easter photo strip...

kindness...

 

...after a week of fighting a stomach virus with the boys ending up in a short hospital stay for W.  We are all home now trying to recover and get healthy and enjoying some delicious kindness from family (thanks so much J&C!).

Not what we had planned for this past week or our Easter weekend, but over and over we are shown that is not our plans, but His that matter.

seriously, again?

Honestly, after this post, I thought our LONG winter was going to be finally over...

And it has been a long winter.  I mean, look at the dates of our first and what I thought was the last snowmen of the season...

But it looks like we are in for another shot, as this is the forcast for tomorrow night (April 15).  At least it is only supposed to be an inch, unlike what other relatives of mine who live further north received...

two photos...

Got a few packages in the mail that are making me excited to plan for summer...

...but we need to finish taxes first.

A few things coming up in the yard are making me excited about spring and yardwork...

...and we really need to finish taxes first...

...but that is what the rainy rest of the week is for, right? 

Hope you have a beautiful day enjoying creation...and that you already have your taxes done!

ENOUGH KETCHUP! I am really more of a mayo kind of girl...

OK, so I had a goal of getting caught up on the blog by the end of March.  Yeah that was 6 days ago and I am still a month behind.  I am still going to post about things that happened in March, but I am going to drop the "could I get some catch-up on that?" preface as I am as sick of typing that as I am sure you are of reading it.  So when I post something I will leave it "new" for a while, and then will go back and "back-date" it so it will read in chronological order when you go back. (have done this already for January and most of February if you look).  And I will post new things as well so that not all our news and happenings are a month behind. 

Also, I am toying with the idea of making the blog private and by invitation only, but am not sure I want the hassle or if it would be a hassle to anyone else...any thoughts on that?

two (and four months)...

The busyness and sickness of us and also of our favorite auntie photographer at the beginning of the year led to no 2 yr old photo shoot for little C.  Poor neglected 3rd child!  I came to realize this somewhere in March (another frustration for forgetting!), and thought maybe I could try to get some of him myself.  Well, the following picture is what we got when Momma tried to point the camera at him (he is running away yelling "NO!!!!"):

little stinker...

Well, while we were in NE, I was complaining about this to M & A, and they asked if I wanted them to try.  Well, sure!  And the following pictures are what we get when Auntie A points her very nice new camera at him and asks him if he can smile:

little stinker...=)

Thanks Auntie A!  I am so very thankful for sister-in-laws that will take pictures of my children.  Sometimes having this momma step back from the camera can capture the most precious things about our little peoples.   And I will end with one more of my favorite photos Auntie A took of my 2 yr old with his dadda...

 

this sweet photo may not show it, but our little stinker get it honestly...=)

to NE, to NE, to see a sweet babe...

G had spring break at the tail end of March into April, and we took a wonderful and much-needed trip to the exciting spring break location of Adams, NE.  And there wouldn't have been any other place we would have rather been!  For starters, it is much further south so the thought of not having to wear coats and bringing our sandals along was heavenly.  Next, it was just good to get away all together as a family as it had been a long month.  But lastly and MOST importantly, there was a new baby that we needed to meet and cuddle and coo over!  Our new niece, baby E, was born 2 weeks before, and while we were worried that it might be too soon to subject the chaos that is our family to my brother and more importantly my sister-in-law who was still recovering from E's fabulous birth, we kind of were at a "we can come now or we will see you in June" point in our schedules.  So graciously M & A urged us to come, and even stay with them (we offered to stay at a hotel, but the nearest is 20 minutes away)!  We offered to cook the whole time we were there which they took us up on and we were so glad!  And we had a fabulous time together.  It was so wonderful to be able to meet sweet little E while she was still so small and get plenty of those new baby snuggles and cuddles.  And it was really great to see M & A as new parents (what?!  my baby brother has a baby of his own?!) and talk with them about the whole experience, and just hang out too.  The kids (G especially) were so excited about E and fascinated by her, and were fairly good about not being so noisy and crazy.  Although we were all thankful for M & A's basement and the nice weather outside, so that we had places to throw them when needed.  The kids learned the finer points of ping pong, too, which forever will make Auntie A and Uncle M's house the coolest house ever.  Thank you M & A, for letting us invade when I am sure that you could have used the quiet and rest.  It was a special trip for us and you have such a sweet and beautiful daughter.  We can't wait to see you all again in June!

fascinated with their new cousin

seriously, my baby brother really has a baby?

sweet baby E

so happy for beautiful weather and big spaces to fun and play ball!

oh yeah, S still has the touch!

Ping-Pong!!!

C's between the leg moves...

probably G's highlight of the trip - holding E all by herself for a cousins picture

W just figured out the E would hold his finger if he put it near her hand

cousins!