Sunny Days = Park Days

We have gone to the park everyday this week and sometime even twice. How can you not when the weather is this beautiful!

Austin was so excited to see school buses (his resent new obsession) and was so busy waving and screaming hi at the kids. my little climber, climbing everywhere he goes
love those smiles of joy

big boy swinging like a big kid (tear for mommy)

Austin's buddies Luke and Shelby frequently join us on our park adventures

yup, Austin saw a plane! and wanted us all to know about it

making sure Andrew was taken care of before he took off and played again

I love this weather and I love that I get to enjoy it with my boys.

My Oma

Her name is Elly Louise Simon van Coevorden

but we just called her Oma

I got a message yesterday informing me that my Oma passed away. She lived an extremely full life and she was 91 years young. Although she is gone and with my Opa we are left with a treasure of memories.

Some of the memories that I look back on with fondness were the many summers spent in Holland at my Oma's house. My sister and I would tie our barbies with string and swing them from her second story home into the entry way of her home for hours. I remember the countless meals she would make and many of our outings. One memory that sticks out in particular was when she would do her morning exercises. I thought it was so cool that she could lay on her back kick her legs over her head. That is the memory that I think of when I think of her. I love her and will miss her.

She was survived by friends who adored her and family who loved her. She had three sons and 1 (wonderful) daughter (my mom). She had ten grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren.

We love you Oma!

Kids will be kids

Sometimes as a mother you want you kids to behave in a certain way and do things your way, but something I try and remind myself constantly is let kids be kids. Yes there might be more of a mess and definitely more laundry but with happy faces like this is all worth it. playing the cups that he found when he broke into our pantry, played with them for more than an hour!
found a sharpie and luckily the sharpie only found his face

playing planes with daddy. I love the look of joy on Austin's face

licking the bowl, a household favorite

splashing in the mud with his gal pal Shelby. All the kids were soaked after this but they had so much fun.

kids will be kids

kids are only kids once

so let them be

The sun was out!

so what better thing to do then head out with my crew and go for a walk. Along our walk we stopped by 3 parks! Austin was in heaven, Andrew well he was asleep the whole time!

Park #1 - slide time fun Park #2 - more slide time fun Park #3 - loves the swings! He loves the out doors, especially when everything is dry! No more time for blogging, we must go soak up this sun!

Our Beta Mmmmmdat

R.I.P Mmmmmmdat

April 23, 2011 - April 30, 2011

Yes, you did the math correctly, our Beta lasted a week. I was cleaning out the bowl and was getting Mmmmmdat out of the bowl when he jumped into the sink and down the drain!!! We will miss you Mmmmmdat you were a good Beta fish.

On a lighter note we picked up another one (it was on sale too). His name "Oh Wow!" We are happy to welcome Oh Wow into our family.

Oma and Opa are here

It was spring break in California so my mom hopped on the plane and flew to Washington. My dad flew a couple of days later because he was on a business trip (golfing...hard at work I am sure).

It also happened to be my birthday week so it made it extra special to have them here. We celebrated by going to the Iron Chef (sort of like Bennihana's). It was super yummy!

Austin also got to spend lots of time with Oma and doing only Oma and him activities. He was in heaven.
Oma also enjoyed getting to know her newest grand baby Andrew.

Love at first sight!

Austin got spoiled of course with a truck from Cabala's

Watching cartoons

here is my crew (my parents were good sports even though they sat in the "poop shoot"

We were also hard at work making our garden look nice. And no trip would be complete without making my parents work some :-)

My 4 best guys

Feeding the ducks at the pond near our house

Opa enjoying his grandsons

It was so nice having my parent's here, the kids and us had a lot of fun with them!

Come back soon Opa and Oma!