Live Butterfly Garden - DAY 4

It's so neat to watch them grow each day!! We are anxiously waiting for the next part of the cycle. Stay tuned...


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Live Butterfly Garden - DAY 2

The caterpillars are moving around lots, and they seem to be growing! The kids are getting excited as we watch and wait.





- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Live Butterfly Garden - DAY 1

The kids got a surprise package today, and inside was the Live Butterfly Garden (as seen on TV). Now we wait and watch as the little caterpillars get bigger and the process of turning into a pretty butterfly.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Busy Easter Week/Weekend!!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter. We had a pretty good one! The few things that would have made it better was Mike not being sick and spending the day with my mom and family!! Can't wait to see everyone again!!

Ok, back to our week. The weather has been pretty good, so we spent a lot of time outside. Jacob gets out of school early every Wednesday, so we tried out a new park. I think this will be one of our favorites (we are actually going back tomorrow with some friends).

Friday was our little sprouts playgroup and they did some Easter crafts, Easter story time and an egg hunt. The girls had a great time. We really enjoy going to this playgroup, a good outing for the girls and for mommy!! ;-)

Since Jacob didn't have a baseball game on Saturday, we planned to go to Great America (theme park). On the way there, Mike suddenly started to feel bad. He toughed it out for a little while, so the kids could ride a few rides. We ended up leaving sooner than planned, so Mike could go home and rest. He ended up having the Flu, so he missed Easter activities on Sunday.

The kids and I still celebrated Easter. We started with going to church that morning, neighborhood Easter egg hunt, took the kids to brunch/lunch, then we played outside and Jacob flew his kite. It was a really good day, just wish Mike was feeling better so he could have joined in on the fun. How did you all spend your Easter?

Easter Week in Pictures...

They want say Happy Easter to everyone!!
Aren't they so cute and sweet looking?!?!

Ashlyn and her friend Colin loved spinning around on this spinning thing.
Jacob was doing it too. It really fit all 3 of them!!

Ashlyn's preschool class took a field trip to the park for an egg hunt.

She would swing all day if I let her.

When Jacob got out of school, I picked him up and went back to the park.
The kids are so fascinated with snails!!

Ashlyn with her friends at little spouts - story time!

Lauren was having fun playing at the train table.
She wants to be a big girl soooo bad - but she has NO interest in walking.
Lauren wants to say thanks to grandma for her pretty springy dress!!

Sisters at the playgroup egg hunt.

Ashlyn looking for some eggs.

Lauren found an egg too...
but it looks like she is more interested in that green jelly bean on the ground.

Ashlyn and her buddy Colin sharing some ice cream!!

Annual Easter Bunny picture.

Ashlyn found some eggs that were hiding in the house.

Jacob found some too.

Lauren and her new bunny from the Easter Bunny. And her eggs she found laying on the floor. ;-)

My pretty little princess at the neighborhood egg hunt.

Some of the neighborhood kids.

My beautiful kids!!

Jacob getting ready to launch a glider.

Jacob helping Ashlyn.

Ashlyn did pretty good flying a kite for the first time.

Ashlyn and Colin posing with the kite.

She refused to take her "princess" dress off,
so here she is riding a construction truck while dressed like a princess!
I did make her change shoes before we went out to play -
princess dress and tennis shoes!!

Jacob caught on pretty quick to fly a kite.

Ashlyn Riding the Bumper Cars with Jacob...

Ashlyn had a little trouble steering the bumper car. She seemed to be a little irritated when Jacob would bump her. She finally got the hang of it a few seconds before the ride ended. So, next time she'll be bumping into Jacob!! :-)

11 months and MORE activities!!

We now have less than a month before little miss Lauren has her 1st birthday!! I can't believe it's been (just over) 11 months now. It's crazy how fast the baby stage flies by!! Her 11 month day was a busy one, so I didn't get very many pictures of her. We had a lot of activities this last week.

The kids went to the dentist (finally) since moving here. I found a pediatric one not too far from us, but I'm not sure if we'll continue going there. Jacob has really bad anxiety issues with going to the dentist. Not really sure where it came from, because he's always done well with his teeth at home. Since this new dentist doesn't seem too accommodating to kids with anxiety, I may look for a different one that is willing to work with him. Hopefully he'll outgrow his need for nitrous oxide, but for now, I don't want to cause any more anxiety problems by not making him comfortable. Ashlyn did pretty good with the dentist. She needs to let them use the mechanical spinning tooth brush, but she at least laid back and let them brush her teeth with a regular toothbrush. She was able to do all her x-rays (which is a first for her).

Friday, Jacob had a friend from school come over for about an hour to play. We were going to stop at the park, but they both decided they wanted to ride backs at the house instead. It's so fun to watch him interact and play with his friends.

Saturday was so busy, we didn't get to do everything we had planned!! We started with a Boy Scout outing to the San Mateo County History Museum. It's a really neat place, that I wouldn't mind seeing again. The boys (and parents) had a great time looking at all the displays. Since we're still kinda new, it was very interesting seeing the history of the area. After walking around the museum for an hour and a half, we all went to grab a bite to eat. It was a great experience.

After the museum, Jacob had a baseball game. He was excited, because he got his chance to play catcher. I've noticed his baseball skills are improving. He does much better when he's batting than he did when he first started. Every time he was up at bat, he made it home. He enjoys playing catch with Dad, so I think that is helping. :-)

Here are some pics from these activities!!

Here is my 11 month old sweet baby girl, right before she went to bed.

Poor guy, you can tell by the picture how this makes him sick.

Ashlyn getting ready for her turn (she's a little nervous).

Jacob and his friend from school.
They had a lot of fun together racing back and forth.

Jacob at the San Mateo County History Museum.

Running to 3rd!!

He made it home!!
(oh, and I love his face expressions when he's doing any kind of sport)!!

Playing catcher.

That was a great game!!

Lauren after dinner...

I think she might have eaten too much dinner... ;-)

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Spring Break Event 6 - Gilroy Gardens

On Saturday, April 9th we went to Gilroy Gardens. Our California Great America passes also gets us in to this park too. It's a little further of a drive, but it's well worth it. There is plenty to see and do there. Perfect for young kids. Jacob is getting a little too big for some of the rides, but there was still a lot he enjoyed. Lots of nature to look at too. Very pretty place. We will definitely be going back!! This was our final day of fun for the week. Sunday, we just relaxed, cleaned house and got ready for a week of normal school stuff. I think overall the kids had a blast on spring break. I really enjoyed taking them out to do stuff. We didn't need to travel, there was plenty for us to do here!

Pics from Gilroy Gardens - and the next post has a video of Ashlyn on a ride...

Another sibling picture. Aren't they sweet looking kids?!?

Another carousal ride. Still fun each time.
This one was so much smaller than any of the others.

Jacob was giving Ash some support when she played her game.
Jacob played one before when Ash was riding a ride that Jacob was too big for.
He won a prize (the Ninja Turtle), so now Ash was trying to win something.

Daddy and the big kids standing in front of a slice of a Redwood Tree.

Circus Tree - there are many of these throughout the park.

Ash on her favorite kind of ride - one that spins!
Unfortunately, Jacob was too big for this one too.

Getting ready to ride the balloon ride.

Riding the balloon ride with Daddy.

He looks kinda grumpy, but he said the ride was a lot of fun. He was just being a silly boy.
This one was a spinning garlic ride. (the ride cars were shaped like garlic)

As you can see, Ash LOVED this one.

Ashlyn gets to drive a car!!

Jacob wanted to drive himself.

My pretty 4 year old!!

My handsome 7 year old dude!!