March 2016

Stopping by the new digs to check on the progress... moving right along!

The sad/happy day had finally come.  It was incredibly bittersweet to be leaving Outer Park.  SO many memories there, so much work, and just SUCH a cool house.  Really, really hard to say good-bye.

The morning of closing, March 1, 2016

Back at Gran and Papa's - the things Dad comes up with to play... can't make this stuff up!

New Windows Day!

The weather was calling for a storm, but we just had to get in some outside time in.  Kids LOVE climbing Gran and Papa's tree and yelling, "Take my picture!"

Avery has absolutely 0 fear whatsoever

And then it came!  We had to hang out in the basement and Gran made us all put our shoes on.  I mean, makes sense.  If we had to evacuate shoes would be essential!

John and I at the St. Patrick's Day parade festivities.  We opted to leave the kids with LeeAnn for the day and head out just the two of us --- it had been awhile! Mom and Dad were out of town, which was SO odd not having them around that day and even more odd that not only did John and I have a kidless day, we also went home to an empty house.  It was surreal. 

The night before St. Patrick's Day... 

Working on our trap for the Lephrachaun 

Ready for bed (and hanging on their favorite spot at Gran's)...

trap set...

...let the mischief begin!  Can you believe that that little Leprechaun did?!

But he left a cake!

"Ahhh!!  He escaped!!"

photo op..

Everything green for dinner - green tacos and green noodles

Followed by cake we had been waiting ALLLL day for!  And can you believe it?!  Look where he had HIDDEN the rainbow!  Sneaking little fellow!

A lot less eccentric than last year, but what a FUN day!

Avery found my secret stash :)  

My friend Lauren and I got in a good habit of meeting each other every 2-3 weeks to get our nails done.  We took turns bringing wine (and storing the fancy plastic wine glasses between appointments).

Have I mentioned how much Ben likes driving cars??

Prepping for Papa Gary's birthday dinner.  Papa always complains that the standard cake to icing ratio is too heavy on the cake.  He actually will leave a bottom layer of cake in the cake pan so as to only take a piece of cake with nearly 50/50 ratio.

...so we made a GIANT cake with 6 mini layers, all the provide a better cake to icing ratio.

My birthday!  

We had a fun filled day - first stop, an early morning movie

And then a family filled pizza party at SHG west campus with lots of our friends!

More celebrating with Ray and LeeAnn

Rudy's class performing at Barnes and Noble on evening

Doesn't get much sweeter..

Another favorite pastime of ours in the Spring:  Visiting the baby chicks at Farm and Home Supply store!

Easter weekend!

The Minella's came to town, which is always a special treat - 

We spent some serious time dying a whole bunch of eggs...

...only to realize during the decorating stage that I had switched the egg cartons (or somehow they got switched!) and the kids dyed a whole bunch of RAW eggs!!  You can imagine our surprise when Avery was trying to draw on one and exclaimed, "Mine has a bunch of yucky stuff coming out!  It's all over!!"  And then it was like a chorus, "Yuck!  Mine too!  Ewww!"  Oops.

Grandma LeeAnn and Papa Ray's house for an easter egg hunt with Isabela

And another hunt at Gran and Papa's a couple days later - between my collection of eggs and Gran's all under one roof...well, it was a bit obnoxious :)

the "hiding" spots just kill me - check out the fence..

Getting closer!

Our flooring has arrived!

SO tedious and SO much work - but SO worth it!

Because I'm rarely in front of the camera, and not sure if this even counts?!

Avery packing up her new bag.  This girl is a serious pack-rat bag lady.  She loves her bags and carrying things around in bags.  She often forgets what she stashes in them, but loves packing them up!