Lots of Visitors

May has been a busy month and we enjoyed having lots of visitors. Aunt Amy came first but unfortunately her visit was also the same weekend the stomach bug came to visit our house so we didn't get to see her much (and I don't have any pictures). It was also the weekend we moved out of our house to get our floors redone. We spent the week at Jim's parents and Uncle Dave came to visit. The highlight of his visit was a camping trip with the cousins. Madeleine had been asking almost daily when we could go camping with them. We had a very rainy night but everyone had fun. Someday we will actually have good camping weather. This weekend brought my friend and Hadley's godmother, Tara. We hit all the St. Louis highlights. It was a really fun weekend. Tara left yesterday and today we took the girls to the Cardinals game. It was extremely hot but we made it to the 7th inning stretch to hear Take Me Out to the Ballgame... the girls know all the words! Now we need to get ready for the arrival of Krewet #3... only a few weeks to go!

Camping in the rain

The shelter that saved the trip. The kids didn't mind the rain but it sure was nice to have a big tent to be under.
Hadley loves camping
She also loves playing with headlamps.
Dinner with Butch and D
Hadley and Tara
At Grant's Farm
Waiting for the best part of Grant's Farm... a soft pretzel and cheese
Madeleine at the Cardinals Game... she said it was the best day. Jim and I weren't so sure at first when we sat down in the hot hot hot sun!
Hadley's first Cardinals game

Easter Weekend

We had a fun but rainy Easter weekend. I attempted to take the girls to Purina Farms with my mom on Friday but a storm came in right after we got there. Saturday, we went to an Easter Egg hunt at a nearby park. A benefit of hunting eggs in the rain is there is not as many people there. That was good for our kids... see the video in the previous post. On Easter, we went to church, then Jim's parents and then my parent's. Lots of yummy food and lots of candy.

Before leaving for the Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday... they refuse to actually look at me and smile.
Easter Bunny at the hunt, Hadley was not so excited to be on his lap. Can't say I blame her. Madeleine had lots of questions about if he was the real Easter Bunny and if he would be wearing shoes when he came to our house.
Madeleine dyeing Easter eggs
Very excited to see their Easter baskets... Madeleine woke up an hour and a half before Hadley so she had a long wait
Smiling about the candy in the Easter egg
The girls in the beautiful dresses my mom made them
Again it is impossible to get a good picture of them together
Getting ready to dig in to all the Easter baskets at D and Butch's house
Hadley decided she wanted to move up to the kids table instead of her high chair
Hunting eggs in the basement

Hadley got distracted and decided the train was more fun than hunting eggs
Madeleine was very proud that she found an egg under the couch before her cousins.
Jim's Family
Hadley actually posing for a picture at my parents

Hunting Eggs at Des Peres Park

Turns out our kids may not be the best at this... yet. Still, pretty funny.

Camping

Last weekend we had our first camping trip of the year to a place in Illinois called Lake Glendale. All week we (or I) worried about the forecast. It was not looking good. Jim left a day a early to reserve a spot and sneak in a trip to ride at Land Between the Lakes. The girls and I arrived on Thursday and we met up with our friends Holly, Nathan and Abby. The weather was absolutely amazing on Thursday. I think the highlight for the girls was roasting marshmallows... or it might have been blowing bubbles with Abby. The campground was nice although we did have an annoying neighbor who seemed to be living there instead of vacationing and kept coming over. Friday morning started off stormy but it cleared up and we enjoyed hiking around the lake. After all the worrying about the weather it turned out to be a great day minus the 10 minute hail storm after dinner. Hail in a pop up camper is very loud. Luckily, no people, cars or campers were harmed. Madeleine just kept eating her dinner like nothing was happening. The trip took a turn for the worse when Hadley woke up with a high fever Friday night. Jim left with her and the camper early Saturday. Madeleine and I spent the day with Holly, Nathan and Abby going to Garden of the Gods (some neat rock formations) and Cave in the Rock. Cave in the Rock turned out to be a bust... the cave was under the flooded Ohio River. All in all it was a great trip and really good to spend time with our friends before they move back east.

Enjoying the spill-proof bubbles that Holly brought... wish I had seen those before!At the playground
Roasting marshmallows for Smores
This is how the girls started off going to sleep. They actually did fall asleep like this the second night. The first night bedtime didn't go so well.
Hadley asleep in our sleeping bag
Hadley and Abby on a hike... we were really impressed with Abby's hiking abilities!
Madeleine and I at Garden of the Gods...from shorts on Thursday to winter coats on Saturday
Madeleine and Abby

Botanical Gardens

This spring has had some crazy weather so far. Last Sunday morning we had snow on the ground and this sunday it was almost 90! I was very happy about the warm, sunny weather. So while Jim was busy landscaping our backyard, I took the girls to the opening weekend for the Children's Garden at the Botanical Gardens. It was a great day to be outside.

The beautiful tulips... unfortunately ours at home are not doing so well. It is nearly impossible to get them both to look at the camera.

Madeleine on the big slide... Hadley is a little scared of slides right now so I actually went down with her a few times.
Steering the big boat wheel
This was a big hit... there are boats and you open and close the gates to let them through
Swinging from the vines
I think this is Madeleine's favorite part of the Botanical Gardens.

Fun Weekend

Our weekend started off with me taking the girls up to Messy Play at Madeleine’s school Saturday morning. This is something they do once a year and they have all sorts of stations set up for the kids to play, do art projects and get messy. Now last year Madeleine was not sure she wanted to go because she did not want to get messy. This year she was definitely in to it. Last year she wanted nothing to do with face painting… this year she really got into it at the self face painting station. Amazing how much can change in a year.

Hadley on the other hand kept telling us she was going to get dirty at Messy Play but she did not touch one messy thing. She did get drenched in the water play room where you could bathe babies and pretend to fish. This is Hadley's current reaction to mess. She did not like her blue tongue (courtesty of some candy which she did like)

Later in the day we went to get new tennis shoes with Poppy which is always a treat since you also get a cookie as you leave the store. Hadley went up two shoe sizes… guess we should have listened when she said her shoes were tight. The day ended with us finally hanging up some decorations in the girl’s room. Jim’s mom made these great name boards. I’m so excited to finally have some things on the walls!

Sunday the forecast was calling for it to be 65 so we decided to head to a park in the morning. Madeleine had gotten a bike for her birthday last year but after a few falls was a little unsure of it. We took her last weekend to ride it and she did great. So we set off again this weekend to a park with more pavement. She had way more confidence this week and had a blast riding. She was even picking up the pace going uphill. Jim told her that her legs were going to be tired and she said no they were happy. Hadley enjoyed “riding” her tricycle. Her feet are just starting to hit the pedals so I think in a few months she will be going on her own power.

Madeleine also had a blast playing on the playground. Hadley was scared of the slides but liked climbing up and down. Again how things change in a year. Last year, Hadley was fearless and Madeleine was scared of the slides. Guess it is a 2 year old thing.

At the end of the weekend, March roared in like the lion it is supposed to be but a day early. The tornado sirens started going off at 11:15 pm and after assessing the situation, we woke up the girls and headed to the basement. Luckily no damage at our house other than Hadley (and by default me) not getting back to sleep until 1 am. So after a warm day yesterday we are back to 30 degree weather today. I’m ready for spring to be here for good… minus the threat of tornados!

Happy Birthday Hadley!

Hadley Rose is 2 today! She has been talking for weeks about how her birthday is coming up and that it is in February. She is quite chatty. She is also definitely a two year old and is not happy when she does not get her way. She makes us laugh constantly with her silly faces. She is very sweet and loves to snuggle. I can't believe she is 2 already.

We had a a little birthday party for her on Saturday. We did a Hello Kitty theme as she is a big fan of Hello Kitty and always points out the Hello Kitty sign at Target. This weekend the weather was actually nice so yesterday we hit the zoo in the morning and Jim took the girls for a bike ride in the afternoon. It was a great birthday weekend. She loves to tell us she is 2 and hold up all 5 fingers... we have to work on that one :)

The Birthday Girl... had to go with the Valentine's theme this year

PaPa, Hadley and Me
All shy when everyone was singing to her
Digging into the cupcakes or at least the icing
Opening presents
Madeleine at the party... she keeps telling Hadley when it is her birthday she will just have to watch
Bike ride at Grant's Trail... it is getting a little tight in the trailer