Spring happenings...

I realized I have a lot to catch up on from the spring!  Things are moving right along in our house.  Aliyah finally, at 22 months, gave up the morning nap so we're happy to have our mornings now.  We're also thankful for nice weather so we can be outside!  I forget we have to teach Max to ride a bike.  We have a parking lot across the street that is open all weekend long so we went over one Friday evening and Max did great on Luke's old big wheel.  He loved it.

How blessed are we to share yet another birthday with mom-mom mom-mom!  And happy to help blow out candles of course!

Today we went to the zoo.  We were hoping to meet up with some cousins from Richmond but they had some stuff come up so we postponed a visit with them and decided to go anyway.  Nate stayed back to paint the front porch which needed it desperately and we finally had a nice weekend to do it but my mom and I had a mother's day outing and took the kids.  I am SO blessed to have such wonderful children who we can already take on long day trips.  They travel well in the car, are great while we're out and they're so easily entertained.  They just love everything we do.  And they also take great car naps.  Aliyah will even fall asleep in the stroller and not wake up as I move her to the car.  They were excited to see the elephant and lions and zebras!

Looking for monkeys crossing overhead but he never ventured across...

Love!

They were very excited for the elephant.  Aliyah's face just lit up with every animal she saw!

Touching leopard fur, took a minute but they both got into it.

A highlight, finger eating bear statue...

Not to be left out

Zeeeeba!!!

After countless conversations about there not being dinosaurs at the zoo, this is what happens....

Easter

The best part of our Easter was having our son sing a wonderful Easter Hymn "He Lives" in church.  How wonderful for children to sing about their wonderful risen Savior!

But now lets start at the beginning, eggs....

Then we an Easter party at church, starting with review of Easter week and reading of the Easter story...and on to an egg hunt!

And some birthday cup cakes for our friend.

Easter morning (seems to be turning into Christmas!) 

The Easter bunny hid our eggs we colored.  Max was more into his basket to care much but Aliyah did good hunting then down in the living room.

She got some big girl panties in her basket, wanted to put the whole pack on but I talked her into just one pair...

Testing the gardening tools on the rug.

Max, refusing to wear the nice Easter vest I got him for Easter but still looking handsome:)

Yup, those are my kids!

Could it get cuter??

Grandparents came after naps and brought all kinds of more fun Easter gifts!

A great day celebrating in church and then with my mom, Grandpa Ken, Grandma Diana, Uncle Jim, Aunt Brenda and Brian coming for a nice Easter dinner.

He Lives!!!

March happenings...

Nate surprised Max with a Monster Truck show. He was SO excited. Luckily with the ear covers he was fine and just in heaven!

Our first swim lesson. Aliyah had a cold so she just watched this week but Max and I started a while. It was good, the instructor is great and he did well, no letting go yet but we have 7 more weeks!I think this was February but it was just too cute. He started everyone going over a bridge all the way on the right and then they walked over to the front of the line. A living room parade!

March visit at Ellie's with Grandma and Grandpa Jeff

The first week of March Grandma Melody and Grandpa Jeff came up to Ellie's for a visit. We hadn't seen them since Labor Day week so it was great to catch up when we came down for a long weekend!

We beat the kids home from school Friday so Max and Ali had at all their small toys which we're not used to at our house!

We celebrated Luke's 9th birthday with an awesome tornado cake!

Even had craft time...

And some down time...

And lots of crazy basement play time!

On Saturday it was nice to we went to Downtown Warrenton. Some folks fixed up a really old jail and it's pretty cool (and scarey!) to visit...

The rooms apparently did get very crowded but they probably didn't have to sit UNDER the benches...

Had a snack at the Red Truck Cafe...

And a nap with Grandma:)