3!

The boys turned 3 the day before Brooks graduated. We had a party at the the park with friends. I can't believe these sweet little boys are 3 already. Landon requested a car cake (the same as last year) and Elliot wanted a fire truck (until the morning of when he asked for a train cake.) Mom helped me put them together and the boys thought the cakes were great.

This is how Elliot shows "3" on his fingers. Love it!

All the kids at the party

Locke, Elliot, Harrison, Landon, HelenAnn and Indie

I love this picture of Harrison and Landon checking out the gift.

These crazy little boys are officially three. I am trying to think of new things they are saying and doing, but it seems like there is something new everyday. Here are a few of my recent favorites.

* The boys love stories and request a story every night before bed. I haven't been in a story telling mood the past few days and Brooks (the better story teller) has been busy studying. As a result, the boys are getting the same story every night because I ask them to help me and they tell the same one every time. It goes a little like this...

Me: Once upon a time...

Landon: ...there was a bear.

Elliot: And the bear rode his bike to the store and bought candy.

Me: What kind did he buy?

Elliot: He bought candy bars, chocolate chips, M&M's...

Landon: ...Mini Wheats, chocolate chips...

Elliot: Then he rode home and went to bed. (cue snoring noises)

Landon: Then he woke up and rode his bike down the hill.

Elliot: And he crashed into the fence and the ambulance came (insert a few "wee ooos"). Then he said he would never ride down the hill again.

* Landon was saying something and I didn't understand what he was saying. I asked him to repeat it. He did and then said, "That makes any sense." (He meant it didn't make sense.) This has turned into a common phrase around here, although it is now, "That not makes any sense."

* Random fact about the boys: They always ask for 2 or 3 kinds of cereal, combined in the same bowl, for breakfast. They like to mix it up I guess.Sometimes the flavors mesh and sometimes they don't.

* Nap time is a rare occurrence these days. It was hard to give it up, but we are getting used to it.

* I overheard Elliot playing in the other room saying something about needing to go study. That is all Brooks does right now, so it is what they are used to hearing about.

I can't think of any more right not, but these boys are amazing and we love everything about them. They are still the best of friends and I love this part of having twins. Everyone tells me that 3 year olds are more demanding than 2 year olds and I believe it so far. It should be a fun year.

Early May

Brooks came home from his last final ever from Gonzaga and we headed to Riverside Park to celebrate. We love this park and it was a great way to end the school year. Brooks got to take pictures, the boys got to throw rocks in the river and I got to enjoy the sun. It was a perfect afternoon!

We also took the boys to walk around the Spokane Temple. They have been very interested in the temple lately and ask to go there almost every week when we are driving home from church. We have driven by it a few times with them, but we actually went on a week night and let them get out and play this time. There is a park right next to the temple, so the boys played while Brooks took pictures.

There was a 3L boat cruise on Coeur d' Alene Lake a couple nights before graduation. The Fischers came with us and we had a good time. When the sun when down it was quite cold, but being outside on the top of the boat was one of my favorite experiences of the end of law school. Brooks and I went up to the top of the boat when the sun was setting. It was quiet and we had stunning views. As we stood looking out at the lake, I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the chance we had to come to Spokane and experience such amazing things while we were there.

April Highlights

This is what the boys looked like when we got to Spokane in August of 2008. They were 10 weeks old!

And, here they are almost three years later in the same spot. Crazy, huh? We grew to love Spokane and all the amazing areas surrounding it. Spokane has become our home over the past three years. We met amazing friends who became our family while we were there and we already miss them all like crazy. Moving away for Brooks to attend law school was hard at the time, but it was even harder to leave it all behind. We had to get in a few of our favorite activities before it all came to an end.

April was our last full month in Spokane before heading to AZ for the summer. We wish the weather would have cooperated a little more so we could get outdoors door, but we dealt with what we were given.

We went to Riverfront Park and rode the carousel a few times. The boys hated this when they were younger, but they love it now.

We attended music class with our friends. The kids love music class! It is usually just us and a couple friends who go so the kids get lots of attention. This week I've been humming some of the songs we sang in music class and realizing I need to buy them so we can sing some of our favorites on our own.

Harrison, Landon and Abbie

In mid April Brooks had his law review banquet so we got dressed up, left the boys with Sam and Jeremiah and went to a fancy dinner and banquet honoring the law review participants.

With the McCombers at the banquet

Brooks got to use his season pass to Silver Mountain a couple times in April since it was still snowing tons there.

I signed the kids up for free summer bowling and they had fun. I don't think we will be doing it every week, but the chaos was still enjoyable.

I love this picture. Abbie and Landon being goofballs and Harrison and Elliot fighting over the ball. Typical.

The week of Easter we decorated eggs and had two Easter egg hunts.

L & E with HelenAnn

We also headed out to Liberty Lake County Park to BBQ and enjoy the semi-warm weather.

L & E with HelenAnn and Harrison after the second Easter egg hunt of the week