More Easter

dying eggs

captured this sweet moment of them snuggling on the stairs first thing Easter morning

hunting for eggs and Grandpa and Grandma's house



These two are quite a pair--so cute together. They weren't really up for posing for my camera, though. Too busy!

getting a Grandpa tractor ride



getting a bumpier Kari tractor ride

The best we could do on that bright, sunny day. It was such a beautiful day for Easter-such a treat, but not so good for un-squinty pictures. Got them documented, at least! :)  

 

Resurrection Day

Happy Easter/Resurrection Day! We spent time preparing for Easter this year in ways that I've wanted to but just never was quite able to make happen, and it was really good! We got together with a few families in our neighborhood one evening every other week or so leading up to Easter, had a meal, and did an activity together. This was one of them. I've loved having this as the centerpiece for our table these last six weeks. I think we'll do it again next year.



This was another activity we did. We hid eggs filled with candy in a neighbor's yard and taped this sign to their door. We did it late at night (well, late for our kids 8:45pm). The kids loved sneaking in the dark to do something fun for their friends. Our neighbors loved it, and we were able to invite them to church when we talked to them later. Even if they don't come, it was a wonderful experience for our kids and our family to reach out and do something fun for someone else, in Jesus' name.

 

We're all ready to head to church and enjoy the day. He IS risen, and we are so grateful.

Play time

I've got some other things to post, but I figured, I may as well start with today! We got back from Eagle Crest last night, which made today a laundry day and a day of recovery from all the fun. We went to the playground after lunch to run off some energy and enjoy the sunshine. They had a good time playing together, and I had a good time taking their pictures. I can't get over the cuteness of Grant riding his scooter. I'm going to have to get some video of it soon.

Great Wolf Lodge

Thanks, in large part, to some Christmas money our family received, we took our first trip to Great Wolf Lodge this week. We were too sick at Christmas to use it then and decided to save it for later. So glad we did! I say "first" trip because we want to go back. We liked it a lot! The older two were able to enjoy all the slides. Aubrey could do all but one (wasn't tall enough for the biggest one), and Grant wished he was taller so he could go with the big kids everywhere they went. There was plenty for him to do, too, though. We spent a lot of time in the wave pool.

The kids had a couple days off school, so Greg took a day and a half of vacation, and we spent one night there. We played in the water once we got there, had a nice evening back in our room with some popcorn and snacks. We went to the lodge's "story time" and even got ice cream before bed. The next morning we hit the water park when they opened and played all morning, with one snack break back in our room. We just had a really great time as a family. We were exhausted by Friday afternoon when we left, but it was a good kind of exhaustion--from all the water fun and excitement.

click to make bigger, then click again to see even better
 

Some pics of A & G

Sweet little friends--Aubrey and Abby. Aren't they cute? These were from Valentine's Day, after preschool and before I knew Aubrey had strep throat. She doesn't look sick here, does she? Things quickly went south a few hours later.
 

bustin' up :)
 

Grant's been practicing his scooter on some of these sunny, dry days. He's so cute doing it, and he looks so small next to all the other kids riding around on theirs. We're still working on staying in the driveway and on the sidewalk and NOT in the street. It could be another long summer. Hopefully, he'll learn that we mean it when we say we will bring him inside if he goes in the street.
 

So sweet and innocent-looking. We know your wheels are turning, little dude. :)
 

Who needs a table?
 

The kids painted while I worked in the kitchen cooking/baking (and leaving cupboard doors open--I only noticed it when I saw them in the photo--strange quirk of mine) Noteworthy: Grant painted longer than Aubrey. He's been at it for almost an hour. He's making a big mess now, but he sure is happy!

I was trying to get them to look at me. Before he started laughing, Grant told me, "I kinda busy right here, Mommy."

Happy Birthday, Aubrey Ann!

Five years old today!

Party Weekend for Aubs

Ready for birthday breakfast with Grandpa on Saturday morning

It was a My Little Pony birthday this year, and of course, she had to choose a pony with all the colors of the rainbow for her cake, which meant lots of frosting colors and decorator bags/tips. The things we do for our children...Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were the featured ponies.

With Caroline in their matching ballerina outfits.

just sitting and chatting with Grandma

Aubrey had a wonderful time at her family party, but you wouldn't have known it from her face and attitude that afternoon. She was a rather ungrateful gift receiver. We forgot to give her the gift-receiving pep talk we usually give the birthday child before each party, and it showed! Oh dear. After most people had left, and she was going through her gifts, we got to see her excitement and that she really did appreciate each and every gift. We'll make sure we do better with that next year. I started thinking, though, about how it really was representative of how life with Aubrey has been lately. We have been in constant battles over attitude and respectful, cheerful obedience. Our little girl who used to be so easy has asserted her independence and decided to not be so easy anymore. It's going to be ok. We are prepared to succeed in this and determined to help her work through these issues, but it sure has been difficult lately! I'm looking forward to this next year with our five-year-old. She's got a big year ahead of her with kindergarten and all.  Aubrey has always been a delightful girl with a bright smile, a love for people, and a sensitive heart. She is full of fun...when she's not being a stinker. We joke about how she's 5 going on 15, but we really want to be able to enjoy that future 15-year-old, so we are going to work hard now to make sure we can! Aubrey Ann, we love you so much. We always will. Happy birthday to you!

 

Savvy Joel

Conversation after dinner between Kari and Joel, overheard by Greg:

Joel: "Hey Kari, we need to have a cookie."
Kari: "Oh, yeah! Let's ask Mommy."
Joel: "No, not Mommy. She's grumpy. Let's ask Daddy."

Good thinking, Joel. I was grumpy--sick and grumpy. Makes me wonder how often conversations like this occur in our house. There are four of them and two of us, probably happens pretty often!

My Valentines

It's a sniffly Valentine's Day for us--colds all around and sinus issues--but we're making the day special anyway. Kids woke up to valentines from Daddy (and Mommy, but Daddy gets all the credit this year) and had a yummy breakfast of cinnamon rolls, eggs, and sausage. They were all very excited to go to school and have their parties. I almost kept Aubrey home because I think she's developed a sinus infection and woke up feeling and looking not so great, but her tears convinced me to let her go to preschool this morning and then call the doctor.

I like the "homemade" valentines we did for the kids' classes this year. I've wanted to do the lollipop one ever since I saw it on Pinterest a couple years ago. It was super easy, and they turned out great. Joel opted for the Lego Star Wars one instead of the photo. He liked the glow stick light saber idea. We did tape candy on the back, though, because, according to Joel, it just wasn't a valentine without candy!

Look at all of them! Just think how many there will be when Grant is in school and does 'em, too! Oregon really needs to do something about these class sizes.

Kari making cookies with a Grant-monkey on her back.

We've been calling them "the twins" lately. Their toddler pictures look so much alike. Kari is a wonderful big sister. She can calm him down better than we can sometimes. She's going to be a good babysitter in a couple years--can't wait!

I am thankful, oh so thankful, for all four of my little valentines, but I have to give a shout-out to my big valentine. He has been pretty amazing this last week. I was able to go on our church's women's retreat this last weekend (a wonderful time away with friends and no responsibility, cooking, or cleaning), and Greg was super dad, spending the weekend taking good care of the kids, one sick kid, even, coaching and going to basketball games, and getting everyone to church on Sunday.  I came home sick from the retreat on Sunday afternoon and was worthless that day and for most of this last week.  I married a pretty great man--a wonderful husband who gives me grace when I fail and when I'm down and a wonderful dad to our kids, so fun and so capable. I've never put much stock in Valentine's Day--I expect to love and be loved EVERY day of the year--but the kids sure do love it, and I did appreciate the chocolates waiting for me this morning. :) Happy Valentine's Day!

*Update: Took Aubrey to the doctor this afternoon. She does, indeed, have a sinus infection (not contagious), but she also has strep (highly contagious)! Bad mom and member of society for sending her to school and exposing all of her preschool class to strep throat! I didn't know, but still...
We can't seem to stay away from strep around here--3 kids with it in Dec, Kari two weeks ago, and now Aubrey. We're going through a lot of toothbrushes!

Sunny Winter Day

Yesterday afternoon was so unusually warm (in the sun, at least) that Aubrey and Grant were able to jump on the trampoline without coats and even played in the sandbox. Some of the sand was a little wet, but they didn't mind. They played for a long time out there and came inside filthy but happy.

"...they roared their terrible roars and gnashed their terrible teeth and rolled their terrible eyes..."
Grant loves this book. Aubrey has it memorized, so she read it to him--twice--and with the same inflection I use when I read it to him. :) He asked her to do it again, but she said two times was enough. It's funny to me that we've had this book since Kari was little, and yet none of the other kids have ever liked it. They thought it looked too scary. Not so with Grant; it's one of his favorites. He's our little "wild thing."