Spring is in the air

Eliot working on his hula hooping technique

It is impossible to not be in love with the weather and all the green and flowers that are surrounding us....I suppose if you have horrible allergies this might not be your favorite weather, so not completely impossible, but I love Spring. I love the warm sun and cool breeze and kids running around trying to pop bubbles or playing soccer in the back yard.  Marlow and Eliot love their swing set, and lately they can't wait for me to let them out so they can run outside in our backyard.  I also love that it is light a bit longer, that we can play outside a bit after dinner and enjoy our evenings.  I am looking forward to summer vacation so I don't have to be so worried about getting them to bed at a decent time so they can wake up for school.  

Playing with our cousins Jack and Ian at dusk in the back yard

My sister Michelle and her family are visiting. Her husband's family lives near us and one day we went out to their house to play.  They have a gorgeous yard, beautifully landscaped and planted with lovely trees and plants.  The kids really enjoyed riding bikes and pushing things in the driveway.  It is super fun to have so many cousins to play with.

Gemma loves to practice walking.  In the distance you see Kelly with Marlow pushing Calliope in a car and  Eliot riding a trike. 

Jack, Ian, Calliope and Eliot chasing bubbles

Eliot loves being a big brother and was so proud to hold Gemma on his lap for a ride in the little car.

Gemma celebrated her first birthday recently.  

She isn't a big fan of food yet, but she gave her cake a little taste.  I completely forgot to give her a little bit of ice cream -- which I know she likes.  The bigger kids generously showed her how to open her presents and play with her new stuff.....Ok, so they kind of took over, but she is used to it and enjoyed watching.

Everyone wanted to show Gemma how to work her new Jack-in-the-Box

We gave Gemma a little Radio Flyer ride-on.  She is still a bit small for it but she likes it when her siblings push her around on it or she will push it and practice walking.

The girls helping Joseph put together her little bike

Speaking of Joseph, he and his sister Ruth went to China to visit their brother Michael.  We miss him SO much but are so happy for him to have the chance to take this trip.  Eliot gets confused (understandably, he is two) about Joseph being gone and how far away he is.  A couple of times now we have been getting ready to go somewhere and he will say, "Are we going to go have lunch with Dad?" or "We going to go see Dad at work?"   We then get to talk about how daddy is far away and how he will be back a few days and then we count the days together.  The kids have been super good for me -- and they were so excited about Mother's Day. The boys made cards at school and Ezra gave me a potted plant, but the main thing they were excited about was giving me my card and box of chocolates that Joseph had got and helped them hid in their room since he would be gone for Mother's Day.  They all trooped into my room this morning with big smiles and their hands behind their backs.  Marlow handed me my card (which was a funny one -- the best kind from a bunch of silly kids) and Ezra handed over a big box of chocolate which, of course, they were wondering when I was going to open it so they could help me eat it.  So we are hanging in there without Joseph but can't wait for him to get back -- plus we have the help of Aunt Michelle and her boys to keep us entertained and busy while he is gone.