Luck of Leprechauns

The kids have been anticipating this visit for quite some time. When Heath was matching socks the other day and a few were missing, he was convinced the leprechaun took them and that they would show up on St. Patrick's day. The socks didn't but the Leprechaun did. He created this mess…

Rianne found her shoe.

Heath found his boot in the office, and followed the shoe prints to his new pair of flip flops and a trick calculator.

It was so funny when he pushed it and got sprayed with water in the face, "Oh the leprechaun got me good, I totally didn't see that coming". Brant found his shoes with a new green shirt and tie, if he's lucky the elbow won't rip, we've been having trouble with that!

I found my shoes. We had Irish flag for breakfast. Rianne finally found her other shoe in the freezer the leprechaun really tricked her with that hiding spot.

We cleaned up the leprechauns mess and got ready for the Pot o' Luck!
Grandma Brown sent these aprons so the kids could help me make treats to get ready for St. Patrick's Day complete with treats in the pockets!

She sent a little note that made me feel so good too! I told Brant I have the best mother-in-law to which he responded "hey, mine are pretty good too!" We made pots of gold

and shamrock pop, the kids were awesome getting ready for the party.

We hosted a Pot 'O Luck (I think it is officially an annual event) 

The Irish proverb "May your home always be too small to hold all your friends". And we have great friends! Look at all that fun food!

I loved the little side conversations everywhere the volume level and the laughter! My home felt like one big happy family, if only for a night! My friend put together a tricky treasure hunt for us to try!

here is Jordan bombared with kids for help with the clues even little Isaac is getting into the action. 

The kids enjoyed it but the orange and green clues took too much time and they lost interest, well all but Morgan (we love this girl). She kept asking me if they had solved the green clue yet, I told her to ask Isaac he was the adult(working on it) after 2 or 3 suggestions, she finally in frustration said "Isaac can't even walk yet" Her baby brother's name is Isaac and I realized her confusion, it was funny. They did catch a rainbow (skittles) at the end of the treasure hunt.  Here are a few of the guys at the house this picture doesn't show how crowded it was.    

I was also so happy to have so many babies in green this little girl (in red) is lucky but may not feel that way when she is 9 and this is her primary class. 

I hope everyone had a great time. It was just what I wanted just wish I had a bigger house ;)

 

March Madness

We got a little taste of March Madness with the kids. This was Ria's second season playing upward basketball, and Heath's first season. They both had the same coach (different teams) and They both had a blast!

Rianne seemed to get better, and better every game. Defensively she learned to be the meat (stay between her girl and the basket). I think she got a piece of the ball on this one.



again with the turn ahh! but she looks like a volleball blocker :)

She really hustles and uses the bounce pass very well and is a pretty good shooter, if she has a little time.

Her highlight was there come from behind game, she loved that, I think they were down like 20 points at half time and came back to lose by 2. The last game they played a very tough team it was nice to see her be a little more aggressive. She really crashed the boards and was very competitive. She played on a team with some really great girls!

Heath got really good, He was old enough to play in the league but I think he was the only one not in Kindergarten or 1^st grade.

At first he ran around like a kamikaze. He loved defense he would say all the time "my guy didn't get the ball". Competiveness wasn't' an issue for him, after ever game he would ask if they won (they don't keep score with his age group). I would say did you have fun, when he said yes then I'd say then you won. By the end of the season he really understood defense and offence.

He is quite the little dribbler and rebounder too. We were a little worried when he was trying to avoid rebounds in practice so he could run killers (ladders). Seriously he loves it; he set them up and did them at home all season. He also loved the beginning of the game when they announced his name and he ran out (they played that at home too)

 Our biggest highlight was watching basketball on TV with both kids totally into the game, Heath was addicted he loves to see them dunk; it makes my heart happy too! They are going to love March Madness! When does little league football start? J

Pair of one

made this for Brant, He love Jones Cream Soda they are stacked up one on one :)

11 is a pair of one's
We celebrated 11 years on March 4^th. Brant had a few little stops planned. He knows me, so well and started out our celebration with Junk breakfast! Then we went to the temple. On our wedding day we drove to Idaho Falls together as the temple came into view I remember those butterflies of excitement, 11 years later as we turned up the road to see the Mesa Temple I got a few little butterflies, We had been so hungry for a temple trip!

We met the cutest couple the Allen's they will be married 68 years in May it was what we needed to see! Reminded us that in 11 years things have changed but we still look into those same eyes and will Forever! I wish I could say that we received some aha moment in the temple, but we didn't feel like some immediate solution presented itself. However, the peace was incredible just feeling like, "yes it's hard, it may not get easier but we have the power to get through it—Together." We enjoyed the display in the visitor's center. We went to LDS family services, this adoption recertification process has been frustrating but we won't focus on that.



I must have hit it too hard :)  I was only a little of course, ha ha  



We enjoyed dinner together; we still enjoy each other's company! The most revealing part of our celebration was Golf Land. We had a blast, I did horrible as usual. We are how we golf; He is a softy and I over do! Brant would hit it too soft and I would smack it too hard, we laughed. After 11 years we are still balancing each other out and we have so much fun on this course!



still can't get this to turn :( Soft Shot



Some of the hardest times have made our love deeper than I thought possible. Those hard times have somehow changed us, even if we are the only ones who know it. We get through it together, we change together! There is no one else I'd rather be facing these challenges with. I'm grateful for the heartaches and challenges, I'm grateful for a marriage that has been better than I could have imagined. I like me better with him. We really are a pair of one!