Wrapping Up April

April was a full month!  Despite my many posts this month, there are a few random pictures/events/memories that didn't already make it into my previous blog posts...

First, some special Daddy things:

Daddy got to chaperone Summer's field trip to the zoo!

On Good Friday, Daddy got to come to the zoo with the littles and me (Summer still had school)

Daddy got to have lunch with Summer at school on Good Friday, as Daddy was off work, but Summer still had school!

 Second, some random things:

Colton has been asking to climb this tree...

Larkyn loves this Ladybug rain jacket that GiGi Kirkwood gave Summer when she was a baby...and has gotten a lot of wear out of it this April as it has been SO rainy!

Colton and his buddy Brody :)

Summer and her Sparks group

Colton got a special birthday lunch with Grandma and Grandpa K at Famous Daves

Finally, CUDDLES!  Our family LOVES cuddles and it will often be heard, "Mommy, can we cuddle?"  Who can say no to that?! :)

This picture was taken at Colton's request ;)

As I was in the kitchen, I heard, "Mom look at us!" ;)

Found these sweet kiddos like this when I returned from an early Saturday morning run :)  (And Daddy was making our traditional pancake and bacon breakfast like he does every Saturday!)

Cuddling with my 3 favorite kiddos on a lazy Saturday morning

My all time favorite activity with the kids still remains when they all cuddle close on the couch, with blankets, and we read library books together.  I love cuddles with my three favorite kiddos and I love seeing them love on each other too!

Colton Kindergarten Open House

Colton is very excited for Kindergarten!  He loves to "pretend" put his bike in the bike rack at school and say goodbye to me when we drop off Summer... I, of course, banter back to him that he can't go yet... ;)...He can't get that old ;)....he has to stay little just a "little" longer ;).  Anyway, this past Monday was an exciting day for him. Not only was it his first soccer practice, but it was his kindergarten open house...at the same time!  So we went to half of each.  We got a babysitter for the girls, and made it a night with just the parents and Colton.

Sorry for the blurry picture - it was a rainy windy day!  Colton is in the middle of the picture and is on the gold team and is #8.  I'm sure I'll get better pictures as the season goes on. 

Heading in for the new Kindergartener's Open House!

Colton walked down that hallway to the kindergarten wing like a pro - he has been there so many times volunteering with Mommy and having lunch with Summer that he knows the building and many of the staff (and much of the staff knows him as well!)  What a different experience than when we went two years ago with Summer and EVERYTHING was new!

First on his list - he wanted to go on the school bus tour!  Even though we don't get busing (we live .6 miles from the school and you have to live a mile+ to get busing) all kindergartners get a chance to ride the bus on open house night!

He saw quite a few friends/neighbors while we were there and quickly got to playing in each of the kindergarten rooms we visited.

We ended the night in the computer lab, where he was so excited to play on a computer!

I am so grateful for an amazing neighborhood school, outstanding staff, and a great big sister to pave the way!  While its true that this momma will shed tears in the fall, I also know Colton will do great!  Until then...I am very glad I don't have to send him JUST yet....:)

Daddy and Colton Guys Day

Colton and Daddy share a love of soccer, and it is so cute to watch Colton aspire to be like his Daddy!  Daddy is a season ticket holder for the Minnesota United Loons soccer team, so when an afternoon game came on the schedule, it was the perfect time to take Colton!  They started their guys' time with Colton's soccer kickoff for his team, and then headed to the airport to watch planes. Then they enjoyed getting dinner, watching the game, and finishing off the night with Snow Cones.  Colton is already looking forward to the next time he can go back!

So excited to ride in Daddy's car!

At Colton's soccer kickoff

Watching the airplanes

Go Loons!

Daddy Daughter Dance

Summer was GIDDY excited for her "Princess Theme" Daddy Daughter Dance.  It was so cute to watch her excited mannerisms, ecstatic smile, and adoring eyes at Daddy as she got ready to go to the dance!  She chose to dress up as Cinderella, and she sure had an amazing Prince Charming to take her!

Daddy took her out to dinner at Red Robin (her choice).

Meeting princesses Snow White and Cinderella

Getting her nails done

Meeting TinkerBell

With Moana

With Jasmine

With Anna and Elsa

With Princess Belle

 They sure enjoyed dancing together!  Love this video of them both being so silly and having fun together!

I am so grateful for a Daddy that shows our daughter in both word and action what it is like to be treated as a princess, and I love watching their bond grow stronger every year!

Easter Weekend

He is Risen!  He is Risen Indeed!  Christ's resurrection from the dead, and thus sealing the deal on his perfect atonement for our sins, is indeed why we celebrate Easter.  We enjoyed celebrating Easter all weekend with various family and friends, beginning with Good Friday service, which so prepares our hearts for the excitement that Easter Sunday brings!

On Saturday of Easter weekend, we celebrated with Grandma and Grandpa K, Auntie Kristin, Uncle Eric, and Teddy.  It was a "double" celebration, celebrating both Easter, and Grandma K's birthday which fell on Easter this year!  We went out to eat at Outback Steakhouse and then came back to her house for dessert, and Easter egg hunt/baskets, and opening her birthday presents.

At Outback

Grandma K made a fun "clue" Easter hunt where the kids ran all over the house looking for clues, and then answering questions about the Easter story and other family memories in order to "earn" their baskets.

Summer played Happy Birthday on the piano for Grandma

Larkyn colored Grandma a picture for her birthday

Summer chose a gold necklace and chocolate

Colton also picked out chocolate :)

Grandma's dessert of choice was a super chocolate cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory!

 After dessert, the kids had a BLAST playing with the new bubble fans they got in their Easter basket.

After a good night's sleep, we woke up ready to celebrate Easter again on Easter Sunday!  We started the day by reading the Easter story straight from the source.

Then we headed off to church for brunch.  We were so excited that a neighborhood friend as well as our neighbor met us there!

It was a sunny, windy, day so this was the best we could get for a family picture!

I love this one!

 After church, we went to Auntie Madison and Uncle Jordan's house for a delicious Easter lunch!

The kids had fun making a tent!

Auntie Madison and her friend hid eggs for the kids!

In place of Easter baskets, Grandma and Grandpa T gave the kids gift cards to Lifeway, our Christian bookstore.  The kids had SO much fun later that week looking around and picking out fun books, CDs, and a DVD with great Christian values!  What a fantastic idea to keep Christ the center of Easter.

After we got home, we visited one of our favorite neighbors, Mr. Ken!  He had come to church with us in the morning, and he asked us to stop by so he could give the kids some Easter treats.  He spoils them :-).  He asked to take a picture with the kids on his camera, and when he developed it, he gave us a copy.  Didn't it turn out cute!?

Mr. Ken also took a picture of our family and gave us a copy :) 

 After celebrating with both sides of the family, we returned to have a mini celebration with just us 5.  We do our own color coded egg hunt, where each kid looks for their own color eggs.  Daddy hides them at age appropriate levels so the kids all have fun looking :).  As usual, the kids found loose change in their eggs.

We finished off the day with Daddy's Easter bunny pancakes :):):)

P.S.  We had a memorable time coloring Easter eggs on the Wednesday before Easter...including Larkyn "dropping" the eggs into the dye and using the eggs as "cymbals" (whoops!) and Colton tipping a mug full of dye ALL OVER Summer's finished and drying eggs (which actually turned out cool that way!).  Oh my!  Memorable family fun ;).