EASTER

I love Easter time and it was so fun with Parker this year becoming more aware of holidays in general. It's fun to start our own traditions and start teaching Parker about the real meaning of Easter. I went through pictures of Christ's final week with Parker and i was really touched with his interest and insight. The final picture I showed him was the of the resurrected Savior holding out his hands. I told Parker that Jesus Christ was telling him to come to him. Every time after that when I would show that picture to him I would say "What is he saying Parker?" and he would say "Come to me, Come to me Parker" It was really sweet.

Easter Egg dying with the Clegg cousins

Parker's first Easter Egg hunt- the famous Summer Whalen Easter party. Once Parker caught on he LOVED it- candy in eggs- what could be better!?!

Ben practicing his sitting skills while he reaches for eggs

The loot

My cousin and good friend Jana came to visit (from Vegas) with her two cute girls and new little son. Here are her girls, Olivia and Zoey. I loved having them here.

Friends Stephanie, Jenni and Jana (and cousins) catching up at the Easter Egg hunt

My mom

NYC

My sister had some disappointing news last week. My beautiful parents, recognizing our connection, paid for me to go out to New York to spend the weekend with her. Although the trip was supposedly taken as a support to her, I feel like I gained more than she ever could have. Interesting how most of my life experiences with Angie have been that way. I learned that life goes on despite disappointments. I learned that it really is good to listen to a prompting (before I knew the whole story I felt like I should go out there the next day and I am NOT usually a last minute person)- I'm so glad I did. I learned that Ben is an amazing little angel of a baby - he was an unbelievably wonderful traveler despite a 12 hour trip and being I toted all over the streets of NYC. I learned that God was really watching out for Angie when he gave her Ajay. I learned I can wear skinny jeans- my high school self would be mortified- and I still love H&M. I learned that even though we live on opposite sides of the country and are in very different places in life, there is this God-given connection that I can not live without. I learned we all have different paths and to more sensitive to those not on the "typical" path. I learned I am lucky to be a mother- and she will be too someday. I learned that Angie remains the rock of humility and faith I have always been inspired by. And I learned that God takes care of us- he gave us each other.

Easter

This past weekend we had "General Conference" for my church. All of our leaders speak to us in four different sessions of 2 hours each on Saturday and Sunday. It's a lot of time, but it's totally a spiritual feast. I love it. It's not exactly what it used to be when I could sit and really listen to what is being said. A lot of my time now is dealing with tantrums and messy diapers but I also get to teach my children about the gospel of Jesus Christ through conference and I wanted to share an experience I had in doing that that was so beautiful to me:

Parker had been missing his "Lightning McQueen" cars for a few days. I had looked everywhere for them but just could not find them. During conference I was really thinking about Parker and how he is so receptive right now and there was a talk on teaching our children faith and I realized I needed to say a prayer with Parker to find his toys. I have said many prayers like this for seeminly trivial things I have lost or am in need of throughput my life and the Lord has so often aswered me. Though it may seem insignificant, these experiencse have been a foundation of my faith. I remember that happening as a very young child, being taught by the example of my mother, and finding something that was lost. It really was a foundation of my faith, that God knew me and really listened to me, even when it seemed so unimportant. So Sunday afternoon, after the morning conference session, I explained to Parker that Heavenly Father can help us when we need him, even when are missing something important to us. So Parker and I knelt down and with the faith of a child, he gave a beautiful prayer- "Heavenly Father, help me to find my Lightning McQueen toys. Name of Jesus Christ Amen." "Where do you think we should look Parker?" "in my closet" (said without hesitation). In the meantime I offered my own silent prayer to Heavenly Father. I really did want to find the toys, but mostly I wanted my sweet son to have his own faith promoting experience and I didn't want him to be let down. I was really putting my faith in God that he would come through. Like I said, I had searched the house for these toys for two days and they were nowhere to be found. But we went into Parkers room, looked in the closet, then under the bed and then in a bag I suddenly thought about checking and within 4 minutes we had found the cars. The bag. "Look Parker!" A smile lit up his face and tears immediately sprung to my eyes. "Let's go show daddy!" We raced out into the living room where we showed daddy what we had found (he had been looking too). "Now Parker, we need to say a prayer and thank Heavenly Father for helping us." So all three of us knelt and said a prayer of gratitute to Heavenly Father. My voice choked at the end. These were the beginnings of my testimony when I was a child and now my son, the beginning for his testimony too. This morning as we were talking about the purpose of Easter I asked him what Jesus does for us and he said "Helps us find our Lightning McQueen toys. I prayed"

The faith of a child.

Ben gets his braces off!

Tuesday we went to Shriners and Ben has officially graduated from his braces- aka his snowboard. Now he only has to wear it for sleeping and he is LOVING it. Seriously, he is so happy. His feet look great. What a blessing!

SF Hot Pots and Feeding the Ducks

We've had fun taking advantage of the weather recently. We tried to hike to the Spanish Fork hot pots but the gate on the road was closed 4 miles from the trailhead. Bummer!

So instead we just hung out and threw rocks in the river while Uncle Greg, Grandma and Grandpa went on a little run.

This is a HUGE LOVE sign in the snow.

Nina Cary came up with her two girls and we went to Sugarhouse Park to feed the ducks. They were pretty agressive, but we had fun.

St. Patty's

St. Patrick's day was fun. It's so fun with Parker because it's all so new to him and he doesn't have any expectations but is just so excited about all the new discoveries holiday's bring.

We had a little Leprechan named Larry come and turn our milk green and all of our meals- green milkshakes, fishies, chicken, mashed potatoes, salad for dinner etc. He also hid a pot of gold for after dinner. Parker had to follow the clues and at the end of the treasure hunt there was a big pot of yummy cookies. It was so fun. I think Larry the Leprechan will return next year. :) Here is Ben in his bumbo on our kitchen counter while I cooked green dinner. My mom thinks I'm way too scary putting him up there but he's in so tight he's not going anywhere but maybe I should be more careful. :)

Sporadic

So I am a sporadic blogger. What can I say...oh well here's a recap of the past couple months..The boys, Parker and Ben. Already becoming buds. I love it.

No one can make Ben laugh like Parker can.

Ben's "snowboard" We're getting this off in two weeks! Then Ben will just have to wear it at night for 2 years. Ben's feet look very good. They are totally normal now (besides being a little swollen and sqooshy). We feel very blessed. I'm sure there will be more on this to come.

Buds.

This is Parker getting Ben to smile. - no one does it better.

We took my Jewish neighbors to see the Draper temple open house. We met up with Haylee and my mom and it was really nice. Ben slept and Parker ran all over, he was actually very good. Our neighbors, Ruth and Bob, enjoyed it and we were glad they came with us.

A couple of weekends ago we went to Spencer's parents place and met Tasha and Josh and family and went cross country skiing. It was a great weekend. Asher and Parker always wreak havoc together and it's awesome. They just get these mischevious looks on their faces and go crazy. It's fun. :)

We attempted to pull the kids behind us in sleds but Parker wasn't so into that so we mostly just stopped and played in the snow. Good times.

Spencer and I with our LOVE sign on Valentines Day. Spencer planned an awesome (and unique) Valentines date. We couldn't find a babysitter so I thought we'd just be home but Spencer surprised me with a beautiful candlelight dinner in the empty apartment above us (perks of being managers). Monitors were on for both boys but we were out of our apartment and it was perfect. Spencer always plans the best dates.

Ben and Mommy

Our Big Brother Parker, smiling for the camera

Parker as Bob the Builder (with crooked goggles).

Our big, huge, giant Ikea shelf that we got for Christmas from my mom and I LOVE it. It's a little more organized now than this but
it sure helps Parker's tiny room become a little bigger (toys off the floor). It's great.

Parker's train we made from a great big box. And loving being inside in the box. Choo Choo.

This is Parker falling asleep in his "big boy" lightning McQueen bed, the ONE time he did. And then the next picture is him in his crib tent, where he is safe from the monsters. He asks for his crib after being in his room about 15 minutes. Poor Ben, he's going to always be in his bassinet! :)

Ben in January-when he still had his hair. Learning to smile, loves to suck his thumb and has a great laugh, especially at Parker.

Awhile ago we went to the Coldplay concert with my family and Perry-we get spoiled from my dad! It was amazing. I love those guys. Their music has narated much of my life. It was great.