Swallow Family Blog : April 2024

In 2017, while we lived in Tremonton, Rexburg, was in totality for a Solar eclipse.

In April 2024, DFW was going to be in totality again! I had some family that lived in Menan, ID for the last one and wanted to know all the best details of how to see this one. We invited them to stay with us and we went to Epic Park in Grand Prairie to be as close as possible with the least amount of crowds! The weather wasn't too hot and the park wasn't too crowded. There were many clouds for most of the morning, but they disappeared just before totality. We had about 3 mins of totality. Let me tell you, it was one of the coolest things I've ever seen.

We kept the kids home from school and had a great day. We went the long way home, because EVERYONE told us the traffic would be bonkers. We believed them, in Tremonton we lived very close to the highway and saw all the traffic coming back after the Eclipse in 2017. The long way home took us right by Buc-ee's so we just HAD to make a pit stop.

March and April are perfect for fishing. Tyler tries to get as much in as he can before the heat really settles in.

Baseball is just go go go! We are about halfway through and it's just busy busy busy! Grayson FINALLY got one of his big "dingers" in a game. He plays such a tough mental game. It was exciting to seem him trust the practice that day. He has such a positive attitude in the dugout and he got a great hit! His coache's gave him the game ball!

Lyla's team in driving forward and they get better every game! We have our fingers crossed that there may be a championship ring in her future!

Nolan is always getting better! His friend plays short-stop and we all know short stops are known for their "drip". He keeps sharing with Nolan and they are having a blast.

Nolan's team got permission to practice on our high school field a few times. It is unreal how nice it is and how much money Texas puts into their sports program. Someone was telling me that our high school has 6, yes SIX separate gyms.

Lyla's class went on a field trip to the zoo. Tyler once again got to be field trip dad. He's soo good at it and the kids love that day with him. Also, Fort Worth Zoo is the best!

Lyla is just the coolest. She makes funny faces and knows how to be herself!

When I was a kid, we had a family in our ward who lived on the property where Bear World is now. I have such good memories of that family! The mom, Susan was MY primary singing leader and she gave me a few years of piano lessons that allowed me to keep progressing at the piano on my own when I could no longer take lessons. She's the reason I can play "Jessica's Theme". As soon as we bought our house, we learned that her daughter, Shila was going to be in our ward here in Texas. I got to reconnect with her and love her kiddos in Primary. She had her 3rd baby and her mom came to visit! It was wonderful visiting with her for a bit and being grateful for her!

In February, I learned that our district DOES NOT have a strings program! I was HORRIFIED! I have to "allow" Grayson to... be in....... band. The middle school hosted at try-out day where kids could try every instrument that interested them and the expert could help them decide if it was a right fit for them. Grayson did so great. He was told he could pick any instrument he wanted, save the trombone, because his mouth was a bit too small. I took a picture of him trying every instrument, but the one he actually choose. The French Horn! He is very excited and I'm excited to see him learn something new!

Nolan finally got to show off his PACE project at our school district's, "Night with the Experts". It was for ALL the elementary schools in our district. So 11+ schools with all their students made for a VERY packed High school cafeteria. And the cafeteria here is HUGE!!! We saw a lot of friends from church and enjoyed the evening. PACE has been fun to watch Nolan enjoy!

Nolan's team had a photographer out again and we got a lot of awesome shots back! I'm so impressed by his skill and I can't pick any favorites, so you get to see as many as I could justify, which is too many.

Our April ended with the coolest surprise! We have always wanted Quigley and Cora to have a litter. We've never stopped them, but never noticed a true "tie". In early April, we began to suspect that Cora was pregnant, We counted days and waited and waited. On the morning she gave birth, she had her first pup just in time for the kids to see. We had one more and have two of the cutest little girl pups! We named the black tri, Mackenzie and the blue merle, Muffin. IYKYK. Cora is following her name sake and we can't touch them if she's in the house, but so far she's being a great mom!