!)
hair and when it needs to be redone...she may be right!
We went to Red Robin yesterday for lunch to celebrate my birthday! KEMM joined us along with my in-laws, it's been so long since we've been there to eat -we had a good time!
We bought paint and have taped off most of the room. This is our big project this weekend! We finally get some gorgeous weather and we're going to spend the time indoors, painting.
Daddy got in on the action too! They were dressed the same...but I don't think it was intentional.
We got a couple cute shots in...he's sporting his "Boys Rule" t-shirt and with another little boy on the way...I agree! 
Finally, after we were all done he just sat on the couch like he was sooo tired from his photo shoot! hahaha, what a poser!
He's a pro with the camera...always has his smile ready!
After we got home from church we ate lunch and put the little guy down for nap, but afterwards Grandma & Grandpa came over to watch him with his first ever Easter egg hunt! It's not really a "hunt" when all the eggs are sitting out in plain sight, but he's only 17 months...you make do! He got a few things in his basket, but mostly he was interested in getting the eggs!
I don't have pictures of him picking up eggs (it's on video) but he was pretty cute to watch. He REFUSED to put them in his Easter basket and would instead insist on stacking them in the corner. He go pick up an egg, then run back to his stash and add it, then run to another egg...funny guy! It was even better when he realized there was stuff inside (we used plastic eggs)...he started throwing them to watch them break open, and he thought he was quit funny.
A tradition that we started (2nd year we've done it now) is to read "In The Garden" - a children's book about the story of Easter and Christ. Mamas & Papa got it for him last Easter and we think it's a great way to focus on the real meaning and reason for Easter!