Ranch birthday party

Micah's buddy Ethan from school had his fifth birthday at the R&R Ranch, about 20 minutes from our house.  Siblings were welcome, so Liam got to join in the fun too.  Micah was ready to ride the horse - the big one, not the pony - and got right on.

Looking like a natural.

A little too natural, with the one hand down and the helmet all crooked.

Liam had no desire to ride, so he and Daddy watched from the sidelines.

There was a bouncy house, always a hit.

Always.

Petting a skunk.  Thank God for spray-removal or this picture never would have happened.

Liam got up close and personal with a baby chick, who really tolerated his firm grip well.

Micah didn't get quite as close.  I don't think he liked their claws on their feet.  But he did hold and pet this one eventually.

Black weekends

As the boys continue to get bigger and develop different interests, we know it's only a matter of time before our Saturdays (hopefully not Sundays) are sucked up by sports and competitions and the like.  So while we can, we're just content to do what is fun on the weekends.  Our favorite Saturdays are ones like a couple of weeks ago, when we don't have very many plans.  On those days we start at the park, then head to the store to get a cake mix to bake a cake for our friend (no pictures of those), whip out the board for a little Candyland action,

take our lunch of hot dogs, mac-n-cheese, raisins, grapes, and milk out on the patio,

and play with trains.

We hit up the occasional train show whenever it's in town

and spend time ogling the many different kinds of wonderful, beautiful, trains.

Micah explains all about the different kinds of cars to those who, like his parents, have only limited knowledge of what they all are.

Liam just wants to get at eye level with the trains.

And we inevitably end up with some pretty cool hats.

We bake cookies in the shape of our names

and ice them in our favorite colors of the moment, which for Liam is pink and for Micah is light blue.

Finally, we cherish being able to be up for a little bit, living into our crazy hair before we have to comb it for church.

Here's to more weekends of fun and freedom.

More Easter

As Christians, we are to live as Easter people, and not treat Easter as just one day, right?  That's my reason for not putting up pictures of the boys with their Easter loot until now.
Liam was pretty excited about the dump truck candy.

Thomas-shaped candy and a Thomas video?  Well, that's just crazy!

Micah was equally thrilled with his Thomas and fire truck chocolates.

Stickers from Aunt Heidi.  What a good day!

Thanks especially to the Easter bunny, who managed to deliver Sarris chocolates to Valrico, FL.

Bubbles, bubbles everywhere

The boys love them some bubbles.  I keep thinking that, at 4 and almost-3, they're going to be outgrowing them, but they're just as fascinated with them as ever. And they're really good at doing it themselves now, which leaves me to take fun pictures.

Random April Pictures from Tim's iPhone

Tim dumped his iPhone a few weeks ago.  I don't have an iPhone (by choice) and truthfully the only thing I miss is the fun phone feature.  I have a camera on my phone but no idea how to get the pictures off of the thing. 
But I digress.  So he dumped his phone and here are the random results of what he's photographed over the last few months.
He and I had a fantastic date night seeing the Civil Wars at the Straz Center.  They were great and now I know why Tim loves them so much.

Our babysitters for the evening (and guests that weekend) were Uncle Matt and Katie.  The boys love them and didn't want them to go.

Micah built a robot out of lots of different supplies at school and Tim was a volunteer to help the kids do the building.

Micah, Liam, and Tim spent time at Disney, where they rode the rails...

enjoyed the trains...

 met with some really cool characters...

and saw a 3D movie.

We had dinner with Sue, a great friend visiting from Wisconsin.

Micah and Liam had dinner at Ikea, because it was Mom's night out so why wouldn't the boys head to the furniture giant?

We learned that Micah is totally capable of getting the cereal off the shelf and kindly refilling (and overflowing) Liam's bowl while Tim is in the shower in the mornings.  To be totally clear, Micah has been capable of this for a long time so no one needs to question his developmental progress.  He's just never done it before.

Micah went to see a Phillies spring training game with his buddies James and Nathaniel (their dad Brad and Tim were also there) and even scored a ball hit by one of the players.  Don't ask me who.

Cheeing on Daddy's beloved Phillies.

Happy Easter

Easter Egg Hunt

This morning was the Easter Eggstravaganza at First Pres.  Fun for all, especially two boys who love them some candy.  I don't have many pictures of Micah because Tim hung with his group and took pictures with his phone while I stayed with a very clingy Liam and got some shots of him.  I'll put more of Micah up later, but here's Liam as the egg hunt began.  Caution: he may be in dire need of a haircut.

That boy will do anything for the promise of a bite of chocolate.
Like mother, like son.

He insisted on standing in the dirtiest part of the playground to get a picture of him with his loot. 
Like brother, like brother.

Very intently saying grace before lunch.

Brothers and their baskets.

Micah's buddy Ian, whom he just adores, helped him with the sack race.  And when I say "race", I mean "it's okay just to have fun and you don't really have to finish".  And when I say "sack", I mean "Micah and Liam get in the sack and Ian and Mommy carry them while they pseudo-hop inside the sack from one end of the yard to the other".

Exhibit A.

I managed to get a picture of Liam before I carried him through the yard in the sack.

Have you ever tried to do the egg-spoon race with a wooden egg and a wooden spoon, the latter of which has virtually no dip to allow the egg to rest in?  Thankfully there was no rule stating you couldn't hold the egg on with your hand.  If they don't say it, it's not a rule.

He's like a J. Crew catalog.  If J. Crew featured kids at egg hunts who hold their eggs on their spoons.

 

81 kids enjoyed their Easter fun at First Pres this morning.  Thanks to Ms. Lynn, Ms. Kelly, Ms. Meghan, and all of the First Pres youth for their hard work in making this year's Eggstravaganza such an awesome time for the children.  And for their parents too.