Spring: Whoopie pies, lilacs and braids

My first attempt at whoopie pies. They were more jumbo sized but SO good!! Rasberry lemon whoopie pies: recipe from Everyday Food.


Mmmmmmmm. Couldn't they last just a little bit longer......


Apparently I am running a kids salon on the side........




Life is good!

A birthday and bunk beds

My sister, Ashley, came to visit last weekend and Friday was her birthday. It was good to see her but sad too. I've had the luxury of meeting her at the cottage, for holidays or one of us occasionally traveling to visit the other but in another month she'll graduate from medical school and then she'll move to Boise, ID. A VERY long drive from La Crosse. Ashley generously agreed to bring the bottom portion of the bunk beds I had from college and somehow managed to get them in a Tahoe all by her lonesome (and still had room for her dog and it's crate). Anyway, we appreciated the effort and Travis went to work. The kids have SO much space in their room now-it's awesome! I tried to provide Ashley with plenty of good food in celebration of her birthday and for traveling to visit us (with the bed in tow). Sunday afternoon the kids, Ashley and I went bowling-Ashley creamed the rest of us the first game but Therin, who was very proud, won the second.


Kya was quite surprised and disappointed by the number of gifts Ashley got for her birthday. She kept saying, "Only one!?!" I told her we were cheap. Maybe I should have spelled her gifts out in dollar amounts and it might make more sense.

Neighborhood scooter gang

Kyra, Charlotte and Kya-lookin' pretty tough and intimidating.

Umbrella Fun

So Kya asked tonight if I could get her new umbrella while she was in the shower so she could pretend it was raining; although that sounds like a lot of fun, I denied the request especially because Therin was in the shower with her (among other reasons). Maybe I'll suggest that she uses the umbrella the next time she runs through the sprinkler.
Update: I asked Kya tonight if she wanted to bring her umbrella to the Y and she could shower with it after swimming lessons-she had a blast and I didn't have to mop up a flood!

Hosting a Belated Easter

Mary requested that the Smiths get together for Easter. It was nice to reconnect and just be together. Rick and Mary just returned from spring break in Puerto Rico and Joel returned home from a month long work trip to India last week.



Hosting my first holiday meal. I had a lot of fun planning the menu: Arnold Palmers and Watermelon Mint Iced Tea, Sugar Baked Ham, Breakfast Pizza, Spinach Salad, a bouquet of fruit from Edible Arrangements and Hazelnut Jam Muffins. Yum!


The traditional Easter egg hunt. Faster! Faster!


No eggs in here.




Checking out the loot.


Kya and Grandma.

Robin Hood and a monkey tail

When you've recently watched Robin Hood and found broken arrows on a hike.....


you aim to become Robin Hood.


When you've recently read Ramona Quimby.....



you may grow a monkey tail.

Sick

Never good when you can identify strawberry ice cream and kiwi 12 hours later in your daughter's vomit. We'll be watching a lot of Charlie and Lola this morning.

Is it spring break or summer?

24 days earlier than last year, the kids ran through the sprinkler today.






Little girls in rainboots and bikinis dog-walking, does it get any more adorable?

A visit from the Easter Bunny

The kids were very excited to see a rabbit in the yard yesterday and then one of them exclaimed, "It's the Easter Bunny!" (Unfortunately all he left was poop.)

Therin's Hidden Talent

Give the boy a name, a word, and whala, he munches away until he's done. (My very astute sister, Julie, pointed out to me that "whala" is in fact, "voile." Rx: Read more Fancy Nancy. Sorry to disappoint you once again my dear sister but at least I can entertain you with my ignorance!)