Easter morning was a little crazy as we were all so tired from Makenna's birthday the day before. The kids were excited to see their Easter baskets and loved looking inside their eggs to see what treats were inside. Easter morning didn't last very long as we had to hurry and get ready for church. Grandma Savik bought Makenna a beautiful Easter dress and the cutest little yellow Easter tie for Hollis. The kids looked so cute as we walked out the door to go to church -- thanks Grandma!
Grandma and Grandpa Savik came down to Flagstaff to celebrate Makenna's birthday with her -- we loved having them! Makenna's birthday was a little different this year because her birthday actually landed on Easter this year so we celebrated it the day before. Even though it was Makenna's birthday Easter eggs still needed to be dyed for Easter the next day so she got to mix Easter with her birthday a little. We started out the day with Makenna birthday breakfast cereal that she herself picked -- Reese's puffs! Then we all got in the car and went fishing at Upper Lake Mary -- it was very windy! Makenna was having fun fishing until Dustin mentioned to her that she was going to catch a big fish, then Makenna didn't want to hold the fishing pole anymore. After fishing we came home to dye Easter eggs and make Makenna's birthday cake. It was very difficult making her birthday cake look like "Strawberry Shortcake" while both of the kids were trying to help -- thank goodness mom was there to help me. That evening I made homemade buttermilk pancakes with homemade buttermilk syrup for Makenna's birthday dinner -- she requested pancakes for dinner. Since I love pancakes, I was completely on board with that. She also got strawberry milk to drink - yum! After dinner Makenna had Hailey and Audrey over for opening gifts and cake and ice cream. Grandma Savik got Makenna "Tangled" for her birthday and she was so excited when she opened it even though we caught her previously opening her gifts in my bedroom right before hand -- the little sneak! Luckily, between her and Hollis they only got 1 1/2 presents open. Makenna ended the night watching "Tangled" with her friends. Makenna also received a birthday present in the mail the day before her party from Grandpa Russ and Grandma Janie. She was so excited when she pulled out her very own pick guitar. Grandpa Savik also went and got Makenna some wiffle balls and told her he wants her to hit 50 balls a day as she is getting ready for T-ball this summer. Although all the presents were great I think Makenna liked her birthday cards the best from both Grandparents. I guess they know how to pick the cards for a 4-year-old little girl. Both cards play music when you open them and she carries those cards around like they are worth a million bucks! Thanks everyone for making Makenna's birthday a good one!
I organized a little Easter egg hunt and barbeque at the park with some of our friends here in Flagstaff. The kids had fun playing at the park and eating all the candy they found while the adults enjoying conversation and food. Hollis and Makenna are helping to stir some homemade root beer that my friend Jennifer brought -- it was so yummy!
Dustin and I got to go to Josh and Rebecca's sealing in March at the Salt Lake City Temple. We are so glad we got to be apart of their special day and it was one of the best sealings I have ever been to. Quaid was such a good little baby the whole time and loved looking at all the pretty lights and decorations in the temple. We are so happy for Josh and Rebecca!
I am so lucky to have a girlfriend here in Flagstaff that used to take pictures professionally. She does such a great job and offered to take our kids pictures because she had some new equipment she wanted to try out -- thanks Jen!
Valentine's day was great this year and Makenna couldn't hardly wait for it -- it is so fun when your kids actually start getting excited about holiday's and understand them a little. We started out our morning by having heart shaped pancakes -- they were actually pink but you can't really tell after I cooked them, plus they are wheat. Hollis didn't really care about what shape they were, he just wanted to eat! In the afternoon Makenna and I made heart shaped sugar cookies together and she got to wear her new apron that Grandma Janie got her -- it looks so cute on her! After the cookies were made, Makenna took a long nap in her apron. Just a little side note story -- when Makenna opened this package from Grandma Janie she was thrilled to get this apron and Valentine marshmallows, but the best part was when she then pulled out Mr. Potatoe Head's butt that she had left in New Mexico at Christmas time. She wasn't sure what it was and just kind of looked at it funny and then she continues to pull out her pants that she left there as well and we got the same reaction. Then, she pulls out the pacifier that Hollis left there and says excitedly, "here Hollis, this is for you"! It was so fun to watch her pull the random things out of the package and try to act excited about each one. 
Quite often, Hollis is playing dress up with Makenna now. Dustin is not to sure about the outfits he has on sometimes, but he really doesn't know any better at this point. It probably doesn't help that often his big sister is helping him dress up. In fact, I have some pictures that Dustin forbids me to put on our blog -- pretty funny! Hollis is so lucky to have a big sister that cares so much about what he is wearing. :) She often uses the princess blanket Grandma Savik made for her as her picnic blanket now and has her little tea party in the middle of our living room floor -- of course Hollis always has to attend because he is the only other little kid at the house to play with.
