Catching up

Sorry it's been a while. I'll try to catch up with a few things. Nothing too exciting - just everyday stuff. Well, actually we did have an earthquake a couple of weeks ago. No, it wasn't the wind, the construction outside, a storm, or a tornado (our husbands did try to convince us more instinctive women that it was any one of these things). It was a real live earthquake. Everything was fine with us. My sister lives almost right at the epicenter so she had some damage at her house but nothing too too serious.

So the sun did decide to shine again and we were THRILLED to say the least! We've been spending the few nice days we've had off and on outside in the cul-de-sac playing and chatting with our way cool neighbors. It's so so nice to just walk outside and have instant friends to hang out with (for us and the boys!). I'm sure I've mentioned this before, but we just feel so blessed to have moved into such a great neighborhood - all of our neighbors are so nice and fun. Did I mention there are 20 kids on our street? And at least one more moving in a few months from now. These pictures are from a day that we decided to walk to the park (another perk for us in the neighborhood). Elliott keeps reminding Brian that he promised to teach him to ride without training wheels this summer, so stay tuned for that.

After the pool incident with Ethan this winter I decided the boys had to take swim lessons before our pool opened, so here's the little guy himself. He only acted scared the first 1/2 of the first lesson and then all was good (especially after he got to go down the waterslide at the end of the lesson). I think his teacher and other classmates for sure would agree that he does not need any extra instruction in kicking. The other kids just automatically turn their heads now when it's his turn to swim - think they've been splashed one too many times?

A couple of weekends ago we got to meet up with the Maeders! They were in town for a Supercross race - Dylan's passion! Their boys are super sweet - Ryan even let me hold him for a while. Brian and Chris are good friends from Orlando, and Chris happened to marry Kristen, who's from Indiana so hopefully we'll get to see them more since we've moved closer. We used to hang out together in Orlando before anyone had kids - I just kept thinking it was so strange for the four of us to be pushing a stroller around and chasing little boys now. And here's my latest adventure.....Amber is moving to Champaign so I got to go house hunting with her last weekend and we found this cute house (as well as many others!). Hopefully all goes well and we'll be moving her into this very house very soon!

Chicago

My neighbors invited me along for a girls' weekend in Chicago this past weekend and it was so much fun!! We went to see Wicked - yes, I finally saw it, and yes, I understood it even though I've never seen The Wizard of Oz. Our hotel was really cute and the shopping did not disappoint us! We even finally found a Chicago hot dog, and it was worth the 2 hour search. I love that these girls are my neighbors - they are so sweet and it was so fun to get away with them and laugh all weekend!

Happy Easter!

This may be the strangest weather for Easter...it's snowing outside (see below). But it's been a good one. The boys were excited to find Nerf dart guns in their baskets from the Easter Bunny this morning - Elliott was amazed that the Easter Bunny could carry around such huge gifts for people (even though they're really not that big). And we went to church and then came home and ate leftovers from the Hosselton Easter get-together yesterday. It's really been pretty low-key. Brian is actually giving the boys a saxophone lesson as I'm writing this - watch out Kenny G!

Anyway, hope everyone is having a great Easter!

...and it also snows on Easter

This is what we woke up to this morning. I had no idea it was supposed to snow so I was really surprised when I peeked outside. This poor planter really needs some new life with some color....hopefully soon the chance of a freeze will be over and we can have flowers to look at! My Grandma always tells us that if it rains on Easter we're supposed to have 6 more Sundays of rain - I hope the same is not true of snow.

The sun does shine in March!

Yes, this is the 3rd blog entry today. I'm in a mood. Actually a good mood cause the sun is shining! We've had snow, 70 degrees, 30 degrees, floods and finally another day of sunshine this month. It's been raining for two days straight and the boys have been on Spring Break.....being cooped up in the house is not a fun way to spend your vacation (for kids or parents!), so the boys and I headed to our favorite park today. Apparently many other parents had the same feeling I did since the parking lot was full and people were parking on the street! We had a fun time and now the boys are resting....I'm not sure which is better.

Spring Fever

We definitely have Spring Fever around here. My mom and dad just got back from warm, sunny Texas where they were visiting with my aunt and uncle who just got back from Hawaii. And two of my cousins just got back from a Caribbean cruise and a trip to Puerto Vallarta. Aaahhhhhhh.......they all sounded so nice and warm and sunny and relaxing. Brian and I are still trying to decide where to go to celebrate our 10th anniversary and seeing all of their pictures makes me want to go NOW!!

But since we're still here in rainy, cloudy, cold Missouri we decided to make the best of it and head to the Magic House. It was definitely worth the trip....and the sun was even shining when we left!

Another Buttered Nose

The boys (all of them) got me good this time! You know how you never want to be the first one asleep at a slumber party? Well, apparently you don't want to be the last one to wake up on your birthday - yes, because you will wake to the awful feeling of butter on your nose, a little mischievous laugh and a flash going off in your face! There are no good pictures so you'll have to use your imagination, but I'll help you out by saying that it wasn't pretty!

On a good note, though, Brian and Ethan (who's always up for helping in the kitchen) made me birthday pancakes and Amber came down to spend the day with me!