A beautiful month to report on with so many special milestones and moments sprinkled throughout. Highlights for April 2025 included: A visit from Dave and Jen and kids! We enjoyed a day at Belmont and Mission Beach, handels ice cream, Brandy Melville, watching conference together (oops... Anna and I fell asleep!!), lots of swimming and tacos and movie nights and farmer's markets! Games and chats and playing with the pets. We loved every moment of our time with the Stevens. The girls are growing up so quickly! Dave is the best brother- fixing my bathroom knobs without my even knowing after I asked him a question about it. So grateful for my family and love them to pieces.
Yes, you already know it... April Fool's day was a huge highlight of the month as well. I didn't go all out- except that I did with the youth! We just so happened to have a BUNCO night planned for the girls. Perfect time to introduce weighted dice- ha! And then for dessert- home made vanilla ice cream with chocolate syrup which was really mashed potatoes with syrup! Got them good! And then at home, FINALLY tricked Blake into taking out the "trash" that was really Anna:). Blake's patients were adorable- one came with vampire teeth and another with a Crumble cookie box full of veggies. Good times.
The house is DONE! It's ALL UNPACKED and all put back together again. I'm beyond happy. I'm thrilled! It's the best of times and I am soooooooo grateful.
The kids enjoyed a week off of school for spring break! We went beach camping at Doheny Beach with the Matters and Kuebitz and had a perfectly lovely time. It wasn't the warmest beach camping experience- but the boys did plenty of surfing and the site was truly beautiful. Poor Grant was sick for the entire duration but pressed ahead anyhow and practically lived in the ocean for the week. We enjoyed Nikki's homemade pancakes and special syrup and watching the sunsets each morning.Perfect way to spend the break.
On top of beach camping, we spent the week celebrating Anna's BIRTHDAY--- her entrance into teenage-hood!!! Such an incredible milestone for such an incredible girl. Adore her and loved spending time celebrating on her special day.
We also celebrated Grandma's birthday with the whole gang on Easter Sunday. It was the perfect way to spend the day with Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt Stacy enjoying a yummy breakfast together and opening up Grandma's gift- season tickets to USC's football games. She loved it and we were so happy. Special to spend the day together. Easter this year was very meaningful because our ward spent countless hours putting together an Easter walkthrough. I was honored to be Mary Magdalene and to tell her story at the very end. Seven stations each told a section of the last week of the Savior's life. It was so touching and such a blessing to be a part of this wonderful event for our ward and friends! On the Sunday before Easter in young women, we enjoyed a special lesson by Elizabeth complete with many of the foods from the passover feast in those days. The girls loved it. I loved it! It just really felt like a special Easter month.
Dane and Kenzie celebrated their one year anniversary. Dane visited Cal State Fullerton and loved it! He also loves Utah State University so he is making his decision BY TONIGHT! It's stressful, but he knows he will be ok in both places.... and I'm excited to see where he lands!
Another highlight- Ev came home for a few weeks after finishing her first clinical portion of nursing school. It almost killed her, but she did it! And with flying colors! She truly did so well last semester and I'm beyond proud of her. It's been fun to have her home with us- to soak up the sun, country dance, go on long walks and even spend some time with sweet Reha who had to come home early from her mission due to health problems.
After 4 hours at the DMV today--the last day of April.... Grant passed his written test and now has his driving permit! Cannot believe it! He'll be driving me around-- and something tells me, he's going to be a very good driver.
Last but not least, SUCH a highlight this month was our girl's trip to New York City! Jamie and Katie met Ev and Anna and I for a few days of musicals, walking, eating and laughing all throughout Manhattan AND Brooklyn. We seriously could not have had more fun. We watched Floyd Collins, MJ the Musical, Hamilton, and Six. We ate at ALL the yummy pizza places, Le Bagel Delight, Liberty Bagel, had loads of Levien Bakery cookies and Junior's cheesecakes! We watched the broadway singers at Ellen's Stardust Diner and walked through the Chelsea Market and High line. We rode the subway everywhere, explored Central park and visited the American Museum of Natural History. We spent the day in DUMBO and our old stomping grounds of Park Slope. We shopped all over Soho and 5th Ave. It was just the absolute BEST time and I am so grateful we had the chance to go together for Katie's senior trip.
I know May always knocks the wind out of me.....with the sheer number of activities on the calendar as we head towards the last day of school. April is such a breath of fresh air and this month was just that. Loved every moment!
