Easter

Our wheat grass was planted again this year. The boys LOVED giving them haircuts to fill their baskets.

But my favorite tradition is reading the Easter story.  Gage likes to do it again and again. 12 eggs, each with a scripture and a small item to help tell the story of the Savior's resurrection. Like a stone to seal the tomb, or a white linen cloth. The best is when we get to egg #12 "he is not here, for he is risen," says Matthew 28:6 and the egg is empty! I love teaching these boys the gospel. The simple truths that bring joy to our lives.

We also tried a new activity this year. Confetti eggs via Oh Happy Day!
The eggs were hollowed, dyed and filled with confetti. We had dinner with some lovely friends and let the kids smash away.  

click 'full screen' on the video to see it best. Happy Easter! 

party like it's Easter

I love this picture for many reasons. Noah's expression is so sweet, Gage is so happy, our Furner friends are there, but mostly - can't you feel the excitement?! They were so ready to go find those Easter eggs.

Sarah, Cheryl and I put together an Easter party for our playgroup again this year. Two of my favorite people.

Gage decorating his cupcake

dyeing eggs with Grandma

on the hunt

We also had a great neighborhood Easter party.

Noah loved collecting all the hidden eggs.

Here's Noah and Gage trying to eat prawn crackers on a string while their hands are tied behind their backs. Can you believe they ate the entire thing?

Noah's school conference

This handsome boy greeted me at the classroom door, clipboard ready for his school conference. It was his job to show me around. We cozied up to his portfolio, google earthed his computer skills and even did a marble painting, which is my new favorite.

Then we were off to PE where he rocked his yoga poses and spun on the balancing toys. Next, on to story time dans la classe Francais, writing Chinese with lao shi and drumming notes in Music.

Have I told you I love kindergarten?

and this boy?

He's a keeper. For sure.

a houseguest

My mom came to visit us for 2 weeks.
She strapped on her new Chacos and we showed her the sights.
She oohed and aahed over everything.
It was great to see Singapore through someone else's eyes. and my kids LOVED the extra playmate.
But mostly I just loved having my mom around. I loved the times when we got giggly and silly. I loved the insights she had into my children.
We miss her already.

Pictures of the trip coming soon...

neighborhood kids

We head down to the playground most days around 5pm. The slides are finally in the shade and all the neighborhood kids are out. 

You ask these kids where they are from and they don't really know how to answer. Dad is from New Zealand, mom is from Indonesia. Or mom is from England and dad is from Australia. Maybe Ireland or Japan. India or Canada.

Our boys know how to answer. Only because we've rehearsed. 

But when I ask them about their friends. They don't know. "Does it matter?" I can see them thinking. Let's play! 

Here's a few pics from some birthday parties over the weekend.  

dave climbing

Dave's friend, Spencer came to Singapore for work. Actually can I tell you he was once our nemesis? OK, maybe that's a bit too strong, but he was Dave's competition for the BYU job-that-never-was 2 years ago - now best friend.

Crazy brilliant research was cranked out during the week and then they took a trip to Thailand over the weekend to climb.

They stayed in Phuket one night and then took a boat and a motorcycle over to Ko Yao Noi. They stayed in this thatched hut, ate seafood caught right out of the water, and deliberated over who got to sleep in the 'princess bed'.

 They went deep water soloing. You climb up these amazing karsts and then drop into the water. 

I love this picture.

Here's Spencer.

And the crew + Dutchy along for the ride. 

"Amazing day. Amazing day!" -Dave 

a visitor

Dave had a couple visitors from the U.S. come over for work last month. The boys thought it was so fun to see "Uncle Chris." He and Dave went through the Ph.D. program together. This was his third trip here and we still loved showing him the Singapore sights.

Things we want to remember: getting caught in a downpour on our MacRitchie Reservoir hike (Chris carried Gage all the way back to shelter and bought his love with a mango juice), freezer burned gelato by the Singapore flyer, the Chinese Gardens, eating out, apple pie, S league soccer games, swimming, sharing Easter hootenany, watching Michigan State final four, BYU NCAA tournament, some experiments that didn't work, some that totally did.