Day 121/365~2012

Just a little before school portrait.
The composition (chair, pillow bunny) dictated by the Bug.
We are officially in our last month of pre-school!

Day 120/365 ~ 2012

We made our annual trip to the Tulip Festival!  The combination of beautiful flowers, great weather and fun friends made for a great day!


Our little crew.  We've been going together since Kaitlin was just 8 weeks old.



My 3 little loves.  Known at home as....



"Matty."



"Muffin."



"Kitti."



These two were being silly as we were setting up for the group photo.  This just makes me smile.  They share quite a bond.  I really wonder sometimes how Andrew will cope with Claire dating someday.



While the holding hands in the tulips was totally posed, the sweet look up at Daddy, was not.  Love this photo. 



Some sugar from my boys.



Best hugger ever.



A little Tractor tire fun. 



A highly anticipated moment.



Tromping through the tulips.  The pinky kills me.  So Kaitlin.

We misplaced a child.  Again.  But managed to go home with the same number we arrived with.  So all in all, a successful day!

Day 119/365 ~ 2012

I popped into Kaitlin's room to say goodnight and saw her sitting on Dan's lap reading stories with her bunny ears on.
(Actually, Andrew's from his first Easter).
I ran to get my camera and when I came back they were praying.
Priceless.

Day 115/365 ~ 2012

Kaitlin adores her stuffed animals.
"Terryessa" who was a prize at the fair last summer is one of her favorites.
She's a common companion throughout our days.

Day 114/365 ~ 2012

Laundry is a constant in our house.
A basket awaiting the contents of the dryer beckoned Andrew & Kaitlin one morning.
It became a good place to have a snuggle with one another and their lovies.

Day 113/365 ~ 2012

Sunshine, glorious sunshine!!!
Dan & I cleaned the garage while the kids played.  A task neglected for far too long, we're both relieved it is done.






After dinner while on our way to the grocery store, The Bug & I stopped off at an empty field that she saw so that she could gather dandelions.
Few things delight her more than picking flowers.
I told her "Mamas are never too busy to stop and pick flowers."
Not the complete truth.
While it doesn't happen as much as I'd like, I hope she does grow up remembering her life was sprinkled with spontaneous moments like this.

Day 112/365 ~ 2012

A Portland Timbers game with Mike & Isaiah!
The guys had a fantastic time & returned home very happy.
Matthew's favorite part:  Singing "You are my sunshine" at the 80th minute mark.

110/365 ~2012

The Bug "helped" Daddy (try to) fix the hot water heater.
By blowing bubbles as he worked.
She's in a sweet Daddy phase right now.

109/365 ~ 2012

Dan picked up Kaitlin's puppy (one of her favorite toys) that she had dressed in her doll Elizabeths's ball gown and said, "This is one of the cutest things I've ever seen."

It had to be picture of the day.

108/365 ~ 2012

I'm thankful that homework is so easy with Matthew. His assignment? Build a toy out of recycled goods/supplies from around the house. Not 10 minutes after I told him to work on this, he came up with an idea, and had it built. (The decorating took a little more time). A box, a stick (Andrew had conveniently picked up and brought inside earlier), some paper, a paper clip, rubber band and tape and he built a working catapult.  He has been building things since the age of 3.  A definite trait passed on by his grandfathers.

Day 107/365 ~ 2012

Our little crew on our last morning at the Lodge.  They had such a fun time!!





Kaitlin was such a little fish!  I think she loved this place even more than the boys ~ though Matthew said on the way home that he liked it just as much as Disneyland!  I'm not quite there, but it was fun to see the kids having such a great time and so happy.

Day 106/365 ~ 2012

"Come on kids, we're going to run some errands!"
Little did they know the back of the van was filled with luggage. Two hours later we pulled into the parking lot of Great Wolf Lodge ~ SURPRISE!!!  And some of their very best friends were there with us!  The kids had a BALL.  My favorite quote was from Andrew after he rode the scariest slide at the park (that I only dared to ride once)....
"The (Howling) Tornado was so much fun!  I almost cried!"



A very fun day, indeed!

Day 105/365~2012

Carter's 6th birthday party was today!
Andrew had such a fun time at this great Lego party planned by my sweet friend, Katie.
The "Fantastic Four" ~ four 6 year old boys all in our small group who will probably go down in Sunday School history at our church ~ were all in attendance.  They are GREAT boys ~ who really enjoy one another.  Sometimes a little too much.  :)  I am truly grateful for the presence of these little boys and their families in Andrew's life.
The details of the party were perfectly tended to and the children all had a ball. We were delighted to get to be a part of such a fabulous & fun party!
Happy Birthday Carter!

Day 104/365 ~ 2012

A treasure is found during Matthew's first little league game.
This little girl loves flowers.

Day 103/365 ~ 2012

A dead battery led to an (almost) one mile (round trip) walk to school.
45 minutes, two little handfuls of flowers and a discussion on what types of flowers we can pick (small, prolific ones) and NOT pick (Daffodils!) later we returned home.
It was lovely though...singing birds, I introduced the kids to pussy willows, and a brisk but dry morning walk...I can think of worse ways to start the day.

Day 102/365 ~ 2012

Matthew's first Little League game is tonight!
Well almost.
Rained out.
We'll try again Friday.

Day 101/365 ~ 2012

Muffins with Mom!
Such a special morning with my sweet girl. I was so looking forward to this day and it was wonderful. Kaitlin's answers to her interview questions....
My Mama is "5" years old.
She looks prettiest when "she cuddles me."
If I had a million dollars I would buy her a...."Cinderella dress." (She says "Cinderlella").
My Mama always says..."I love you."
And inside her card it says "My Mom is special because...." Her answer...
"Because she snuggles me and noseys me." (She always says "Nosie nosie" when she wants to rub noses).
We made the above craft together which is supposed to be us. 
I drew her with her little bow, and she put a headband on me. :)

Day 100/365 ~ 2012

Spring break wrapped up, and Monday morning found me baking 300 blueberry muffins with my friends, Shannon & Katie (and 3 others).   We did it, in just over 2 hours!
Helping to prepare for "Muffins with Mom" at pre-school the following day.
The company made the "work" a lot of fun!

Day 99/365 ~ 2012

The kids were SO excited for Easter!  The Easter bunny doesn't bring a lot of candy, but likes to deliver books, games, and little fun things....The kids found plastic eggs hidden around the house and then enjoyed their baskets.



The Bug was dripping in pearls.  She likes to "match mama" so the Easter Bunny delivered on some matching goods. 



The blessings in my life.



I love Easter.  Of course I love all the fun that it brings and frothy pink dresses, but most of all, I love the Easter message.  I love church on Easter morning.  It is my favorite service of the year.  It was so beautiful this year.  The message was great, the choir sang beautifully....It was a lovely, meaningful service.



My loves are growing up.  Two Little men and a little lady.



And I took way too many photos of Katie because the dress, the flower, the gloves, the purse, it was just all too much.  I couldn't help myself.  (And I'd like to point out, in keeping with my Lenton sacrifice ~ no one had new Easter clothes on.  Kaitlin wore her birthday dress, and her gloves/purse were from last year.  Toot toot!  (That was me, tooting my own horn). 



The fun & surprising thing for me about Kaitlin's dress was that it provoked several comments from people my mom's age and how it brought back memories from their childhood.  That was fun to hear.



Daddy helped Kaitlin pick her beloved blossoms.



A delicious brunch at the Hilton with Mike's family and Dale & Glenda, followed by a change of clothes (for some) and playing at the park with cousins!   We were given the gift of sunshine on Easter and it was not lost on us!



The afternoon was spent playing in the back yard & relaxing.  It was a wonderful Easter!