Life Lately...

Rich bought me a new bike!  Isn't it the absolute most perfect spectacle of a bicycle you've ever seen?

Grammy and Grandpa Cole came down for a visit!  Here we are one night chilling and watching a movie.  We had a great time with pretty decent weather, a lot of talking and laughing and corned beef...and an awesome little excursion to downtown Westerville for antiquing, Old Bag of Nails and Graeter's.  Can't wait to see them again.  Love you guys!

Figuring out Lena's hair for picture day at preschool.  We haven't gotten them back yet...my baby's first school pictures....I can't talk about it anymore. 

Sam modeling some cool mirror shades while we were Easter outfit shopping.  Notice his poor front tooth sticking out...both front teeth have been loose for a couple months now, but that one little booger of a tooth is so loose that it sticks straight out now...mommy's little hillbilly. 

Lena's very first ballet recital is coming up in May!  I can't believe it.  Here she is modeling her recital costume.  I don't think she likes it very much...do you?

My big stinker finishing up his homework at Starbucks with me one morning while Lena was at preschool.  He brought one of his light-up things in so we could have a candlelit breakfast together...love that boy.

Sam at soccer practice.  If you look at this picture blown up you'll see this biggest, buck-toothed grin on that boys face.  He's really taking to soccer, figuring things out pretty quickly, staying interested and engaged.  I think we might have found Sam's sport?

Hanging with my girls several weeks ago at Molly's house.  I would post one of all three of us, but they all turned out terrible and I have been forbidden to post them. :)  These girls rejuvenate me.  I love them and am so grateful for their presence in my life. 

At Mom and Dad's over spring break with one tiny little babysitting kid.  My children were very funny around me when I was showing the baby any attention.  They both wanted to sit by me, share their treats with me, asked me how I was.  LOL.  Maybe I should consider having another baby just to make my kids behave like good little humans...on second thought...I'm just too tired.

My amazing husband...I said to him one day, "Hey, I posted a picture on Pinterest of a great step-backed Adirondack loveseat that would look awesome on the front porch."  When I got back from the overnight at my parents' house, this is what the kids and I saw on the porch.  Whamo.  Done.  He built the thing so fast and beautifully...he's a magic man. :) 

We're planning on painting our front door a light turquoise this weekend and will paint this loveseat to match.  I'm so excited to see the finished product!

We took a mini-spring break getaway to a hotel at Polaris that had an awesome indoor pool and hot tub.  First we stopped and ate a big breakfast, then went to watch the new Muppets movie, and finally checked into the hotel. The kids were chomping at the bit to get there, God love them.  They love hotels.  It was a grand adventure for our little ones. :)  We swam and had fun at the hotel all afternoon and evening and then headed back out.  The hotel deal gave us a $50 card to use at the new Dave & Buster's down the street, so after a nice dinner, we went there and had a great time playing games and winning tickets!  We got some more pool time in the next day before check out and then it was onto Cincinnati....

 

...for our very first Ikea trip!  Whoa.  That place blew our minds.  We bought some things we absolutely couldn't live without and got some cool ideas for furniture that Rich could build (which would be much higher quality than what they offer there).  But that place rocks. 

 

They are very smart about how they have the showrooms set up, placing things for kids to look at and play with everywhere.  I think our kiddos had as good of a time as we did.    

 

And the kids started swim lessons!  This class was their first together, but I have since had to switch Sam to a different class due to his soccer schedule conflict.  Anyway, I was glad they were together for at least the first class, because Lena started to cry when we stood her in the water and backed away 5 feet to watch the lesson.  She hasn't cried for a drop-off since she was very little at the church nursery.   

She turned and gave me that sad face, started to cry and ran to me.  I just lovingly shoved her back toward the water and asked Sam to hold her hand, which of course he did and told her that everything was ok.  10.1 seconds later she was holding the teacher's hand and tromping around in the water with a huge happy smile on her face. 

They both had a great time and seem to actually be learning things.

So busy, these days of learning and experiencing and growing.