April Showers (Is an understatement)

April was wet. We're talking "I think we went outside a total of five days" wet. One day it rained so hard on our way home from the store, Vash started crying (it was really scary) and asking why Heavenly Father was sending so much rain! (It was funny and sad.) Major events for the month included Easter, a trip to the hospital (more on that in a bit), a visit from Papa which included a trip to the aviary, the kids' library field trip, and a zoo trip. 

First up: the Aviary.

While Nana went off the Germany, Papa came to see us for Easter and Conference weekend. In hopes of entertaining him, we visited the aviary. It was raining outside, so I was glad to have a cool indoor activity. 

Rhyla was pointing to a bald eagle. I didn't get a picture of him. (Oops.)

Vash was really excited about how big or small some of the birds were. Some were bigger than him! Others could fit in your hand.

Fischer loved the penguins. We caught a break in the rain to go and see them outside. 

Vash didn't understand why it smelled so bad, lol.

You could see the penguins from both inside and outside. The inside view was better.

Papa splurged and got us tickets to see the bird show while we were there. We watched parrots race each other in an obstacle course, and some various other birds did retrieving tricks and showed off their special skills. One huge bird of prey kept looking at Fischer like he was a snack. I clung to him the whole time he was out because I was afraid the bird was going to try and carry him away!

Vash and Rhyla pretending to be bats.

Inside the tropical land the birds roamed free. And they were loud! One peacock kept screeching at us and Rhyla couldn't handle the noise. (Hence the blurry jumping picture.) 

During conference weekend the kids enjoyed showing Papa around the house and coloring outside with chalk.

Someone was very happy to master the stairs. 

Now for the "big reveal." It was a good thing papa came to visit us when he did because I ended up super sick and had to go to the hospital. What was wrong? Severe morning sickness! Yep, even though I was entering my second trimester when he was here, I ended up getting a second wind of illness and couldn't keep anything down. I've been sick with all of my kiddos, but this had to be the worst I've ever felt. When I got there, they had to give me three bags of fluid and a bag of glucose because my sugars were so low from not keeping anything in. So, since this ordeal put me under for Easter/Conference weekend and Craig was at work, we ended up not doing Easter baskets. Vash is smiling because of what happens next.

The weekend after Papa left Craig got to come home and he wanted to make it up to the kids for Easter not being as special as we would have liked. So we drove out to Washington and got them a pet. Meet Bugsy. (We thought she was a boy when we bought her and almost named her Gandalf the Gray. But after a trip to the vet, the kids voted and she became Bugs.) 

Being so sick left me with little energy to do much with the kids. But anytime the rain let up, we went outside and enjoyed our yard. 

Mr. Daredevil.

Miss Rhyla gearing up for her big recital. 

Some of the rainy days, when Craig was home, included trips to Chuck E. Cheese. (Every time we walk in and Rhyla is wearing an outfit, they ask me if it's her birthday. Nope. Just Rhyla being Rhyla.)

No one gets more tickets than the kid playing with Daddy.

Blurry, but Vash was not happy with the whack-a-frog game.

Nana had sent Papa with some gifts. Fischer is wearing his new hat and playing with a new toy. He loves that hat, by the way. Wears it almost everyday. He's actually in a hat phase, Wears them all the time. Even nap time!

Rhyla and Vash had new things too. They weren't happy with me for making them help me reorganize the playroom. 

Fischer also has this thing about trying on shoes. Doesn't matter whose shoes they are. He just likes putting them on. Mine, Craig's, or his siblings. Here, he's got one of Rhyla's pink crocs. He liked hers so much that we ended up buying him a pair of his own so he wouldn't trip from wearing "too big" shoes. 

And this is his bug catching pose. This boy crawls after every creepy crawly he can find. His favorites are ants and spiders. I have to watch him carefully though because a few times he's tried to catch bees!

Just love this face. Vash's teacher got a good look at him and Vash together for the first time the other day and couldn't believe how much alike they look. Just like twins, a few years apart. 

Getting wet because they were bored inside.

All dressed up for church.

Making a "salad."

Just being a pretty girl. 

Having a hard time waking up in the morning.

I ended up being able to help for the library trip again this year. It's always fun so I'm glad I was feeling well enough to go. 

This picture is like "Where's Rhyla?"

Always the joker. He's always making people laugh. He's done that for as long as he could talk. 

See the little girl with the glasses? That's Sara. Vash informed me that he has "very special feelings" for her. He was very official about it and wanted me to hold his hand when he talked to Craig about it. We had to promise not to tell anyone either until he was ready. They sent each other letters and pictures. Vash made her a paper airplane and her dad told me she kept it on her dresser at home!

Storytime. I wasn't in Rhyla's group so I didn't get any pictures of her, but the poor thing hit her head on the windowsill and I had to go console her for a bit.

Grandma got Fischer an extra special outside toy since he doesn't have a bike or anything. He loves it so much we have to keep it inside some days. 

Not sure what she's showing me, but she's excited about it! (Probably a sucker.) 

Bugsy is a great bunny. She's gentle with the kids and never bites them, even if they (mostly Fischer) get rough with her. She just waits for them to let go and scurried off. By the way, we always encourage soft hands but Fischer loves to hug her... a little too tightly. It's a fine line.

Rainy days mean Sea Base days. 

And Me-ma and Pe-pa will sometimes join us so we can split a pizza. 

The wagon that replaced the pull cart. Vash is a great helper and will pull his siblings around the yard for me. 

Zoo Day!

I really think this cat wanted to spring out and get someone. She paced the glass like she was desperate. 

Rhyla was upset that the elephant was bigger than her. 

Vash not helping matters by being older and bigger, lol. 

Fischer's favorite part was the petting zoo. He loves him some goats. 

Obligatory ride on the thingies. Grandpa helped Fischer. 

Miss fashion on the go. 

Whipping around the curves like a champ.

Oh, and someone is very interested in potty training! I'm not pushing it until after baby gets here, but I'm glad to know he's excited. 

So April had ups and downs. Mostly ups, but I am sure glad to be feeling better! I am sorry to have missed so much of conference and have been reading my way through the articles ever since. It was great to see Papa and we look forward to having him and Nana out again in the near future. I'm grateful we were able to do so many fun things despite the weather and I hope I'm building fond memories for my children; memories that'll keep us close and strengthen us as a family.