T-Ball

Owen is in playing t-ball this year with a couple of friends.  Should be a fun learning experience...for all of us!

Here he is in his ready stance.  Both of his hands are in the air whenever someone is at bat.  It's awesome.

An Interview

I've always had an interest in family history. And I've also always felt a sense of guilt surrounding family history. Because I know I should be doing it. And not just because every member of the church has been told they should be doing it, because I've been told specifically that I need to be doing it.

I've probably known this since I was about 10 though. I don't know many other 10 year old's who are fascinated by the past of their relatives. Who love to sit and listen to stories and figure out pedigrees at such a young age. Or maybe I'm wrong and all children are like that. Who can say for sure?

For years now I've felt the need to interview my grandparents and get a written history. I think I've felt guilty because all of them have past away now but one. My grandpa Welch.

On Saturday I put a portion of my guilt to rest. I drove to Twin Falls with my parents and had a little visit with my Grandpa. I now have almost 3 hours of recorded material and pages of notes. I knew very little of my Grandpa. We spent hours there and only talked about his life up to the point of when he started having a family. And it was nearly all new information to me. I. Loved. It.

I get a little emotional just thinking about it. More than anything I love the stories. The details that tell you more about the people that came before you and their day to day experiences. Saturday was a day I will never forget. I feel much closer to my grandpa now. And while I still need to go back and take another 3 hours to get the details on the rest of his life, I feel like I got a great start.

My only regret was that I forgot to get out the camera and take a still picture of him.....Ah well, next time.

I'm Back!

Did you even know I was missing?! We had some computer issues, and some crazy weeks, and now I'm up and running so I can report.

When I got home from Portland we dove into spring break. I'm not going to lie. I wasn't prepared for the week at all. It was rainy. And we had nothing to do. It wasn't the best week. It ended with conference, which was nice. But just more sitting around the house.
By the end I felt like this ......I'm never staying home for spring break again. Does anyone have any suggestions for next year!??

I got my living room finished though. My red wall is no-longer. And everything is in place.

And I think the piano looks great. It's amazing how much the kids have been using it already. Digitals are definitely the way to go.

Ains also had a dance recital. She's been taking dance from a lady who teaches dance classes in her converted garage. I'm impressed with what Ainsley has learned over the past few months. Too bad her teacher is moving this month!

Her class was made up of first and second graders and they danced to "Wanna Be Like You" from the Jungle Book. Ains practiced a lot and was fantastic. She had the moves down and the personality to go along with it. It was fun to watch her do so well. We were proud parents!
Her cousin Bailey takes from the same teacher. They were both great that night.

Easter also came and went with no mention. We Eastered it up this year. We went with our friends to the annual Ball Easter Egg Hunt. The kids had fun despite the crazy wind :).

They each had a friend for the day so it was perfect.Emmie was to busy chewing on candy to smile for a picture, however.

We also got together with my family for a cousin Easter egg hunt. The kids had 125 eggs to find. it was off the hook! (Kudos to anyone who caught the Arrested Development reference).

And the evening ended with egg dyeing. Easter just wouldn't be Easter without multicolored eggs.

And we had a great Sunday as well. Ains and I sung in the ward choir for the Easter program. I think we sang 5 or 6 songs. The kids found their Easter baskets. And by this point were on serious candy overload. And the sad thing is that the candy is pretty much gone. Ains still has a bunch left. She's my little chipmunk....saving her food storage.

Emmie was adamant about having her Easter basket in her room. There was no compromising. She would not sleep unless it was with in her sight. So we let her sleep with it in her room. And this is what her pillow looked like in the morning. We're such good parents :)