Easter--part 2 (Community Egg Hunt)

Emmalee & Benjamin anticipating the Easter Egg hunt this morning.

 The Lions Club puts this together for us each year.  And we were VERY grateful it wasn't snowing!!!  

 Benjamin was very excited.  

 At first they had toddler, pre-school & kindergartners all in the same area.  Then they moved the 5-year olds over to the 1st & 2nd grader area.

 Callum was in the 3rd/4th grade section.  

 And go!  Emmalee was quick!

 And is happy with the eggs she found.

Mom--look at what I found! 

The eggs with numbers or stickers were worth 50 cents each.  Emmalee & Ben both had 3, and Callum had one.  (They had other eggs with candy in them)

 Brienna took this picture of Callum & the eggs he found (but he was swinging his bucket around).

what a cutie!

 Because it was a sunny day, I decided to walk.  Benjamin liked wearing his bucket.

But on the way home, the tire (outer part) came off the rim.  Thankfully Rusty had drove (because he had been out at the land with Zeb.  But Zeb didn't want to come home, so Rusty had to wait for Zeb to get back to the truck.  Therefore, he was running "late" & needed to drive so he didn't miss the hunt).  He put the stroller in the truck & we walked the rest of the way home.

And he fixed the wheel so now I'm going to take Ben on a walk--since the sun is still shining.  (Although it is still chilly & definitely "jacket" weather!).

Easter--part 1

Brienna wanted to put our Easter decorations up almost a month ago, and I told her we needed to wait.

So last weekend we (she=Brienna) decided we had better get them up!

 The kids had fun hiding Easter eggs the past week.  The person hiding the eggs wore the bunny ears. 

 Ben's turn

 He's so adorable!  

Emmalee--minus the ears.

Ahhh--there she is.  What cute bunnies we have!  

Family

Zane & Emmalee playing Monster Trucks on the Wii.

 Good thing someone (Emmalee) is watching the "road".  

And now it's Zane's turn to watch the road.  (It's nice to see them getting along)

Pat & Veronica (Rusty's brother & sister-in-law) came over to visit us.  They brought their dog, Scruffy, too.

They drive truck so are on the road most of the time.

 Benjamin likes their dog (a little too much!).  Scruffy ended up hiding from him.

Aunt Veronica, Scruffy, Emmalee & Benjamin.

Benjamin--Wilbur & "Swimming"

We sat down to watch "Charlotte's Web" & see if Wilbur in the movie is anything like Callum's Wilbur.

 Benjamin was fascinated with the movie & watched almost all of it.  

 And laughed a lot!  He thought the pig was quite funny--and just like our Wilbur.

And then the next day we were watching a movie with the family & I realized Benjamin was no longer in the room with us.

And it was awfully quiet in the house (except for the movie).  

So just as I got up to find him, he came walking into the living room.

 He had gotten into the swim drawers (where we keep all the swim suits, swim diapers, goggles, arm floaties, and inflatables).

 He undressed himself, took off his diaper (thankfully it wasn't messy!!!), and got ready to go swimming.

 He didn't want any help getting the goggles on.

 Please, Mom!!!  Can't we go swimming????  I'm all ready!!!! 

So while we watched more of the movie, he had fun "swimming" without water.  

Move-in Day with Ethan

Getting a few groceries at Albertsons

 On the day we moved Ethan into his apartment for semester #2

It rained must of the day.

Moving Ethan into his apartment and getting everything done on campus was so much quicker and easier the second time around!

That's Good--That's Not So Good

My dad had a record when I was growing up that had a skit called "That's Good, NoThat's Bad" (click here for the YouTube video) & was recorded by Archie Campbell w/Ralph Emery on OPRY TIME IN TENNESSEE.  My day reminded my of  this song.

This morning, I took the 3 boys to town because Zane had a dentist appointment.  {that doesn't feel so good}

I took Callum also so we could just get his allergy shot (usually I take him after school on Thursdays). 

We also did some shopping.  I got groceries at WinCo.{that's good}

Then Callum's shot. {that doesn't feel so good}

Callum and Ben wanted a hamburger from McDonalds, so we went through the drive-thru and had them start eating in the van.

Ben wasn't eating his, {that's not so good} so when we got to Wal-Mart, I turned off the van and had Ben sit on my lap while he ate some more of is hamburger.

Then we hopped out, went into Wal-Mart and got 2 baskets--one for my to put the shopping stuff in, and one for the boys to take Benjamin to the toys.  {that's good}

I got all my shopping done, checked out and got to the van.

Zane asked for the keys.

and that is when I realized that I had left them in the ignition.  But not all the way in the ignition--only part-way because I didn't want to hear the beeping.  GRRRRRR!!!  {that's REALLY not so good}

So thankfully Rusty has a key hidden under the van. {that's good}

 But unfortunately it had just rained a lot & the ground was soaked with puddles.  {that's not so good}

But thankfully Zane was willing to lay in the wet rain puddles & retrieve the key for us.  {that's good}

But unfortunately he didn't know he was feeling for a box for a hidden key (I didn't tell him) & he thought he was feeling for a key.  So he felt on the passenger side (where I was 99% sure it was hidden), and then on the drivers side (now he's really soaking wet), and then again on the passengers side.  {that's not so good}

So thankfully Zane found the key (and saved us the $ & time of calling a locksmith).  {that's good} {that's REALLY good}

So I told him he had definitely "earned" the Hot Wheels car I bought for him earlier.  (On the condition that he cleaned his room for 15 minutes before he could play with the car).  But getting wet & laying on the cold ground was well-worth a car! {that's good}

So we got the van loaded up and headed back home. {that's good} 

When we were half-way home,  Benjamin threw up.  {that's not so good}

But I am prepared (after having this happen before), so I was able to pull over, clean up the mess, change his clothes & head towards home again.  {that's good}

African Safari

Last Saturday (April 16th) was Dubois Grouse Days.

 They bring the African Safari wild animal display each year.  Emmalee finally got "brave" enough to stand by the zebra.

 How many can say they have petted a lion???  Callum can!

 A Nile Crocodile that was about 14 feet long!!  

 The fun part is that the kids are invited to touch the animals.

 Benjamin had a blast seeing all the animals.

 The kids liked putting their hands in the bear's mouth. 

 Ethan was still home on his semester break.

 Brienna and Emmalee.

 Zane having a staring contest.

 He did really great--and almost won!

 Emmalee was brave enough to touch the small animals.

 Rusty peeking from behind the bear.  This was as close as Emmalee wanted to get to the bear.

 The lighting wasn't the greatest, and Brienna's camera had a glare on the lens.  But here is Callum petting the bear.

The kids had a fun time seeing the animals--and we enjoy it each year!