The Kitchen

Daryl spent many long hours (30+) working on this kitchen for Hope.  It was made out of a TV entertainment center that we found on craigslist for $10.  He had fun doing it but it was also a lot more work than either of us thought.  That's usually the way that it goes, right?  

 Hope absolutely LOVES it.  It'll be a treasure for many many years to come.

 This is the "before" picture (some of the sanding had already been started):

And mid-way thru working on it:

He did an awesome job, don't you think? :)

Dress Shopping

My little brother is getting married in 3 months and I need to find a dress!!  Today my Mom, Anna, and I went shopping up in Grand Rapids.  We had a great day, and a successful day!!  The dress has been found! 

Happy 3rd Birthday, Hope!

Today is my sweet Hopey-Lou's 3rd birthday!  It was a cold and rainy day so we planned a day packed full of fun indoor activities!  

Our first stop was Bounceland.  My Mom and Savannah came too.  I wasn't sure if it was be totally crazy since today was the first day of Spring Break.  It wasn't bad at all!  It started to get a little busy around 1:00 - right when we left for lunch.  Perfect. :)

 Look at that pretty 3 year old girl!

 Samuel absolutely loved Bounceland - especially the obstacle course!

 Hope did a pretty good job keeping up with Samuel and Savannah!  She's little . . . but she's quick!

 Aliyah preferred to sit back and watch.  She bounced in the bounce house and went down a few littler slides but most of the time when I asked her if she wanted to do something she'd shake her head and say, "watch, watch".

 The birthday girl loved Bounceland too!  She has no fear when it comes to big slides!  Samuel would go down them on his tummy (feet first) because it made them less scary . . . Hope not so much!!

 

 We met Daryl at McDonald's for lunch.  THAT was crazy busy.  The kids had fun playing in the playplace but were starting to get a little tired, I think.  Hope loved her nuggets and fries!  Grandma and Savannah brought her a birthday balloon!

 We stuck candles in an ice cream sundae and sang "Happy Birthday" to Hope.  The candles and singing are what she has been looking forward to for weeks.  Whenever we talked about her Birthday in the weeks leading up to today all she wanted were candles and a cake. :)

Opening a birthday present from Grandma.  A Dora bath set!!

 This evening we had a little party for Hope with just our family.

 More singing and more blowing out candles.  She was in her glory!

 Samuel loved the cake and ice cream!

 Hope did too.  See her little chocolate mustache?

Aliyah was a mess.  She definitely enjoyed the cake and ice cream!  It took me the whole time that Daryl was giving the kids a bath to clean up the kitchen from the big cake mess!!  There was chocolate and cake crumbs everywhere.  But it was so worth it!

Happy Birthday, Hope Atlanta!  Mommy and Daddy love you so much!!

Simple Math

Today while Samuel was riding his bike he turns to be and says: "Mommy!  We have 5 kids in our family!"
Me: "We have 5 people in our family.  3 kids and a Mommy and a Daddy"
Samuel: "Yup.  Because 3 and 2 make 5"

Later on today Samuel was polishing off his 3rd cookie of the day (please don't judge!) when he said: "Mommy, can I have another cookie?"
Me: "No, Samuel.  You had 1 earlier and 2 for your snack right now, I think that's enough."
Samuel: "Yeah, 3 cookies is enough.  Because 1 and 2 make 3!"

I love watching his world expand!!  Next up: Algebra!! ;)

Sisters

Aliyah woke up crying this morning at 6:30am.  Very unusual for her.  We decided to let her cry it out for a few minutes before going to get her.  Quietly, through the monitor, we hear Hope, "What do you need, Aliyah?"  Aliyah through her tears sobs, "Mommy!"  And Hope replies, "It's okay, Aliyah.  You're okay."  Aliyah goes on to cry for not even another minute before quieting back down and falling back asleep.  I love it that these two precious girls have each other - even at this young age!

Weekend in Detroit!

We spent the weekend in Dearborn (near Detroit) with Daryl's Mom and her husband Neil.  It was a great weekend of celebrating Hope's birthday, swimming in the indoor pool at the hotel, and going to the Henry Ford Museum!

Samuel loved absolutely everything about the weekend: swimming, sleeping at a hotel, finding our room by looking at all the numbers on the doors, watching basketball (March Madness) whenever he was in our room - especially when he was falling asleep, and going to the museum.  When we were getting out of the pool on Friday night he was pretending he couldn't get up the steps to get out of the pool.  He turned to us and he said, "Maybe you will just have to leave me here!"  He insisted on having basketball on whenever we were in our room.  It wasn't hard to grant that request because we like watching it too!  On Saturday morning while we were showering the kids before going to the museum he kept asking to watch TV.  I yelled to Daryl to turn on ESPN to see what was on.  Samuel said, "Yeah, Daddy!  Turn on SPMU please!"  I'm writing this post weeks later and he is still asking when we are going back to a hotel.  Daryl told him that if we went to a hotel a lot it wouldn't be as fun.  He got a my-daddy-is-so-silly look on his face and said, "Yes it would, Daddy!"

Hope did okay.  She struggles with being away from home, changes, etc.  It is confusing and unsettling to her.   She was weepy and quieter than normal.  She went swimming (the three times we went!) but often would ask to be done before Samuel and Lia were ready to get out.  One of the times it was just because she wanted to sit and hang out with Grandpa and Grandma!  After they left the pool area she immediately wanted to get in the pool and swim.  She just wanted special Gpa and Gma time!

Aliyah did great.  She's a little trooper and will go along with whatever is happening . . . and usually be pretty happy about it.  She loved swimming and slept great at the hotel.  She had a great nap with Mommy at the museum while the other kids played with Daddy and their Grandparents.  It was a really fun weekend for everyone!!

Hope's birthday party at the hotel on Friday night.  Grandma brought the cake!

Opening her present from Grandpa and Grandma - a book, a tea set, and an apron with her name on it!

Grandpa reading Hope one of her birthday cards

A fun Princess tent from Uncle Dan, Aunt Danielle, Alyx, Madison, and Jordyn!

Aliyah playing in her bed with "Callie".  She's such a ham!

At the museum in front of JFK's presidential car

Hope in the big locomotive 

Grandma and Lia in the locomotive

Samuel's absolute favorite spot.  He stood here watching the trains for 20+ minutes.

Too bad not everyone was looking.  But still a fun picture!

Samuel the hot dog by the Oscar Meyer Weinermobile

A Hopey hot dog! :)

A deluxe hot dog!! :)

Samuel and Aliyah looking at one of the dollhouses on display

On the airplane

Samuel said we were headed to Florida!!  Sounds good to me! :)

Grandma and Hope on the Rosa Parks bus

All 3 kids on the bus

big smiles!

Love this picture :)

Samuel "working" on a car in the shop

Grandpa and Grandma watching the kids play

Back to the trains for another 20+ minutes!

Hands on activities!!

Spring or Summer?

This week we have had record breaking highs for March.  Mid to upper 80s . . . beautiful!  I would love this kind of weather in March every year.  The kids have been begging and begging to get the pool out.  I know it is just going to turn cold again so I have refrained from blowing up our big pool for just a couple of days.  I satisfied their craving for water play by letting them play with the hose and fill up these little containers on the table and also a sled.  If only this weather would stick around for the rest of spring!!

This picture reminds me of when me and my brother were little.  Aliyah looks a LOT like me . . . and I never wore a shirt either - just like my big brother!

Samuel kept putting the whole hose in his mouth and letting his mouth completely fill up with water until he had to spew it everywhere.  And I let him do it.  It was funny!!  We were both laughing hysterically! 

One minute, Aliyah was driving this car around and then next she was like this.  I have no idea. :)

In my opinion, this is a much better use for sleds than snow is!

Our thermometer in the sun!  On March 21!  (In reality it was around 87)  

Happy Spring!! :)