Her boys

 

She watches for Bubba's bus all day long.  Sometimes I think she thinks he just rides the bus all day and then it eventually brings him home.  I cant imagine what next year will be like when Joel goes off to school too.  She loves her Bubba but Joels her best buddy and they are always together getting into just about anything together. 

Friends

We have really missed Laura and the kids this past year.  We used to meet at Fun Forest each week when the weather was nice and after they moved I tried it once or twice with the kids and they would start crying, I would be crying so we just didnt go there anymore.  I did take Joel and Norah the other week and I think time was good for us because none of us cried.  BUT we've gotten to see Noah twice and then this past week Laura and the rest of the kids stopped by when they were in town.  It was so good to see them

These girls both love jewelry.  Elsie was so cute when she saw Norah's collection of jewelry.  A kindred spirit for our girly Norah.  They were so cute looking at each other and giggling.  So sweet.

 

The best part was when Noah spent the night with us.  Colin and Noah were in the pull out couch and it was well after 11pm and we could still hear them talking.  So Brent went into the kitchen to hear what they were talking about.  And he came back and said they were having deep conversations for a 7 & 8 year old - peer pressure and what its like to not do what the other kids are doing. (for colin it was not being allowed to play violent video games) It made me really glad that Colin has someone he can talk to about that and then sad that Noah lives so far away. And then also a little sad that these boys are old enough to be having those conversations.Seems like yesterday they were two little boys who were into thomas the train.

 

 

Rocking chair

 

 My grandpa made sarah and I these rocking chairs when we were little.  The kids love rocking in them when we go over to my parents house and if our house wasn't so small I'd take mine back with me.  But this weekend I thought I'd get some pictures of the Norah and the boys in it. 

 maybe another day....

Easter Egg Hunt

 Clearly the kids were so excited about taking pictures with their parents yesterday. 

 Our egg hunt got cancelled because of rain saturday so we had one before church yesterday.  Brent and I got there early so we could help put out all the eggs and while the boys watched Colin exclaimed that it wasn't a hunt.  We had lied to him - it was an egg run since the eggs were just put out in the middle of a huge empty field. So then he started to announce to the kids as they started arriving that they had all been lied to and it wasn't an egg hunt. I had to stop that fast.  Oh Colin....next year we will have a real egg hunt and make you work for your eggs. 

 It didnt stop him from having fun.  He ran to a spot where none of the other kids were and filled his basket pretty fast.

 Which is funny to me because Colin could care less about the candy. We still have valentines candy in his bag that he wont eat. Hes not a big sweet person - Joel and Norah are and will probably eat the candy Colin doesnt get to. 

 Norah found a piece of chocolate on the ground when she was helping me put out eggs for the next group of kids. 

 So then she went with the older kids and not her age group.  She found a few eggs and put them in her basket. 

 It was hard to get her to go get more eggs since she was so proud of those 3 or 4 and then opened them and started eating them. 

 I think she realized when she sat down with the boys she probably should've gone to get more eggs

 But thats ok since Joel and Bubba found plenty. 

She'll just try to help herself :) 

Spring Break

Colin heads back to school this morning.  So sad.  It was really nice having him home all week.   

And I'm pretty sure he's having a hard time actually getting dressed every day.  He spent half of spring break in his bathrobe.  He even ran errands one day with me in it and we went to get ice cream one night.  Both times I looked over at him and he hadn't gotten dressed like I had thought.  He had just put his coat over his bathrobe!

And now the countdown to summer vacation begins!

UNO

 The kids are big into playing UNO lately. 

 Joel is very proud he can play all by himself

 Colin learned how ruthless MaMa-maa can be when playing

 Joel doesnt like to lose. Or draw extra cards. 

 Good times :) 

 I think MaMa-maa made Colin draw at least 16 cards this one particular game. 

At the end of the night everyone was playing UNO. 

River/Marsh walk

  Colin had a little attitude for the beginning because he wanted to go swimming in the cold river. 

 I'm pretty sure he will change his tune when swim practice starts in a few weeks in the cold pool :)

Hiking

We went to Newport News Park with my parents last monday.  Colin is a great hiker and couldve hiked for hours.  Joel - not so much.  Norah got into it when she got her own walking stick but she walked through some mud puddles and ended up walking maybe a mile barefoot after her shoes got wet.  She didnt want her wet shoes on. Tough feet on my little girl.  

 

The funniest part was at the end the trail split two ways - one way led back to the car and the other was a several mile hike through the swamp.  Colin wanted to take the swamp trail. Joel was done at that point.  So Grandpa told Colin that they would come back and hike the swamp trail together another day.  Joel then exclaimed "yeah when I'm not with you!!!"  haha oh Joel.  Sometimes its frustrating to motivate him to do something but most of the time I admire that he will never let anyone get him to do something he doesnt want to do. 

Doggie Birthday Party