April Smiles and Showers

Another great week for A^4. Ayson's school was on spring break so he spent Monday and Tuesday with Addie, Sam, and Ben at Linda's and then the rest of the week at the daycare program that is run out of his school. Apparently Sam and Ben could not stop talking about Ayson and even called their Daddy (Mommy's colleauge) "Ayson" a few times once they got home from Linda's :)

Tuesday:
It was a little cool BUT the sun was out and the trampoline was dry so we got a bit of bouncing in after dinner.
Smiles while bouncing.



Ayson can really jump!!



Investigating the spring flowers



Wednesday:
It was rainy Wednesday and Thursday but that gave us time to put together the puzzle from Nana and Papa.



Thursday:
Finishing the puzzle from Nana and Papa



Friday:
Addie upset after Ayson got mad at her for taking the puzzle apart. Addie stated she just wanted to "help."   :)



Saturday was cold and dreary so we spent the day inside catching up on chores and playing.  Ayson showing Addie how to play a game on Addie's little computer.



Ayson playing with the tablet the Grandma Collene gave him for Christmas.
Both Mommy and Daddy have noticed that Ayson acts AND looks more mature than even just a few months ago.  Our small fry is growing up!!!



Mommy's phone did a system update and one of the new "bells/whistles" is that "selfies" can be taken with a simple hand movement and then the picture takes after 3 seconds.  Both kids had fun "taking" the pictures :)






Sunday was absolutely gorgeous and the temps reached the mid to high 60s. Mommy and Daddy have a rule that we can't have a gin and tonic until it is 70 degrees outside...SO, we moved the outside thermometer to the back (stone) porch...and in the sun...92 degrees, baby! That first GnT of the season is always so refreshing :)

We did a bunch of yard clean up and then Daddy lit a small bonfire to get rid of brush AND so the kids could make S'mores (to roast something more substantial than a skittle). Gianna came over to play and Gianna and her Mom, Jo, also gave the kids 3 big bags of books!  We LOVE books, Thanks, Gi and Jo!!



Daddy smoked his first batch of ribs for the season AND we ate outside.  Yay! We are all wiped out and ready for bed and it is not even 7:30 :)

Happy Easter!

We spent the week outdoors as much as possible (again) and spent the Easter weekend with family! We are so fortunate to have such great family and friends!!!  We hope everyone had a happy holiday!

Coloring eggs with the kiddos!






Park time!!!



Daddy and Ayson messing around with a HUGE tree branch (normally, Mommy would crop the picture so you all could see the branch better, but we did not roll into the driveway until almost 5:45 pm on Sunday and Mommy is just too tired to mess with the picture tonight :)



Gianna came out to play and the kids tore across the black top in order to give Gianna a BIG hug :)



Daddy against the gang



Checking out the creek near the park



Mommy and Daddy set the trampoline back up on Friday AND Mommy was the first official jumper of the 2015 season!



Gi and Ayson bouncing high!






Friday was also the first chiminea of the 2015 season.  Ayson was SO upset that we did not have anything to "roast over the fire" so he improvised and decided to roast skittles...yes, skittles.  Mommy and Daddy made sure the skittles were not too hot/melty before they were consumed.



Mommy loves this picture...



Friday night smiles



On Saturday, A^4 headed to Grandpa Chuck's (Pama was working) and had an egg hunt and a yummy dinner.  Thanks, Grandpa!!!!

Addie and Kaela looking for eggs.



The kiddos counting their loot.



And the chocolate eating begins!



Mommy and her Baby Doll.



Auntie Julie helped the kids "fly."  Thanks, Auntie!!












Easter basket time!



Brownie sundaes for dessert!



Ayson and Addie playing an old basketball game of Pama's.



Cuddle time with Grandpa (no nap and not too shabby!)



After dinner, A^4 and Auntie Julie, Uncle Dan, and the cousins all went to Grandma Collene's for the night.

Addie working on a puzzle.



Sunday:
Ayson with GREAT Grandma Barb (Grandma Collene's Mumma)



Addie and Great Grandma



Uncle Jay sitting at the kids table :)



Addie and Nana (Uncle Dan's Mom)



The girls : Nana, Ryliegh (Uncle Jay [Grandpa Ric's (and Grandma Collene) son] and Auntie Jen's daughter), Addie, and Kaela.



Easter egg hunt time!



Uncle Jay and Auntie Jen helped Addie find eggs.  Every time Addie would come across an egg, she would get all excited and squeal (just like she does when she opens a present)...it was so adorable!



The kids sorting through their eggs.



Grandma Collene and Addie (she had just woken up from a nap).



Addie entertained the adults with her total enjoyment of Auntie Fran's Pineapple Delight cake AND a cupcake...too cute!



Four Generations: Great Grandma Barb, Grandma Collene, Auntie Julie, and Addie.

Happy Spring

Spring is finally making an appearance in Central New York!!!  A^4th has tried to get outside as much as possible.  We did have a mid week "speed bump" with Ayson developing an ear infection and tonight, Addie is now complaining of her ear hurting but the kiddos don't seem overly bothered by the pain and have not slowed down all the much.  Mommy will most likely be making a trip to the Drs with Addie on Monday.

Monday night game night with another birthday gift game!



On Wednesday, Mommy got a call from the school that Ayson was complaining of an ear ache.  The first appointment Mommy could get for Ayson was 5:15 so Daddy picked Ayson up from school at his normal time and then headed back to Syracuse for the appointment.  Afterwards, the boys went to McDonalds for dinner.  Apparently Ayson chattered non-stop to Daddy during the trip to and from the Drs Office.  Once home, Ayson proclaimed it was the "best day EVER" while Daddy just looked fried :)


Mommy came home from work on Thursday to find both kiddos intently playing Daddy's fighter pilot game.  Check out Addie's bottom lip :)



Ah, either they are concentrating REALLY hard or are totally zoned out!



Addie eating an oatmeal pie while on her horsey Saturday morning.



The adorable purple snow suit that Addie will wear this year and next:)



We went for a walk on Saturday but the wind was fierce and we did not linger long after our walk to the creek.



On Saturday afternoon, Beverly Oliver (a friend of ours and the Director of the Day Care program at Ayson's school) took Ayson and Kwahumeer to see the movie, "Home."  This was Ayson's birthday gift from Kwahumeer/Beverly (even though Mommy said that Kwahumeer (Beverly) did not need to bring a gift for Ayson's party...we just wanted Kwahumeer to be included in the festivities).  Beverly admitted she wanted to see the movie too and was happy to have a friend along :)






After the movie, Ayson asked if Khanlen could come over to play and we said yes.  We had one tired boy on our hands Saturday night!






Three "red heads" cuddling on the couch!



On Sunday, the temps got up to 40!!!!  We went to the "little park" (across the street) and got ourselves re-acquainted with the playground equipment.



Kisses!



Ayson picked right up on his bike riding skills and had fun riding on the blacktop.

Grandma Pat, we have a story for you:  With the melting snow at the park, a bit of trash has been uncovered and of course Ayson noticed the trash and said that the people who threw it there must not be Americans.  Ayson then went on to state that the trash offenders must be "Contadians" (meaning Canadians).  Daddy and Mommy had a good chuckle over that statement AND the mispronunciation. Note: We drive through Canada to get to Michigan when we visit family and that must be where Ayson picked up the Canadians portion of his statement (second note: Mommy and Daddy do NOT bad mouth other countries in front of the kids OR in general :)



A mini snowball fight






After Addie's bath, we put together a necklace kit that Grandma Collene had given to Addie for her birthday.  Addie LOVED it!  She still has 2 more necklaces that she can build...what a neat gift for a little girl!






Cheese!



A bit of Ayson's school work:
Pictures of Ayson with Mommy and Daddy.



Thursday night, Ayson kept track of everyone's table manners. If you got your name on the list, you were in trouble for something (talking with food in your mouth or chewing with your mouth open).   Mommy was the only one who got a "good" AND a "check mark" for no slip ups at the dinner table:) Mommy is pretty sure they covered table manners in school that day!



A very cool cat with movable parts!