Spring Break and Easter Fun!

Hey Everyone!!  Boy have we had a busy week!!  I thought I would update everyone on the madness that is going on right now before it becomes a 10 page blog post.  So lets start at the beginning.  Last Friday started Riley's spring break.  We had a laid back weekend, nothing to outrageous, we were snowed in most of the time. The wind was nasty both days, huge wrecks on the highway, but Cam still got his runs in!  lol.  Then Monday we had MOPS.  It was a lot of fun, because there was no rushing around!  I didn't have to pack a lunch or drop anyone off ahead of time, or rush to get out so we could get Riley to school on time.  It was a nice change.  We could take our time.  And we did!!!  I think we even stopped at Chick-fil-a for lunch!  (I know, I must have been insane!). 

Tuesday was MADNESS!!!  Jayce has had some Potty/Diaper issues lately, and after waking up with some swelling "down there" on Tuesday morning, I decided enough was enough!  We've tried potty training, disposable diapers, and more to help him so I finally said time to see the Doc!  The only thing was the swelling was so bad (and scary for me - a girl) that I decided urgent care was needed rather than trying to wait to get into the Doctor.  But . . . Riley had a playdate scheduled (and I had already canceled once so I knew he would freak out if I told him Zack wasn't going to come over), so Daddy to the Rescue!!!  I called Cam and he graciously came home from work to stay with Riley and Zack so I could take Jayce to Urgent Care.  Everything seems to be ok, we have some cream to help with inflammation, and if it continues we may need to see a urologist.  (it's more complicated than that, but I don't really understand it completely so I can't explain it really well).  So, by the time I get home from Urgent Care, its time for lunch and Cam to go back to work.  Then Zack's mom comes to pick him up, and my Friend Jan came to watch the boys so I could go get my hair done.  And I think when I sat down in my stylist's chair it was the first time I'd sat down since getting out if bed that morning!  Ugh!  But I had three hours to sit and relax and chat with my stylist (I love her, she's so sweet, and does a great job!) and I came out looking like a whole new woman!!  YAY!!  it was time for a change!  (See Easter photos below for my updated look!)

Wednesday was a little different, usually we go to Bible study on Wednesdays.  But after running around like crazy the day before, I decided to take the day off.  I wasn't going anywhere or doing anything.  Well, that didn't last super long, the boys wanted to make a fort.  Knowing that something like that would keep them entertained and out of my hair for most of the day I agreed, and we made a monster-sized fort in the living room!!!  It was so much fun, the boys had a blast all day.  I let them eat lunch in it, and we even kept it up until Thursday night and let Riley sleep in it. 

Monster-Fort

Jayce and Amara cuddling in the fort

Riley, being crazy as usual!

Jayce teaching Amara how to be a Diva!

Thursday we drove down to Longmont to hang out with one of our Favorite Photographers.  We met Nicole, Hayden, and Dylan at the Lyons Soda Fountain (an old fashioned soda shop) for lunch and photos.  It was way overwhelming!!  If she gets any good ones out of that trip it will be a miracle!!  The boys were way too wound up, Jayce was throwing fits left and right (I had to physically remove him from the shop a couple times), it was ridiculous!  I bet they were so happy when we finally walked out the door!  So after a quick stop at a open space to let them run around and burn off some energy, we headed back to Nicole's house for some indoor shots of Amara.  I made her a cute tu-tu for the occasion (my first) and was so excited to see how it looked on her!  Let me just say - A-DOR-A-BLE!!! Also, Nicole gave me some pointers and let me borrow her lens for some practice with my own camera.  I really liked it, and may have to invest in one myself! 

Preview pic of Amara in her tu-tu

Matching Headband and all!

I took this one, with Nicole's Lens

These too

New Dress from Great-Aunt Elaine!!!  So cute!!!

Fun Fabric!!

Friday Daddy had the day off work, so we headed to the Greeley Family Funplex pool.  I wasn't about to attempt a pool with three kiddos (since Jayce is in that mix) myself, so I was glad we could take advantage of daddy's day off for some fun.  For those of you local, if you haven't been, you should - it's so much fun, the kids love it!  and at only $12 for a Family, it's super hard to find cheaper entertainment!!  It was Amara's first pool trip, and she wasn't too thrilled about it at first.  She was asleep when we got there, but when she finally woke up I think the noise scared her.  It's a pretty loud place with all the rushing water and echos.  She screamed for the first about 20 minutes, then she started to calm down.  by the end of the trip she was doing fine with everything. 

Riley on the slide

Jayce "boxing" with the water

Amara's not loving it!

Starting to calm down

Slide races

Yesterday, Saturday, our small town had an Easter Egg Hunt for the kiddos.  It was supposed to be last weekend but it was snowed out!  hehehe.  So we went yesterday.  Riley found his friend Zack, so they got to hunt for eggs together.  Jayce even got a few!  Although I will say that this one is more of a free for all than an actual hunt.  They just spread the eggs out in a field, rope of areas for age groups, and let them have at it!  It lasts all of about 90 seconds.  But the kids love it! 

Waiting for the starting signal

Riley and Zack ready to make a mad-dash

And Their Off!!!

Today the Easter Bunny came and left us lots of Goodies!!  The boys were so excited to get up and see the things left for them.  Riley had a hard time finding his basket though, the Easter Bunny hid it really good!  He kept walking around looking in the same places saying "That Rabbit is really sneaky!"  It was so cute!  And thankfully the Easter bunny didn't give a lot of Candy this year.  There were some books, and toys and a little bit of candy.  Our Easter bunny likes to give Sand Toys, which we love!  So there were lots of those, and some bubbles, and a Jump Rope, and some toy cars.  Then we headed out to church after taking some family pictures.  My friend Trista made the cute little bow ties and suspenders for the boys, and a matching headband for Amara.  They are so cute, and we got so many compliments on them.  If you would like some you can shop at her Etsy store here. 

Looking super-spiffy in their suspenders and bow ties

Amara's Matching Headband

Family Photo

The Men

The Ladies

Mommy and the Kids

And Daddy and the kids

After Church and Dinner we joined our good friends Jackson, Tanner, and Ryder for an Easter Egg Hunt!  It was so much fun, we are so glad they invited us!!  I got some better pictures of Jayce this time!  He and Ryder are so cute!  Ryder's eggs kept falling out of his basket: he'd pick up one and two would fall out . . . so Jayce just followed Ryder around and picked up the ones that fell out!!  Way to be resourceful!! 

The Loot!!!

Tomorrow is another fun-filled day!!  We have MOPS in the morning (just a steering meeting for me) and then we are meeting Jackson and Tanner at Chick-fil-a for lunch and then on to Jumpin' to burn off some energy!  YAY!!!  Otherwise the rest of the week will be back to routine. 

Hope everyone had a wonderful Easter weekend! 

Amara is 3 Months!!

Happy 3 months to Amara!  I can't believe how fast time is going.  She should not be 3 months old already!  But she is getting cuter by the day!  Here's some pictures I took this morning to commemorate her 3 month mark. 

Like a friend of mine pointed out I'm a little yellow obsessed right now.  I don't know why, but I'm really liking the yellow.  I chose it for some family photos we did last month, and almost everything I've bought Amara to wear recently is some combination of yellow/pink or yellow/white or yellow/purple.  I even tried to get Cameron a yellow and white striped shirt the other day!  lol.  Oh well. 

We had a fun St. Patrick's Day this year.  It was the first time the "leprechauns" came to visit and play tricks on us.  They put green streamers up to trap the boys in their room, turned our milk green, and drew funny faces on some of our pictures!!  Those silly leprechauns!!  ;)  We also did some green themed food that day.  Daddy dyed the pancakes green for breakfast, Mommy dyed the macaroni green for our Mac & Cheese at lunch, and for dessert after dinner we had leprechaun floats (lime sherbet and sprite) and pots of gold (lemon jello)!  Yummy!!  Next year we'll have to construct some traps to see if we can keep those leprechauns from playing tricks on us! 

Riley got his report card this week.  He's doing so great in school I couldn't be prouder!  He has almost all "S+" on everything.  And he's even helping another little boy in his class.  Zack, Riley's little friend, doesn't talk in public, and only whispers to his family in public.  He hasn't said a word all year.  But he loves playing with Riley, and Riley with him.  They have become very good friends even though it's literally a one way conversation.  (First let me say how proud I am of him for befriending Zack even though he doesn't talk to him!)  So last week Riley went over to Zack's house for a playdate.  The hope is that Zack will become comfortable enough with Riley to talk to him (first at his home/comfort zone, then eventually at school) and then others at school.  And - it's working!!  Zack finally spoke to Riley, he said bye, and thank you to him after the playdate!!!  YAY!!  And I love that Riley was beaming ear to ear when he left, and I know it's because he felt so special to have Zack talk to him!  Also, it may be a while before Riley loses that loose tooth.  Mostly because his permanent tooth has already come in behind it!!  We haven't called the dentist yet about it, but we've been encouraging him to work the loose one with the hope it will still fall out on it's own and he won't have to have it pulled. 

I've given up on Potty Training with Jayce!  He's still into it, and wants to go every once in a while (usually when we are changing his diaper).  But he's not consistent enough about holding it, or emptying his bladder completely so our trips to the potty were every 6 minutes.  So I gave up.  We'll try again in a few months.  At least he understands the concept, now we just have to work on the technique!  lol 

Riley's on Spring Break now.  He has today, all of Next Week, AND the following Monday off school.  I swear I don't know how this school system gets all their 180 days in!  But we've got a pretty busy schedule.  MOPS and Bible Study are still on, but we've also got at least 3 playdates lined up, and a full day of Pictures.  (more about the pictures in a few)  I'm also hoping to squeeze in a trip to the indoor pool with Daddy, but between all of that and Easter activities we may be too jam packed!  My Friend Nicole has been doing a TON of photos for us lately.  If you haven't seen any stop by her Facebook page and LIKE it. She's currently changing from DeHaven Photography to Two Danes Photography (in honor of her two handsome great danes!).  She does awesome work.  One thing she's really into right now is "lifestyle shoots".  Where she just kinda follows us around and takes more candid shots of our everyday life.  I'm totally loving this!!  For many reasons: 1. it's proven to be the only way we can get a good photo of Jayce given his current activity level. 2. I'm having a hard time documenting our everyday life with all the busy-ness that entails 3 children under 6. and 3. Because with her doing them then I get to be on the other side of the lens!!  All too often I'm missing from photos, and so I'm excited to have some with the kiddos.  A couple weeks ago we did some here at our house.  I painted with Jayce and read him a story, and even got to play with the dogs a little.  It was so nice and relaxed!  So next week we are going to a "location" one at a old fashioned soda shop.  I'm super excited for this!  We're also hoping to do some bowling ones with Cam and Riley one day down the road.  That's their new "man dates"!!  Riley loves bowling, so it's a special treat that he gets to go with Daddy!  And speaking of Daddy, he's at the woodworking again!  With all these new pictures (and if you know me you know I LOVE pictures) I needed a place to put them.  I've been really slacking on hanging photos in our house because there isn't a whole lot of wall space to do it.  And with the kids growing and changing so much I feel like I would be changing the pictures so much there would be a million holes in the walls.  So Daddy constructed some really cool cedar shelves for me to fill up with picture frames (and it didn't take long to do that!!)  They are really cool and rustic looking.  They fit perfectly with what I had in mind.  I'm so glad Cam is so talented!! ;)

Well that's about it for now.  I'm sure we'll have a ton of photos to show everyone after next week!  and if things ever warm up again I'm hoping to do some more playing outside.  So come back by in a couple weeks for more updates!!  Oh, and if you haven't stopped by to see the monthly albums in a while, here's the link to our Photo Sharing Site.  I've finally caught up with that one!!  ;)