Happy St. Paddy's Day...a Day Late

Well another year has passed and we were unable to catch that sneaky leprechaun.  He went back to Ireland yesterday but had fun playing at our house and leaving little gifts each morning for the kids. 

One morning we woke up and our trap had fallen down...the leprechaun used the rope to swing his way into the decorative flowers on our dining room table.  Each morning the kids found one clue near his trap that led them to another clue, and then a third before they found their gifts. 

He also took the two leprechauns the kids made and put them in funny places around the house.

This year he left footprints on their lights, bed, legs, arms, face, hands, drinking glasses, windows, toilet, and mirror.  One morning the kids found a green glittered shamrock on their carpet...it must have been a sign that he was up to lots of mischief in their rooms the night before!

This is a picture of the kids eating breakfast while playing with the set of Star Wars Legos that the leprechaun had brought Isaiah.  Ava got a Barbie but loved the Legos.  She told me, "I want just one set of Star Wars Legos too, and then just girl stuff."  I guess I know what the Easter bunny might bring her.  I kid you not when I say that they were at this for 45 minutes.

Each morning it was so cute to hear the pitter patter of their feet run through the house to see if they'd trapped him and to search for clues and their gifts.  Better luck to us next year!

This picture has nothing to do with leprechauns but is just proof that it was 86 degrees in the sun yesterday on March 17th.  The kids played at the water table and ran back and forth through the sprinkler for an hour.  I don't know if we'll ever have a March as nice as this one.  It really did come in like a lion and go out like a lamb!

Here's Mr. Isaiah...my little sleeper!  He slept in the backyard in this chair for an hour and a half!

My Three Happy's:

1) Another day of 82 degrees!  Absolutely amazing!

2) I'm excited to eat all the yummy St. Patrick's Day food tonight at Grandpa and Grandma Richardson's house.  They are part Irish so we do this every year when we get together on Sunday.  I love reubens!

3) Sleeping with the windows open.  I LOVE fresh air.  This whole week the house has been opened up.  The night gets a little cool but there's nothing better than a cool breeze coming in and cuddling with the cool sheets on your bed. 

What Can You Do at the Zoo?

On Tuesday we went to the Blank Park Zoo.  Talk about a gorgeous day...it was absolutely perfect.  We met my sister and Miss Isabelle there and had a blast.  They have a really fun play set that the kids loved along with all the cute animals.  The giraffes, zebras, and monkeys were not there yet.  Typically this time of year is too cold for them.  We were there for almost 4 hours and by the time we left, we had two exhausted and tired little ones!

My loves...how cute are they with their hats.  I'm still working on trying to get Isaiah to open his eyes more when he smiles.  What a goof!

Watching all the fish

Isn't this lion beautiful! 

Posing by a kangaroo statue

They loved walking across this bridge.  Isaiah kept going back and forth and back and forth.

Ava loved it too!

**Click on the link below for a slide show of all the pictures I took at the zoo.  There are just too many to post.  I should say that one of my "Happy's" is Animoto.  It's so easy to use!**

A Trip to the Zoo

How can it possibly be Friday?  I love my job SOOO much...but this week has really given me a taste of summer and I just want to be done and home with my family.  But March is almost over and that just leaves April and May.  Andy starts track on Monday...which means track meets at Ballard...which means hot dogs, popcorn, nachos, and long licorice ropes to the kids.  They love cheering on the Ballard Bombers.  April and May also means it's almost time to get the garden ready again and to buy tons of flowers!  I can't wait!!!

My Three Happy's:

1) Yesterday my parents met us at The Lorax.  We saw the 3D version and the kids loved it.  I must say that this movie was done very well.  Sometimes movies take stories and then completely change them around.  This had additional things added to the original story plot but for the most part really reflected off of the true story.  I loved it!  Everyone then came back to our house to play and have dinner.  Julie and Isabelle were with us too and Kevin drove here after work.  That's one thing I love about break...having the ability to do whatever we want!

2) We are meeting Andy's parents and Jody for lunch today at Azteca (a Mexican restaurant in Ames).  We're also having a St. Patrick's Day themed dinner on Sunday.  Should be fun!

3) Tonight we're headed to Ames to have dinner with the Vermeers.  All the kids act like they've never been apart when we bring them together.  We LOVE this family. 

Someone Turns 58

March 13th this year marked my Dad's 58th birthday.  We all got together on Sunday to celebrate.  We met at Julie and Kevin's house to play and open presents, then we ate dinner at Red Robin in Des Moines, and then went back to my sister's house again for some yummy cake.  It's always fun getting together and as usual I took lots of pictures.

Ava and Isabelle playing in the princess tent.

My Dad looking at the cards that Ava and Isaiah made him.

Ava watching Grandpa open his present...a J Crew gift card.

Miss Isabelle was helping Grandpa open a Disney shirt, Mickey Mouse coffee scoop, and magnets from her.

Three adorable cousins!

The rare picture of Julie and myself.  We always seem to take all the pictures and very few with us ever make it onto our blogs. 

Ava and Isaiah love putting their car seats into Isabelle's car when we go places.  Isabelle loves having her big cousins ride with her. 

At Red Robin, Isaiah was impressed by the onion ring tower.  That kid loves his onion rings!

My parents have this tradition that they make a chocolate twinkie cake for each other every year.  I think they heard this recipe on the radio years and years and years ago and ever since have made this for EVERY birthday.  It's really good!

Make a wish...

...blow out the candles!  Happy B-Day Dad and Grandpa!

These little ones were loving the cake and ice cream!

Me and my Dad!

Apparently everyone likes changing into pajamas later in the evening...so that's what Grandma, Grandpa, Ava, Isaiah, and Isabelle did. 

How cute are these two munchkins!

Ava wearing Aunt Julie's Minne Mouse "honeymoon" headband that she wore when they went to Disney after their wedding.

Isaiah goofing around with Uncle Kevin

Miss Isabelle wearing Grandpa's Dale hat...I'm sure you've heard of the two chipmunks "Chip" and "Dale."  Here's a bit of trivia for you...do you know how to tell one from the other?  Chip as a black/brown nose like a chocolate chip and Dale has a red nose.  You learn something new every day!

Isaiah showing off the Dale hat too!

Grandma being silly with Isaiah

Another great birthday! Happy 58th Dad!

**My Three Happy's are on the next post.**

The Trap is all Set so We'll Patiently Wait...for One Sneaky Leprechaun to take the bait!

We're ready!  Tonight I talked to the kids about how around this time last year we put out Lucky Charms cereal as bait to attempt to catch our first leprechaun.  They asked me if I thought the leprechaun would come tonight.   I said, "I'm not sure, but we can set up the trap and put the cereal out to see."  Tonight the kids decided they wanted the trap on the table.  We also used a "rope" instead of a ladder this year.  They figured the leprechaun could climb the rope to get to the top of the box.  The kids are SOOO excited so see if this little green guy tip toes around our house tonight.   We'll just have to wait and see!

Earlier this week I brought home the pattern from school of a leprechaun craft.  We used paper from around the house to make a similar one.  We added shirts, shorts, and a belt.  How cute did these turn out!  Ava's is on the left and Isaiah's on the right.

Tonight Isaiah said, "Take a picture of me standing between the two leprechauns."

Ava and Isaiah getting Lucky Charms cereal out to scatter around the table and on the trap.

I think we're ready...we'll see what kind of mischief this funny green man makes tonight!

My Three Happy's:

1) 75 degrees...are you kidding...and maybe even warmer in the direct sun!  We spent the ENTIRE day outside.  We went to the zoo with my sister and Isabelle and then went back to her house to play afterwards.  The kids were soaked from the water table and from playing with the hose. Yes...it was that warm!  Pictures of our zoo trip coming soon. 

2) My 5:45 and 6:00 early risers are sleeping in!  I know...it's going to be a horrible transition when we go back to school soon...but I'm loving it!  We've been letting them stay up a little later and they've both been sleeping until 7:45 or 8:00.  Ahhh...this reminds me of summer!

3) The robins are back and it's light out after dinner.  Is it safe to say that winter is over and we will have only nice weather from here on out?  Hope so...this entire week is supposed to be in the upper 70's...talk about a perfect spring break!

**An extra 4th Happy: I can't begin to tell you how much I LOVE being home with Andy and the kids.  Every day has been filled with something fun and we've pretty much spent every waking moment together.  Sounds a little cheesy...but I love my family and treasure every single second we get together!

Happy Days!

Saturday was just one of those relaxing days...the weather was amazing, no one had a care in the world...it was just plain simple and most importantly was spent with family.  My Aunt Barbie had come up earlier in the week and my Uncle Dave drove up Friday night too.  We spent Saturday playing dress up, playing Frisbee and tag in the yard, going on bike rides, grilling out, and catching up.

I knew there was a reason why my Mom kept all our old dance costumes.  Ava loves trying them on and playing dress up. 

Isaiah of course wants no part of that!  He had just woke up from a nap and was relaxing on the couch with his new Build a Bear "Darth Vader."

Another beautiful day for a bike ride in the neighborhood

We all went for a walk too.

Isaiah took this picture of us on the hammock in my parent's backyard.

Andy and Isaiah were wrestling for the Frisbee in the backyard.

I have SOOO many more pictures so I made a mini slide show of all the other snapshots I took.  I can't even tell you how nice it is to be on spring break.  What a relaxing week it will be!

Happy Days!
(click on the "Happy Days" link to see the slide show)

Have a SUPER Monday!

My Three Happy's
1) Celebrating my Dad's 58th b-day yesterday.  His "real" b-day isn't until tomorrow, but we got together yesterday.  I'll post all those pictures soon too.
2) We just rented our jogger stroller for Disney World...just another reminder that our trip will be here before we know it!
3) This week it's supposed to be in the high 60's and low 70's.  What awesome weather!