Easter Egg Coloring Party

We colored Easter eggs with our special small group friends this year. It was a lot of fun. Unfortunately, my camera battery died, however, I did get a few cute pictures.

5 kids, 4 boxes of dye, and several dozen eggs resulted in a really good time!

Ava wasn't really into coloring last year. This year was a whole new story.

Check out how closely she is watching Ian.

Before getting the tongs she stuck her whole hand in the pink dye. It took a day for it to wear off.

Our friend Caleb. He and Ian were the troopers and stayed until the very last egg was completed.

Purina Farms Easter Village

The kids and I ventured to the Easter Village at Purina Farms during Ian's spring break.

Nothing like tractors and corn.

Getting lost in the mazes.

Swinging into the hay stack.

Making pig faces.

Petting a goose. This was a very big step for Ava, for she's pretty much scared of animals. She's getting much braver though as she gets older.

more pigs

Party Gogo's Style

Ian celebrated his seventh birthday gogo's style. Gogo's are these tiny plastic characters that the boys at his school are crazy about. There are a kazillion of them in different shapes and colors and they each have a special name and "ability." You set them up and "battle" similar to jacks.

Here the boys are battling. You set your chosen gogo's on the line and then flick them across to knock down your opponents. They are all shaped differently so they spin, skip, and fly all over the place.

Look at the intensity...

...and fancy shooting moves!

Here they are trying to bounce a gogo into the bucket. No one could ever get one into the bucket, so we had to switch to a larger crate.

Our creative activity was making a carrying container for our gogo's. All gogo's packs come with stickers, which you can collect in an album, however, they decided to use them on their boxes.

Surprisingly, it was a huge hit!

The four-eyed monster Ian!

These boys were all in day care together as babies. So fun to see them still together seven years later, who says St. Louis isn't a small town!

Gogo's topped cookie cake - Yummo!

Blowing out the candles. Sidenote - I'm 24 weeks preggo in this picture.

He did it!

Additonal Birthday Celebration Moments:

Red Robin Birthday Sundae! Eat your heart out Uncle Mark!

Ian and his first grade teacher Mrs. Kadlec directing the class in singing Happy Birthday to him.

Happy Birthday Family Style

The boys celebrated another Birthday! Ian turned seven and Chad turned 37.

Birthday cake drama: This was not the cake that Mommy made for Ian. I made Chad his favorite coconut cake, and Ian requested a chocolate cake with chocolate icing. So, Mommy made a round chocolate cake with fudge icing and a really cool confetti seven on top. It was really yummy looking. Unfortunately, Daddy accidentally knocked the cake and cake stand off the table thirty minutes before everyone arrived, breaking the cake stand, smashing the cake and making a huge dark brown spot on the dining room rug. For those of you keeping count, this is the second birthday cake that Daddy has managed to alter before the party (see Ava's 2nd birthday). Needless to say, Daddy felt terrible and didn't stop working on the spot until it was completely gone. Our neighbor Stacy came to the rescue and took Ian to the store to purchase a replacement cake. Surprisingly, he seemed more excited to pick out his own cake. We quickly scooped off the flowers and added a few chosen Gogos and all was perfect again.

Daddy has the most hot air!

Gogo's, the beloved toy at the moment! Thanks Papa & Nana Stuemke.

An aquarium from Uncle Mark and Aunt Chrisi for us to raise five tadpoles in. Cousin Ben wanted to add the rocks right away.

LEGOs!!! Thank you Papa and Grandma DeShazo!

Awesome Rockets to launch from Uncle Chet, Aunt Bethany & Carder.

Cousin Ben playing Chad's musical Birthday card.

Ava loving on cousin Carder. Yes, his eye lashes are really that long and adorable.

Uncle Matt wrestling with Ava!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

We had some great friends join us for the Dogtown St. Patrick's Day parade this year.

It was a gorgeous day!

There was lots of candy and beads.

Big girl hangin with the big kids.

Too much excitement for Oliver.....

and Ava!

Amazingly, they managed to sleep through the loud fire trucks and motorcycles.

Camp-In

Every year I travel to Bloomington, IL with girlfriends to attend the Hearts at Home Mom conference. This means that Daddy and the kiddos are home alone for 48 hours.

I am very fortunate for my hubby has no qualms about being alone with his children. One year he had to force feed 6 month old Ava from a sippy cup the whole weekend for she would never take a bottle. Then the next year he dealt with her throwing up the whole time and didn't even tell me until I was on my home. He figured there was nothing I could do about it, so why make me worry. What a guy!

This year he took the kiddos to a roller skating birthday party and camped-in. Needless to say, they had a blast while Mommy was away!

Visit from Nana & Papa

Papa Mel and Nana Karen visited last weekend for the big race. We were so fortunate to have just incredible weather all weekend. We headed to the Zoo on Saturday with a picnic lunch and spent most the day.

Ian and Ava getting eatin by the hippo. Somehow Ian managed to escape!

Nana assisting Ava in brushing the goats. Yes, she is still terrified of all animals, so this was a very big step for her. As long as the goats were laying down and completely ignoring her she was okay.

Ian being mulled by a goat. This is usually what happens at the Zoo!

No goodies in the coat pockets, so lets check the pant's pockets!

Nothing like story time with Nana! Papa is already catching a few z's.