Spring Break

Our Spring Break was fantastic as was our company.

On Friday, we drove out to Devil's Tower.

Colt, Dash and Boe climbing on the dead trees at Devil's Tower.

 

Sissy rode around the trail in style.

 

The kids enjoying the view.  I believe Kamber planned for a summer house down my the creek.

 

Dash, Colt and Kamber on the rocks.

 

The crew at the walk's completion.

The Upton Easter Egg hunt didn't start until 1:00, so we knew we would need to plan for something to occupy the kids in the morning.  So we set up a scavenger hunt of sorts.  We gave each child a camera and set them out to take pictures of different objects or of themselves performing certain tasks.  They had to come back and show us the pictures before we gave them their next task.

Taking pictures of Jesus.

All the tasks eventually led up to an egg hunt.  Because it was a little drizzily, Jill and I set up the hunt indoors while the Brand and Dan took the kids over the school gym to get their final pictures. 

The (indoor) egg hunt

 

Dash and Kamber

 

Colt, Sport and Boe

After the hunt was over, we had the kids empty the eggs into a communal bowl for everyone to share, particularly for the adults. 

Cracking eggs

In the afternoon we went to the community egg hunt. 

Boe helped Sport on his hunt.

 

Sport kept his hood low so that he didn't get distracted by the other hunters.

 

Dash waiting for the start of the hunt.

 

Colt just relaxing before the chase began.

And they're off...

Sport

 

Colt

 

Dash

 

The Easter Bunny

After the hunts we came home and colored some eggs. 

Dyeing eggs

 

Dad and Sport creating intricate designs

 

Dash and Kamber

Boe and his prize egg

Sport favored the blue eggs.

The work space

Breeze opted out of coloring eggs...too messy.

Easter Sunday!!!

Sickies

It wouldn't be March at the Madsen house if we didn't all get sick.  This month we all battled the stomach flu, sinus infections and horrible colds.  When I took Sissy in for her 4 month well baby check up, I had Sport and Colt in tow.  They were hacking and barking and coughing on everyone and everything and so the doctor decided to do a quick check of them all (good bang for my buck!).  After listening to their lungs, Dr. Anderson decided they all sounded wheezy and she prescribed some breathing treatments.  And so...

Sport did really well with his treatments.  He looks a little sad, but he insisted on wearing the mask this way.

 

Colt didn't love the his treatments, but he got through them by distracting himself with movies.

 

Breeze seemed the most positively affected by the treatments so we did hers more frequently.  We knew she was feeling better when she tried to eat the mouth piece.

 

Breeze is 4 months!

Four months!  I can't believe four months have already passed since Breeze was born.  It's such a paradox because it seems like it was just yesterday that Breeze was born, but at the same time I can't really remember what it was like to not have her in our family.  We love her!

Sissy Facts:

• She loves to talk and tell stories and often chats herself to sleep
• She hates lying on her tummy, but she can all but completely roll from her back to her front
• She grabs at everything, including your bowl at the dinner table
• She is horribly slobbery and soaks through her clothes regularly
• She loves sitting in the corners of the couches and watching the boys play
• Her giggle is a cross between a dove coo and Woody Woodpecker 
• She weighs 13 lbs 4 oz and is the 23rd percentile
• She is 24 1/4 inches long and in the 30th percentile
• Her vaccinations shots make her miserable! (and me as well)

Such a happy girl sitting in her favorite corner of the couch.

 

Smiles!

 

Chewing on her finger

 

And the other hand

 

Spring Weather

We have been lucky enough to enjoy some beautiful spring weather the last couple of weeks, including a few days with temperatures in the 60s!  We took full advantage and went on bike rides, walks, jumped on the tramp and kicked a soccer ball around. 

One of the first nice days was a Sunday and after getting home from church, Sport decided to kill the time before dinner playing with "our cat".

There she is...

 



Almost...

 

Just about...

 

And, got her!
This is an amazingly nice cat. 
I recently caught Sport trying to shove a stick in her mouth with no retribution from Mama Cat.

 

The weather was just too good to miss so we even moved our toys outside onto the front porch.

 

Sissy enjoying the fresh air.
 

After a beautiful day with a high of 64 degrees, we got a slap of reality...3 inches worth.

The boys and their giant snowman.

 

Sport warming up in front of the vent after building the snowman.

 

Basketball!

For the last few months the Madsen family has been living and breathing basketball, basketball, basketball.  It didn't matter the time of day, if you asked Sport where his Daddy was, he would reply "bap-ball".  It's a pretty safe guess. 

Well, it all recently culminated with the Regional tournament in Douglas and then a trip to the State tournament in Casper the following week.  Brandan's team had a really great season, but unfortunately at the very end of the semi-final game during Regionals, the team's point guard broke his arm after taking a fall.  We lost the Regional championship game and struggled to regroup at State, where we won one game and lost two others.  My boys took it all very personally.  They gave the players tips in the hallways of the hotels and cheered them loudly and specifically during the game.  Colt took the Regional championship loss hard.  After the game he walked over to one of his favorite players and sadly said, "Jett, bad game".  Jett is a good sport and so he consolingly said, "I know".  Colt slapped his forehead, slumped his shoulders and despairingly cried, "But it was the Championship!"

Breeze was catching up on some z's under the radio announcers table in the bleacher at Regionals.

If it is possible for the boys to love something more than the games, then it is definitely the hotel pools.  Even Lil Sis took several dips. 

 

Dash is always inspired by whatever his Dad is doing, so it really hasn't been surprising that he has become basketball obsessed.  This means that everyday after school all the boys play basketball in the kitchen.  This continues until dinnertime, starts up again as soon as Dash is finished eating and goes until a ball knocks over a plate of food.

The court.

Shooting hoops

 

Rebounding is complicated, and occasionally dangerous.

Dash marked the floor with different foul lines each labeled their name.

 

Itty Bitty and Litty Sissy

No one can resist snuggling Sissy, but no one gets in her space quite as much as Itty Bitty.  Sport is completely smitten by Breeze and very protective of her as well (which is funny since she usually needs most protection from his attempts at affection).  Sport will push away other children that try to love on Breeze and he can barely tolerate when other adults hold her.  Sis handles it really well and seems to enjoy the attention Sport gives her.  I wonder how she'll react to his fatherly instincts when she's 15...

Sport and Breeze sharing a pillow by the heater.

 

Sport and Breeze sharing the kick gym.

 

Breeze is practicing rolling from her back to her belly (she hasn't even attempted the other direction), and if she could just get her arm out of the way she would make it.  Sport is always right there cheering her on.

 

And don't even get me started on the hold Breeze has on her Daddy...

Daddy making Sissy laugh.