Easter Morning

The kids were SO excited on Easter morning! Lauren woke us all up and just couldn't wait to go downstairs. 

 Yay! The Easter bunny came! 

 Lauren still hasn't eaten her bunny- she wants to keep it as a pet. She was mad because we wouldn't let her sleep with it...imagine the mess that would make?!

 Lauren was a maniac with the egg hunt. We had to make her stop for a bit so Ben could get a few. 

 Finally getting a chance. 

They were pretty cute to watch. Lauren said it was the best Easter EVER. Ben said it wasn't...I think he was a little disappointed because he mostly got books and clothes in his Easter basket (and a cool new microphone) but I think he was wishing for some cars. The Easter bunny has taken note! 

Easter Prep

 Saturday night we made Easter cookies and dyed eggs, nothing like waiting until the last minute;) 

 Ben loves baking! He'd been asking me all week when we were going to make these cookies.

I love how serious Lauren is in this pic, notice the tongue sticking out. She's really focusing. 

 Coloring eggs...still have a fridge full. I've been making them eat a hardboiled egg for breakfast and lunch every day this week:) 

The boil wraps were a big hit! 

They got really into it this year and had fun. There was A LOT of frosting used. 

Kevin was super excited to be decorating the 50+ sugar cookies at 9:00 on Saturday night. Wild night around here! 

Crazy Hair Day

 Today was crazy hair day at school. This was the first time she's let me do her hair "crazy". She usually refuses to participate in these kinds of days since she despises having me do her hair. We're making progress!

The girls all looked so cute at the bus stop this morning. LOVE Ella's giant hair- it was pretty impressive.

Brightwater Park

 Sunday morning after all the Easter fun we headed over to the new Brightwater Park in Woodinville for some bike riding. The kids loved it.

 We were pretty impressed with the trails they put all through it. For a huge water treatment plant, they did a good job making it appealing & fun for the community. 

Both kids moved up a size in their bikes and they are loving it. Lauren's even has hand brakes which she thinks is so cool. 

Sunny days!

 This past weekend was amazing- it was sunny and 70 all weekend, not our typical March weather but we will take it! 

 The neighborhood girls had so much fun down at the park.

 Love them!

 Saturday Lauren and Ben rode up to Anacortes with Nana and Pa to drop off their old boat (they are getting a new one!) and on the way they saw gray whales! To say they were excited was an understatement- Lauren called to tell me and she was over the moon thrilled. I got tears in my eyes listening to her tell me. I'll have to get pics from my mom to post later. 

They loved the old fire truck at the boat store. Apparently old fire trucks are cheap, the lady told us they bought it off craigslist for $2100! Not sure what one would do with an old fire truck, but I was shocked at how inexpensive they are.

Such an exciting weekend with so much sun- we loved every second of it! 

Eagle

 Lauren needed to get some energy out the other morning (when doesn't she?) so we went on a search to find the eagle that is often on the trail by our house. Lucky us- we found it! We also found a beaver dam- love having nature right in our back yard. 

After our 2 mile walk she was still bouncing off the walls... 

convertible

The kids are loving dad's new car- a convertible! This is his 7th car in our almost 10 years of marriage! At this point it'd be weird to me if Kevin kept a car for more than 1.5 years. But I have to say, I am really a fan of this one- it may have to stick around longer. It helps that we've been having some amazing sunny days to drive around in it!

B'ham

 Last weekend we went to Bellingham and had a weekend jam packed with fun. I didn't take a lot of pics, but let me tell you- we did a lot! Here we are on our hike up Sehome hill to the lookout tower. 

 We walked around the WWU campus, the kids loved it. 

 Ben, Luke, Lilly, & Lauren in Red Square. 

 I passed on the lookout tower so I could take pics from down below...not because I'm scared of going up it;) 

Dog pile!

We also had dinner at Brandywine with Kelly & Zach which is my new favorite place in Bellingham- gluten free mac and cheese and gluten free fish and chips- it was heavenly! And they have cider on tap-  my fave! Sunday after our hike and walk through campus we had lunch in Fairhaven then rode scooters at Zuanich park. It was quite a day- had to take full advantage of the amazing sunny day!!! 

SNOW in March

 A couple of weeks ago we woke up to this! It was pretty darn exciting, but unfortunately school wasn't even delayed! Rats!

 Lauren of course had to try it. 

 I texted this picture to Kevin. He was in Vegas and texted me back a picture of the pool area at his hotel where it was sunny and 75...

Benny & I had to go on a Starbucks coffee date since it snowed, just sort of seems like a must on days like that! 

St. Patrick's Day

 The kids were pretty excited to wake up on St. Patricks day to find that the leprechaun had visited over night!

 He left them gold coins and shamrock glow necklaces! He also made a huge mess in our house and wrote all over their bathroom mirror. Those leprechauns are soooo naughty! 

 Later that day Hads, Lauren, & I had a little date at the mall. 

 Yummy cupcakes at Pinkabella. 

LOVE that they had gluten free mint cupcakes on St. Patricks day- they were AMAZING!!! 

Val's Daycare:)

On Wednesday Jodie, Carson, & Hadley all came over. Breakfast time sort of looked like a daycare! They all had so much fun playing together, and Hadley & Lauren just love getting to be "in charge" of the "babies". Since I'm most likely going back to work next year, I really am enjoying this time with all the kids. I know, without a doubt I'll look back and think, "Those were the days". Love them!