...Winecation...

Donnie and I enjoyed a much need and well deserved getaway to the Finger Lakes.  We stayed at 10 Fitch,  a luxurious and romantic bed and breakfast.  This was the first time in 9 years that we had been away from the kids for more than one night.

It. Was. Heaven.

It was wonderful to have time for just the two of us.  We enjoyed the beautiful weather, delicious meals, went shopping, got a couples massage, and spent a day on the Cayuga Lake Wine Trail.

I couldn't resist modeling all my
souvenirs from our day on the wine trail!

A special thank you to Donnie's parents for coming out to visit us and watch the kiddos while we escaped for a few days!  The kids had so much fun playing with Grandpa and Grandma!!!

Great Wolf Lodge

...GWL has everything a kid could want on their Spring Break...

...Swimming.  Water Slides.  MagiQuest...

 

We spent two nights in what I would consider a kids dream land.  The water park is the perfect size.  The kids are old enough (tall enough) to do most of the rides by themselves.  Although I must admit I LOVE a good water slide, so I was happy to join them on the slides! And when you want to take a break from the water slides you can relax in the lazy river or play in the wave pool!  I wish I had taken at least one picture in the water park, but I decided to leave the iPhone in the room and really play in the water!!

If we weren't eating or sleeping then the kids were dragging us around on the MagiQuest!!! Equipped with their magic wands they completed missions and defeated dragons. Thankfully before the end of our trip we decided it was a better idea to send the kids off on these missions by themselves while we sat and enjoyed a tasty beverage as they raced around us on their adventures!

A perfect Spring Break adventure for the whole family!! The best part was knowing that it was snowing outside while we were inside at the 84 degree water park!  Now that feels like spring to me!

Happy Easter

...He has risen...

 

The kids were so excited about Easter this year that they were up at 0530. We made them go back to bed until 0600, but they were back in our room at 0600 on the dot asking to see their Easter baskets. 

Easter Egg Hunts are so much fun! They ran around the house looking for eggs & the boys even played a little rock, paper, scissors to see who got which Skylander.

Once it was light outside the kids noticed the Easter Bunny hid some eggs in the backyard too! Brrrr! It was freezing out! Yes, that is still a patch of snow on the ground.  And for the record we try to get Luke to sleep in pajamas appropriate for the season, but he won't have it!


 After church we snapped a few quick pictures (it was much colder than it looked). I am not one to miss the opportunity to get a picture of my babies all dressed up! 

We had a delicous Easter dinner with the Crow family.

We are so blessed to have such wonderful friends.

...Spring...

...in the North County...

...is nothing like the spring I remember growing up...

Spring meant it was time to break out the flip flops and shorts, and while it wasn't always warm enough for a swim suit, it wasn't exactly unheard of.  I assure you, no one was busting out a pair of flip flops or a swim suit this far north on the first day of spring!!!

It was this week 15 years ago that Donnie and I met on our respective Spring Break trips in Florida.  That night at Harpoon Harry's in Panama City Beach changed my life forever.  "Yes, I do believe in love at first sight!"  We celebrated 13 years of wedded bliss with a romantic dinner.  Cheers!!!

March 18, 2013

...........................................................................

 

Donnie has been home for a little over a month.  For the most part, I think we have settled back into our family groove.  He has made an effort to spend special one on one time with each of us.  That has meant special days shopping, gaming, trying new things, and going out to eat at special places. 

 

This week Katie got to spend an afternoon learning to shoot a bow, or as John says, "Katie went bowing!"  Something I think that each kiddo wants to learn to do with their Dad.

Luke has been celebrating Dr. Suess this month at school. And after reading Oh, the Places You'll Go, his teachers asked them what they wants to be when they grow up.  It is no surprise to me that Luke wants to be a Dad when he grows up.   In fact, I am pretty sure he wants to be just like his Daddy! Luke you will be a wonderful dad one day!

Donnie has played catch and done just about whatever the kids have asked him to do on those rare days when it warms up a bit.  So even after a month home, the new hasn't worn off. Dad is still AWESOME! He is WAY cooler than Mom, and makes everything SO much more fun than I do! And the best part of the kids thinking Donnie is better than me is that I get more time to do what I want to do!

 I sure hope the kind of spring I know and love is around the corner, but I am not holding my breath. I just checked the forecast and snow is predicated for at least two days!   

Happy Birthday Katie!!!

...My little girl is nine years old...

...and looking so much older than nine these days...

 

We celebrated Katie's birthday by having dinner at Cici's Pizza per the birthday girls request. Unfortualtey, Luke was still feeling under the weather and the outing to Cici's was more than he could handle.  Poor little guy didn't even make it to see Katie blow out her birthday candles and make a wish! 

Katie wanted her favorite Chess Cake for her birthday!

Katie celebrated her birthday with her friends that weekend with a slumber party!  (I don't know what we were thinking when we decided to have two slumber parties on back to back weekends!?! I am blaming the lack of sleep on the reason I am so behind on my birthday blog post!)

 

The girls had so much fun! There was lots of laughing, giggling and squealing that lasted into the wee hours of the morning!!! They played games, did arts and crafts projects and watched movies!!!

...and they sang happy birthday to the birthday girl so she

could make the last of her birthday wishes...

I love these happy faces after a late night of partying!

 

Happy, happy birthday to my little princess!!!

I hope all of your birthday wishes come true!

 

Happy Birthday Katie!!!

Dance Xplosion!

 Katie competed in her first team dance competition

to "Mama, I'm a Big Girl Now." 

The girls did a great job and received Gold for their performance. 

 

I am thankful that Jen Ulasiewicz was there to take some great pictures of the girls during their dance!  Katie was very disappointed that Donnie had to miss her first big performance because Luke was super sick with the "throw-up" virus. Thankfully with the pictures and video he was able to experience Katie's dance!

 I love these pictures. They capture Katie and Sarah perfectly! Katie says, "Once upon a time I used to dress up Ken." Sarah says, "But now I like bigger men!" and bonks her down....

 It was a super cute routine!

The girls had fun dancing!

It was a learning experince for Katie and I am exctied to see if she wants to keep dancing as she gets older.

Katie and Mia! 

 

Happy, happy, 7th birthday to John!!!

...I love the look on his face and his smile in these pictures. 

They capture him perfectly!...

...after much discussion about his birthday,

John decided he wanted to have a sleepover...

This seemed easy enough, since the only requirements

he had for his party were the following:

1. Pizza

2. Cookie Cake

3. Gaming (as much as he wanted)

4. They didn't have to go to bed until midnight!

The boys had a blast, they gamed until their hearts content and by no means did they go to bed before midnight! It was more like 3:00AM! And considering they were all up by 7:00AM, I have no idea how they are smiling and awake in this picture!

(It must be the sugar from the donuts!)

John said, "This was his best birthday party EVER!"

 

***Just a little note to any mom considering letting their son have a sleepover, DO NOT bother cleaning the bathroom before the boys come over!!! I will forgo the bathroom stories, but trust me I should have just cleaned it once after the party!***

His real birthday was pretty low key as he spent the day recovering from his late night of gaming with friends! He did blow out the candles again, and make one last birthday wish!

 

Happy Birthday John,

May all your birthday wishes come true!