Day two

of bedrest...does anyone know what the Lord is teaching me?
or does anyone have ideas of how to entertain a woman flat on her back?

The Backyardigans LIVE!!

Gotta love the costumes!

Nana and Papa's birthday gift to the kids

were tickets to the Backyardigans LIVE!

It was a fun morning with breakfast

and then the show!!

The Mighty Knights!!

Look who turned TWO!!

Ellie had such a big day!

Before I tell you all about Ellie,

I want to start off by saying that Josh was a great boy today!

He was such a big brother and was so great

even though the day was all about Ellie!

Today was Ellie's 2nd birthday party!

The theme was Dora! and Ellie knew it!

Not only did she know she was the "birthday girl",

She would show everyone her purple cupcakes, Dora table cloth, plates, napkins, balloons...

she was SO EXCITED! I wish I would have gotten her squeals on video!

This is a picture of her telling everyone she is "two" (always holding up four fingers)!!

"Swiper, no swiping!"

yep, she's talking to a napkin!!

Watching her open her gifts was so entertaining!

she was oohhing and aahhing!! and more squealing!!

look at the good boy on daddys lap!?

look at the mouth! "ooooh!"

These are her rockin sunglasses!!

She was so excited!!

She was so happy to finally eat her cupcakes!!

She knew she was queen for the day!!

then, Papa took her outside to giver her, her new 4 wheeler!

She knew just what to do, get on and ride!

Notice her big brother being a big helper and showing her how to lift her feet!

Josh being so proud of his sister on her new quad!

They can't wait for the quad to meet the jeep so they can RIDE!

For those of you who don't know the Dora show,

it's all about following a map to reach a destination!

Well, today, they had things to find all over the yard and a map to help them do it!

I knew the kids would love it because they loved their easter egg hunt!

and when we were done, ellie wanted "more"!!

It was the girls against the boys (and even though it was easier for Ellie than it was for Josh)

and the boyz won!!

(Josh was so happy to win...part of the plan since ellie didn't really know!!

it made him feel so cool on Ellie's big day)

Here is Ellie just having fun running around the yard!

Here is the whole clan running around the yard!!

Ellie found another card at the end of the slide!!

Even though it was hidden at first...silly Daddy re-hid it in a harder spot...
Melissa came to visit from cleveland!!

she was so excited to show ellie her new Dora bubble blower!

She is trying to figure it out...

Thank you! to everyone who made Ellie's day so perfect for her!

Baseball season is here!

Baseball season has begun!

Zach had game this past Friday at 6pm

so it was perfect timing for us to get to!

and the weather was beautiful!!

This is Zach stepping up to the plate to hit his double!

I think Adam was a little jealous...or proud...

now, for me, while I love watching Zach play ball,

this means great spring light!!

And she is just so animated!!

sesame street live!

Last weekend, on Sunday April 13th was Ellie's actual birthday...

We can't believe that two years have already gone by!

Adam and I got our last weekend away before the new baby arrives and the kids stayed with grandma and grandpa...then we went to pick them up on Sunday.

grandpa found princess cupcakes and we got to sing to her on her big birth day!!

And, Grandma took her and Josh to see Seasame Street Live!!

Pool time!

Grandma had a conference at a hotel

and we got to visit and enjoy the pool!

Zach and Josh

He looked so funny with his goggles!!
He had them off more than on and when they were on, crooked!!!

in her new swimsuite!! too cute

This was near the end of our pool time

and she can't figure out what is wrong with her hands!

they are wrinkling!!

So, Josh won the bracket tournament we had

going with Joe and Lauren! and now that basketball

March madness is over...

Did I mention that baseball season has begun!?

These are the boyz new jackets!

They both got to go to opening day at PNC park!

It's so fun to watch Josh fall in love with baseball like his daddy!

we play almost every day in the front yard.

i'm not as good of a pitcher as daddy but josh assures me if i just keep practicing...

Happy Easter

in an attempt to not over load everyone on easter pictures,

i will round out the holiday with these last two pictures that speak for themselves!

This is one of those inflatable

boxing toys that bounce back up when punched.

and that is papa, using his hot air...

My beautiful girl

my beautiful girl...

her hair, her complection, her eyes

her fingers and toes!

i could stare at her all day!!

so this is their new thing...
they disappear upstairs and after too much silence, you start to worry.
then, out of no where, they appear in their costumes of choice!!

they are just too funny and keep me laughing!
if only the laughing wouldn't hurt my poor belly...

here are two examples!! (those are their laundry hampers!!
and josh's winter coat)

Hoppy Easter!!

We'll start with Nana's pictures since I haven't downloaded mine yet...

so more easter to come...i know, you just can't wait!!

she loves candy!

showing off her finds!



we found the bunny ears saturday night!
just in time to tease willy!




Stylish!

Ms. Melissa brought a treat for the kids!
they were cutting into it to see what was inside!

it's a lamb...but the kids thought it was a small version of jeep...

they thought it was a dog!! ellie kept barking at it!

I thought it was hard boiled!!

Our shirts from Ms. Tracy!! She ROCKS!!