Easter 2011

Easter 2011...

The long Easter weekend started out with Caleb's Egg Drop on Thursday with his kindergarten class at his school. Caleb was so excited for this event....he decorated his box, and in it I put an egg in it's plastic baggie, and then filled all around it with bubble wrap. I thought for sure his egg was going to survive the 20 foot drop off the side of his school, and so did Caleb. But that was not the case...when Caleb got back in his classroom after the eggdrop, all the kids eagerly opened their dropped boxes to see how there eggs faired. Caleb's was broken and his clear baggie showed all the yellow yolk. As much as I wanted Caleb to have an unbroken egg to be proud of, it actually worked out just the way it should have. I say this because, it was Caleb's reaction that followed seeing his broken egg that made me so very proud of him. He laughed, showed his teachers and classmates his yolk filled baggie, and was just having fun no matter what the outcome... a great attitude to have in life:)

Thursday evening Caleb & Ava dyed easter eggs at our house.

Friday evening Caleb & Ava dyed easter eggs at Grandma Mary and Grandpa Albie's.

Saturday was Easter with the Eid's at Grandma Debbie and Grandpa Terry's.

Sunday- Caleb and Ava had an egg hunt in our backyard...thank goodness Caleb didn't want to peak, and kept Ava from peaking, so I had the chance to hide eggs, along with their gifts from Easter bunny on top of our swingset. Ava got Angelina Ballerina, and Caleb got Percy- Thomas the Train.

We then headed over to Shakopee to my parents house where we had lunch, another egg hunt and fun day.

There was a first this Easter...Craig was not with us, him being in Virginia training. I was able to get him on my iphone via facetime, so we could all see him and he see us:)

Sunday afternoon- Shakopee

Sunday morning- Our house

Saturday- Eid's

Friday- G. Mary & G. Albie

Thursday afternoon- Egg Drop- Edgewood School

Thursday evening- our house

My Birthday Wish

Today is my husband Craig and my birthdays! Yes, we share the same birthday April 27, but have 4 years apart in our birth year- Craig being older:) I still remember so clearly our very first date in August 1999. We were eating dinner at Chili's and talking about ourselves, when I said "My birthday is April 27"...to which Craig said "That's my birthday too"! We didn't believe eachother at first until we pulled out our driver's licenses to prove it to eachother:) This is our 12th birthday together, however this is the first birthday we will not spend together, being that Craig is in Virginia training for his new job. We have already spoken by phone today and emailed to wish eachother happy birthday, and tonight we will see eachother via iChat on the computer. Just hearing Craig's voice and seeing his handsome face on the computer tonight makes my birthday great today.... As a wonderful surprise, I was home from between picking up Ava from preschool and getting Caleb ready for the bus for kindergarten, when I found a box on our front step today. I first wondered what it could be, because I hadn't ordered anything lately. And then I opened it to find a beautiful bouquet of a dozen red roses! 12 roses for 12 birthdays together:)

Caleb's 1st baby tooth falls out!

Today was the day....Caleb lost his first tooth! It had been very wiggly for a good week or two, and ready to fall out any time. All it took was he and his sister monkeying around for it to come out. He is already wondering what the tooth fairy will bring. It seems just like yesterday, I watched one by one all his baby teeth come in....Something about this 1st tooth coming out and him being just a few weeks away from turning 6, has got me. My little boy will always be my little boy, but it is inevitable that he is growing up right before my eyes. So, the tooth fairy will make her visit tonight, Caleb is wondering just she will bring...

Only a MN April...

The above before and after pictures happened this last Saturday April, 16 and today April 20. SNOW!!! We already had very snowy (and I mean several big snow storms of 12-20" accumulations) and cold winter this year. Just as we get some 60- 70 degree weather in the past couple weeks, we get teased by a little snowfall these last few days. Now I will say little, because it was a only a good dusting and melted both days within hours of falling. But still, we Minnesotans only get a handful of great months of warm weather. This morning when Caleb looked out the window for the first time he said "Is it still winter"! So PLEASE, mother nature, let this be the last snowflakes we see util next winter.

Another fun April spring weekend...

I will keep this post short. This April weekend was full of fun! The pictures tell the story... Egg Hunt at Lakefront, Children's Museum in St. Paul, our backyard, walks with Jada, Frog & Hippo park... I cherish everything I do with my kids and just watching them grow!

My Husband- Caleb & Ava's Daddy

I started writing this blog just in the last couple weeks here. I have written lots of things about what the kids are doing and me and the kids are doing...however, my husband Craig has been missing from these posts so far. This is because he left on March 25 to train for a new job in the government. He will be gone about 5 months until August 16 when he graduates from his training. I miss him like crazy and am so very proud of him for following his dreams! I have been with Craig for going on 12 years/married for going on 10 years... he is the most dedicated, hard-working, get-things-done, supportive, loving husband & father I could ever ask for! We do lots of skpe on the computer to see eachother (we are familiar with this, as Craig had to leave last year for 3 months to do some training for the Air Force Reserves). I am a busy- bee at heart, so I keep myself and the kids busy doing everything from school, to Lifetime Fitness, playing with cousins, visits to Grandma & Grandpa's, trips to the zoo, museums, parks, bike rides, taking care of the house, yard, dog.... The week before Craig left, we took the kids to Wisconsin Dells for a couple days, where we stayed at Wilderness Resort and had a blast! So, as I reflect on these pictures, I remind myself what an amazing life and family I have and look forward to the day when our family of 4 is together again:)

Jada turns 9!

This past weekend- April 8- our dog Jada turned 9. Craig and I bought Jada when she was just 8 weeks old! We drove 2 hours north to pick her up. I remember driving home with her trying to think of what name to give her. Craig thought Oreo because her hair then was very distinctly black and white (but quickly it mixed together to be a pepper blend) and I will take the credit for thinking of the name Jada. Back then, Craig and I were 9 month newlyweds. Fast forward 9 years....Caleb and Ava help take great care of her by walking her on daily 30 minute walks with me, Ava will on occasion try to put jewlery on her and so wishes Jada would sleep in her bed, and we couldn't ask for a better dog! This year Caleb & Ava were adament that we make a cake for Jada's birthday. So, I made my cinnamon coffee cake and let the kids stick 9 candles in. Then we sang a little happy birthday and they blew out the candles for Jada. Happy 9th birthday Jada!