spring has sprung

It's 77 degrees today! the shorts are out for good and just in time for Easter and conference weekend!  As much as I'm nervous to see hot weather on the horizon- this spring stuff is wonderful.  Ikey loves it too.  Here's the kiddo trying to pick up some M&Ms from the grass. He could NOT get his grubby little fingers to differentiate between the candy and the grass!


















He decided to try the easier approach of begging off friends- but as you can see from taevin's face- he was not willing give up his m&ms.  I love the picture.  Ike just kept pointing and patting his belly (signing please). 

Aunt Melynda got here last night and the two rugrats have been smiling and laughing ever since. First thing after she arrived, she took them to pick out some toys.  Zeb was ecstatic to get hungry hungry hippos.  He played with it for two hours non stop last night and then SLEPT with it.  The best part of it is that he'll play all four hippos by himself.

Ike chose some balls- because that's all the kid ever wants. I'll get some pictures later today.

We love having family come to visit- and it's even better that she left SNOW to come to the warmth. Usually when people come to Toledo they leave better weather and have to deal with freezing wind chills or rainy days!

I blog when I'm bored!

and with Kent home the past full four days we haven't been bored in the slightest so I haven't blogged a bit!
we've been working out, cleaning house, running in the park, and playing like crazy (the weather is GREAT!).   Last night we wanted to go and do something crazy- but couldn't come up with much and settled with Chuck e cheese.  I haven't been since I was a kid and I figured that Zeb and Ike would love the place.  We ended up getting a fab coupon online- and then the token machine was broken so the employee gave us TONS of extra tokens.  We'll be able to go back a few times with the ones we didn't use!

My point and shoot camera still takes rotten pictures- so I apologize.  Ike and Zeb LOVED the rides and the games.

and they also loved the creepy singing robots.  Ike couldn't get enough of them.  The whole evening brought back all sorts of strange memories. Espeically the smells of everything!  Every chuck e cheese in the whole world must smell the same.

 We didn't eat there because the food prices are INSANE.  I don't think that Zeb and Ike even knew they had food.  The lights and music and games kept them sufficiently distracted.  The night was well worth the few dollars it cost us.  They especially loved this kiddie roller coaster simulator.

The rest of Kent's spring break should be even more exciting :)  Melynda shows up tomorrow and then we've got all sorts of fun stuff planned!  Hopefully I'll have lots of pictures to post.

sad little monkey

This kid sure knows how to put on a sad face.  We'd been at meijer and he lost his free cookie privilege because he gave me the nasty scream (his new favorite way to try and get my attention when I'm busy).  This was the face he put on when he asked about the cookie AGAIN at home and I reminded him about the bad choice he'd made at meijer.

and a side view just so you can see the lip sticking out. Kent tells me he used to do the same face and his mom would ask if a little bird was going to come and perch on his lower lip.

This monkey was saaaaad.  I hope he remembers the lesson next time he wants to scream at me.

easter egg hunt

We had our annual easter egg hunt playgroup yesterday and the kiddos had a blast.  This is the first year we've actually been able to do it outside - and it was much better than in the church halls :). And we lucked out that we chose yesterday.  It may possibly snow tonight and the weekend is supposed to be pretty chilly.

Plus, this year Zeb actually had a real easter basket. Last year I got grief for this picture (his plastic sack).  I am a cheapo and sometimes it shows up in my parenting.  But really, I don't think that Zeb noticed either way. 

Zeb continued talking ALL DAY about the eggs he found at the park. Ike just ran around and watched all of the older kids play.  He also found a stash of jelly beans and went HOG wild. It was so sticky and messy.

our night at the brewery.

I love new adventures and meeting new people and being in new places.  With that being said- living the transient life has it's downsides as well. I feel like as often as I'm making new friends and having great experiences- I'm saying goodbye to friends and experiences as well! I guess that's the trade off.

We went to dinner last night with a group of friends to celebrate birthdays, the arrival of spring, and to welcome the new season of moveouts. A lot of great people are leaving toledo soon and it's terribly sad. Our evening last night, however, was anything but sad.  Who needs alcohol when you can have chocolate cake and good food and great company?!  I guarantee I can laugh as hard and act as stupid as any drunk person.

We missed everybody who couldn't make it! 

I'm finally back to the computer.  We had a wild weekend and I've had a crazy busy day already so far!

I filled out all of my paperwork for my new job!  I'm going to teach a boot camp class- and possibly some cardio circuit or stroller cardio classes at the YMCA. I'm so so excited. I've been wanting a job for some time now- and this will be PERFECT! They'll PAY me to work out and watch my kids for free. You certainly can't beat that deal.

Then I went and got my trash kicked in my art class. I've been taking an adult art class and today was rough. We worked on drawing folds, creases, and other ridiculously hard things.  I'm not sure I've got the patience to be an artist.  One of these days I'll include some of my work, but for now I'm just getting the hang of it. 

Also this morning we sent off Laney, Taylor and Henry. Through sobs zeb managed to squeeze out:  "I want to go to New York with Heeeeenry!!!".  He was devastated as he watched them pull away.  It's kind of sad now that he knows what he's missing with all of his cousins living so far away.

They came for the big birthday weekend and it was wonderful. One of my favorite birthdays yet- and it was even on a sunday! Thank-you EVERYone so much for all of the cards, gifts, well-wishes, etc.  I do love attention on my birthday.

Henry and Zeb loved being together and did really well.  Ike and Henry are actually closer in age- but right now Ike just drives them both bonkers.

When laney got here she told us the real reason that they came was to go to Gap maternity.  She gets a fab discount and it's the closest gap maternity store to Buffalo! Luckily the gap is also near restaurants and we went and celebrated at Red Robin. It was so great.  We didn't take any kids and it was so nice to eat out without them!!  Probably the best gift I got this year. Plus, our meals were FREE. Red robin gives you a whole free meal and ice cream for your birthday. Can't beat that either.  We couldn't get a single decent picture, though.  I'm not sure what the deal is with Laney- but when she comes I can't stop laughing. It isn't like we are laughing about anything that funny, either. We just giggle a lot.

Sunday was perfect, too. Kent did everything. Made breakfast (and got me nutella). Took care of the kiddos at church. Made dinner. Made my birthday cake. And cleaned the house a zillion times, too.  Thanks, ralph. I loved every second.

Zeb LOVED the texas sheet cake, too.  Who doesn't though?  I've got a REALLY hideous picture of Laney and me with the cake but I don't think it needs to be blogged. I'm still considering it for a later date, however.  It's pretty stinking ugly.

 And finally- laney's preggo picture.  I made her make a heart shape on her burgeoning belly.  We are both opposed to hand/heart shapes on the belly AND burgenoning belly pictures for that matter.  I can't believe she even let me take it. She's going to KILL me for posting it.  Happy Birthday, Laney.

Ike can't keep his tongue in his mouth!  I don't know if it's because he's just figured it out- or because he's still got a zillion teeth half way in- or what! but he's been walking around with it out ALL day long.

He had his first friends over to play today and couldn't keep his tongue in then, either.  I tried to get a good picture of these three but it was impossible.  They are all just a few months apart- youngest to oldest from left to right. 

 We went to the park after naps and Ike's tongue problem only got WORSE.  He disappeared for a moment and I found him under the playground equipment, LICKING all of the poles. Luckily some friends brought some suckers and one of those kept his tongue busy for quite some time.