S&S INC. + B.: Spring has sprung!

This past week, the boys and I have spent a good amount of our time outside enjoying the beautiful warm sunshine! Spring has finally arrived (though I should probably add here that these past two days have been really wet and stormy); I've packed up all of the boys winter clothing, replacing them with shorts and short sleeved shirts all neatly piled high on their closet shelves. Their little toesies have even been enjoying freedom and fresh air; no more sneakers and snow boots; it's sandal weather outside! YIPPEE!

It's so refreshing during the day, and even through out the night, to have the windows in our place opened; for at least a couple of months (until June/July when the temperature starts to reach a 100 degrees) we can cut back on our electric/gas bill by keeping the heater and air conditioner off. That $$$ we'll save then can be used for better things, like t-ball lessons for the two oldest boys and tuition for private swimming lessons (yes, another busy summer is just around the corner waiting to begin)....

Here's a look at our past week...

We've been loving all the sunshine!

A week ago Thursday, after Noah and his cousin Daniel were finished with preschool, I decided to take both of them, along with my other 3 boys, on a drive up the canyon to see the waterfall. The parking lot where I normally park when we visit Bridal Veil Falls was still closed, so I decided to continue driving some all the way up to Sundance. It had been a year or two since I last visited the place and I'd forgotten how beautiful it was, especially the glacier I can see from the resort. It was pretty quiet at Sundance while we were there. The boys enjoyed seeing all the snow on the slopes and chasing the brook; they threw stones in the pond (I slipped in by accident and got my feet soaked; it was a good thing I was just wearing sandals) and just before leaving, we stopped into the deli and bought suckers.

I just thought I'd add here something I overheard Noah telling his cousin Daniel during the drive up to Sundance...

" Daniel do you know what lives in the snow???" Silence. Daniel doesn't answer. Noah proceeds to tell him "bears live in the snow, reindeer, some cats live in the snow, squirrels, birds, polar bears, penguins, Santa and SNOW WHITE!" I about died from laughter when I overheard this! Snow White! That kid's got a really great sense of humor!

I bought a pair of Super Soaker Water Guns from Costco earlier last week; the deal on them was too good to pass up and I figured my boys could have fun AND keep cool during the summer playing with them. (Later that same week, I went back and bought another set of Super Soaker Water guns, making that a total of 4 now that we own; Spencer and I each wanted to have our own to play with the two older boys... eventually, once Cohen and Bentley are old enough, we'll let them have them. As for now, Cohen just prefers to use a spray bottle). It was pretty warm outside last Saturday, so we let the boys eat lunch out back and play with the water guns. They had SO much FUN chasing each other around the yard with those things; at one point during the chase, Noah even lost his board shorts! They fell down around his ankles!

Cohen's just going to stick to using a spray bottle for now until he grows bigger...

the Super Soakers are nearly as big as he is!

The chase is on!

Noah lost his board shorts running from Ian!

Actually Cohen couldn't have cared less about soaking his brothers...

he was only interested in his lunch.

Don't you love how he's sitting???

He ALWAYS has his leg crossed like a gentleman any time he sits down.

It's so stinkin' CUTE!

Later that same evening,

after the boys took their afternoon naps,

we headed over to Spencer's parents house to play some croquet

and engage in MORE water gun wars with Grandma!

Cohen and Grandpa playing a game of OVERSIZED croquet...

Grandma proved to be a force to reckon with during the water gun fight...

she was RUTHLESS!

Don't worry though, Noah struck back at her with plenty of good shots!

I'm serious, Grandma was down right merciless!

She wanted to DRENCH my poor Noah.

Bentley watched the hysteria from where the back door of the house is... in his little exersaucer.

He wanted DESPERATELY to join the fun but he hasn't quite learned how to walk or even crawl yet

with those chubby legs of his.

Can you believe he turned 8 months old last week?!

Sunday was another warm day, so we took the boys down to Springville by the business district to feed the ducks.

We LOVE ducks, but WHAT were we thinking letting the boys wear their nice leather sandals they normally only wear for church?! By the time we were finished feeding the ducks, EVERYONE had duck poop on their shoes! YuCk!

Monday was HOT... I swear it had to be close to 90 degrees that day... I LOVE summer, but I am NOT ready for Utah's HOT summer days just yet.

My sister Tricia and I decided to take our kids to the zoo during the morning/early afternoon. We LOVE the animals at the zoo, especially this cutie....

... Zuri, the baby elephant.

... she was rolling around in her own elephant poop in this picture (though I doubt she actually knew it). I bet neither her mom nor the trainer who gets to hose her down later will appreciate the mess she made. I personally think she was just throwing a temper tantrum; I told my boys to watch and see how throwing a temper tantrum doesn't do any good. They were utterly disgusted and I think maybe now (at least I can speak for my two older boys) they might think twice before throwing themselves on the ground in a fit.

This cute baby Colobus monkey fascinated Noah.

I have to laugh at this picture my sister Tricia took of me holding Bentley;

it looks like the giraffe behind us is actually trying to HIDE behind the pole!

After spending the afternoon at the zoo, my boys were STARVING so we grabbed some "hammers" (that's my boys way of saying "hamburgers") and chocolate shakes. They scarfed those right down! I think Spencer and I might be in trouble when all four of our boys grow to be teenagers; we probably ought to consider opening a trust fund just so we can feed them when they're teenagers! They eat A LOT!

That very same day, after the boys took their naps, they played with their water guns again!
They're getting really good at cornering me and soaking me!

I L.O.V.E. this picture of Coey!

He looks so pleased with himself holding that big gun.