Easter

This was a special Easter...Jamie got confirmed in the church. We attended church on Thursday, Friday and the LONG Easter Vigil on Saturday from 8:30 to 11:30 and it is official! Jalen found a new buddy in my sister who watched him 2 of those nights...he actually slept better for her than he does for me! We figured she must be enough like me that he felt comfortable (he is a big time Mama's boy and normally does not like being left!) We did our usual bouncing around on Easter...starting our day over at the Snooks and then having dinner at the Foelker's. The kids all had fun playing with their cousins, looking for eggs, and playing with their new Webkinz (between Nana and Grandma they got a kitty, racoon, chick and bunny!). Jalen really started moving in the last few days...both on his knees and pulling himself up on everything so that was fun to watch. He crawled from our family room down the hall to the front door and sat in front of the window staring outside...he is going to be our little outdoors man! We are now looking forward to a fun Spring Break in Arizona!

A visit with the WHITE Easter Bunny

Who ever heard of a brown Easter Bunny anyway? Why they would have one of those sitting on a chair at the mall for all the kids to see is beyond me...but we finally found a white one that the kids were happy to say hi to. Jalen especially liked the ears and the eyes (I'm sure the person inside really appreciated his little finger poking through the netting...but hey part of the job!)

A visit with Papa Bill

Great Grandpa (known to all the great grandkids and "Papa Bill") stopped by to say hi and got right down on the floor and had so much fun playing with Jalen. A few days later he and Grandma Elsa took ALL 5 of his great grandkids shoe shopping, a tradition that started with Lacey and I almost 30 years ago (yes...we still get shoes too!!) He asked us how many great grandpa's take their grandkids shoe shopping to which we answered not too many. He then asked us where these shoe grandpa's go when they leave this world...and informed us that they go to "shoe heaven". We have been so truly blessed that we get to spend as much time as we do with ALL of our great grandparents...everything from breakfast at Little Cooperstown, to dinners at Grandma's house, all the holiday's and birthday's we spend together, and of course shoe shopping. Thank you Papa Bill and Grandma Elsa and we look forward to many more!

just another day at the park...

how nice would that be if that were really our life?! Unfortunately, we live in Oregon so those sunny days in March are few and far between! We took advantage of the weather and went for a family walk to the park. Jalen was content in the swing for over 30 minutes just watching Daddy and the girls play basketball. He LOVES being outside...so much that he cries when we walk back in the house. It has become our solution to all sadness...no matter what he may be crying about, walk outside and nothing else matters anymore. His favorite is watching the girls jump on the trampoline, he kicks his legs and flaps his arms in excitement! He has just learned how to wave hi and bye, but it is more of a salute than a wave ( I think he learned from his Papa Bill...and true Marine!). He holds his arm up with his hand stiff and still...and will wave to anyone anywhere. On March 4th he pulled himself up to standing position all by himself and then looked around to see if we were looking before bouncing in excitement. And today, March 7th, he officially crawled. Not just scooting anymore, but arms and knees crawl. It is so fun to watch...but watch out cause now he is into EVERYTHING!!!