Gabriella's First Sleepover with Cousins!

Last Friday morning we got up and ran an errand to town. Along the way we picked up some rose bushes to plant in our flower bed. 

Normally Xander loves being outside but since he was teething he was pretty fussy. 

Gabriella was very excited to help me plant!

Matt suggested inviting the girlie cousins over for a sleepover with Gabriella so he picked Chloe and Eliana up on his way home and Haylie met us at our house. 

The girls has lots of fun playing with "pollies" (aka. Polly Pockets)

Having some snuggles with Josie

I think Eliana spent more time snuggling with Josie than doing anything else. 

Having some popcorn and watching a movie before bed. 

The girls all sleeping in a big pile on the livingroom floor. 

Josie and Chloe snuggled up

They woke up early with LOTS of energy!

Uncle Matt is burried under all those blankets on the couch...

Chloe and I ran to a yard sale and we scored a Spiderman tricycle for Xander for $1! 

Gabriella said, "Xander is just taking me for a ride."

He couldn't figure out how to make it move by himself, but he sure had fun sitting on it. 

Chloe pushed him all around the house. 

Little People city in the livingroom

Phew! What a fun and long day! Everyone was tuckered out and we had an early bedtime!!

Pi Day

We spent the day at home since life has been so crazy!!

Two little helpers when I was catching up on laundry. 

Then we headed outside to play in the sunshine

Beautiful princess!!

Silly Roo!

Big boy playing by the gate!

When Matt got home we went for a walk and let Gabriella try riding her new birthday bike from Gramma and Grampa. This was how our walk ended! 

 

Putting her helmet away on her bike after she was all done riding it. 

We went inside and played with some lincoln logs~

Gabriella made these "trees" all by herself. I love how pleased she is with her handiwork!

Eating some Pi(e) 

Mmmmm, apple pie and goat milk ice cream

Delicious!!

Fun with the Perrins!

Wednesday last week we had several appointments in town to take care of regarding Don's estate. In the afternoon the kids went to hang out with Elijah and his mom Lorna (she was a HUGE lifesaver for us by watching the kids during our appointment with the attorney). 

When we got back to pick up the kiddos they were outside having fun on the trampoline. 

Xander was loving crawling around on it

Me and my Roo!

Gabriella, Elijah and Xander rolling around together

Matt bouncing the kids

My two beautiful kiddos!!

Xander was very very fussy in the car so Matt got in back to comfort him. It had been a rough day for all of us. 

We'll Miss You, Don!

On Saturday, March 9th, we were on our way home from my parent's house when we got a phone call. Matt's dad had died. We headed straight to his house (his roommate had found him) and got there before the police even had.

He had fallen asleep on the couch, with his feet propped up, and just never woke up because his heart stopped. He looked so peaceful sitting there, his glasses were even on his face still.

I don't have much else to say. This week has been a blur. Matt and I are taking care of all his legal affairs (people, please get a will written up!).

I think the way Gabriella took the news sums it up best when we told her that Papa Don had gone to sleep and then he woke up with Jesus and that it was called dying and we wouldn't get to see him again until we went to Heaven.
"I miss Papa Don," she said as she threw herself into my arms for a hug. "But he is happy with Jesus now."

New Rack!

We are getting rid of all our "non-stick" and Teflon frying pans (all my other pots and pans are stainless steel) and got some really nice "green" ceramic ones. Since they are breakable I didn't want to put them in my cupboard where the kids play. So we got a hanging rack for the ceiling.

Matt installed it last night for me. 

Here he is putting in the hooks

Making sure it hangs straight.

And finished product (plus my laundry piles)! Woo hoo!! 

I love it!

Polka Dot Party

About two weeks ago I got an idea from Pinterest and cut out some circles from craft foam that I had in my craft cupboard. They stick to the bathtub and the walls of my shower! Woo hoo! The kids LOVED it! 

Xander thought they were SO funny! He kept laughing and sticking them to the walls. 

Gabriella has fun making glasses out of them or pretend tacos. 

Here she is showing me the "eyes" that she made

They are still in our tub. I love how cheerful it makes it!

(we took a bath in our clothes two nights ago)

And while I was at it, another bathroom picture. 

Gabriella said, "Thank you for taking a picture of me!"

1st Haircuts

Matt wanted Xander's hair to get cut because it was starting to get all shaggy and hang over his ears. So I looked online, read a few tips on how to cut a little boy's hair and we got to it!

Getting ready to cut it!

(he was excited before we got started because he got to play with crayons)

All done and in the tub! 

I think it turned out pretty good (well, not to bad at least). It is a lot harder to cut a wiggly little kid's hair than to cut an adult's hair who can sit still and hold their head at the right angles!

While we were cutting Xander's hair Gabriella insisted that she wanted hers cut too. We had never cut hers before because it grew in a way that looked good still. 

Getting ready....

I asked her how she wanted it cut and she said, "short short shorter short!"

She was being pretty goofy so I had trouble getting a good picture of her hair after it was done. But it definitely turned out short and she really liked it! Such a cutie!!

So we had fun cutting hair last night!