A new swingset!

We've been thinking about getting the kids a swingset for awhile now, and we finally did! Here it is as Cary and I (but mainly Cary) were building it...


This is a picture of the 'almost' finished product - we got enough done so the kids could swing and slide...

They LOVE it and have been having a blast! I'm going to have to take some more pictures of the finished product and update one of these days!

Another birthday!

Mine! I turned the big 3-0 on April 16th! We celebrated by going out for dinner, then came home and opened gifts. The kids were so excited to give me my presents, and to "help" me open them...
Wildflower seeds for the yard...
And, Cary gave me an iPod Shuffle! It's so tiny and has amazing sound! I love it!

Brendan's birthday!

April 8th marked Brendan's 4th birthday! To celebrate we had a party for him (and Halle!) at Grandpa David and Grandma Connie's house over Easter weekend. It was a great time, and so nice of everybody to attend & shower the kids with gifts! Thank you to all!

Here are some of the folks relaxing in the dining room...

While others mill around in the living room...
Presents anyone?

My best friend, Dusty, brought her family to share in the festivities. Here Erica holds her youngest, Isaac...

On Brendan's 1st birthday, 3 years ago these same three goofballs sat on this same couch and posed. And here they are 3 years later (from left to right: Katie, Mic and Brendan)...

And for old times sake, the comparison shot (as you will notice, in the recent pic Mic is in the middle, and in this one Brendan is)! Amazing how much they change in such a short period of time!

Happy 4th Birthday, Brendan!

Happy Easter!

Because we will be gone this coming weekend, we decided to celebrate Easter a week early. Grandma Carol came down and joined in on the fun.

Wow - look at all of those eggs!

Just dip it in the color, and wah-la!


Ohhhh, look at that pretty pink!
The finished product!

Luckily, the Easter Bunny was ok with us celebrating a week early, so he hopped his way on over, too to hide eggs and Easter Basket's for the kids.

Halle really enjoyed finding eggs this year - the first time she's understood the concept!

What's that in Mom's wine rack?

Don't forget to check the microwave!
Well, what do we have here...looks like Halle's Easter Basket!
Nice shades!
Brendan's basket was in the bathtub ~The kids sitting at the table with their baskets...

More fun to come, this weekend we celebrate Brendan's 4th birthday with a party at Grandpa David and Grandma Connie's house!

Time for professional pictures!

Time, once again, for our annual trip to the Portrait Studio for the kids' pictures. They turned out great!

First, a couple pictures of the two kids together. I just love the first picture - they were both giggling and having a great time... Next, Halle by herself...

Here, Halle is wearing the gorgeous dress Grandma Connie and Grandpa David got her in Playa del Carmen, while they were on vacation...

Halle isn't as fond of the whole picture taking experience as Brendan has been all of his life. When it was time to take these pictures she's was good and sick of it, and kept pulling on her dress. Notice her lady-like pose here...

Brendan's turn for individual shots...

And, finally, a picture of myself and the 3 kids (ok, so you can only see two right now, but number 3 is already making his/her presence known by my expanding waistline & need for maternity clothes!)...

It's raining, it's pouring...

...so to keep dry while playing outside, Halle's sporting some new rain gear! Here she is showing it off...