May Fun

GG's birthday

GG opens her presents

Tess and Connor climbing up the ladder to the slide

Allison and Madeline

Connor and Tess

Ella loved Tess too!

Allison and Madeline

Ella loves her cupcake

Tess and Connor

Bagger Daves-Tess and Connor coloring

Madeline and Allison

The crew minus James

 

The Breton Downs Girls

Allison and Emma

Cousins

Genevieve and Connor

The kids having fun with a walker and wheel chair they found

kayaking

Anna and Allison

Cousins

GG takes out Connor and Rosalee

Ella and Genevieve with GG

Connor has learned how to paddle.

Rosalee and I go for a ride

MV, Allison and Anna

Cousins

Ella and Genevieve enjoying some strawberry shortcake

The stingrays at the zoo

Allison and Emma

Ella attempts to pet a stingray

Feeding the birds

The birds liked Craig

Ready for a boat ride

Summer time boat ride

Ella  is ready

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Connor helps GG

Papa and Ella are ready for the ride

Relaxing

It has been a while since I last blogged, so I have a lot of fun pictures from the last month.  We ventured to Ann Arbor to see some good friends and attend Madeline's 5th birthday party, celebrated my mom's and my birthday, had Allison's poetry celebration day and went to the zoo.  We have been busy lately and have been having lots of fun.  Here is a glimpse of the last month.

Toothless Wonder!

   Last week when I went up to Breton Downs Elementary to pick up Allison she came out with a big gap in her smile.  She had lost one of her front teeth.  Then, two nights ago, she lost the second one.  She looks so cute with that huge gap in her teeth.  Saying those s's are a bit tough these days. 

One tooth gone!

Two teeth gone!

Mother's Day

   We spent our Mother's Day in Grand Rapids.  We hung out at home in the morning and then headed to John Ball Zoo in the late morning.  The afternoon was spent working on the yard (an endless task these days) and then we headed to Roses Express for take out salads.  It was a nice quiet day.  Saturday night we went to Fricano's pizza with both moms and celebrated with them.  It is hard to believe that it was my 6th Mother's Day.  I am one lucky lady!

The kids and I at John ball zoo

Brushing the goats

Lots of fun

Daddy's girl

Loving the train

Having fun

Twinkle Toes

Saturday was Allison's dance recital and we were lucky enough to have GG and Papa and Grandma and Grandpa come up for the occasion.  Allison was so thrilled.  They did a darling ballet routine to a song from Toy Story....When you love me.  They danced with their dolls and they were all just darling.  After the recital we headed to Panera bread for some bagels and smoothies and then a group of us took of for the MSU spring game.  Ella stayed with GG and Papa, but the rest of us, minus grandma headed for the game. We had a great time!

Walking down East Grand Rapids

Ready for the dance recital

Looking good

Watching the show

Connor enjoyed the dancing

Allison with GG and Papa

Grandma and Grandpa with Allison

Allison with Craig and I

Spring game with grandpa

Enjoying the game

Allison and I

Connor and grandpa

The family...minus Ella

Not Your Typical Easter Sunday

Ella and Allison get their toes painted

baby toes

The Easter Bunny was here

Connor loves his new "Bowser's Castle"

The scooter was a big hit and the dog was too

Finding some eggs

Ella found a bunch of eggs

Almost got it!

Connor with his new dog

The kids on Easter morning

It all began on Tuesday evening, when Connor complained of a "tummy ache" at Allison's swim practice. I handed him my phone and told him to sit for a while.  I figured that all the running up and down the halls after eating was making his stomach hurt a bit.  The rest of the night was pretty "normal" until 1 am when I heard Connor scream, "Mommy!"   I jumped out of bed and ran to his room.  He asked me to lay by him and was crying.  So, exhausted, I crawled into bed.  About 10 minutes later I had vomit all over my shoulder and EVERYWHERE in his bed.  I called for Craig to come and get him out of his pjs, which were also covered in vomit as I stripped the bed and took with some stuffed animals that were also subjected to the vomit.  After giving everything a rinse and then starting the laundry, I headed back to his room to make up a new bed of mostly towels and lay by him.  There is something very uneasy about sharing a bed with a three year old who is vomiting.  I jolted with his every move, ready to "catch" the vomit in the garbage.  After the initial episode, he managed to get most of the vomit in the garbage.  Wednesday morning I ran around trying to get out the door with a VERY sick child.  I drove Allison to school and ran into a friend who picked up some crackers and Sprite for me since I didn't think he could make it.  He spent the morning on the couch throwing up and tired.  At 11:30, we had to pick up Allison and I was dying for a coffee, so I put the kids in the car, picked her up and drove to the drive thru Starbucks.  Luckily I had the garbage, as he vomited in the car.  We rushed home and the rest of the day was spent on the couch.  Allison had dance practice (the last before her recital), so I drove to practice, put the kids in the double jogger and walked while she practiced.  It was cold, but I didn't want to expose anyone.  That night was rough, he was up a lot with a fever and vomiting.  Thursday was more of the same, although we did go to the playground for 15 minutes, but he wanted me to hold him after about 10, too tired to do much, but we all needed a little fresh air!  Then, the diarrhea started and he was in a lot of pain and spent the rest of the day on the couch.  Friday, Craig was off from work and again, we spent the day inside.  We left for an hour or so, so the cleaning lady could clean and Connor was asleep in the car and stroller. He felt TERRIBLE! Friday night I took Allison and Ella to Allison's swimming while Craig stayed home with Connor.  That night Allison woke up at 2 am throwing up.  At that point we knew the weekend was going to be spent in GR instead of spending it in Grand Haven.  Allison was super bummed that we had to miss Kathryn's birthday party and Easter Sunday.  After spending many days inside, we were all super bummed that our Easter plans were not going to be what we thought.  Saturday, Craig and I took turns taking long runs to prepare for the 25K in three weeks and my mom visited and we did a quick Costco and Bed Bath and Beyond trip while Allison stayed on the couch with Craig.  Sunday the Easter Bunny visited our house, which lifted everyone's spirits.  We spent some time outside pulling weeds and picking up sticks, but just as Allison began to feel better (Connor was much better), Ella started in with a fever.  All day Monday she had a fever and today she has a fever too.  What can I say, we are all so sick of being sick!!!!  The rain doesn't help much easier.  Here are few snapshots of the last week and our "Easter" this year.

Chicago, Chicago, You've Got Style

Sunday morning we packed up the car and headed to Chicago for a few nights.  We drove straight to Lego land Discovery Center, a few miles North of Chicago.  The kids had a ball building cars, making towers, going on the lego ride, walking through the lego jungle and just soaking in all things LEGO.

Craig, Ella, Allison and Connor at Legoland

Obama with Craig and Ella

After Lego land we headed to our hotel in downtown Chicago.  We met up with Craig's sister, Katie and her family.  We all went out for dinner at a Thai restaurant and then headed back to the hotel for ice cream and swimming.



Monday we got up and had an amazing breakfast, and then began walking and walking and walking.  We took the train for a bit and then walked a couple of miles to the Lincoln Park Zoo.  The first few exhibits were empty, but after that we found some bears, then the seals, tigers and a darling mother Gibbon and her baby.  After the zoo we caught a bus back to downtown.  We had some lunch at Water Tower and then went to American and girl and the lego store.  Allison and Ella each got a Bitty Twin.  They decided on twin brunette girls, with brown eyes.  Allison got a Hawaiian outfit for her American Girl doll too.  We headed back to the hotel for a bit of down time.  Ella hadn't slept a wink and it was 2:00!   We decided to go for a walk to the park and then head for dinner.  The kids walked another two miles or so and then we headed out for pizza.  Connor was barely awake during dinner and Ella was, a not a happy camper.  Connor was asleep by 7 and then Ella a bit later.

Going for a walk

Rosalee, Ella and I on the train

Enjoying the seals at the zoo

The Zoo

The Bitty Twins

Tuesday we got up, had breakfast and packed up our stuff.  We walked to Navy Pier, checked out the beach and the shops and then decided to take off.   Ella fell asleep in the carrier and then slept the entire ride home.  She was exhausted.

We had a great time and enjoyed spending time with Katie, Brad, Mary Violet, Rosalee and Genevieve!

Ella in the Ergo hitting the town

Connor, Allison and Craig skipping stones near Navy Pier

The girls enjoying popcorn at Navy Pier

Birthday Parties for Connor

This year we had two parties for Connor.  We had a family party on Sunday, his actual birthday and then a small kids' party on Wednesday.  We have such a large family, that having it all together has become almost impossible unless the weather is nice.  So, we had a great time with an egg hunt, pizza, salad, fruit, ice cream and cake and opening presents.  Tuesday we had a party with some of Connor's friends.  Very similar, just lots of playing.

Connor with mom and dad on his birthday

Family party: Cousins plus Ryan

The eggs are ready

Papa helps Ella pick up some eggs

John and Connor play with the Diego toy