April 2016

The kids really wanted to play an April fools Day trick on Daddy so we covered a balloon in a cereal box and made it look like a cake. When he cut into it would theoretically blow icing all over him. It WOULD have had two little boys not giggled and jumped under the table right when he put the knife in;)

 Our incubator of chicken eggs arrived. It was very exciting to count down the days until hatching!

 We got the playroom furnished...

 And we heard the first little chirps inside the eggs. Watching them hatch was very exciting!

 Playing with the baby chicks was even more fun. We kept them for about ten days before they went back to the farm.

 We enjoyed a class at the butterfly conservatory and got to hold some interesting insects.

 The kids all began swimming lessons and progressed quickly. Matthew and Daddy did a class together and we have quite the little water baby!

 Ella has been practicing her letters and numbers.

 Ben participated in his first martial arts tournament and did quite well!

 Who knew play structures come in that many pieces?!
Yikes! Jon and Ben spent a whole weekend putting it together!

March 2016

 We are loving our new home!!!

This was worth the wait. I didn't know in the end if it would be but from the first night we really felt like this was home!

We have been so motivated to get unpacked and settled in because the contractors were coming in only a few weeks to finish the basement.

Ella loves her bedroom, Matthew loves the sink big enough to have after dinner baths. Ben and Jake love living on a court so they can ride their bikes around the circle. Our mild winter continues and we have been able to check our new playgrounds nearby.

 Jacob took this beautiful photo while we were walking in the woods.

 Ella and Onnika looking beautiful at Easter!

 Grandad and the boys!

 We saw how they used to collect sap from the trees and make maple syrup at the sugar farm.

 Happy Easter!

 Jake earned his next belt in Karate!

 Ben and Jake participating in a construction project at a local hardware store.

 We ate at our favorite restaurant. A woman came over to tell us "what wonderful children we had" and Ella grinned afterwards at me -"you have wonderful children Mommy!"

 We got our Easter Photos taken...

 The basement got started!

 Matthew eats everything!

And done! What a month!

February 2016

February was a long month this year. We were busy packing for our second move to our new and permanent home and we battled a rotating virus that kept at least one of us on the couch seemingly all month. Gramma came for some extra cuddles so I could keep packing! (Didn't we JUST do this?!) We enjoyed some unseasonably warm days and went to the playground. Matthew got to try out the swing and loved it! Ella finished up another session of dance lessons and did an adorable recital. For Family Day we went to an exotic animal show that everyone loved!