Don't you eat with your helmet on, too?

The Trash Chute

Tate's newest invention. I told him to pick up the trash and throw it away. So he invented a chute with aluminum foil and masking tape. He attached it from the mantle to the trash can and experimented with which objects would "make it" and which would not. It was quite cute!

Kimmipatra

Kevin picked a theme for my birthday: Kimmipatra. I am reading "Memoirs of Cleopatra" so Kevin decided to make my birthday a regal affair. The kids each decorated a portion of the cake. Tate made a staff and snake. Marissa built a pyramid. Garett made a princess with a crown. They used cookie chunks, chocolate chips and Andes mints. Yum, huh?! They gave me a "Rival" electric griddle, a "Royal Riddle" (an order number that I had to figure out what had been ordered for me online), and a "Princess package" with a funny letter declaring April 20-21st Kimmipatra Weekend so I could take a little trip with my girlfriend, Dawn Hunter. It was a very fun night!

Happy Birthday to me!

My birthday celebration started at 7am when I awoke and saw a heavy blanket of snow singing "Happy Birthday" to me.

Let me just say- I have NEVER seen snow on my birthday!

Did I get carried away taking pictures of Easter? Okay, maybe! Here is our Easter dinner with our little family. We missed all our family in Kentucky, Massachusets, Arizona, and Georgia.

Dressed and ready to head out to church on Easter.
A little better picture of Marissa in her Easter dress.
Garett on a special ops mission in pursuit of an "Army" egg.
Tate and Garett pausing for a picture before their Easter hunt.

Easter Morning

Garett finding his Golden Egg!

Tate excited to have a little bank for his money.

Marissa eating her Easter bunny pancake!

Decorating for Easter

Snuggling

Tate and Garett falling asleep together. I had washed Tate's sheets but had not put the blanket back on his bed. He found Garett's bed to be warmer and we found them together asleep.

Cheerios Armor

Tate ready to go to battle with his homemade shield and sword. Do you think Cheerios ever intended consumers to use their product in this way?

Toothless Tate again!

I believe Tate has set the record for most teeth lost in 1st grade!!!

Garett's Army Birthday

Garett's 5th Birthday!

Mr. Garett was so proud of his army cake. He helped ice it and put the army figures exactly in the right spot!
Garett eating his favorite dinner (black bean chili) on the red plate.
Lots and lots of special presents!

Daddy giving rides along the Lakefront in Chicago

Taxi service

The kids' favorite mode of transportation. These were taken along the lakeshore and outside The Field Museum.

Inside the Field Museum

Our Day at the Field Museum

These pictures were taken in The Field Museum. We made friends with Sue, the famous T-Rex. The kids (and us) loved the dinosaur exhibit.

How to Eat Fried Worms

Marissa was kind of grossed out by Billy eating 15 worms to win a bet in "How to Eat Fried Worms". Sooooooo, she checked out after a few chapters.

Popping Wheelies...Getting Stitches

He lasted 2 weeks of riding a bike without training wheels until he totally biffed it. With all of his amazing stunts he has been doing, we are quite lucky he only had to have 6 stitches after taking a spill on his bike. His stunt? Popping wheelies. We were trying to go to that instead of riding without hands. Well, at least it doesn't prevent him from eating (as you can see below). This was his post-hospital meal.

How Garett Cleans Up...

Garett was on clean-up duty... His idea of cleaning up is shoving things under beds, sofas, etc. I had no idea this philosophy of cleaning up extended to the outside until I saw his water cup and umbrella shoved under the tree in our front yard. Did he really think I wouldn't notice this?

Hide-n-Seek

Green Dinner

Little MissyLou

Little MissyLou after a makeover.

Free job

Tate posted these signs all over the house. You were supposed to follow the arrows which took you to his room. His job? To wiggle his loose tooth until it came out while you read him a story.

Table Hockey

The kids playing table hockey (a game that Tate made up) for Family Night.

Tate got a "Rebound" book from the school. The school got some new books and cleared out some older ones and Tate got a fabulous childrens dictionary. This is him "studying" his new dictionary- looking at pictures of Presidents while dressed up like Spiderman in Garett's costume.

More pictures of biker boy

Garett is feeling very proud that he hasn't had any "spills".

Have you ever heard of a...

Have you ever heard of a 4 year old riding a bike without training wheels? Okay, he'll be 5 in 3 weeks- but still!!! I left to run an errand and my little boy was riding his bike with training wheels. I came back about an hour later When I pulled into the driveway I saw my little boy riding his bike with no training wheels!!! Can you imagine my shock? No crashes, no bonks, just a boy smiling ear to ear. I almost fell over. And then I wanted to cry because I missed it. Now I know how parents feel when they miss their babies 1st steps! Nonetheless, I was super proud of him and he can hardly stand to come in for meals because he is out doing "the loop" around our house. Our entire house has a little paved walkway around it so he can ride around in circles without going near the road. Thank goodness!!!

Puzzles

Garett's newest addiction- puzzles and mazes!