Now That's a Hamburger

I think that may be the tallest burger I've ever seen. It was stacked with loving care by my dad, the best chef I know. Whenever we ask him what ingredients are in his gourmet meals, he responds, "My own special blend of 11 herbs and spices." Yeah, I think I if could cook like him I would keep my concoctions a secret too.

Field Trip

I love that I have been able to go on a couple of field trips with Blake's class this year, while he still thinks it's "cool" to have his mom tag along.

His final field trip was to the zoo.

My "group" that I had to keep my eye on was a piece of cake. Little girls are so different than little boys. Sweet Ava just wanted to hold my hand the whole time and occasionally point out a bird.

And the boys preferred to run off and climb up things like brass rhinos.

Blake claims that the giraffes were his favorite part.

But I think he was more interested in the animal fruit snacks his teacher brought than the actual animals.

I have to admit that the zoo isn't my favorite place in the world, but nothing is more delightful than watching a group of four year olds interact.

The best part of the day was when I was passing the school bus and could see Blake's little eyes peeping above the bench and his hand frantically waving at me. That sort of thing turns my heart to mush.

iPhoneography: April Edition

Here's a little Instagram snapshot from the last month, because sometimes it's just more convenient to snap pictures on my phone instead of lugging my big camera around.

I had plans to visit my good friend and her newborn baby at the hospital (more on that later), but as I was about to leave, Blake threw himself on the ground begging to come with me. I knew that he was past due for some one-on-one time, and there wasn't really any reason he couldn't come, so we loaded up and spent an entire afternoon and evening together. We drove to our old college town and I showed Blake the apartment where we lived for 8 months after he was born. He was really curious about his bedroom window and how his bed got from there to the house we live in now.

After visiting the sweet new baby, we stopped to get my ring cleaned and Blake was put to work at the machine. We had dinner at J-Dawgs, which used to be a little hot dog stand on campus but now has expanded into an entire corner restaurant. Blake deemed our date "the best, most special day ever."  He has been asking ever since when we get to have a special day again.

We decided to get a season pass to the children's museum this year, and we discovered recently that we could sign up for special art or music classes. The activity last week was painting watering cans. Nash had a little too much fun with his first painting experience. He painted his hands and the insides of his mouth more than the actual watering can.

This year is flying by. How is it almost May already?

Front Yard Camping

When my family was visiting over Easter, I pulled in the driveway one afternoon to find my dad and Blake lounging in folding chairs in the front yard.

Blake informed me that they were "camping."

Hey, if all it requires to go camping are some chairs and an umbrella in the front yard, I am 100% on board.

Easter 2012

Here is the rundown of our Easter festivities:

The boys awoke to the traditional string tied onto their doorknobs. The Easter Bunny left a string for each of them to follow all over the house that led them to their Easter baskets.

Nash has an obsession with Maisy books and was delighted to find a few new ones in his basket.

Blake's basket held a few treats and magnetic Imaginets.

The Easter Bunny was even kind to the adults.

Somehow he knew that my mom would love some yellow shoes, and he even got her the right size.

In between eating enormous meals, we went to church (which was lovely by the way) and tried to attempt a few photos before the boys ripped their ties off.

This is the reality of how photo ops usually turns out:

My brother and his brand new fiancée joined us.

We e-met our first nephew and cousin.

The boys were ready to get on with the egg hunt.

Blake thought some of the hiding places were especially funny.

So funny that he let his little brother in on the discoveries before snatching the eggs up himself. 

The "grown-ups" participated as well.

Troy responded with his usual holiday sarcasm.

He loosened up when a few dollar bills were found.

Sorting out the contents is always the best part.

But not even candy could compete with the attention of Uncle Todd.

Our boys sure adore him.

We had one more surprise for Blake after all of the festivities.

With his birthday being so close to Christmas, we decided to hold off on his birthday gift until spring. 

He was elated to find a "big" bike waiting for him, and was so grateful to me for "making" it. We made it clear that his gift was from us and not the Easter Bunny, and this sort of thing wouldn't happen every year.

It didn't take long for him to turn his bike upside down and make it into a machine.

Nashy was pretty excited about inheriting Blake's tricycle, even though his legs didn't quite reach the pedals.

We feel blessed to have spent Easter with our out of town family, and for the opportunity to reflect on the Resurrection, one of the most beautifully amazing things we celebrate. We hope that our boys recognize that Easter is something larger than the baskets they wouldn't let out of their sights.