It's May! What?! Where did the year go already!

Holy cow! This year has flown by! We have been so very, busy it just seems like there is never enough time to blog. Fortunately, today is Mother's Day, and unfortunately, Loreli has pink eye so I have lots of time to blog today since we can't go anywhere. 

It has been a crazy year. I will list some of the things that we have been up to and insert pictures that I have in between:

We went sledding several times

I got a new calling as the Nursery leader (what a trip!)

Scott was in school and doing homework a lot

Every other weekend (it seems like) the boys went ice-fishing

I worked everyday at the elementary school library (and got paid;)

Scott went skiing for the first time in about 18 years

Scott and I celebrated our 15th Wedding Anniversary

Scouts and Cub Scouts every week

Carter and Loreli had Ukulele and Choir Club concerts

Spring came very early (early in March!)

James got his Star Award for Scouting

We have been hiking several times already

(even though it wasn't completely thawed out yet)

They all look so old! Don't they?!

We listened to General Conference (it was AMAZING!)
In the middle of April, Loreli and I got to go to St. Louis to see our newest family member

Avery Fae Schwartzman (born Febuary 22, 2014)

Man she is so dang cute!

We had so many plans in St. Louis, most of which centered around family. However, Loreli was so very excited to got the zoo. So of course, we went twice!

 The elusive otters

 The giraffes were a must for Loreli!

We couldn't miss going on the carousel, twice!

We also spent a lot of time just hanging out. Loreli loved playing with my mom's birds. We went to the park and hung out with Alex and Jill one day.

Flying Alex's airplane kite...

 Hitting some balls...

 Throwing a little frisbee...

And just plain having fun!

 We also went to the Science Center just for an hour. Loreli liked the human, hamster wheel

and the musical hopscotch is always popular!

We can't forget...Loreli got her ears pierced! She was so excited and didn't even cry one bit!

We also visited 2 art stores (oh yeah), ate at some amazing restaurants (falafel burger anyone?), and had some quality family time with everyone on Easter. We had so much fun in St. Louis! It was so hard to leave! We got to come home to a very nice surprise though, a new floor in the kitchen/dining area. Scott put in new tile that looks like dark, wood planks. He also painted the kitchen to match the rest of the house and built in a spice shelf in the pantry.

The day after we got home from St. Louis, Carter and Spencer had their Arrow of Light Ceremony. It was so neat! James took the photos. There was a woman who came and told the story of her ancestors and made sure that the boys understood what it takes to be a Boy Scout. It is an amazing right of passage (one that they worked hard to earn) for an 11 year old cub scout into the Boy Scout program.

 I like the look on Spencer's and Carter's faces when Chad tells them they may now call him Master. (Chad is Spencer's dad, so that is weird on many levels, haha).

 Carter had his 11th birthday three days later and got to go on his first scout camp out. He got a basket ball hoop from us, a dragon drawing book from Grandma Andrea, a Boeing scarf, hat and shirt from Grandpa Roly, and some money from Grandpa and Grandma Shupe. Whew...it was a great birthday!

To finish up our list there was:

Lots of fishing up in Wyoming.

Loreli had an Art Show with all of the 2nd and 3rd graders. 

Man has it been busy!