SNOW in March!!!!

Well, yes it is spring, but the weather doesn't know that, because it snowed today! It is 36 degrees outside and snowing. Anna woke me up this morning yelling, "It's snowing, it's snowing, where are my snow pants." So I got up and looked outside and yes it was snowing but it was mostly, mixed rain and snow.

Although, by early afternoon, it was getting colder and the snow was getting heavier and starting to stick. So the girls played outside long enough for me to get this picture, before they got cold and wanted hot chocolate.

What wierd weather!!!!!

Easter

We had a pretty low key Easter. The Easter Bunny brought the girls candy and presents. Grandma Marilyn contributed to the easter basket goodies. Anna like the Mickey puzzles and Madison really like the pop up Nursery Rhyme Book. The girls also got spring pajamas, althought it hasn't been warm enough to wear them yet.

Our neighborhood had an easter egg hunt the Saturday before easter and we had a good turn out. I was in charge of stuffing and hiding the eggs. Anna helped me hide the eggs, although she tended to clump them. She likes to help me whenever she can. The weather cooperated - which was great. Also Costco sold prestuffed eggs, so that saved me a lot of time this year.

The girls had an Easter Party at preschool. Below is a picture of their class after the easter egg hunt. After the hunt they had to go in and split all the eggs evenly. They had snacks and decorated cupcakes with edible grass and bunny peeps. Of course Madison decorated her cupcake, but she didn't eat it because it wasn't chocolate (picky, picky).

NEW FLOORS!!!!!!

Well the upstairs floors are done and I love them. We had maple laminate installed in the bonus room, bedroom, bedroom closet, hallway, and stairs. It only took them three days to finish the job and it looks so much better than carpet.

Although, the hardest part was moving everything out of our two largest rooms into our guest room. So we moved everything out of the bonus room into the guest room - as the picture shows. They did the bonus room first, so once that room was done, we took everything out and then put the bedroom furniture, etc. in the guest room. All the hard work was worth it because the floors look great and my allergies improved immediately.



The carpet line from the stairs left marks on the wall so now we are deciding what color to repaint the walls. The walls are cuurently white, but I would like a change. I currently have tried 5 different samples but can't decide on the what color I like best. One wall looks like a patchwork quilt of paint samples.

Before Pictures:

After Pictures:

Mom's Birthday Surprise

After we got back from Cannon Beach the girls and I turned around and went to the Tri-Cities to surprise Mom for her birthday. Kara planned and coordinated the entire surprise. My aunt and uncle (Mom's brother) from Utah came up. Kara flew in Tuesday morning and then we drove over that afternoon. So we surprised Mom after she got back from Grandma Annette's with a steak dinner.

Although, the real surprise was Doug flying in Wednesday afternoon. Kara was the only one who knew he was coming and she told us that he couldn't get the time off, so Mom and I were very surprised to see him. We went to dinner with their friends to celebrate. A family friend watched the girls, so they didn't have to sit through dinner - the girls had a good time playing with Jordyn. Anna & Madison loved roughhousing with Uncle Doug. It was fun to see both Kara and Doug twice in three months.

Thursday afternoon we all went to lunch with Grandma Ruth at Applebees (the girls favorite restaurant). After lunch we went to Howard Amon park in Richland, they have a great play structure. Anna loved the zip line, if only we had one in our backyard, she would be entertained for hours.

We came home Friday afternoon. We took over a friend and her two kids. So it was a full car. We stopped in Cle Elum for lunch and let the kids play for awhile. Once they were fed and worn out, three of the four kids fell asleep - so the second half of the trip was quieter. Once we got home it was Daddy time. Kara and I went to dinner at Duke's and saw Definitely, Maybe - which was pretty good (Ryan Reynolds is very cute and tall).

Kara and Doug swinging.

Anna on the zip line at Howard Amon Park.

Anna at Hawthorne Park - the park is the same as when we grew up.

Aunt Kara and Madison!!

Cannon Beach, OR

I know that it has been awhile since I updated the blog, so here it goes. We spent presidents weekend at Cannon Beach, OR with friends to celebrate Ken's birthday. This is the third year that we have gone to Cannon Beach with the Winkley's. It was perfect beach weather - sunny with no wind. Anna had a great time running and splashing through every puddle (literally every puddle). Madison and Anna had a great time playing with Ellie and Vivi, several games of go fish were played by all.

We went to Mo's for dinner on Friday night, which was very good. Saturday night we had a seafood feast at the house. We went to Seaside for lunch on Saturday to eat at Ken's favorite seafood spot, Buoy Boy.

Madison decided to cross the river with her shoes on!!

The girls are fishing for sea life.

Dancing in the puddles!!!

Madison - all bundled up - writing in the sand.

Kids Digital Camera

Anna received a digital camera from Santa and we bought Madison one, so they would each have one. They took over 800 pictures and I deleted most of them. They took pictures of everything in my parents house - ceiling, floors, lamps, decorations, people body parts, etc. They did manage to get a few good pictures and I thought I would share those. Anna is better at centering on the person in the picture. Madison tends to cut off heads in her pictures.

Dave (Dad) on Christmas Day

Madison's self portrait

Madison on Christmas Day

Anna showing Madison her picture

Madison makes this face all the time, now I know she gets it from Uncle Doug!!

Aunt Kara on Christmas morning

Our cat Bandit

Christmas Break

Well, Christmas has come and gone. The girls waited patiently for Santa, and it was worth the wait. Anna received the digital camera she wanted and Madison got her Princess Castle. They were glad that Santa remembered what they wanted, particulary since Anna didn't see Santa this year.

We spent Christmas in the Tri-Cities with my family. We went over the Saturday morning , and it was the 6 1/2 hour tour. We had to chain up on Snoqualmie pass and it was stop and go until we made it through the inspection point, then traffic loosened up. We hadn't chained up in a decade. We were all glad to finally reach the Tri-Cities. The weather was nice in Kennewick, it was cool and sunny most of the time. We had a nice time visiting family and friends. Christmas is always chaotic, but less so this time. The girls didn't rip through their gifts as I thought they would. Instead they liked delivering gifts to people and helping/watching them open them. The girls did get spoiled once again this year, by myself and Grandma/Grandpa. Grandma let them open one gift everynight for the three nights before Christmas, this helped contain their excitement. The girls got a lot of cute clothes and toys. Anna got a lot of art supplies, which she has been using since we got home. They both love playing with the Princess Castle, Anna likes driving the princesses around in their horse drawn carriage (which plays music when it moves).

The girls go back to school on Monday, January 7th and I can hardly wait. They are anxious, but not as much as I am.

Madison showing off some new clothing.

Anna with her new digital camera

Madison in front of her Princess Castle

The girls in their Christmas dresses, before going to Church.

Girls showing off some gifts they opened on Christmas Eve.