April Randoms

We had lots of fun in April....

Broccoli Beard...Don't you wish YOU had one?

Wrestling with Dad

Indoor Picnic

Washing Dishes

Bedtime Snuggles

Baby in a Bag

Please, come to Addie's store. I think I've bought everything in it. She needs new customers.

I planted a bulb garden out front. Sometimes I force my children to stare at my work.

Naked shopper! Aisle 2!

Beauty Salon...a current favorite. Don't worry, the scissors are for playdough.

My Dishwasher Unloader

Kitchen Mischief

School Picture Day!

With school comes picture day! Addie got to dress up and wear ribbons in her hair for picture day, so why not have everyone dress up? :)

While Addie was at school having fun with friends (she talks about Brian and Summer when I ask her about her friends), Emily, Elizabeth and I stopped at the Golden Arches for hot fudge sundaes.

And then we wore out our chocolate wiggles playing chase around the house.

A few weeks later when I went to pick Addie up from school, she came running out of the school doors, waving her big LifeTouch envelope. She did a great job smiling for the camera!

Our First People

I've been waiting for this day to arrive, the day when real people made their way into Emily and Addie's artwork. They've told me that shapes in their drawings were people before, but on March 30th, about a month after turning three, Addie was doing some post-breakfast drawing when she produced this lovely depiction of DeeDee.

The artist, hard at work

After seeing my extreme excitement (there was quite a bit of jumping around and giggling) over Addie's picture of DeeDee, Emily decided to try her hand at people-drawing.

Here are Emily's people...

Nice portraits, girls! :)

Playin' With Dad

Weekends with Dad...

Make us happy!

We love you, Dad!

Morning Art

CeeCee and PopPop stayed with the girls while Chris and I went to my cousin Christa's wedding in Sedona, AZ. Emily and Addison made some beautiful thank you artwork to send to Michigan.

While the big girls got creative, Elizabeth played in the kitchen, one of her favorite things to do these days.

New Swimsuits!

Uncle Eric and Aunt Cathy got Emily and Addie Target gift cards for their birthday. We went shopping for new swimsuits with their gift cards, and here's what they picked...

Ever since we brought the swimsuits home, Addie has carried hers around with her like a security blanket. It goes to school with her, to friends' houses, and to bed. She asks about going swimming all the time. The pool opens at the end of May, and we just can't wait.

Crazy Hair Day

Addie's preschool is housed in an elementary school, so they follow the elementary school's schedule, including Spirit Week! So Addie got to wear Crazy Hair to school one Tuesday in March.

While Emily wasn't officially participating in crazy hair day, she opted to go with the uncombed look, which was still pretty crazy

Marching in March

Walking in spring...another one of my favorite things. We have a beautiful trail behind our neighborhood that follows a little creek, and when the weather began warming up in March, we started our spring walks.

Elizabeth's happy to be outside!

Exploring a Cottonwood along the trail

Emily the Explorer

Our view under the tree

We have a tree climber

Hi Bulls!

Spring into Joy

Spring is my favorite season. The days are getting longer, the sun is shining warmer, and best of all, the Earth is coming alive again. The buds on the trees are little miracles, so much life packed into a tiny pod. Some buds are smooth, their shells looking like insect wings. Some are fuzzy and soft, resembling little caterpillars. Some contain leaves waiting for the perfect moment to unfurl, some hide blossoms, pink and white. But the new life of spring isn't just in the trees. Green leaves poke up from the earth, soaking up sunshine for the tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, and lilies that wait below. Robins hop in the yard, searching for worms. Squirrels come to visit, especially after snacks have been taken outside.

Emily takes a sip for herself between watering the lilac bushes

Emily and Elizabeth lay in the crunchy winter grass

Addie brings her notebook outside to write notes in the sun