The Cheetah and the Sloth...

Aunt Martha, Buddy, and Shay meet us over at Stony Creek to go to lunch with Kendall and then to Nathan's play.

We checked Kendall out of class for a bit to come with us to watch Nathan.

We had known that he was the sports announcer in a play but had no idea he was one of the main parts and had all his lines almost completely memorized.

I could not stop chuckling at the fact that he did so good and I had never helped him go over his lines. He preformed his play for several different classes and seemed to have no fear.

The show was a hit...and so was the lunch!

Fooled Ya!

The boys woke up to giant sunny side up eggs this morning and took one bite and realized it was a delicious peach on top of some vanilla Greek yogurt. 


I had one more trick up my sleeve when they opened their lunches... Bahahaha!


When I picked the boys up from school they quickly emptied out their pockets to show me that they had saved all the eyeballs!  Silly kids, silly day!

Mammy and the Monsters

The monsters always come out on Sundays, at Mammy's.

Double Whammy!

 This weekend two of the best things fell on the same day... Easter and General Conference.

Todd, Martha, Buddy, and Shay came down to spent the night on Friday.  As soon as I picked up the boys from school they started getting ready for packed couple of days.

We all meet at Mammy and Papa's, ate some dinner (a pot luck of all sorts... pizza, chicken drumsticks, hamburgers, sweet potatoes, salad, and whatever else we found to eat) hung out, colored Easter eggs, dressed up, and ended up watching a British movie based on a true story.

The boys spent the night together on the living room floor at Mammy's and we reunited the next day for the first session of conference.  So good!

A bit after it had ended the door bell rang and 4 FUN Easter baskets were waiting on the front porch!  The boys got a matching shirt and shorts (their favorite is to match right now!), flip flops, a book, and some yummy colored Easter eggs filled with chocolates.

Then they noticed eggs were hidden all over the backyard!

They changed into their clothes and off they ran with Buddy to find some eggs! Chocolate, popcorn, and money filled the eggs!

We ate egg salad sandwiches,chips, fruit and veggies for dinner and watched the next session of conference.  I will have to re-watch most of this session.  I fell asleep, Justin had to go to a meeting, and we were keeping kids busy.

After Dinner the boys and I ran to a baptism for Berit Bergstrom.  It was great and I love the spirit that always accompanies a baptism.

Martha was in charge of dinner after conference and she made a delicious pork roast, potatoes and gravy, salad, and the most delicious coconut cake for dessert.  Yum!

We ran to TJ Maxx Home goods and Trader Joes while the guys watched priesthood session. I stocked up on some creamed honey and applesauce.

That night we said goodbye to Todd's crew and woke up the next morning to sleeping in.  Finally, after we all rolled out of bed we ate some poached eggs and toast and got the conference board ready for Sunday morning session of conference.

This was by far my most favorite session.  The boys listened really good and Justin and I got choked up several times.  Such amazing talks! I love how a simple thing like watching conference can be so bonding for a family.

We ate lunch and went for a walk to the school by our house.  We tossed around the football and enjoyed the spring blossoms and beautiful weather.

Mammy and Papa joined us for the final session of conference and after mom and I went for a walk.  The day was too pretty to keep indoors.

Felt really grateful to live in such a beautiful world, to have just listened to a prophet on the earth, and for an amazing family.

Nathan is TEN!!

Nathan woke up to the traditional colorful birthday streamers hanging down the door way welcoming the newest TEN year old to our family!

Downstairs his gifts awaited.  He got DOUBLE his favorites since he was now in the double digits!

For breakfast he and Kendall got to eat some yummy fruit loops- a rarity at our house.

It's so fun to give Nathan a gift because he makes you think is is the most amazing thing in the world! 

 He got a new scripture case, a volleyball net, and a new volleyball.

Kendall gave him some money, a pencil, a spider man bookmark, and some adorable letters.  They said:

"Dear Nathan,

I can't wait for you to get your drivers license so you can take me to the store and get some yummy treats!

Dear Nathan,

I can't wait to go to fun city.  I can't wait to see the look on your face when we do laser tag.  It will be so fun!

I think Kendall must have known that we were going to take Nathan to Fun City and let he and Kendall get a fun pass.  Turns out it was so fun that Justin got one too!

Mammy and I joined the boys for a game of laser tag and then watched them have a blast!

We spent the rest of the day playing some volleyball, checking out the baby chicks at Murdoch's, and eating Homemade Oreo blizzards with gummy worms to celebrate Nathan!

Spring Break with the palmers

One day during the week, I got the best phone call while the boys were at school.  It was my cousin Kami.

After talking and finding out our kids had the same spring break we concocted a plan for her family to come up and visit.

The timing was perfect!

We made foil dinners in the fire pit and Aunt Martha worked her magic and made some delicious cakes.  The kids (Ellie the mastermind) put on a show about worms, we played games in the backyard, went for walks, hiked Red Rocks, had a talent show, got a babysitter and had an adult dinner and date night at Park Meadows, went to chick-fil-a and Cebelas, swam at the Apex center, and even had time to tour the Denver Mint and walk around a little downtown.

It is always fun to have late night talks with Kami and Jonathon.  I always know that we are going to spend plenty of time laughing which, of course , is my FAVORITE thing to do.

We loved getting to see the Palmer kids and I love that my boys are getting to know them.

Come back, anytime!!

Sunny Sunday Afternoon

 I had some old buns, but not moldy, in the cupboard.

  It was a beautiful day.

A perfect combination for feeding the ducks at the pond pier.

When we got home from church we all got dressed and waited for dad to get home.  He had more meetings to go to so he couldn't get his swimsuit and stripped socks on but was more than willing to come and enjoy some sunshine with the fam.

The ducks gobbled up the bread and we got some vitamin D.

A Family Motto

I knew that I wanted to have a motto for our family and when I brought it up, every one was on board.

We began to brainstorm and before we knew it, "The Hillan Family, A Force of Good" was dreamed up.

Months later I had our sign made up.

Now after FHE or in random huddles we place our hands on top of each others and chant, "The Hillan Family! A Force of Good!  More powerful than Star Wars!"

We all giggle and laugh because apparently the boys' think the Hillan's force is more powerful than the "force" of Yoda.

Now, hopefully each individual will try to be better than yesterday and collectively we can somehow be a force for good, together.

Papa and Kendall

Kendall was a bit under the weather and wasn't able to go to church.  Mammy and Papa came over later.

Lots of pillows, blankets, and laughing was the perfect medicine to help him feel better. 

Up on the Rooftops

It's a treat when Papa needs Justin to help with his roof.  Sometimes Justin puts up and takes down the Christmas lights.  Sometimes it's cleaning the gutters or getting the fallen twigs and branches off.

Whatever the reason, the boys are always right there waiting to go up om the roof.