Life isn't about the breaths we take, but the moments that take our breath away...

Thursday, April 27, 2017

April Fun!

Spring is in full swing... birthdays, outside fun, and the wind-down of the school year is upon us!

 
Harper and I are still enjoying our library time together on Saturdays.  Each time we get there, she has to stop at the "reading girl" to say hello- so sweet!  She loves picking out her books just as much as playing with the new activities they have set up in the kids area... I do enjoy the time with her.  She explores while I stay on the hunt for new Star Wars books to keep reading fun- ha!

 

Meadow Ridge School Carnival!!!
I volunteered to help with the Adopt-a-Pet booth at the school carnival.  It was the only event who's prep was all at-home (perfect for a momma with two littles- ha).  Anyway, as stuffed animals were donated, I picked them up from school and laundered them- it was perfect!!  
SO MANY DONATIONS!!
Can you spot my sorting helper in there?!

The actual evening of the carnival.  Adopt-a-Pet was a HIT!!!  Children could adopt a pet of their choosing for 1-5 tickets.  All 500 animals adopted in a couple hours- whohooo!!

Harper got a picture with Captain Cardinal- the highlight of her evening;).

Face painting (she asked for a cat face of course) and put-putt with Daddy!

The carnival was AMAZING!!  Seriously the best school event I have ever been to... the shear amount of time and energy that went into pulling this off had to be tremendous- amazing, Meadow Ridge- AMAZING!

Harper had a couple little friends over to play dolls... AGAIN- nerd alert over the tea party for the dolls- hehe!

Harper is really starting to enjoy this big sister thing... she did a Target trip with Mags and I.  She sang to her and played her Little Einsteins videos the whole time to keep her happy- ADORABLE!

 
We've had a few not-so-springlike days here in Minnesota... I mean when does the snow stop?!?!  HAHA... it's ok... more time for cozy play time with Daddy in the teepee in the loft- HA!

Ms. Maggie is LOVING school!!!  Her class size has grown since the beginning of the school year and with that has Maggie's interest in the activities of the day.  She loves "visiting" with her friends at school and doing whatever they are doing.  LOVE these pictures her teacher sent me of her day at school;)...and her para, Ms. Kim, is a rockstar.  She makes it possible for Maggie to participate in every activity the other kids are doing in the classroom- the woman is a saint!

Partners in Crime.  Always.  I swear this is the convo these two have:
Maggie: Ok, I hear Mom downstairs putting dishes away- lets do this!!
Evelyn: What do you wanna play?
Maggie: Puzzles
Evelyn: I got it... back up, while I dump.
Maggie: Whooohooo!!!  PUZZLES!!!!!
...and then they high five each other as I sprint upstairs after hearing the CRASH of toys dumping.
They were so sweet together though, I just let it happen- they played like this for a bit- they may be destructive, but they do look sweet doing it ;). 

Hold Your Horses continues to impress... Maggie knows the smells and sounds of the barn for sure- gets so excited as soon as I unload her from the car.  And when she gets on Lili she just starts talking a mile a minute- she LOVES that pony!!!

{Some treats for Lili and love for Ms. Janet before we leave:)}

Maggie and her new friend, Ben, are the sweetest!!!  His family and ours are doing a Family Fun Walk in a few weeks to help support Gillette Children's Hospital where they both have doctors and receive therapies- LOVE!!!
Thank you, Sagsveen Family for including us- so excited!!!

 
The littlest nugget... she is growing up and acting out more and more every day.  There isn't a thing she won't climb, and activity she won't attempt, a protest she won't throw- ha!  She continues to be the child who is into everything, the one you have to watch every second, and the fastest learner of the bunch.  She amazes me every single day and makes me SO ready for bed every night- hehe!

 
After showing us she can dress and undress herself, tell us before she is going to go potty in her diaper, and telling us her diapers hurt her, and then grabbing fresh diapers, wipes, and diaper cream when she would poop... we decided she was ready to potty train- HA!  
Truth: she's been ready for a couple months.  
Second truth: momma wasn't ready- OOPS!  
Anyway, she's doing well... but only likes to go potty when she is fully naked.... GOODNESS help me with this child as she matures- ha!  

She also got her first hair cut... word on the street was Evelyn was starting to look like she had a bit of a mullet.  Well that just won't do, so to Daddy's Salon she went (he's a pro at cutting the other girls' hair- love it!!).  She did so well and I cradled the locks of baby hair he snipped away- WAH!!!

She LOVES my phone... this is one of 1,282 pics she's taken on my phone of her face- hehe!

 

 
{School Pics!!!!!}



She may be crazy pants 98% of the time, but when she comes up and says "hold you?" I can't help but scoop her up.  And when she asks me to sing to her.... I melt... like butter...
No matter how big, my baby you'll be;).

Hope y'all are enjoying Spring (even if you did wake up to a snowy 34 degree day today, like me;))... April showers/snow bring May flowers- right?! ;)

Easter {Minnesota Style}

 
Easter!  Easter!!  Easter!!!

This was our very first Easter in Minnesota.  I usually host a brunch for friends back in Arkansas and this year it was bittersweet not being there to celebrate the way we always had, but I enjoyed scaling it all back, keeping those humungous chafing dishes in their boxes, and making a few yummy things for our fellow Arkansas alum, here in Minnesota!  Thank you for joining us, Burkert Family!

{The set up}

Easter Basket Scavenger Hunt
All Harper wanted was to do a scavenger hunt and thanks to Jen for her BRILLIANT ideas I made it the Easter Basket Scavenger Hunt!  Harper was so excited as she ran (with Evelyn right on her heels) around the house finding the clues which eventually led her to the baskets- CUTE!!!

Sleepy faces...

...jammies...

...and basket excitement!  LOVE!!!

We dyed some eggs
... and Mommy + Daddy eat the most colorful egg salad sandwiches the week following- HA!


{Rainbow of color}

Easter Pics... had to snap a pic of these adorable coordinating dresses- complete with necklaces and bracelets oh my!!
Thank you, Mom- LOVE THEM!!!!


Easter Egg Hunt- in the dry basement as opposed to the wet outside- hehe!

{so cute!!!}

Joint Effort: Nora and Harper found the golden carrot!!

What was the Easter Bunny thinking!??!  Nerf guns?!?!  Seriously?!?!  HA!
Harper and Daddy had a full on nerf war... only 24 hours old and we're already missing 2 bullets- of course!

The damp weather left and it was perfect time for an evening family walk to check out those noisy frogs in the pond behind our house!  The frogs and our over-stuffed-on-brunch-food bellies were aching for a good walk- it was great!

Happy Easter!!!  
I hope you all had a wonderful holiday enjoying the beauty and celebration that is Easter Sunday!!!