Bridget admiring the pretty tulips.
We have been working on the yard…mostly Ammon, but the kids help too. Logan finds great satisfaction in helping his Dad! Ammon has been pulling out dead and overgrown lilacs. We made space for a new peach tree.
Sterling getting in on the tree planting action.
Ta Da!
Sterling went to his nine month doctor visit…he is huge and perfectly plump…but according to the “charts” his head is in the 25th percent and his height and weight are both on the small side reaching the 5th percent. Who would have guessed that our chunkalicious cutie was so “little”???
stats:
length 26 1/2 inches
weight 17 lbs 4 oz
head circ 44.5 cm
This week was spring break for the kids. We had lots of fun days, even with the surprising weather.
Monday we spent lots of time at the park and we went back to the park for a picnic dinner. Very fun day to be outside!
Tuesday we were thinking of going to the zoo, but due to rain and the kids were at the tail end of a cold/cough we headed to Kangaroo Zoo, an indoor place to run, jump and play! Rachel and Cameron joined in the fun.
Sterling discovered crawling thru the tunnel…oh so exciting!
Calvin up to bat.
Thursday we woke up to quite a surprise…with all the snow it felt more like Christmas than spring break! What a bizzare storm.
Logan helping Ammon shovel all the snow…at least 6 inches.
A back yard view, oh the poor trees. We only lost a few branches.
Calvin shoveling paths through the snow.
We spent most of the day inside. Sterling and Bridget had a great time discovering under the table. What fun to play peek a boo.
After dinner we did venture out and had a snow ball fight! Dad versus everybody.
Friday was finally a spring like day. We spent the afternoon at Hogle Zoo. Sterling enjoyed being outside and Bridget really enjoyed seeing the animals. I think the penguins were here favorite.
I got one picture before the giraffe stood back up…never knew how a giraffe “bent” down!
Our family.
It was fun to spend the afternoon at the zoo. Fun to have Rachel, Brian, and Cameron there with us.
Happy times, fun memories!
We had a lot of fun on the last few days…coloring eggs on Friday, hunting eggs, eating candy, playing with cousins on Saturday. This morning we got all dressed up in our Sunday best and went to Church. It was a beautiful Easter Sunday, a time to reflect on Jesus Christ and the Resurrection.
I love my family. Ammon watched the kids a bunch on Saturday so I could sew Bridget’s new dress! It was really fun to sew, to create. Today in church, I had my first solo…it went well and I am very glad it is over.
My Grandpa, my hero passed away at the age of 97. He was and is a great example of stalwart, faithful, hardworking, charitable, kind, generous…and the list goes on!
Richard Marden Pratt
March 14, 1912 – April 1, 2009
May 2004 Logan meets Great Grandpa.
August 2006 Ammon shows tugboat and boat plans to Grandpa.
August 2008 Logan is photographer, Sterling meets Great Grandpa!
Singing to Grandpa for Family Home Evening, 2 days before his passing.
Grandpa’s funeral 6 April 2009
Before the funeral…see the happy kids…
…after the funeral 
The kids did well, but it was a long day for them.
We love you Grandpa, we miss you, and we thank you for living such a wonderful life!
Sterling has 3 teeth now. We have not used the oragel many times, but it is a wonderful teething toy! Sterling praising the oragel.
Bridget and Logan want in on the action.
Watch out world Sterling is mobile! He has been crawling for over a week, but never traveled very far. It was a one knee and one foot crawl…but today he started following after people.
Check out his new fun: pulling himself up to everything.
Monday we took the kids swimming for Family Home Evening and it was snowing a little. It was so cold outside. By midnight it was a bright white blizzard. By Tuesday afternoon the snow was all melted and we have had spring like weather every day since. Could Spring be here? We have thourally enjoyed spending time outside in the sunshine. Today after Church we had some fun family time in the backyard. Sterling loved swinging and the bigger kids loved taking turns pushing him. It was a beautiful day…I hope spring is here to stay!
Sterling so happy!
Taking turns.
Some funny facial expressions!
Check out the grip on the ropes…Sterling happily held on for dear life.
Tidbits of wisdom from Sterling.
There are a few things I have to say:
1. Sleep is for wimps! My mom wants me to take two naps a day and sleep at night. I don’t want to miss the action…I am the action! So, I take short naps and wake up lots at night, like I said, sleep is for wimps (and mom’s)!
2. Teething hurts! My mom was right! I am teething and my first tooth came in today. You can’t see it when I smile, but soon I will lose my toothless grin.
3. Thank you Fiona for the special blessing weekend. I really liked having company come. A big thanks to Uncle Justin for taking us out to dinner…I love food!
Love Sterling
Bridget loves to read the same books over and over. If you are in need of an easy read here are her favorites of the month: Pinkalicious by Victoria and Elizabeth Kann and Kiss Me I’m Perfect by Robert Munsch. Happy reading!
Bridget helping with Sterling (He is 7 months old!)
I recently read The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. I quite enjoyed it.
Here are some pictures of our Valentines/Presidents day weekend.
We enjoyed a laid back, relaxed valentines day (Ammon only worked 3 hours!). Bridget got out the children’s songbook and wanted Ammon to play guitar. She has regimented routines…they stick to two songs, and she knows the right pages in the song book…She sings Popcorn Popping and Teach Me To Walk In The Light. Occasionally she can be swayed to try a new song. Singing is usually Dad and Bridget time but, the boys ran to join in on Saturday morning.
Happy Valentine’s Day
Monday, President’s day, we visited the Draper Temple Open House. We had tickets for 4:20…view a 10 minute video…shuttle to the temple grounds…tour…return shuttle to car. I think the kids would have enjoyed it much more if it had not been so crowded…it ended up being 4 hours…YES we got home and had dinner at 7:45 ish! Wow…the next morning Kimball asked, “Why did we go to the temple?” They were excited at first, the bus ride was pretty cool, but the cookies at the end made it better! A very beautiful Temple.
Sterling fell asleep about 5 minutes before the tour ended! He was a good sport and finally gave in to his sleepiness!
Sterling loves to play with the other kids. Here he is enjoying Logan’s lego creations on Friday the 13th.
Tuesday was a very exciting day. Driel had her baby! I was able to arrive at the hospital just a few minutes after the birth and experience the miraculous moments of a brand new baby! What an honor to spend a few minutes with Driel and Evan and their new baby, Fiona. The birth of a new baby is a beautiful joyous miracle. Later, we took the kids to visit their newest cousin! Grandma Diether and Breezy were also at the hospital. We are a loud big group…so we tried to keep the visit short…and can’t wait to visit again.
Fiona, big sister Moriah, and Driel in the background!
Logan holding our big baby Sterling during the visit.
After the visit, Kimball, Calvin, and Logan made the first tracks in the hospital snow! When they got in the car, one of the boys (I think Kimball) said “We were walking on the moon.” A new cousin and making prints on the moon was definately FUN!
Saturday we set up the crib! I cleaned it, Ammon put it together, and Sterling supervised! He loved being the man in charge. I thought having a bigger bed would be good for him, since he is both a chunk and a rolling machine. In the end, we have had little sleep this week and a very tired clingy baby…but maybe tonight is the night he will sleep!!! Keep dreaming 
One thing our tired little boy loves is the big bath tub. An inch or two of warm water and the bottle of baby soap and he is a very happy boy!
Look out advertising world, Sterling is about to take over!