Finally All Caught Up!!!

I made it! I was a year and a half behind on my blog and I finally caught up! Now the hard part is going to be sticking with it and staying caught up. The other project I want to start working on now is putting my blog into books to get printed off.  What companies have you used or heard good things about for printing your blog? Give me any advise you have. Please!

In other news, TJ is done with finals and not a moment too soon because I got really sick the day he finished. I'm on the recovery side now, but I was glad he was home and able to help so I could get the rest I needed. TJ did really well this semester and I'm so proud of him and all of his hard work! He is now officially a 3rd year and we made it through the dreaded 2nd year. It wasn't as bad for me as everyone made it seem, but I'm hoping we get to see him more over the next two years. 

Summer Cut

This cute boy has always had amazing hair. I grew it out after he turned one but it was not quite thick enough to look really good. So this fall after our family pictures I grew it out again. He loved his long hair and really didn't want me to cut it. I loved it too, but it was getting pretty shaggy and in need of a trim. I didn't trust myself to trim it and I didn't want to pay to have it trimmed then end up cutting it because I didn't like it or it was too hot anyway. He came to me and said he wanted to cut his hair, so we did it right then before he changed his mind and I changed mine. 

Before shots. 

 The pile of hair after he was done. It was a couple of dustpans full of hair. 

After shot. He looks so much older with his hair cut short. It has been 90 degrees the past couple days though so I'm sure he's glad to have all that hair gone. He's such a good boy and we love him lots. Today he told me that I stink. When I told him that wasn't a very nice thing to say, he said, "oh, sorry mom, you just stink a little tiny bit." What would I do without him? Stink I guess.  

Temple Run & Finals

Every year in Kansas City, since they announced our temple would be built here, they have a 5k Temple run. We didn't do it last year but heard it was lots of fun so we signed up. It was really raining and cold and we had decided we weren't going to go. Then the morning of I decided we should bundle up and do it. It was a lot of fun and I got my best 5k time yet, which is still slow. At least I'm running though. TJ pushed the boys and finished just a little after me. In the last mile he told me he felt like he was going to throw up. I probably should have stayed with him but at that point I took off. I ran back as soon as I finished though to make sure he was coming. After the race we talked about it and I realized it was very nice but I was in running mode and I wasn't going to let anything break my focus. 

Just some open mouthed brotherly kisses.

Cohen has always had great hair, and a lot of it. It is big. Every time he wakes up it looks like this. It is crazy and finally got cut. (next post with details and before and after shots)

TJ started finals on May 1st. He has 14 tests in 17 days and took a few finals before May as well. We decided to give him a quiet house free of distractions and headed over to St. Louis for a week. He posted this picture in reference to finals and I thought it was funny. 

We didn't waste anytime in St. Louis and had such a fun trip. We started with a Cinco de Mayo dinner on Sunday right after we arrived. On Monday morning we headed to the Zoo. The boys loved seeing all the animals. The elephants and the cheetah were our favorites on this trip.

Wednesday we went out to the Bunnell Family Farm near Union. This was such a fun trip out there. Papa caught a turtle and we played with him for a while.

Papa also caught a snake and killed it. Cohen was obsessed with the snake and tells everyone about how his Papa killed a snake with a stick.

These two were buddies, and Papa had a shadow all week long. Cohen loves to be busy and Papa let him follow him around all week long and be his "helper." 

Helping Papa take the paddle boat to the pond. 

Ledger in front of the Cabin. 

Ledger was not the biggest fan of the paddle boat, lawnmower, or tractor. 

He warmed up after a while and tolerated a few laps around the pond. We also found tadpoles, climbed the treehouse, mowed the big lawn, fed the fish, and played with all the rocks and sticks we could find. It was so nice to just let them run free and explore, and they loved it. 

Nana rented the movie Rise of the Guardians and Cohen loved it. We watched it two nights in a row because he refused to watch anything else. Ledger was just entranced by Nana's huge TV.

We had so much fun playing with our family in St. Louis and the week was over before we knew it. We were sad to leave but excited to get home to see TJ. He now only has two days left of finals and we cannot wait for him to be done! 

The Rest of April

The rest of our April was pretty uneventful but we still managed to stay busy. Cohen was clearly exhausted one day. We went down to get him for dinner and found him asleep standing up. This kid got the Anderson mono gene for sure. 

 TJ really, really wants a Halo drum. They are super expensive and even harder to get. He carved their logo in a tooth and posted it on their facebook page. Maybe someday he'll get a drum. Isn't he talented. Want something carved on your tooth? He's your man!

TJ watched the boys and my neighbors kids while we went to a relief society birthday dinner. He popped them a big bowl of popcorn and they had a blast. Such an awesome daddy.

 More super baby capes. They seriously love doing this!

 Playing on the phone with mommy.

 This child is obsessed with shoes. Especially other people shoes. He puts them on all day everyday. He got Cohen's boots on and wandered outside.

 Wrestling already. Ledger usually instigates it then gets pinned and starts crying for help.

Other big news for the the month of April was Ledger learned how to get out of his crib. Not even 18 months, really? So we took the front off of his crib. This is what we have found on a number of occasions though. Yep, these boys love to snuggle. I think it is so sweet!

 I love reading to this kid. He loves books and gets so into them.

 What's better than 1 binki? 2 binkies!

Every year our Young Women have a cake auction to raise money for girls camp. Each of the girls make a cake and auction it off with a service (e.g. babysitting, cooking, cleaning).  I helped with a lot of it but my major project for it was the centerpieces. I had to make 12 of them so I needed something cheap. I found these coffee filter flowers and was sold. I didn't realize how much work they would be so after making 4 of them I rounded up the girls in my neighborhood and we had an impromptu craft night and made 57 of these beauties.

I also helped one of my Young Women make this cake. I think it turned out so cute.

I put 3 of the flowers in a mason jar with a burlap strip rapped around it then added a sparkly piece of tulle. We also had pink ones. Then we did a big bouquet of them for the food table. 

 Again wearing someone else's shoes. 

 Just a darling picture of my baby at the park.

I convinced TJ to go to parade of Homes with me one day again this year. He doesn't like to go because it makes him really want to have a house. Someday! I didn't take any pictures except of this one basement that we loved. It had a section that looked like a little Irish pub. We loved it and even though we don't drink, we think it would be such a fun entertainment area! 

The two archways lead to the theater room. Another must have for us!

This was the ceiling. I loved it. 

Theater room. It was dark so the pictures don't do it justice.

 I finally own a rolling pin! I love it, I've already used it for more things than I ever thought I would have. Seriously don't know how I went without one for so long.

 My baby is 18 months old. How did this happen. He is getting so big, but also getting so fun. We love him and his crazy little personality.