Easter 2013

We had a nice Easter week this year.  You will find way too many pictures are below.  

I tried to narrow them down...so this is the narrowed down version :) 

This was an egg hunt and meet the bunny in our hometown.  There was also a little carnival afterwards.  I think we might make this a tradition, we really loved it!  Layla loves a good bunny (although she will tell you it is just a person dressed up in a costume) and Grady kept pointing the opposite direction.  He liked watching from a distance this year.

We love our miniature train!  They have a one day only Easter train every year.

 

Easter baskets.  The sippy cups were the big hit this year.  Toothbrushes were a hit at Valentine's Day and now sippy cups.  I think both got a squeal out of Grady, too funny.

 

We dyed quite a few eggs this year.  My parents came to help with the first round.  My dad showed the kids how to dye the eggs half and half.  Grady was one enthusiastic egg dipper!  Layla dyed and decorated most of the eggs and ate a lot of hard boiled eggs (hold the yolk, please).

 

Layla loves a chocolate bunny.  If you ask her what she would like in her Easter basket, 

this is always the answer!

Hunting for eggs!

 

 Cousin fun!

 

 

 

Ryan's mom always plans fun Easter games.  This year she was just two weeks out from foot surgery and still planned the games and prizes.  The kids love it.  Poor Verlyn ended up with the "pluck a duck" water on his lap.  Grady is also an overly enthusiastic "pluck a duck" player :)

 

Happy Easter!  We hope you enjoyed your weekend! 

Spring?

I was really doing fine and enjoying winter. 

Until the time change and the daylight after dinner.  And until the kids got the stomach flu a couple times. And then spring technically arrived and patches of snow still sit on the ground....and now I am more than ready for the sickness to lift, lighter coats, shoes without socks and time outside! 

We have been stuck inside a lot.  We have been trying to abide by the 24 hour "symptom free" rule after each bout of sickness and it is just too cold to play in our backyard.  We have been trying to make the most of our time inside.    But don't get me wrong, the t.v. has been on too much.  Grady will finally sit and watch a little cartoon.  He likes to be held the entire time, but it does come in mighty handy when you want to contain vomit to one area.  Too much information?  Sorry :)

Just in case you are cooped up inside with little kids too, here is what we have been doing lately while we have been getting healthy in between Disney Jr. episodes!

Lots and lots of painting!  Painting with shaving cream is fun too.

Our little Layla went to kindergarten registration this week.  We were somewhat on the fence about sending her to kindergarten with her summer birthday but the preschool teacher felt she was ready for the big school.  I cannot believe it is almost here.  Layla did great at registration and after we left she told me we needed a notebook, pencils and new clothes to get her ready for kindergarten!  Sounds like her mom...supplies and clothes!

Playdough.  Both kids are in a big playdough kick right now.  

Moon dough is also very fun.  It is messy but worth the mess.

Water play.  Grady likes two bowls filled with water, floating objects and a spoon.  This keeps him occupied for ten to fifteen minutes, which is great.  Layla likes her water play a bit more involved.  Lily pads (foam), frogs and water in a bin make for a good hour or two of fun for Lay (thanks, Pinterest!).  They both like to fish for letters but Grady is a bit aggressive with the fishing pole.  Not a great fishing partner quite yet!

 

Gotta love free play :) 

Hope you have a healthy and warm weekend!!

In Like a Lion

 

We were hoping for a bit more winter to play in the snow!  I am not quite getting the spring itch yet.  That normally happens after we get a taste of nice weather or head home from a warm vacation.  

No sign of either here :)  So enjoying a bit more winter it is! 

A little snapshot

I still like to take tons of photos. I just forget to post them. Or maybe run out of time. One or the other! 

Here are just a few memorable moments from the last few weeks.

Snow. Snow. And more snow!  I wasn't sure it was ever going to really snow this winter.  And now it keeps on coming!  It has been nice to play in the snow with both kids this winter.  We love having a little hill in our backyard for easy sledding outings.  Oh, and Grady loves marshmallows and finally has some boots that fit.  They may be glittery and Layla's boots, but they fit and he can walk in them!

   

We celebrated our sweet friend Coco's birthday.  Her mom always throws the best parties.  They are different, completely kid-centered and always a treat.  Coco's 4th birthday was pretty fabulous! 

 

And of course we had Shea's 5th birthday.  Cassie throws an excellent party and this year was another great one!  It was a Wild Kratts theme and the party was held at a nature center which fit perfectly with the theme.  The kids saw animals (alive and stuffed), ran around like wild animals (especially Grady) and loved the games and crafts Cassie had planned.  The kids were very funny "activating" all over the place.  

Funniest picture.  Rocking the Wild Kratts vest and face paint :)

We also had a great time at Quinn's second birthday party.  I forgot to bring my camera but it was a really fun party!  If you love Mickey and Minnie and cute kids, check out all the details here.

Grady received his first haircut.  Well, technically second.  I cut his hair right before Christmas, but this was his first real deal.  It was a tiny trim but it really needed to be shaped up a bit.  He was wiggly but did really well and loved the sucker afterwards.

Layla had some more testing done.  We are working with a new neurologist in a new hospital which is in a brand new city.  Layla loved the view from the hospital room.  After some mix-ups and confusion, we needed a fresh start in this area and we are hoping a fresh look at her case will only bring positive 

things for Layla.     

 

Layla is just about done with quiet time and nap time.  She probably rests two-three days a week now.  I can tell when she needs the extra rest, but some days she seems fine.  So we have this new time together while Grady is napping.  Layla likes to play card games, play miniatures and loves to show off new dance moves during this time.  The freezer handle has become her new ballet bar.

 

And we met Laura and Chad's beautiful new Elise and saw big sister Grace.  So sweet!

It has been a fun winter.  I am hoping we still have a little bit more to enjoy before spring.