Spring, is that you?

It is still February, so it might be a little early to start celebrating...but we did not miss our chance to embrace the beautiful spring weather we had on Sunday.  I can't even express how I love spring.  I seriously think I have seasonal depression and spring is like fresh air (literally) for my soul!  How I have missed afternoons spent chalking beautiful pictures on sidewalk canvases.

 We played on our little swing set and walked (well, raced...C has been playing Mario Cart lately on the Wii and simply everything must be turned into a race in which I am not only a race car, but also the announcer...and heaven forbid I don't narrate all that is happening while I'm sprinting back from the mail box with bills in my hand) down to the new playground in our neighborhood.  So, so excited to have a great little park right down the block!

 And what fantastic surprise did we spy?

 I think Papa's hard work is going to pay off!  I was so stinkin' excited to see my sweet little tulip buds poking through the surface of the ground.  Way more excited than the four year old.  So, what is that, like three year old excitement?  I was three year old excited baby!

Bring on Spring!

KS Trip-2,3,4,5 & 6

I was going to break down our trip into several posts, but sometimes I'm lazy.  So, a picture-laden post with a few words is what I give you.

At cousin C's birthday party.  Grandma and Grandpa were nice enough to have something for C to open too.  The Batman umbrella, with all it's sharp points of death, was great fun in a crowded living room.  ;)  Truly a great gift though.  And one of the few Batman items that he does not own.

                                              

My sweet niece showing off the new tutu I got for her!

C got to have more fun on the sled!

My annual 'snow time card' was pretty much full, so Grandma was more than happy to go out with C.

We happened to be in town for some of C's old friends' birthday party!  (Whose mamas happen to be my friends!)  We all had a great time catching up.

Do you remember this little beauty?  That's ok, I don't think C did at first. ;)  But, they soon rekindled their relationship.  Betrothal back on!

An evening at my parents' house.  My brother found some left over fireworks in their garage and decided to give the kids a show!

Sweet little one who made me an aunt for the first time.

A day at Zonker's!  C loved it.  My dad looks a little scared in this picture (but I think he had fun too)

By the end of the day, he was brave enough to ride everything by himself...including the roller coaster!

After Zonker's, C got to play mini golf with Grandpa while I enjoyed a pedicures with Grandma!

B stayed home from daycare one day so we could take both the kids to Wonderscope museum.  Fun!

The seating situation on the way to dinner! 

A little cramped for Papa, but both of the kids loved getting to sit by him.

Mild weather made for a great trip to the zoo with Grandma and Grandpa.

The polar bear was very fun!  (And new to the zoo since we moved, so it was our first time to see him)

Celebrating Papa's birthday!

My brother and hubby racing to light the million candles!  Ok, not that many.  But, my mom insisted on having one for each year and then we lost count of how many the kids had put on, so we just used them all.

C occasionally asks for a bowl of water to drink from when he's pretending to be a tiger at home.  He did it at Nana and Papa's house and B just had to try it too.

Our many faces

KS Trip-1

A few days after getting to town, we headed over to Grandma and Grandpa's house for some fun in the snow.  Now, everyone knows I am not a snow person.  But, Grandma and Grandpa know how to do sledding right.  The bad boy buggy was given to Great Grandpa for hunting purposes...but I think it's true calling is pulling happy kids (and grown-ups) around in the snow. ;)  The weather was starting to warm up and it was a gorgeous day for playing in the snow!

 This time Grandpa rigged up two sleds!  It was so fun riding next to C.  And he LOVED being on his own sled. 

 Note the hands in this one.  It didn't take long for him to start being a little daredevil and let go of the sled.  Every time we went around a curve or started speeding up I'd yell, "Hold on!"  That just encouraged him not to.  Once he let go, he was determined to stay on without using his hands. 

 As you can see, that didn't always work out.  I had already fallen off 2 or 3 times before he took his first spill...and I was holding on!  I blame Grandpa's crazy driving.

 Snowman making time!

 Playing tic-tac-toe with Grandma. 

We stayed at Grandma and Grandpa's for dinner after we came in from the snow.  C's Tia and his little cousin were there too.  She is about 2 years younger than C and it was so precious how she just adored him.  She watched him all through dinner, followed him around the house, and laughed at all his silly antics.