A new cousin

From Aunt Beth:

Isaac Andrew Wilson born Thursday, April 26, 2012 at 1:39 pm, 6 lb 7 oz, 20 in.

We're both doing well and Andy and I are so happy to have our little boy! Even if he was 3 weeks early.

We'll try to get more pictures out in the next few days. But enjoy these and you can also see baby's first photo-shoot at http://www.bellababyphotography.com/. Password 0426isaacwilson

Beth, Andy and Isaac

A First Snow

We are always so excited for the first snow to fall and stick that we can actually play in.  A day in January we had some snow like that.  It wasn't much, and didn't stick around long, but we played in it for awhile.

 

Experiments in Color

For Christmas Rubie received from Alec and Maomi a Science Experiment kit.  The kit is some very easy experiments with colors.  Making colors from crystals.  Making colored crystals.  And mixing colors.

 

Eric turns 5

It seems like 5 is one of those benchmark ages.  Turning 5 takes a child from the toddler to the kid stage.  Eric will have lots of exciting things to look forward to this coming year.  He already has grown so much.  I have been so proud of the effort he puts into preschool and karate.  He is making the most of preschool.  He is really coming far in his ability to read and write.  He has even started doing basic math.  He loves all his subjects of science, art, kitchen, history/spanish, music and language learning.  He makes friends easily and really enjoys having friends over and also going to their houses to play.  He has made new friends easily in our new ward and we regularly get together with a few of them.  

For Eric's birthday party we let him invite some friends to play with him at Kangaroo Zoo.  He invited Noah and Max (who were here for the holidays), sadly the Tulett's were not, Nixon--from school, and C.J.--from Karate. They all had such a great time playing hard and eating cake.

On Eric's birthday Scott took the day off and the four of us went to Boondocks together.  Eric had a intensely fun birthday celebration.

He also enjoyed a family dinner and a Ben 10 Puzzle from Lloyd which he loved putting together with him.

Easter

We had a lovely Easter holiday.  Again Scott was not here with us.  He went to Warrior Leadership Training on March 29.  We will get to visit him for his graduation this Thursday, April 12.  He will be home on Friday morning.  My mom, Grandma Jeppson, came to visit and do some Easter activities with me and the kids.  She came on Friday night and brought Eric and Rubie some Easter gifts.  Rubie was so patient to open hers.  Eric had a birthday party at Tyler Saetrum's to go to.  So Rubie waited until he got back to open her gift.  Grandma gave each of them a very cute story, the favorite one being about Peepsqueak.  Also included was a beautiful book about the Savior, perfect to look at during Sacrament meeting.  A puzzle and some treats.  Saturday morning Grandma and I filled some Easter eggs and I hid them in the back yard.  Eric and Rubie had some much fun finding the eggs.  Grandma even including 10 $1 bills and $10 worth of quarters.  The kids loved that.

After lunch we did a craft making some foam bunny ear visors.  Then we decorated/colored eggs.  The kids loved that and we made some very cute eggs.  At the end they just started mixing all the colors and then the blue got spilled all over the table, floor, and Rubie's clothes.  So I put on a movie and ended up washing the whole floor and cleaning.  

Then Grandma told the kids they could buy a toy with their money they found.  We went to the dollar store but there was nothing really worth buying so went to Target where Eric choose an Iron Man chest light that actually attaches to a T-shirt, and Rubie choose a Little Mermaid doll.

Easter morning the Easter Bunny left some baskets with a big and little chocolate bunnies for the kids and a few gifts.  Also beautiful new Church/Easter outfits.  The kids looked so beautiful I really wanted their Dad to see them.

I was visited in the morning by the bishopric to give me a calling.  Back into Young Women's as a Mia Maid adviser. I am thrilled, I love the young women and really feel like I get to know the ward when I am involved with the youth.  There are 15 Mia Maids and will be 2 more added during the year.  So there is also another adviser along with the 2nd counselor.  It's interesting over the last few weeks, I have seen this ward is full of such capable and faithful people I was thinking there really isn't a need in this ward for me to fulfill.  And I have been happy not having a calling.  Especially with a new baby coming it is nice not to have something that requires so much time.  But, well, in my temple recommend interview the bishop let me know that they really have felt I am the right person to put in this calling.  Mia Maids is a critical time in a young woman's life, as I know, and there are many girls in the ward that really struggle with feelings of worth, self-esteem, confidence, and the Bishop feels I can help.  Well, I do have ideas, but I know only with the Lord will we be able to make a difference.  Sister Evans, the 2nd counselor over the Mia Maids already gave me an assignment to come up with a fitness program for the girls to follow to get them in shape for girls camp and Trek coming up this summer.

We had Easter dinner over at Scott's dad's house.  There was Grandpa Wilson, Dellitt, Angela, Alec, and Maomi.  We had a very nice dinner.  Alec and Maomi were great with Eric and Rubie and entertained them for a long time.  They did probably 10 Easter egg hunts.  Alec hid eggs, then the kids found them.  Then Maomi hid the eggs.  Then Eric hid eggs.  Then Rubie hid eggs.  They all kept taking turns.  We played Eric's Angry Birds game that the Easter Bunny brought him.  Grandpa Wilson gave the kids some bubbles and we played with those for a while.  It was a nice day. 

On my own

Yesterday morning Rubie had a dance class.  There is no where to sit and watch so it is boring for Eric.  I called the neighbors, Christine George, who has a son, Riley, Eric's age to see if he could go play.  When it was time to go I told Eric he could just run up to Riley's on his own.  He looked at me a little surprised.  "I can?!"  He asked.  I asked if he knew which house was theirs.  He said I think so but I told him the house number which he repeated over and over.  I heard him run upstairs and tell Rubie that he could walk up the street to Riley's house all by himself, without me.  "I can do!  I can do it!"  

It is interesting that it usually takes me telling and encouraging Eric before he will do things on his own.  As he does them it builds his confidence.  Rubie on the other hand, tells me what she can do.   Often she becomes frustrated and angry at not being able to do something but won't ask for help.  I try to let her know it is okay to ask for help when we need it.  It also makes her feel good when she can accomplish something on her own.  But I am usually telling her what not to do.