Happy Easter!

Ready to hunt for eggs.

On the hunt.

Cooper is concerned about ants on the eggs.

Dad and Coop continue the search.

Penny spots a purple egg.

It had a necklace inside!

Look what was in my egg Daddy!

Happy Easter from the family...

Potty Training by the Numbers

We love Penny's spunk, though it can be a challenge!

20

Pairs of "Big Girl" underwear, laundered countless times.

18

Squares on a potty progress chart.

12

Days of training, three of which we didn't leave the house, even to go outside.

3

Bags of candy to be used as rewards (or incentives, or bribes, or whatever you want to call them) including Mini-marshmallows, M&M's, and Gummy Bears.

2

Sets of sheets and waterproof pads, laundered countless times

1

Pink princess potty that Penny picked out herself.

0

Chance of going back to diapers...we did it!

A Look Back on St. Patrick's Day

 I just wanted to say we are still just as lucky as ever...since we have these two!

St. Patrick's Day 2013

St. Patrick's Day 2011

Spring Break at the Lake

Even preschool has a spring break.  We had two goals for the week.  One, spend a relaxing weekend together as a family, and two, potty train Penny.  First goal, no problem. (The second goal may be pie in the sky, but, moving on...)  We took the kids to the  lake for an extended weekend of slow-paced family time.  We got to visit with Uncle Clint and some friends, shop, go for walks, feed the deer and throw rocks in the lake.  With only a few hiccups, namely, Ralph getting sprayed by a skunk on the FIRST night, we were able to do exactly what we set out to do: Relax and decompress.  Nobody wanted to go home when it was time!

Brass Pro Shops is one of our favorite stops when we are nearby...
The kids love the fish tank and Daddy and Mama can always find something to buy.

Ice cream break!  Penny said, "Look at my face!  I mess!"

Throwing rocks into the lake is Coop's favorite lake activity.

Ralph and Brewster had fun too...
(Poor Dooley didn't get to go.  We couldn't fit three dogs in the car so she had to stay with Ma-Mas)...

Old hat Ralph shows rookie Brewster a thing or two.

On our "dam" walk.

This shot wasn't as dangerous as it looks...

Happy Mama!

Backyard view.

More rock throwing... OK so we ALL like to throw rocks...

But Cooper shows the most joy in it...

We are back, ready and refreshed.  Now on to that pesky second goal for the week...

Weekend at the Ranch

Over the weekend we enjoyed some time with friends at the Ranch.  The adults relaxed and the kids did just the opposite.  For some reason, riding the jeep, feeding the fish, running around everywhere, flying kites and just plain being outside never seems to get old.  Thank you Angela, Mark, Brandt and Carson for sharing the weekend with us!  We had such a fun time!

Cooper and Penny kill some time while we wait for our friends to arrive.

Penny was happy that SHE got to feed the fish by herself.

Brewster's first Ranch trip!  This little dog was so good!
He didn't try to run off and we could tell he was having a blast.

The kids watch the fish feeding frenzy.

Penny forges her own path (as usual).

Another shot of all four kids together...very difficult in photo land!

Coop and Carson check out the little tank.

Let's go fly a kite!

"Chillaxing" by the fire.

More jeep riding.

Go Texan! Day at School

...and the complexities of photographing two kids at once...

Sometimes, We are just Down in the Trenches

Where have we been since Valentine's Day?

Thankfully our usual haunts aren't getting old...

 Winter doesn't equal happiness in this house.  Even though we live South enough not to have to endure constant cold, snow, ice, or dangerous roads, the weather is still not conducive to being outside.  Chicago, the windy city, has nothing on our little corner of the world.  Yesterday a 50 mph+ winded dust storm raged ALL DAY.  Everyone's noses and throats are bothering them.  Kids are uncomfortable and edgy, parents are uncomfortable and edgy.   And bored.  Bad weather means no going outside.  Bad weather means cabin fever.  Bad weather means watching Toy Story Every. Single. Evening as a way to burn up the seemingly extra long expanse of time between dinner and bedtime.

The dog has learned a new trick...dunking himself in the water dish and running through the dirt when we let him out.  We can no longer just "let the dog in."  We have to wrestle him to the sink, rinse off  his paws, then dry them.  Every. Single. Time we let him in.

We are in the process of making a bedroom switch.  Cooper is moving to the guestroom, Penny is moving to  Cooper's old room, and Penny's itty bitty room is going to be my sewing and craft room.  (Yay!)  And yes, we are still working steadily at the lake house.  I can only hope that this last big push to paint things is a room-painting career closer.

So, yes, sometimes we are down in the trenches and waiting impatiently for Spring and the things that mean Spring. (Better weather, outdoor activities, no allergies, a disciplined dog, and an end to indoor home projects.)   In winter, we are down in the trenches.  But come Spring, we will be out in the open and back to ourselves.

Scenes From St. Valentine's Day

Cooper learned to write his name for this very occasion!

Penny and Cooper shared "Valentine snack mix" and Toy Story Valentines with their friends at school.

All our Valentine loot.

Playing the "heart game"

Best shot I got of these two together in their red shirts...

Happy Birthday Daddy!

This year Daddy opted to spend his birthday with his favorite people...So we had a quiet celebration at  home with all his favs...Cooper, Penny, and carrot cake!

Carrot cake with as much cream cheese frosting as I could possibly fit on one cake.

Cooper eats cake.

Penny eats the candles.
(Really just the icing off the candles...We don't condone wax consumption here.)

 Happy Birthday Daddy!

Hoping the Groundhog Was Right

It's the beginning of February and Cooper is already asking if we can go swimming.

Daddy and Mama spent Groundhog Day running  in the "Color Me Rad" 5K.  Afterwards we swam with the kids in Ma-Mas' and Pa-Pa's (heated) pool, which might be why Coop thinks we should be able to swim at home.  

Brewster accidentally went swimming too!

Come on Spring!!