Camping Trip at Beaver Creek

In the beginning of April we went on a weekend campout with some "virgin" camper friends. We love to go camping, especially in a trailer, which is really a different class of camping. Once Drew and Cindy got there early Friday evening, I left all the picture taking up to her and her fancy camera so I don't have very many photos to show but I think the "headlight" pics say it all. The kids were really good and had a great time and we all ate great food so what else is there in life?

We did walk away with a few casualties, but nothing a couple bandaids didn't fix.

Pink Tricycle

Thanks for the adorable pink tricycle Mona Boo! Robbie really loves it!

A few updates

Well-just in case there are people out there that should know...but don't know--we're having a BOY! I have done a pretty bad job of informing people about this pregnancy in general. Firstly, it's my third. We are so excited for him and to finish up our family, but with two other kids to keep track of telling my news to everyone hasn't been the first priority! Sorry #3! Secondly, Rob has been travelling a LOT which is a big bummer, but necessary for business growth so when he's gone so much I'm doing the best I can to keep my head above water! After my ultrasound last Monday I had an hour and half to pick up my kids, feed them dinner, pick up a babysitter, and drive 20 minutes out to our community group bible study. So therefore, there weren't any phone calls made--even my mom got a text message about our news!

All that to say--we're so happy we're having a boy. Rob was very concerned that if we didn't have a boy this time that we would need to have more children until we provided Robbie with a brother...so whew! I'm off the hook--I think we'll be ready to call the child-bearing quits after this! Since Rob is in China right now and had been working nights all last week he was asleep when the ultrasound was going on. I finally got to talk to him as I was pulling up to our bible study to share the news with him. I didn't want to tell the group we were having a boy before Rob knew, but I also knew they would hold me hostage until I told! He is so excited he got emotional on the phone, I don't think either of us realized how much we (he) really truly wanted a boy until we found out. (BUT please don't hear me wrong, a healthy little girl would've been super exciting too!)

It's hard to believe that we'll soon be a family of five--yikes! In other news, I have let go of my pride and traded in my cute crossover for ....a minivan. You gotta do what you gotta do. I have to admit that I'm really loving it. It's easy to drive and easy for the kids to get in and out of! Who would've guessed?

Easter EGGstravaganza...

The judges


Gondola



Humpty Dumpty eggs

Stripper egg...this is why we celebrate after the actual Easter date...but it's too funny!

Jonah egg inside the whale

Cowboy/cowgirl eggs

Ski-jump egg

Astronaut (the face is an egg)

Shaun White on a halfpipe

The neighborhood Easter Bunny visit. Elise cried.

Waiting in line for the Suprise Stadium hunt

Easter is a big deal around these here parts. In fact it's so much fun but this year I realized the difficulty in making it fun for the kids but also making sure that they understand WHY we actually celebrate EAster...and obviously it's not because of the eggs. I may have possibly over stressed it because if you ask Robbie what Easter is about he'll yell "JESUS" in a way that sounds a little bit like "shut up" so I'll continue working on that. We did do the resurrection eggs with Robbie and he loved opening up all the eggs and telling us what each item meant (for example: a rose--has thorns and Jesus had to wear a crown of thorns.)

To start the weekend off right we hit the Surprise Stadium for the egg hunt...the kids had a blast but I think we'll skip that next year, it was pretty chaotic and too much potential for losing your own children along with your mind.

On Saturday afternoon my brother and sister in-law along with their two kids came over and we died eggs, ate lots of food and enjoyed a fun visit. Sunday was church, Sunday School, and lunch at the Pearson's for the annual hunt with the kids. I'm a bit concerned already about how we're going to continue outdoing ourselves on the prizes inside of the eggs for the kids...but they love it!

Then, just today (a few weeks past Easter) we did our annual egg competition at the Laizure's. I attached all the pictures at the top of the post, because seriously...the competition has gotten a bit fierce. I did the Shaun White egg (with the help of my friend Cindy) and I was feeling pretty confident about it...until I arrived at the Laizure's today and sighted all of the other eggs...seriously, I'm already concerned about what to do for next year. Every year it gets a little more competitive. Overall we had so much fun and are so blessed by all of the family and friends we are surrounded by. And mostly, the celebration of Jesus--and how much he sacrificed just by being human and then giving his life on the cross for us.

Laptop Magazine Bonding

Rob is a bit of a closet nerd. He loves technology and researches it thoroughly for no reason...such as stalking Laptop Magazine when he has no intention of buying a laptop in the near future. (I think.) Anyway, Rob has pretty much asked me EVERY day since Christmas if his laptop magazine has come in. And of course I wasn't hiding it in the bathroom or anything so it hadn't come. THEN...one day last week IT CAME! Not only did the current issue came, the next month came at the same time which pretty much made his day. So of course naturally as soon as dinner was over he sat on the couch and began devouring the technology info into his gigantic brain. Robbie just couldn't help himself. He had to join in and check out the second issue. He actually sat there for 15 minutes looking at the pictures in the magazine which is pretty impressive. (Unless he was secretly reading it and then that would be even more impressive.)

Too Many Pants on the Ground

Everyone keeps telling me that I shouldn't be in a hurry for Elise to start walking--because you know, once they start walking you can't keep up with them. Well, I do get that thought, but also--I would love for her to walk so I don't have to carry her EVERYwhere. She could play at the park and not destroy her brand new pair of pastel floral capris. As you can see in the picture below, she literally rips the pockets off of her pants and rubs holes in her butt because she's always rubbing her rear end on the sidewalk! Oh well, I'm pretty sure she won't go to kindergarten doing the butt-scoot.