Week 35 - Halloween II?

Have you ever noticed the near impossible task of getting three young kids to sit for a picture?

So the kids got into wherever the Halloween costumes were. Like most kids they are easily entertained by costumes and mask.

Week 34 - Being Lazy

It seems that after an exciting week, we just need a week of bumming around the house. The kids started to really get into movies and old cartoons. And luckily between the internet and library system we got to watch all sorts of old movies and shows. Inspector Gadget, Sleeping Beauty, Fraggel Rock .... this list goes on. Even newer Nickelodean and Disney shows where available at the library to rent out for a week.

Week 33 - Ballerina Golf

Violet had a very exciting week. She started her Ballet class. She really got into this and I think there'll be more video as the week progress. We found a flyer included in our Wastewater bill and looked into it. The city offers some really great kids activities for an awesome price.

Violet also got to built an Easter House. This is very similar to a gingerbread house but with much more florescent colors.

Also this week, Violet's preschool class went to go play

mini golf. Daddy went along and got some great pictures. It was a really nice sunny spring day and she got paired up with her friend Jacob to shoot through the 18 holes with.

Violet also had another party at school. Not sure what this was for, but you can sure bet is was just as wild

Week 32 - The Chef is in the Building

Pappi (Emily's Dad, Scott) started culinary school this and we got to check his school uniform out. This would also lead to weeks of awesome test food coming. Scott had been wanting do this for a while has been cooking as long I've known him. It was fun explaining to the kids that Pappi was back at school. And since Daddy, and soon Mommy, are back in school as well, I think they may grow up thinking school is just a constant in life.

I think Violet and Fletch just got used to us always going out in the Van. We found them one afternoon just playing in the car. Pretending to go on an adventure. It was very cute and I think they modeled their seat choices after Emily and me. But at least they are wearing seat belts and being safe.

We also had Emily's family over for a cook-out this week. And while we all sat around and ate and had fun. It was Uncle Paul once again who provided the source of entertainment. And luckily I had the camera going to capture it all.

Week 31 - We Paint, the Farm

An adventurous week. We took the kids to a park and did some hiking. Now that the weather was getting nicer the outdoor activities resumed on a more regular basis. Violet and Nana decorated the front of Nana's house with Easter related drawing.

We were invited up to a farm this week. Our youth minister has a large piece of land and plenty of animals to go see and feed. The kids got to see chickens, horses and dogs. It was nice being able to just run around out side and have a little private farm to go visit. We even

watched the farmer go into the chicken coop and get some fresh eggs for us to take home.

Mommy and Daddy decided to paint the play room while the older two were visiting their grandparents over night. We took some left over paints we had and went at it. Carefully taping off the wall so we got just the right pattern we wanted.

Week 30 - On a Rainy Day

It was a rainy day, and what is an unemployed family to do when the day turns to muck? We drive somewhere over an hour away and play indoors .... Well we first wait for Owen to wake up.

So we take a trip to a children's museum down in Columbus, IN. A family at church had gone there some time ago and seeing their pictures on the Facebook we decided to give it a try.

It was such a fun and educational place. We learned about bugs and gears and bubbles and how indoor plumbing works. It was like a huge jungle gym that the kids ran and climbed all over. My favorite part was the giant bubble maker. Emily liked the reading corner. But I think the kids loved the toilet. But not just any potty, this was a huge one that was attached to a slide. And well ... well just watch for yourselves:

Week 29 - The Snow is Gone; The Baby is Coming

I love close up pictures of the kids. I think they are the cutest. So the snow is gone now and we get to enjoy outside again. We spent many afternoons out on the playset. Owen is now starting to join us outside. And he loves his baby swing. The older two knew no limit on how high they wanted to swing. We played tag, soccer, pirate ship. Those kids already have quite the imagination.

This week was also exiting, we learned that there would be a new child in our lives. No not a fourth for us. But a first for Uncle Paul and Aunt Charlie. The kids were very exciting to hear about a new baby. Both Luke and Emily will become an Uncle and Aunt for the first time.

And of course we danced some more:

Week 28 - The Fun Shall Go On

Oh I knew this week was coming. This was a bit of a bummer but we pushed through it. While playing around and wrestling downstairs, Fletch got tripped up and but a nice gash in his forehead. Poor boy had to get three stitches between the eyes. But the fun was going to continue.

One of the activities we enjoyed was exploring the parks and playgrounds in the area. And not just the public ones. We would drive by a neighborhood and see one and decide to evaluate it for potential future use. The kids loved it, it was a new play place every day it seemed.

This week we also finally broke out the roller skates the kids got for Christmas and did out first outdoor skating adventure. They did much better than I anticipated.

Week 27 - The Stairs

The snow is finally melting away, we'll be able to play out side soon. Violet got a hold of the camera and took some more great pictures. Emily got an awesome heirloom from her grandmother and it was a perfect addition to our decor.



Ah the stairs, Violet and Fletch discovered that they could jump from the steps. Soon they were pushing the limits of their distance and height. They got much braver than I thought they would be. I think we would spend the better part of an afternoon just playing on the stairs. One of the highlights highlighted by the video was when they discovered the crib mattress fit perfectly down the stair case. How I wished I was only 40 pounds so I could join in.