Heading down down down...

Well, we had a trip planned during Max's spring break and so many things happened before then.  For one, Max's spring break was almost non-existent due to make up snow days.  Then the BEST news is that Nate got a great corporate promotion.  He is now a Marketing Analyst.  He beat out many other applicants and he and his direct boss both got moved over into this pretty new department under an old director who he really likes.  We're thrilled for this opportunity.  He is able to work mostly out of the local Harrisburg office again (after having to have traveled back to York for the last 9 months or so again).  And he can also do some work from home.  He does have a bit of travel which we're getting used to, but we pull through and are just very proud!

That being said, our trip got all moved around but worked out really well in the end. We picked Max up from school on a Thursday and made our way all the way to Charlotte to Uncle Parker and Aunt Joan's.  In the morning we got up, took our time a little and headed to my dad's  for a nice visit and lunch just near the SC border and on the way to Atlanta.  

We had a nice visit at my dad's as it was a beautiful day and we loved getting outside!

Then by dinner we were at Emma and Luke's!!! Grandma Melody and Grandpa Jeff also were able to come in so we had a wonderful long weekend all together.  Lots of play and craft time of course!

 And we enjoyed an Easter Egg hunt in the back yard scoring lots of candy!

On Friday while Luke and Emma were in school we headed in to the Legoland.  Except for dealing the the field trip kids it was really cute, a few rides, movie, lego play.  The kids had lots of fun and enjoyed spending their savings on some new lego toys:)

We had LOTS of fun time in the back yard and on the river.  What a beautiful location with endless fun!

Also enjoyed a fun rock playground area.

Then, since Nate began his new job Monday morning his bench buddy drove him to the airport Sunday evening while the kids and I stayed one last night.  After rush hour Monday we got on our way and headed about 4 hours to Charlotte.  We had an absolutely beautiful day and enjoyed lots of outdoor fun on the hill at Uncle Parker and Aunt Joan's.  On Monday we got up, did a little sightseeing in Charlotte, made a visit to the Concord Mills mall and made the trek all the way back home.  It was about 15 hours total driving in the 2 days just the 3 of us, but the kids were amazing!  I'm so proud of them, we had nearly perfect weather (sad to watch the temp drop the farther north we got though), no traffic and it was a really nice drive.  The thing that held us up most was how long it took at each stop when I had to get both out/in and all 3 of us go one at a time to the bathroom.  It's a lot easier to split that up.  We were happy to be home and reunited with daddy by bed time. 

We still miss them living 2 hours away in Northern VA a LOT but it was a great trip spending time with family and just getting away.

Some photo shoot pics!

 

Yup, still winter...

It's been a looong one for sure!  Today is the first day of spring.  Today we got a few inches of wet snow.  Luckily it stayed just above freezing so the roads were clear, but as much as I love snow, it's getting old!  To top off our winter of illness, Max is now on his 3rd (well 4th considering he had two ear infections, and Bronchitis in the Fall) round of antibiotics.  Today he was diagnosed with strep for the first time.  We've had a lot of first this year, I'd be happy if the illnesses were "lasts".    

Few other bits of news- we had Max's conference for the winter.  He's doing great!  He's almost through all his kindergarten words and can then move on to 1st grade level.  He's doing great reading all his books he brings home and will start now on his Level 1 read books we have in our collection.  You can tell it just really hit him in the last few weeks and he reads everything, like signs, labels, etc... He is also doing well with math and is looking forward to doing money counting soon.  Two days after the conference he came home and told us Mrs. Hotsko was "proud at him".  She had his one on one assessment and asked him to read a new book he'd never read and he "breezed through it" which at that point (not sure how far she'd gotten with assessments) he was the top reader in his class.  We're so proud of him:).

We did wrap up basketball season the other week.  I'm really glad he enjoyed it and it was a good thing to get him out one hour a week, but I will be sure next year (especially since Aliyah wants to play and can be on the team too) to get a much better coach.  It was really a wasted opportunity for him to learn some basics.  Proud he stuck it out and had fun all the while!.

Daddy's last year in his 30's:)

Max finally had his turn for "Student of the Week" (show and tell each day, line leader, special helper, etc..).  The first day just happened to be Dr. Seuss's birthday so they had PJ day that day too.  Lucky for him he tagged another day on to the next week.  As it turned out that week held 3 delays, 1 early dismissal and one all together missed snow day!  He didn't mind though as he loves his extra time at home to play.

The trip that got postponed way too many times cause of sick kids, we had a fun day hitting up Ikea (kids can play in the play room for an hour) and Trader Joe's.  Always fun to get more organizing storage bins!

The other week Harrisburg Christian School put on The Little Mermaid.  A bunch of church friends ended up all going on one evening.  The show was great and the kids just LOVED it.  They needed to have their pictures taken with all the characters afterwards, who needs Disney World?!?!

And more snow...haven't seen the yard in months.

She's hard core, the new VBS music came in and it was so much dancing she declared it 'exercise' and got her sweat bands (she has wrist ones on as well!)

On Monday Aliyah, missing her supposed to wear green (cause St. Patrick's Day was Tuesday but she doesn't have school Tuesday) became obsessed with a new holiday for her that truly means nothing to the rest of our family.  She was irritated that I had the Easter decorations up, how could I so easily skip over this other holiday that came first!  So all decked out in her green on Tuesday she at least got a milkshake with my mom to celebrate...

On yet another snowy Saturday we first got in a birthday party at the trampoline jump place Sky Zone with my girlfriend from work's family.  It was the prefect way for the kids to get all their energy out before being snowed in yet again.

So it finally warmed up a little bit, but there is still so much snow it will take a bit for it all to be gone.  Snow boots on yet, we headed to Wildwood for a little nature walk.  Nate got a new camera for his birthday and did a great job for his first time trying it out!

A boy and his sticks...

Quote of the week-

Aliyah was sensing my frustration in the car on the way to school the other day.

A: What can I do for now on?
Me: I just want you to do a better job listening.
A: I wish I was a hamster.
Me: Why?
A: Being a human is tough!

It's not that she is purposely not listening, it just takes her SO long and she gets so distracted along the way that nothing I ever ask seems to get done!  The trials of a 4 year old!