Signs of Spring? 90 degrees???

Oh yes, it was quite a hot one last weekend... Sunny and highs in the high 80's and even went into the 90's! Ok, if I'm not down the shore that is just too hot in my opinion. It was also Ag Day at the UD, so off we went out to enjoy the *cough* spring *cough* day.

Here is our little sunflower! She wasn't put off by the heat, well not until later in the day, when she said. "Mommy, I like it when it's cold" Poor thing had sweat dripping off her nose during the day!


We waited in a decent line for the pony rides. They had 3 ponies at once giving rides and I was wondering what was taking so long. When I got towards the front it all became clear. The ponies were different sizes and the parents were letting the kids choose which pony they could ride. We were about 4-5 back from the front of the line and the biggest pony was there waiting for the next child. All of the kids in front of us were 6-7 yrs old but wanted no part in the big pony. So the poor dejected pony was just standing there with all of these kids not wanting to ride him because he was too big, they wanted the smaller ponies. Not my little girl...walked right past the "big kids", she walked up the "steps" big and brave and had her pony ride on the Biggest Pony There! (which we later bragged to Daddy about).

You know, I'm probably one of the few people living in this state that did not go to UD for college *chuckle* EVERYONE has gone there. I actually find it a bit disturbing but I digress. I mention this because I'm probably also one of the few people that is not sure about the name of UD's mascot. YoD or YouD...I don't know but here he is (poor thing in that get up in that heat!) giving high fives and hugs to all the kids and adults around.


There was bunches to see and do at Ag day. Maddie had fun making soil profiles, planting seeds in a pot which now graces our front garden, dancing to the live music, jumpin on hay bales, checking out the cute farm critters, coloring and making crafts, and a hayride through the university's farm... It was a super special day. Her favorite thing? "Everything!"

We ended the day back at the house with our local bike gang - Here is our contribution to that bike gang. Maddie and the neighbor's kids have a blast each night riding their bikes around the cul-de-sac. Moms and Dad's guard against the traffic at the end while our 2-5 yr olds ride around in circles on trikes and big girl & big boy bikes.

Spend some time....

...rolling around in the grass this Earth Day!

If a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder without any such gift from the fairies, he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement and mystery of the world we live in.
- Rachel Carson

Easter Excitement...

We had a 3 day holiday weekend and I enjoyed every minute of it. We even got some outside work done (shocking, I know). We spent Friday outside in our back yard picking up sticks, taking down our fence and raking up all the left over leaves that accumulated in various spots thanks to the fence. It felt good to get it all done before the rain came in for Saturday. For Easter Sunday we, including Nana, went up to NJ to my sister's house with the family. Here are some photos for your enjoyment...


Here is a poorly framed photo taken by me. *laugh* A couple of weeks before Easter, we were out shopping and I had wanted to get her a new spring dress...Well, she picked out her very own Easter dress at the store. It wasn't my choice but, what the heck - she REALLY liked it and will look cute in just about anything (I know I'm biased!) She was right...the dress works on her!

Here are the cousins all together - they are full of smiles and it's not because they're loaded up with chocolate either! All in all they play together quite well even though the age spread is 11 yrs old to 10 months old. Although I really think the froggy boots are what make her Easter outfit a classic.

When it was egg hunting time the older kids had a waiting period before they could go forth and gather the eggs...poor Cole waited for quite a while!

There was much running, searching, double checking areas...

One big benefit to having an uncle that is 6'6" is that he can help you get eggs that the Easter Bunny put way up high in a tree...

Maddie counting out how many eggs she found.

After a lovely dinner, we all sat around and chatted, let the kids play together and then, it turned into Chez Kristy Boutique...

Tina and I went to town on hand-me-downs...from Cole and Molly. What is great is that Kristy buys good quality clothes, they're all in great shape. I told her we should start pre-investing, taking Cole and Molly shopping and buy them clothes we want our kids to wear later!

While driving in the car...

Let me set the stage here for a conversation out of the blue...I expect them to get more and more frequent and she's only 4 yrs old...

*imagine driving in your car taking your daughter to swimming lessons. The radio is on tuned into our favorite classic rock station. "We are the champions" starts on the radio and we are both singing*

Her: Mommy I can't hear him singing

(I can't carry a tune, this is her nice way of saying to shush and let me listen to the music *grin*)

Me: Ok (and I keep singing to myself quietly)

Her: Mommy, when I was a teeny tiny baby did you talk to me?

Me: Yes, honey, when you were a baby, we talked to you. (She loves to ask questions, all of the time, so things like this are not uncommon, I'm always answering some sort of question while we're driving)

Her: No, when I was THIS small (making a little tiny shape with her hands)

Me: (not able to really see what she's doing since I'm driving) Yes, honey, when you were a baby, 1 year old we talked to you.

Her: No, I mean when I was growing in another lady's tummy, did you talk to me?

(now I'm paying a lot more attention)

Me: No honey, I did not. We didn't meet you until after you were born in China.

Her: What is her name?

Me: Your China Mommy? I don't know what her name is.

Her: Why don't you know? Didn't you listen? (obviously, I had not been a "good listener" because then I would have known her name when she told me)

Me: I didn't meet your China Mommy and China Daddy honey. (I've always found it hard figuring out what sounded most natural to call her first parents...for now this is what seems most natural to me)

Her: I want to go to China and see her because I love her sooo much.

Me: I would like to go to China and see her too.

Her: I love you and Daddy sooo much too.

Me: We love you too honey.

Her: I love Dora towels too. And Diego towels.

(and onto another subject she goes...)

Surprise Birthday Bash...

I tried to be sneaky...I'll admit it. I wanted to do something special for Ron's 50th Birthday...but I was scratching my head. I wanted it to be a surprise (he's a hard one to surprise) and I wanted it to be fun and memorable (I'm all about giving "experiences" as gifts, we all have enough "stuff" in our lives). So I had my work cut out for me. It was a friend from work who sparked the idea. She had gone to or mentioned something about the DuPont Theater and that there were some neat shows coming. So I was internet surfing one night and checked it out. Low and behold my mission to have a fun experience based surprise party for Ron unfolded before my eyes when I saw this:

Yes, that is right. Monty Python's Spamalot. I got the giggles just typing that in! (This is our type of humor). I started envisioning Ron with his best buddies going to the show together, laughing hysterically at the gags that we all laugh at in the movie. So I started looking deeper...oh no! The show is only here for a short time. Happily it worked out so the guys could make it - I bought the tickets and whoop! We had a plan.

I had told Ron that we were going out that Saturday to do something special to celebrate our Family day. The trusting soul that he is (he leaves all of the social calendar items to me) he just went with it and said ok. I told him he had to wear a collared shirt...I let Maddie pick out her own clothes (which, as expected, turned out to be a dress) and said we'd be going out around 12:30.

At 12:30 the guys arrived...I gave him a wrapped box and said "Happy Birthday". He opened it up (well, ok, Maddie opened it up) and inside was a piece of paper that wished him a Happy Birthday and a photo of the Spamalot poster. Got him! He was surprised. It got even better when I told him that Maddie and I weren't going that this was a "guys day out". So they happily drove into Wilmington for the show.

Morgan, Ron, Maddie, David & Calvin - the guys all ready to head out to the theater.

While the guys were gone, that's when everyone else arrived. Surprise part two! I went out shopping to get the food for the party while everyone else decorated the house including the shrubs in the front yard. The only issue I had shopping was when I went to buy all of the balloons from the party store. I have a small car. It was quite amusing trying to fit the big 5 and 0 in the back seat with Maddie in her car seat and then 12 regular balloons in the "passenger area", I wouldn't say passenger seat since they spilled over to every open area in the car.


I think they did a pretty good job. When the guys got back from the show (which they said was good) Ron was surprised again, twice in one day (BONUS!) and we had a lovely little dinner and desert with family and friends.

A nice bonus me was my Dad bought me flowers that day! Very sweet - Thank you Dad!