Winter Vacay

Back in February, we went on a little vacay to the great city of Spokane to visit the fam for a couple weeks.  I flew solo with the two kids and though my plane(s) were delayed, adding another 5 hours to my trip, I have to say the kids did great on the flights (all three of them).  The way home was another story but at least Josh was there to lend a hand.  

The kids and I hung out in Spokane for a week then Josh flew out and we picked him straight up from the airport and drove due east to Bozeman to visit our favorite Vermont Madsens (who are now our favorite Montana Madsens, I suppose). Then we drove back to Spokane for a couple days before we flew out as a family back to NY.

Whilst in Spokane, we played with cousins, saw old friends, had a girls' night to the movies, played games and just had a ball.  Plus my parents threw a b-day Pancake Pajama Party for all the February grandkids, which included Will.  He thought that was pretty grand.

Whilst in Bozeman, the big boys skied lots, while the rest of us skied a couple times and we played hard with our cousins and enjoyed exploring Bozeman.  Plus, we paid around $25 to rent Skyfall on three seperate occasions, though we never actually watched it, so that took up a lot of our time (ha!).  

Really, we had such fun on our trip.  Somehow, someway, someday we just need to get us out west so we can live closer to these crazy people we call family.  Here's to hoping!

Now the pictures are less than stellar seeing as I really only pulled out my camera a couple times.  But here's what I got. 

We went to the park and the kids had a ball.  It was like 47 degrees in February.  In Spokane!  That never happens.  We celebrated by playing outside lots all week.

Lucy and my sister.  My sister was so, so good to us (as was all my family).

Will and his cousins being crazy on the slide.

And here's the b-day boy, all ready for his Pancake Pajama Party that would be no true Spear-family b-day without a sign on the front of the house to celebrate.

Will with my parents (it was sooo sunny).

Will and his presents from Grammy and Pompa.  How they spoil us.

And the cousins having a show (terrible picture!!!).

Here's the ONE picture I took with the MT Madsens.  How sad is that?  We stayed up in a condo at Big Sky for the first couple nights.  It was gorgeous up there.  And the kids hot tubbed every day.  They would cool off by jumping in the snow then run back into the tub.  Crazy kids.

Well, there you have it.  I warned you of the lack of photos.  But don't let the pictures fool you:  we had a ball on our Winter vacay.

Snow Fort

Here it is:  the fort of all forts.  We got a decent amount of snow this winter (shout hooray!) so on this lovely snowy day, Josh took the rugs out to build this bad boy.  And the kids thought it was the coolest.  And they thought their dada was the coolest because he can make a fort.  And I thought their dada was the coolest because while he was making a fort I was getting something done inside.  Though once the fort was finished, I came and hung out with my cute family. Because, let's be honest--who would want to miss this:

 The rugs hangin' out in the vast fort.

 The fort itself.  Not bad, eh?

 Will posing with his saw that he insisted on using when helping compile said fort.

 Attempting to get a shot where--impossibly--both kids are looking at the camera.

 Here Lucy is shouting "eeeeeeeesssse" (meaning cheese).  I can just hear her saying it.  It's the cutest thing.

 Will's pirate face.

 And then there was some serious hat hair to be had.  I blame the ugly, tacky hat he got for free at his hockey class that he insists on wearing (instead of the darling, not-free hat I bought to go with his coat).

Easter: Part 5

This is it!  I swear.  Last one.  Here are the  kids dressed in their Easter garb, all ready for church.  Doing a girl's hair is still a mystery to me, especially since my girl has curly hair and that is so very foreign to me.  This day I experimented with it--making it all curly with gel.  The jury's still out as to whether or not I like it like this.  I think she's better with bangs.  And the new Sunday sandals the Easter bunny brought her?  She refused to wear.  She chose, instead, to wear too small shoes.  And Josh is not a fan of Will's pink shirt, though I constantly remind him it's not pink, it's orange.  Somehow he doesn't believe me.

And I really couldn't choose the best picture of these two and really that's because there isn't one.  They are all sub-par.  But every single one makes me smile because they are so representative of my two crazy kids, whom I adore whole-heartedly (spell check says heartedly isn't a word, but I'm ignoring it).  So, I decided to throw 'em all in, water gun and all (see, I told you he liked it).

Here she's saying, "My shoes too tight!"  But I had no sympathy for her.

I think this one's my favorite.  Yours?

Easter: Part 4

Lest you think I'm done posting about Easter, you'd be sadly disappointed.  This is Easter morn.  The kids (by kids, I mean Will, because Lucy is as of yet oblivious to all holidays and festivities, though not candy) were jazzed for Easter.  I think Will thought the Easter bunny delivered far more goods than the Easter bunny really does, but, luckily, the dollar store water gun did not disappoint.  He loved that.  And the candy, of course.

The kids came down all clad in their Christmas jammies, ready for a fun-filled adventure on this fine spring day.  And since Josh had to bust it to church early for meetings (argh), I barely made it in time for church and there may have been some weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth to get us there, but we made it.

You try taking a good picture of my kids together.  I dare you.

Lucy loves hats.  She puts them on at every opportunity.

Her new book had a dog in it, so here she is happily shouting dooooog!  (Kinda reminds me of this post of Will baaing--see end of post).