April Showers

The weather sure has been all over the place the past couple weeks.  We've had snow, rain and beautiful sunshine.  No complaining though, since we need the moisture.  Here are a few updates.

April 15, tax day, getting snow.

Me waiting for the train to come, on my way to work

Nyles playing in the snow later that day

April 17.  The weather warmed up a little bit, so Steve wanted to go fishing.  He invited Carrie and Stacie and their kids to come as well.  They had a good time.

Conor and Nyles playing w/ some sticks

Lynsie, Nyles and Conor playing w/ sticks

Steve helping to get their fishing pole ready

April 19.  Steve and Nyles went w/ Dave down to Cabela's to get a few things.  Nyles wanted to pretend to shoot ducks and the skunk.

 

April 20.  Steve bought a new pair of shorts at Walmart and they gave Nyles and free loader.  Nyles was super excited.  Steve then went fishing and Nyles playing w/ his loader in the dirt.  He LOVED that for sure!

April 23.  Nyles was at Joann's for a little bit while Steve went to school and until I got home from work.  Carrie and Lynsie stopped by as well.  Nyles saw the rubber-bands in Lynsie's hair and wanted to have some himself, so Carrie managed to get some in.  It was pretty impressive since we just cut his hair.  I didn't think there was enough hair to even put in a rubber band, but apparently there was.  Nyles thought it was pretty fun.  Carrie told him he looked like a dinosaur.  Nyles thought it was awesome!

Dinosaur hair, silly boy!

April 25.  Steve wanted to get Nyles out of the house, so they drove up Big Cottonwood Canyon to Silver Lake.  The boardwalk was still covered in snow, but Steve said it was still fun to go up there.  Soon enough it will be hot and it will feel good up there where it is cooler than down in the valley.

Nyles loves any chance he can get to wear his boots.

I've been busy at work.  Since it's been about a year since I started (May 5th), I have a lot of Annual Reviews coming up for my clients.  I've been bringing the reviews forward as I'm speaking to clients now, in an effort to lesson my load in the next few months.  It's been going well so far.  I'll continue to be busy through July actually.

Steve has been busy w/ tests.  He finished up his labs last week, so now he'll be reviewing for his finals in his classes, which will be the first week of May.  We signed up for his Summer and Fall classes as well.  He're hoping to apply for a few PA programs this Summer as well if all goes according to plan.

We were able to go to the temple last Friday.  Rob was kind enough to come sit w/ Nyles.  We had dinner together, then we left.  Rob read Nyles a couple stories, then got him into bed.  Surprisingly Nyles went right down to bed for him.  We were able to attend a session by going a little earlier and having Rob put Nyles to bed.  It was great.  Thanks Rob!  Nyles calls him "Uncle Rob."  It's pretty cute.  Sometimes he says "Bob" instead of Rob, but he's working on it.

Last Sunday we had our neighbors Dave and Melissa Thomas over for dinner.  We cooked up half of one of our hams (we bought a whole pig about a month ago, so we have lots to share).  They will be moving this week, so we wanted to invite them over.  They've been great neighbors.  They've been here the same time we have in our condo.  They sold theirs and bought a house in Woods Cross.  We'll miss them for sure.

We're excited for Summer.  Nyles is looking forward to swimming and just being outside more.  We're going to do a few more updates to our condo, so we'll be ready to sell it, hopefully next year.  We'll also be going to Idaho in June for our Family Reunion.  And I'm sure we'll be going up to the cabin a few times as well.  It should be a fun Summer!

Anna had her baby yesterday.  She was having Pre Clamsia, so they did a C-Section and took the baby.  She was about 34.5 weeks along.  The baby weighed only 2lbs 13oz.  They named him Ayden Blake Coates.  He'll be in the NICU for a while I'm sure.  Anna is doing ok.  Sounds like they had to do a blood transfusion last night as well.  Anna is doing better, but will take a few weeks of course to mend.  We'll keep her and Ayden in our prayers.

I'm thankful for the Gospel and the power of prayer.  I'm grateful we can relisten to and read the General Conference talks as well.  I appreciate the words of the Prophets and all those who spoke during conference.   We are blessed!

Other April Updates

March 30

Nyles tummy hurting, so he wanted to lay on the couch w/ his blanket and toys.

Feeling better now, playing w/ his tractors, trucks and trailers

April 1

A beautiful flower Steve saw and thought of me ;)

April 2

Lynsie and Nyles watching "Curious George" w/ Grandma Joann.  

Nyles insisted on staying in his "majis" all day!  Silly kid :)

Lynsie and Nyles now watching "Rescuers Down Under" w/ Grandpa Dave

Dave enjoying the movie

At Scheels, Nyles pretending to shoot ducks

Eew a skunk, stinky!

April 10th

Carrie, Lynsie and Nyles at Wheeler Farm enjoying the beautiful weather.

Now getting dizzy on the lawn

We are so grateful to have Nyles in our family.  He is such a joy.  His favorite word lately is Why?  He says why to just about everything that he say; silly kid.  He definitely keeps life interesting, but most importantly he bring joy and happiness to our family.  We love him so much!

Easter Fun

We've had a good time celebrating Easter.  I took Friday, April 3rd off "Good Friday" so we could go up to Idaho for Easter and General Conference.  We got everything packed Thursday night, so we were able to leave first thing in the morning on Friday.  We got some breakfast, packed up the car, and were out of the door by 8:30am!  We were pretty impressed w/ our time.  We stopped in Jerome to get some gas, and were on our way again.

Nyles fell asleep on the way

We got there in good time, so after a quick lunch, Dad and Steve went up to Anderson Reservoir to go fishing.  We gave Dad some Kokanee Dodgers and squid for his birthday, so they had to try them out.  Apparently they worked!

Dad enjoying fishing

Kokanee Salmon they caught

Saturday, April 4th, Anna and Daron and their families came to visit.  Barb was planning to come as well, but Abby got Strep Throat and Brady was throwing up, so they decided they'd better not come.  We had lunch together, then went out to shoot clay pigeons.  Dad bought a new automatic clay pigeon thrower.  The guys played a couple rounds of "knock out."  Ironically Wade won two, Steve won once, and Daron won once also.

Steve, Wade, and Daron getting ready to shoot the clay pigeons

Nyles enjoying being outside, watching the shoot out

Dad and Steve shooting now

After getting back from shooting, we went and had our traditional Easter Hunt out in the machinery.

Steve and Nyles going out to find an Easter sack

Daron, Kristi, Haley and Anna waiting their turn to find an Easter sack

Nyles finding his Easter sack

Tada!

Nyles and Steve both found their Easter sacks

Nyles enjoying a little candy

yumm!

Nyles playing w/ Colby, Wade and Haley

 Trading time....

Nyles playing w/ Grandpa and the rope

Sunday, April 5th, we watched General Conference.  From what we heard it was excellent!  Thankfully it's recorded and we can listen to it again, or read it (I'm actually listening to it now, yeah for technology!)  

Nyles enjoying General Conference.  

Needless to say he made it a "little" difficult to listen or pay attention to the speakers.

After General Conference, we went outside to get some fresh air and to let Nyles get more of his wiggles out.

Nyles loves to play with the old truck

 Now using Grandma's gardening shovel to dig dirt

Playing w/ bubbles!

Grandpa Hegerhorst fixed Nyles training wheels on his bike, yeah!

Getting better!

Nyles taking a ride w/ Grandpa in the big truck

Monday, April 6th, before we headed out, Dad wanted to take Steve to a Tilapia pond close by.  Dad home teaches the guy, so he said he could come anytime.  They caught some, and then they guy came and netted some for them.

Dad fishing at the pond

They got some Tilapia fish.  We brought it home for Dave/Joann.

Nyles eating a yogurt and watching Grandpa fillet a fish.

The next weekend, Friday, April 10th, Barb, Mom and Anna came down to visit and for a girls weekends.  They went straight over to Pauline's new house to see it.  Steve met me at the train and then we went over to her house as well.  Rose was there when we got there also.  Ironically they ran to Ikea for a few minutes, so we waited a little bit for them to get back.  We then had dinner, and played a "Favorite" game, then headed home.

Sisters Weekend:  Rose, Anna, Pauline, Mom, Penny and Barbara

The next morning, Saturday, April 11th, we met over at Wheeler Farm for a little bit.  The kids had a great time seeing the animals and playing around.

Nyles and Sophia driving the tractor

The crew

 Barb, Abby and Mickey

Rose and her girls

After playing at Wheeler Farm, Nyles and I jumped into Barb's car so Steve could go to an Anatomy Cadaver lab.  We went back to Pauline's house and made pizza for lunch.  I tried to put Nyles down for a nap, but he was too excited to play w/ his cousins and didn't end of sleeping.  Ezra took a nap though, so Pauline stayed w/ him, while the rest of us went down to Provo to go to the Bean Museum.  They have "real" dead animals from all over.  It was pretty interesting.

Mikey, Summer, Ali, Ava, Sophia, Nyles, Charlotte and Abby.

Checking out the Elephant

Nyles looking at the buffaloes and wolves 

The tall giraffes

After going to the museum, we got a quick ice cream at the BYU Creamery, then went up to Pleasant Grove for the Buhler Easter Celebration.  Pauline met us there.  We had dinner, then had a Baby Shower for Anna, since she's never had one.

Anna opening gifts.

Yeehaw cowgirl!

Steve, Penny, Pauline and Barb at the Celebration

Nyles enjoying some Cheetos and cheesy fingers

After dinner, they hid the Easter sacks and we went and found one.  Yeah for more candy!

Nyles and Steve w/ their Easter sacks

Charlotte, Pauline, and Ezra after getting their Easter sacks.

Rose, Ava and Sophia w/ their Easter sacks.

Anna, Abby and Barb w/ their Easter sacks.

Since Nyles didn't get a nap, we headed home shortly after getting our Easter Sacks.  It was fun to see everyone, but Nyles definitely needed to get some sleep.  Us too ;)

After church and a nap on Sunday, April 12th, we went up to Dave/Joann's to visit them.  They were just getting back from the weekend in Moab.  We BBQ'd some of our pork chops and I made some cooked veggies in the oven.  They were pretty full from snacking on their drive home, but Dave tried some anyway; he said it was delicious.  After dinner we had Nyles go out and find his Easter Eggs.  He had a lot of fun!

Now an Easter Egg hunt at Grandma and Grandpa McGrath's

See Mom?

"I did it!"

It's been a fun past 2 weekends full of Easter Fun and messages about our Savior.  We are so blessed to have the knowledge of our Savior and Redeemer.  He is the Light and the Way!  We all need the Atonement to get back to our Heavenly Father, both to return to his presence and to repent and become clean again.  I am eternally grateful to my Savior for this gift!

Here are some quotes from General Conference: