Twins would be fun!

Once they were 5 and could just play together without requiring constant parental supervision. Megan complains bitterly all the time that she doesn't have a twin so I don't think she will be happy that Anna had one over to play. Props to Target for the popular dress.

We finally have visitors!

I haven't managed to get any good photos with everyone but here are some bad ones. Lots of playing outside which is wearing everyone out. Dad even volunteered to powerwash our filthy deck and furniture, oh years of dirt storms have not been kind.

Welcome home Brian!!

Our good friends from San Antonio days have survived the longest year of their lives and Brian gets home from his deployment tomorrow!! Props to Heather for surviving with 3 kids AND a new dog. She was quite the trooper and rarely complained beyond the usual mom complaints. I mean, we love our kids, but you know, long days. Can't wait to see them at Disney in less than 2 weeks! Thanks to Disney for the almost free tickets this year, finally convinced us to check it out. Looking forward to seeing lots of family down there too and perhaps even Angela and Joe! Squeezing it all in.

Spring perhaps?

Here is Patrick's favorite new activity. I have decided that he won't get that hurt if he falls and it keeps him busy for ages-- and easier on my back than when I used to hold him up so he could turn the lights on and off. He did start sliding the stool around a bit though and I fear that will lead to pushing it to the stair railing so he can jump, so that will be put away for a while. Just adding to the items in the basement that have been removed.... the coffee table, a chair he loved to push around, etc. He also loves to open the bottom drawer in the kitchen and then stand in it so he can empty the silverware drawer. He also keeps pulling the plastic bumper tabs off the cabinets and then chews on them. So now they all slam shut loudly, nice.


Here is my delighted looking family on Easter. Yet another picture Megan will hate the rest of her life, I should get it framed. You'd think after all that candy they would be smiling like crazy people. But no, Megan is mad that I asked her to wear a dress for one hour. Curse that boy in kindergarten who kept pulling up her skirt. Which reminds me I need to go make sure he is not in her class next year...

Anyway, it's finally not too cold, not too windy, and not yet too hot. Perfect day to open the windows and air the house out.... what the what??? Smoke!?! I guess perfect weather means perfect burn day. Awe. Some. While I appreciate that these aren't fires that wipe out neighborhoods, the smoke still gets tiresome. I assure you that people do not live in Kansas for the weather. Nice people and cheap housing though, can't win them all I guess.

Balls!

We "hid" Patrick's eggs upstairs and it didn't take long before he was calling them balls and throwing them. Another reason I didn't put anything in the eggs... poor boy didn't really get anything for Easter since he doesn't understand- or need anything. I showed him the outfit from Grandma Sharon though, he was not delighted, typical male. Might be too big for Florida but at some point we will dress him as preppy boy.

Hidden baskets

This tradition comes from the Keenan side. Sean had fun hiding them last night before he had to start working. Megan found hers in a sleeping bag in the playhouse and then Anna finally found hers hanging on a hook inside the closet.

Easter Workout

We hid the girls' eggs downstairs and they had quite the workout racing for them. They were actually getting short of breath. Not so great shots but you can get the idea. We put the money eggs and Easter baskets in their respective rooms downstairs (that they will eventually move into but are still pseudo guest rooms at the moment). They are still missing some eggs and we hope that they keep busy for a long time searching for them.

Just to clarify...

It is the University of Notre Dame, not Notre Dame University as the media like to call it. Newsweek in particular is a frequent offender. I haven't thought of a polite way to tell them this and wonder if there isn't some public affairs officer at the university that could take care of this. Hopefully President Obama will get it right in his commencement address...

Foxy!

Megan has a great eye for noticing wildlife in our yard and this morning she saw a fox. It was much closer at first but by the time I could get outside to get a photo (camera focuses on the screen if I try inside) the fox had run off a bit. I was shocked that she was right, I figured it was just some dog running through our yard but I do believe she was right. Check out the tail.

Why help yourself!

Someone got impatient waiting for seconds on the pizza.

Da Car

Why we didn't get one of these when Megan was little, I don't know. It is always the most popular item at any playdate so we finally got one for Patrick. He mostly just gets in and out and then sometimes goes backward. Keeps him busy while the girls use the bounce house, of which he is very afraid. He should love it based on his recent infatuation with jumping on furniture. Long days inside lately...

Parlor Trick

Patrick's favorite new trick is to hide someplace and then burst out and surprise us. I actually thought he had run into my bathroom to wreck havoc as usual but he had hidden himself inside here after Sean unpacked. He does think he is hilarious.

Where is the best weather place to live?

I am seriously researching this, there doesn't seem to be any perfect area, that's for sure, except maybe California which I know would anger many people if we moved there. Today we are enjoying a winter mix, if you will... that means when you run to the school bus you are stung with many many tiny hailballs. I tried to use a big golf umbrella (vintage Health Indiana, thanks Finnegans!) but it really slowed us down, not that Megan was moving fast as she was refusing to run, just kept covering her face. Whatever, she's safe on the bus and off to school. I had to come home and lay down, that was my work out for the day. Now it is snowing big chunks, which is more than we got in January and February combined. Happy April!

p.s. I am taking suggestions on places to move. Megan still has tornado anxiety and last night she made me promise to grab all her stuffed animals next time we have a tornado on the way.