Monday of Spring Break

Monday of Many Birthdays

On Monday morning we headed out to Hammond, Wisconsin to celebrate Jack & Shauna's birthdays.

Since they were unable to make it to Christian's birthday party, we also celebrated his birthday.

We enjoyed a lunch of pb&j and chicken nuggets.

The girls are adorable together.

Victoria wanted to make her laugh the whole time.

Maya apparently didn't want to get her little fingers dirty.

I've known Shauna for a long time now. We taught together nearly ten years ago. We got engaged and married within months of each other.  I'll never forget the day she told me she was pregnant with Jack.  I was going to tell her I was pregnant with Victoria that day.  She told me first and she was soooo excited I didn't want to take away from her so I took her to get a pedicure and waited a couple weeks until we hung out again.  (It was in the summer.)  What an amazing experience it was to go through our first pregnancies together.  Daily sharing our worries, ultrasound pictures (we actually went to an ultrasound TOGETHER!) first kicks and finally birth stories.

She is one of my closest friends in my life.  Having shared such an emotional and momumetal time in our lives I think we'll always have a bond.  Now, we talk husbands, marriages, kitchen tables with leaves,  preschoolers,  eating issues (the kids' not ours), potty training, etc.  There's never a lull in our conversations.  However, we don't get to converse nearly as much as we'd like too.

Jack loved this Thomas game we gave him.  Christian also loved it.  He saw it sitting on the counter waiting to be wrapped and kept saying he wanted to play it.  Luckily, Jack was all for us opening it and playing it.

The boys with all their Thomas birthday gear.   

I don't remember what Christian and Maya were looking at out the window. But I do remember running for my camera because they were so cute right there.

It was the perfect way to kick off the official start to spring break.

Sunday of Spring Break

On the first Sunday night of spring break we headed over to Mall of America for some rides.

I love to see the kids choose to ride together.  Christian is on the inside of the truck.  When it's not busy these trucks are the first to close, so we were happy to get on them.  I see a lot of MOA coming our way this summer!

Soon to be Five

So so so hard to believe Victoria will turn five next month.

The party planning is in full gear.

The petting zoo has been ordered.

We've been to the party supply store several times to get ideas of what theme she wants.  First she wanted a princess party (which she already had when she was one).  Then she saw a Scooby Doo pinata and wanted a Scooby party (which she had last year).  Now she wants a Princess Scooby Doo combo party.  Therefore, I haven't purchased any of it yet.  I love to plan birthday parties.  Now that she's old enough to voice her own opinions (which I love) she's really cramping my party planning ideas.  It's not about me, obviously.  In real five year old fashion we may actually have a combo party if that's what she really wants.   

A Night at the Train Museum

A few weeks back we had a date set to finally have Christmas with Simon.

Granted it was February, but finally we were able to all meet up to exchange gifts.

Christian was the lucky recipient of more trains and tracks.  He was thrilled!

Here are Simon and Victoria enjoying setting it up and playing with it.

This is the best shot of the night of the three of them.

Hard to believe Simon is a full year younger than V!

The ever so patient Grandma Kaye.

When I was little I wished Kaye was my mom.  Actually, I still do.  For Christmas she gave me a family ornament with all of our names and a set of dish towels hand embroidered by Liv's grandma.  I love them so much I can't use them.  She always goes out of her way to make others feel special.

Our children were given gifts after gifts and more gifts.  Out of everything V received her favorite things was a tin of mints that had a Victoria license plate on the top.  She ate everyone of those sugarless mints then taped the top of the tin to her bedroom door.

Christian and his friend Owivia.

That night when I was putting his jammies on he said, "Owivia nice to me.  Her my friend."

After the gifts we all headed over to the train museum. It was the last night they were keeping it open in the evening to run all the trains in the dark.  This brought out every person in the city.  The place was totally packed.  The kids didn't care.  They could have watched the trains go around and around all night long.

Every train had many details.

Little cities were set up all around the trains.

Since it was so dark in there the pictures don't do it justice.

All the little lights were really pretty.

Christian clung to his daddy to get a good look.

He was bossing him all around pointing and saying, "That way daddy!"

This was by far the coolest train.

It went around a carnival and there were different buttons for the kids to push to make different rides and things work.  Victoria really loved this one.  Earlier in the day I asked her what part I would like best. (Mark had taken the kids there once before without me)  She told me all about this one and she was right, it was my favorite.

Of course they had a gift shop at the end so you could buy your own trains.

Nothing warms my heart more than one of my friends loving one of my children!

When I noticed this look on his face I knew it was time to go. 

It was a very fun night filled with friends, fun and a whole lot of trains.

First Night of Spring Break

When Christmas break ends I start coutning down the weeks until spring break.  I love that freedom to pack our week with fun things we want to do not have to do.  Last night was the first night of spring break.  We stopped at the library after I picked up the kids, then met friends at McDonald's for dinner then headed over to Saints North for roller skating night.  I didn't feel real good.  I figured it was McDonald's.  I don't know why I ever eat there for lunch or dinner. (However, I do LOVE their breakfast.) 

The kids were tired and roller skating wasn't as fun as usual.  Looking back now, I wonder if it wasn't as fun because I was getting really sick.  By the time the kids were in bed I was laid out.  Head throbbing, stomache churning.  I couldn't even sleep I was so uncomfortable.  By midnight I was throwing up uncontrolably.  I literally had to get Mark to help me I was so sick.  After another hour or so of shivering in bed I finally fell asleep.  While lying there I was thinking, "Shit!  I'm getting the flu over spring break!  This sucks!" 

Luckily I woke feeling much better.  Too nervous to eat or drink much.  Too tired to move much.  But after a short nap (daddy forgot to diaper little dude at nap - so it didn't take long for him to wake me) I feel so much better. 

Short and sweet.  Hopefully we'll all stay healthy for the next week to enjoy our time together.