Highlights

We've had some really good weekends the past several weeks.

Highlights:

--The second weekend of April our stake had a very large temple day. It was centered around the Primary and we had over 200 children at the temple day activity (most traveled 4-5 hours to get there). Several very sweet couples in our stake were group leaders and took the kids to different stations around the temple while parents and youth participated in temple work. It was a wonderful day and the boys loved the opportunity to be at the temple. I think it is an experience they will not forget, nor will I. President Thomas S. Monson has said, "as we touch the temple, the temple will touch us (“A Shining Beacon on a Hill: Jordan River Temple Is Dedicated,” Ensign, Jan. 1982, 77)." It took a little bit for Tyler to warm up to his group leaders, but he finally did (with a little bribery from mom). And, I think both Tyler and David will always remember going to the temple, singing songs, and having the opportunity to "touch the temple." We also had fun seeing Jen and meeting her neighbor with the talking parrot "Coco."

--The weekend of the 17th I took the boys and Madilyn to the park and we went for a hike on one of the local trails. The trail was extremely steep. With packing Madilyn and a botched up knee, it was a bit rough for me on the way down. Plus, there was a really creepy guy in a truck who would not go away. Everything turned out okay, but I called my mom on the way down from the hike and she almost called the police.

--The weekend of the 21st LeAnn came down and we went to Pipestem Park. It's a fun mountain state park in West Virginia that has a lot of activities and trails. The kids enjoyed playing and a hike to a lookout tower on the top of the mountain. We also had a picnic. David #3 has been wanting to go on a picnic for several months and we FINALLY made it happen.

(The kids built this fun little lean-too tee-pee thing by the

picnic shelter around a tree. They kept calling it their house.)

(David and Ella at the top of the lookout tower. They refused to look at me)

--And last but not least, last weekend, we went camping on our farm. Now that was quite the experience. We wanted to do a "trial run" before Memorial Day weekend, and I'm not sure we're ready for a full fledged outing until Miss Madilyn is a little older. We had a really good time--definitely a great memory for the boys. We set up the tent, built a campfire, roasted hot dogs, and toasted marshmallows. We then sang some silly songs and played Frisbee with David's new glow in the dark Frisbee. Afterwards, we packed in the tent. We started out taking up the whole tent, but by the time the night was out, we were all smashed together in about 1/4 of the tent. Needless to say, little bodies got cold and they snuggled up to big bodies. We ended up getting up around 7am and heading back to the house. It was lovely to be so close to home. :)

(David #3 is not a deer. He's a moose.)

The kids helping dad build the fire at the pit

And those are some of the main highlights. I love weekends. If you talk to me during the week, I'm usually a bit frazzled, but the weekends are spectacular. I covet them. And, they are always just a little too short.