Happy Easter!

We had a very fun-filled Easter today. Our morning started off with a scavenger hunt to find the boys' baskets. Both were especially excited about their silly bandz.

Next, we moved outside for an Easter egg hunt... in the rain. Thankfully it was pretty warm and the drizzle didn't faze the kids one bit.

Later, we headed up to Michigan to celebrate Easter and all the April birthdays (Ellen, Chris, Alex, Hannah, & Eli) with Chris' family.

Happy Easter!!

Egg Art

Yesterday we decorated eggs for Easter. I was pretty excited about the kits I picked out. One was a "no-spill" kit that I thought would be perfect for Eli. The other was a glitter kit that Colin chose because, well, what kid doesn't like glitter? Chris and I each chose a kid to help and off we went. I should have known this would not run as smoothly as I hoped when putting together the "no-spill" kit turned out to be more complicated than getting a child's toy free of its packaging on Christmas morning. At least I'm looking at the situation as a learning experience. To start with, the "no-spill" containers spilled and I discovered my children are not ready for glitter eggs  I am not ready to tolerate the mess that ensues when combining small children, glitter, and coloring eggs. On the plus side, the kids had fun, the no-spill kit prevented Eli from breaking any eggs, and I know what kits I won't be buying next year. :)

Spring Crafts

The boys and I have been keeping busy despite the rainy spring we've been having. Earlier this week we revisited a craft from last year and made caterpillars out of egg cartons. The boys both love painting so this one was a big hit.

For my spring craft, I made Easter baskets for all the kids and teachers in Colin's preschool class. The design and supplies were courtesy of Nana (thank you, Nana!). Now that they're done though, I don't think I have any more good reasons to put off doing my spring cleaning....

Egg Hunt

Last weekend, I took Colin to an egg hunt at the home of one of the families in the Toledo Parent's Group. It was a little windy, but the rain stopped and the sun was out for all the fun outdoor activites. There were tons of eggs for the kids to find so everybody got a chance to fill their baskets. Colin was cracking me up because he shook every egg he found but if it didn't make a sound, he'd put it back. I kept trying to tell him that the eggs might still have a surprise inside even if they didn't make a sound (which they did), but he was convinced he only wanted eggs that rattled. He still found a ton and was quite pleased with his loot. In addition to the egg hunt there was a balance an egg on a spoon race, bubbles, tons of space to run around in, and of course, snack. I think it was good practice for the egg hunts he'll partake in this weekend.

Cousin Love

Two weekends ago (yes, I know I'm catching up again) my brother and his family came to visit us. It was so nice getting a chance to catch with them - we hadn't seen them since Christmas! Plus the kids had such a great time playing with each other. Oh how I wish we didn't live so far away from each other.

Eli's 2nd Birthday

Our little Eli is 2! We started off his day by meeting some friends at Imagination Station. We finally bit the bullet and bought a membership (1/2 price through Groupon!). Eli had a blast dressing up as a firefighter and pretending to drive the fire engine and ambulance. He also really enjoyed the water tables and in his exuberance got completely soaked. Maybe short-sleeved shirts would be a better choice for our next visit. 

After exploring we had lunch and cupcakes then headed home for a nap.

After his nap, Grammy and Poppy came over to visit, have dinner, and enjoy a second round of cupcakes with us. Eli was hilarious opening his gifts - he got so excited and kept yelling "presents!". He certainly didn't need any help or coaxing from us to open all of them.

I'd say overall he had a great day!

At 2, Eli is very expressive with his feelings. He's usually a very happy kid who's independent and self-entertaining. However, if someone or something upsets him, he let's everyone within earshot know about it. Unlike Colin, this kid throws real temper tantrums during which he throws himself down on the floor. Thankfully he is usually easily calmed or placated and back on to being happy again. He loves music and has some pretty sweet dance moves. One of his favorite new toys is a microphone. He loves to sing Bieber songs while dancing around the living room or on his "stage" (the fireplace). He also loves to dress up. He especially loves hats and eyewear. Eli is a mover and a climber and seems to have no fear when chasing after his big brother. Which leads me to his 3rd favorite activity - following Colin around and doing whatever he does. Eli's also a big talker and often repeats everything Colin says. Even when they're being naughty I find it quite comical. Eli is a picky eater, but you wouldn't know it by looking at him. His favorite foods are still cheese and milk but he's starting to experiment with more tastes and textures.

Happy Birthday to our spirited 2-year old. We love you, Eli!