Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival

Every year since we first moved to Oregon, we’ve gone to the tulip festival in Woodburn.  The first year I went, Landon wasn’t even quite two years old.  The festival has grown a lot busier over the years, but it is still one of my favorite outings of the year.  Sometimes I go during the week when it is less busy, but then Shane doesn’t get to join us.  He wanted to come along this year, so we went on a Saturday.  The weather was beautiful, which made for lots of people, but it when you’re out walking through the tulips it is hardly noticeable. 

We started out with the usual activities – racing ducks, swinging on the horses, and riding down the bumpy slide. 

           

After the games, we rode the tractor over to the tulips and enjoyed walking through them.  Every year I am once again amazed at how beautiful they are.  Tulips are definitely my favorite.

Photos with all the boys looking at the camera were pretty much impossible.  We had bought a bag of kettle corn which helped keep Asher distracted and at least sitting with the boys in the pictures. 

   

Asher really liked all of the tractors, especially this small kid-sized one.  Photo credit goes to Shane on this one.

 

I had Landon take a picture of Shane and I together to show we were there too. 

  

We always look at the names of the tulips, the colors, and smell them to choose our favorites.  Asher’s “smelling” was actually him blowing on the tulips, but he had fun joining in.

   

Until next year . . .

Easter

This year, Easter fell on General Conference weekend, which is always my favorite time for Easter.  It is a good reminder of what Easter is all about to sit and listen to the prophet and apostles bear witness of the divinity of the Savior.  ‘

With General Conference (including the Priesthood session) taking place most of the day Saturday, we decided to dye our eggs Friday night.  One egg kit I found was called volcano eggs.  You had to leave the eggs hot after boiling them, and then there were crayon shavings you could put on the eggs that would melt in different colors.  The boys really liked trying that out.  Once the eggs cooled, we dyed some more, and even dyed some of the volcano ones too.

             

Saturday afternoon, we had our Easter egg hunt in the backyard.  It was a little wet the few days before, but luckily the afternoon was sunny and nice. 

             

Kelly came over for the Easter egg hunt, and after the boys opened up their eggs, Kelly gave them each an Easter basket of goodies from him and from Grandma and Grandpa Malan.  They were especially excited about their Lego Easter set, and Kelly spent awhile helping James put his together while Shane headed to the Priesthood session.

 

Easter morning, the boys found the eggs hidden in the front room that the bunny had hid, and they had fun looking through their Easter baskets.  Landon and Davis liked their new Nike socks, and James was especially excited about his Ninja Turtles t-shirt.  He wore it for the next four days straight.  The bubbles were also a big hit, and Asher especially liked his bubble gun.

         

The boys also opened their goodie bags from Grandma and Grandpa Morris.  They were excited about their new t-shirts, and they all put them on to be matching (although James put his on under his Ninja Turtle shirt).  Asher was excited about the egg with little eraser motorcycles inside.

 

After enjoying some more amazing sessions of General Conference, we had Kelly over for a delicious Easter dinner of ham, potatoes, rolls, deviled eggs, Shane’s layered Jell-o, and a carrot cake cheesecake for dessert. 

 

Happy Easter!