Our trip to New Hampshire!

We piled into the mom-car bright and early.

 Mommy and Daddy NEEDED coffee....

 And the girls needed some more sleep...

Our drive was nice, and the next morning we had plans for all the cousins!

First stop was to a story telling time, and the kids got to meet Piglet!

Bob decided to show off....

 And then we took a hike through the woods to read another story. Every so often there was a spot to stop and each kid took a turn reading part of the story.

 Daddy and Ashley were being goofy....

 ...not to be outdone, everyone decided to be goofy! After all this fun, we piled back into the cars and headed on out to the bike safety fair!

 Where the girls got to meet Tigger!! (Aren't they adorable in their bike helmets?!?!)

What a good-looking man!

The safety course was awesome. A group of 10 or 12 kids were sent in at a time....here's everyone waiting to hear "GO!"

 The course was extensive....and Ashley got tired of riding her trike, so she solved the problem and pushed it! Just outside the bike safety fair was TRUCK DAY!!!

 Danielle exploring....

 Ashley gets a turn....

 Sharing! (quick, take a picture!!)

 Ashley was super excited to go on a school bus....poor girl, she still has 2 more years at home before she gets to go on one for real.....

...and old fire engine (yes, it was my favorite)...

 2 girls on the John Deere....

...and all the cousins together in the Ambulance!
And that finished us off for the day.....we then went back to Marc and Sonja's and I think EVERYONE took a nap before dinner.

The month of May....

...brought warmer weather....

 ...dandelions....

...running in the yard...

 ...more dandelions...

...and another lost tooth!

Happy Easter!

He is RISEN!!!! We had a wonderful Easter! The sun was out, it was warm-ish, the kids were able to run outside for their egg hunt, and most importantly, Jesus is ALIVE!!!!

 Daddy with his princesses....

 Mommy's turn!

 ....and Ashley's off looking for eggs!

 She found some in silly places! (that she couldn't quite reach on her own....)

 ....really, are there any words?

 ....and now Danielle is off and running....literally...

She found two eggs here and is sharing one with her cousin Mary.....how cute is that?!?!?

 Hunting for more!

 Back inside to the opening-the-eggs mayhem. Seven kids. Lots of crazy!!

2 teeth lost!!!

So.....I'm a bad mommy and forgot to post a picture of Danielle's 1st tooth being lost. (My camera was hiding that day....) Well, one week later -- tooth number 2 came out!!!! She was super-excited for both of them; I think Mom and Dad were a bit relieved as she'd been wiggling them for a couple of MONTHS! Yes, she pulled them both out by herself....after she had gone to bed each time. (Apparently the thing to do right before falling asleep is to pull on and wiggle your loose tooth!)

 So here's my BIG girl with two missing teeth -- the front 2 on the bottom!

Snow!!!!!.....a bit late.....

Most of you know that we had a late snow fall a couple weeks ago. I think it was the most snow we had all year -- and I even remembered to grab my camera when we went out to play in it!!

 The beautiful backyard -- I love it when it looks like this!!

 The front yard -- pre-kiddos playing!

 The girls have little snow shovels that they think are the coolest thing EVER. (Yes, we're training them young....)

 Ashley couldn't quite get to the pavement....it was a lot of snow!

 So here she's asking me for help....

 Danielle was enjoying herself -- I had to remind her to be careful of where she 'threw' her snow....she almost hit me and Ashley several times (she likes to flip it over her shoulder)....

 Happy girl!

How to.....

Make a Rapunzel cake for a 3 year old's birthday party.

Step 1. Bake a 9x13 cake.

Step 2. Frost it green.

Step 3. Figure out how to make brown frosting, then add a windy stripe down the middle of the cake.

Step 3. Mix dark and light blue sugar crystal sprinkles and spread down the middle (covering most of) the brown frosting stripe.

Step 4. Place/sprinkle flower shaped sprinkles along the 'banks' of the river you created on the cake.

Step 5. Bake cupcakes.

Step 6. Stack 3 cupcakes on top of sheet cake. Use toothpicks as rebar -- more substantial structural support might be needed, so possibly shove a 6" long x 1/4 or 1/2" diam. item down the middle of the stack.

 Step 7. Frost the 'tower.'

Step 8. Make sure it's late. Make sure your husband is an architect. Ask him "what do you think?".....and this will be the result:

 I love my husband!

....using a toothpick to get the stone detailing....

 Step 9. Grab a wad of tinfoil and shape it into a roof-type shape. Wrap it in saran wrap (why? it seemed like a good idea....) Shove about 3 toothpicks (aka rebar) into the bottom of it. Stack it on the tower. Frost with the remaining brown frosting. Put entire project in the fridge and go to bed.

 Step 10. Make a batch of decorator's icing and make it dark green.

Step 11. Have princesses come give their approval.

 Step 12. Pipe 'ivy' vines onto tower and roof. Add flower shaped sprinkles to the vines.

Step 13. Find small Rapunzel doll in playroom. Brush her hair and braid it. Also find small Pasquale in playroom and wash him off. Put them on the cake.

Step 14. Invite friends and family over. Put 3 candles on the cake.

 Step 15. Sing HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! and blow out the candles.

Happy Valentine's Day!

We had a wonderful Valentine's Day! Mostly due to Bob surprising us on Monday evening, so we got to see him ALL DAY on Tuesday.

 Quite the lineup of presents.....

 ....complete with BEAUTIFUL roses that my FABULOUS husband got for me!!!

 The girls.....hm, can you tell Danielle just got off the bus and took her hat off about a minute ago?

 Cheese!

 Double-cheese!

 Showing off her cupcake necklace from Grandma Sweetie and headband from Aunt Linda...

 Showing me HER cupcake necklace from Grandma and headband from Aunt Linda!