PORTRAITS ARE ON THEIR WAY

 Watching daddy prep... and a little sneak peek!

FREEDOM RIDGE AND PELICAN COVE

After the movie, we changed the princess into play clothes and stopped by Freedom Ridge Park to get some wiggles out.

 Then we drove over to the reservoir for an early dinner at Pelican Cove Grill. I'd link them, but we thought their food was basically just salty, greasy bar food, and don't plan to send them any business (though our waiter was very nice!) And while the place is probably nice and relaxing on a beautiful, warm day, since each of their many windows overlooking the water rolls up into the ceiling to really open the place up and air it out, when they're shut it feels pretty stuffy (and more like a beach town dive bar...)

CINDERELLA

MOVIE NIGHT

My view tonight during our viewing of Book of Life was pretty darn sweet...

KEEPING GRAMMA BUSY

I think the kids kept Gramma so busy over the past 3 days that there was very little chance to grab her phone and snap photos! They started with a pirate day (costumes, map making, treasure hunting, pirate games, pirate books, etc.), did the usual as far as crafting and coloring and puzzles and Lego building, took some walks in between rain clouds, and picked some pretty flowers from the yard to decorate the table.

 Thank you so much for coming out to help us this week Gramma - the kids loved their spring break and I know they wish they had you here always!

FIRST DIP OF THE SEASON!

Jay wanted to do laps today (hooray cross training!) and we were anxious to get the kids out of the house to work off some of their surplus energy, so we went to the Y after work. Thankfully, both kids jumped right in without hesitation and seem to have remembered everything they learned last summer (since we had zero luck getting them into swim lessons this spring).

 And while he was definitely clean after his swim and shower and sauna, Gramma HAD already given him a shower yesterday. Complete with hair washing and soapy tears - this boy would rather skip bathing altogether if we'd let him these days... Good thing swim season is starting soon!

ONE MORE ROUND!

Gramma arrived yesterday afternoon with one more round of birthday presents for our 6-year-old, but since we went together to the airport to drop off Robyn, she waited to give James his presents at lunch today. Fun stuff!

 He got some cool Minecraft Lego sets and The Boxtrolls and new Keens and a few very nice shirts. He was anxious to go start the new Lego sets immediately, but agreed to wait until we finished lunch first!

GOODBYES SUCK

 Love ya Robyn!

AUNTIE ROBYN

Auntie Robyn filled the kids' days with Legos and crafting and book reading and coloring and baby doll swaddling and dinosaur matching and balloon kicking and clay modeling and sticker decorating. The kids had a great couple of days, and when I asked them if they had fun it was a resounding YES! Cora told me "I love my Auntie Robyn!" and when I asked her what her favorite thing was that they did together, she said "kicking the balloon". Thank you Robyn, for spending some time with these guys and for being here for us - we really appreciated the help this week (and I especially loved our date night last night!)

 P.S. We purposefully let the kids keep any and all projects and games going all week long at the kitchen table during spring break. It happens every year (well, every school break, actually), and it makes them happy to be able to come and go and have all their "stuff" waiting for them. It spills into the window ledges as well. And the counters. And the living room. And their rooms...

P.P.S Yes, James has been in the same pajamas since Sunday night. We promise to give him a bath tomorrow. Or at least change his clothes...

DISNEY SIDE

SECOND STREP SISSY

With a 102 fever overnight (she spent the night in our bed so we could keep an eye on her since it peaked when we checked on her before bed at 10:30pm) and a sore throat/fever that had been bothering her since Saturday night, we decided to take Baby Doll into the doctor this morning. The strep test was faint, but positive. Somehow, even without the steroid and antibiotic shots this time though, she blew through this sickness and was practically good as new by tonight. Not sure how she does that... Doctor appointments (especially spur of the moment ones) require pajamas...

(She healed just as quickly when she had strep 2 months ago. Thank goodness for that!)

WALK IT OUT

 In the interest of getting my legs moving and the lactic acid out of my system, we hit up the park for some stairs and trails. Just a little, but enough to help!

Auntie Robyn and the kids, dancing it out in the Illinois Memorial

 (Ice cream and popsicles right before lunch because we're so very nice... and Cora wasn't feeling well... to be continued...)

GAMING BUDDIES