Spring Bunny

For those of you who don't know we don't have the Easter Bunny come to our house. We have the Spring Bunny come instead on the first day of Spring. We have all the traditional Easter activities but simply attach them to the Spring season rather than Easter. Here are a few highlights:

Lillie: This is the best Spring ever!

Emma: The Spring Bunny brought me everything I wanted from the dollar store! (Apparently she went the other day with a friend. I guess we now know where the Spring Bunny shops.)

Last night at dinner we were talking about how the 21st is the first day of Spring and Lillie looked on the calendar and told us all that it was on the 20th and asked why the Spring Bunny hadn't come. So of course, we told them the reason was because they forgot to put their baskets out and where did they expect him to put their stuff. So they quickly found their baskets and put them out and ta da...the Spring Bunny came that very night. Way to get it done Spring Bunny!

Memorial Day

Yes, I know I am way behind. Better late than never. We had a fun Memorial Day. We visited many of the Peterson gravesides with Great Grandma and Great Grandpa Peterson and also Brent's parents. It was nice to spend some time with Brent's family and learn more about Brent's heritage. Thanks so much for letting us crash your party Grandmas and Grandpas.

Lillie and Emma took turns riding with Great Grandma and Grandpa

Ryan had fun trying to push the gravestones over.

And climbing the rock walls. We ended up having to stop at the ER to have Ryan's ears checked (he had an infection). He did pretty well considering how sick he was.

Abby is keeping a close eye to make sure Grandpa doesn't try to help her.

This is the house of Brent's Great Great Great Grandpa Canute Peterson (1824-1902) in Ephraim, Utah. The first wife's house anyways. The second and third wives houses are the next 2 houses down. What a close knit family.

Easter Fun

We did an Easter egg hunt this year (eye roll). Most of you know how we feel about these traditions on Easter and may remember our Spring Bunny from last year. However, we were unprepared for the Spring bunny and so instead we told our kids the Easter bunny was still not invited to our house but we as their parents put candy in some eggs for them to find. We also still bought them their spiritual presents for Sunday and had a wonderful day.

Our ward Christmas party had a special visitor. He walked into the main room to greet the kids but we didn't fall for that scam, the girls and I waited over by his chair so we could be in the first in line...lines are not my things.

Lillie was excited and jumped right up to tell Santa all about the cupcake maker of her dreams. Santa will have to clear this with Mom as she is not too keen about the idea (which is why she didn't get it for her birthday). The first Christmas Mom has to censure Santa's gifts! Does Santa have to send a written explanation so Lillie isn't disappointed?

Emma was too shy at first to even come near Santa. She clung to my leg and wouldn't go sit with him. Dad took her back over and held her hand for a minute she was still shy as you can tell but at least responsive somewhat. She told him she wanted dolls of course.

Abby wasn't pleased with the situation at all, until he gave her a candy cane (her favorite thing to pull off the tree). She stopped crying long enough to take it and then reach for me again.

Merry Christmas Santa!!!

Decorating the Christmas Tree

Nothing makes it feel more like Christmas then the smell of a live tree. We bought one last night and I keep walking by it just so I can breathe it in. The girls couldn't wait to decorate it.

Halloween

We had a fun Halloween this year. Here are a few cute pictures.

Our cute little fairy, Abby. She had a good time trick-or-treating. Each time she would get a candy and get back in the wagon she was almost too distracted to go get more candy from the next house. When I would pull her out of the wagon to go to the next house I would generally have to also pull a very slobbery, still wrapped candy (from the last house) from her mouth. Her favorite are suckers.

Emma and Abby were fairies and Lillie was a witch. Our friends from Brigham City came to our neighborhood for the evening (Haylee-Dorothy, Jacob-Spider Man). Thanks for coming!

Trick-or-Treat

Happy Father's Day

We love you Daddy!!!

Easter Racket

So I feel I need to get something off my chest... what is the deal with the Easter Bunny? Have people gone mad? I am frustrated by the gap that seems to exist between the true meaning of Easter and all the commotion about the Easter Bunny. We had a dilemma this year about what to tell our kids about the Easter Bunny. It is not too far of a stretch to tie Santa in with the Christmas season as he gives presents to children just as the wise men gave to Jesus, but where does this Easter Bunny come from. What is his purpose or significance...I see none. Rather than tell our girls there is no Easter Bunny we simply told them he doesn't come to our house ("we asked him not to"). We did an egg hunt the day after Easter because we didn't want our children to be deprived, but I think next year we might do it weeks before or after so they can keep the tradition while associating it with the springtime instead of Easter. Anyone with me?