Spring Break!

Today was Lyla's first day back to school after her first ever spring break!  There was plenty of sun (and some rain), drinking (orange juice) and nudity (Evie), breakfast in bed, outdoor adventures, and ice cream.  Pretty much everything you'd expect from any spring break.  ;)

It was an awesome week.  There's nothing I love more than having less plans, less timelines, less stress.  Getting to slow down and focus a little more on fun is my cup of tea.  And that's just what we did.  Nothing big, just fun little outings and a lot of putzing around at home.  It was absolutely perfect!

Here are some pics!

- K

Finally getting some time outdoors!!!

Back to rain and cold, but we made the most out of it!

Lyla's latest obsession is breakfast in bed.  Which she offers to sleep in for, so I gladly oblige.  ;)

Soakin' up those rays!

She's a professional with no training wheels already! 

The weather was so good we picked up ice cream and headed to the park!

Evie thoroughly enjoyed hers.

Thoroughly.

Sweet sister cuddles!

Spent another cooler day seeing Boss Babies.

Gotta love those 3D glasses.  ;)

Kevvy cuddles!

And a birthday celebration!!

Grandma and Pop made it out for Ryan's birthday weekend.  More on that later!!  :)

Life Lately

Life has felt a little hectic lately.  I feel like it's always "hurry-up-and-go!" right now.  Hurry up and get Lyla to school!  Hurry up and pick her up!  Hurry up and get lunch in bellies and kids down for naps.  Hurry up and make dinner!  Hurry up and EAT YOUR DINNER.  Hurry up and baths and bed and sit down for maybe just a second of quiet...until someone gets out of bed and needs something.

We have 3 year old drama and 5 year old drama, and learning how to respond to all the sibling fighting is a whole new parental curveball.  There's also been at least a little bit of pregnant lady drama.  I've had a couple of my own total meltdowns, and more nights have ended with tears than I'd like to admit. 

This stage is so, so wonderful, but it is also so hard.  I want so badly to be able to soak it all in and enjoy these little people while they're still little, but sometimes they just make themselves a little hard to enjoy.  And sometimes I want to run screaming.  But I sit here and look back at my pictures and all I see are smiles and a heck of a lot of love, and all I can think is that life is so good.  There are plenty of difficult moments, but there are so many more good ones.

This weekend happened to have a lot of those good moments.  We were as busy as ever, but we had so much as a family.  We had an early morning donut date in our jammies, a date night (!!!), a birthday party and an impromptu family night at Chuck E. Cheese. 

Love these people so much.  None of us are perfect, but we're so perfect for each other.

- K

Birthday Dinner!

As we approached Evie's 3rd birthday I kept asking her where she wanted to go to dinner to celebrate.  Every single time she'd quickly reply "McDonald's!", and every single time I'd try to talk her into something a little fancier - Rainforest Café or Cheesecake Factory or the hibachi place we went to for Lyla's birthday.  After probably the 10th time with the same response I finally realized how silly I was to push some "fancy" idea on her.  McDonald's?  What baby wants, baby gets!

Before we headed to McDonald's I found Lyla and Evie in Lyla's closet getting all dressed up and applying makeup.  They were the perfect combination of Fancy Nancy and Jem and the Holograms.  They were the fanciest girls at the restaurant, and they had the best time I think they've ever had at any dinner.  Evie ran around the Play Place with her gigantic ice cream cone like she owned it, and told me it was the "best party ever!" over and over.

It was the cutest birthday dinner for the cutest 3 year old.  :)  Happy birthday, Evie Sis!  We love you so!!

- mama

A Birthday Party!

I think laziness has to be the key word for this third pregnancy.  I just cannot bring myself to do almost anything, so when it came time for birthday parties it was an easy decision to skip the whole fancy customized party I usually love for a joint birthday party for both girls.  I did next to no planning, ordered pizzas and the décor included Cinderella and Bubble Guppies, with a splash of Princess Elena.  But I'm willing to bet Lyla and Evie will remember this party as their favorite since they were completely in control of those details.  :)

They had the best time playing and running around with friends.  And Evie only managed to eat about half the icing of her ice cream cake before we served it.  So much fun!

Here are some pics!

- K

A Visit From Great Grandma!

Last week my grandma traveled all the way out to Minnesota to visit us!  Ryan had to go to Vegas for work (poor guy), so it was perfect timing.  We had a lot of fun, and I have to say I was quite impressed by her ability to keep up with my little wild things.

We crammed as much as we could into our few days with her.  We took her to our favorite donut shop before school one day, showed her around the fun kids area at the library, and Evie's gymnastics class.  Lyla got to order crab (her favorite) at Red Lobster, and both girls got their own cake slices at The Cheesecake Factory (oreo cheesecake for Evie and the biggest chocolate layer cake known to mankind for Lyla), and we even got to do some fancy dress shopping for the girls.  We finally did our obligatory sight seeing on the last morning, stopping by Minnehaha Falls for the first time for all of us. 

It was such a great trip!  We were all glad Great Grandma got to visit us out here in the Midwest.  Now we've just gotta get her back out here in the summer when it's warm and green!  ;)

- K

Donuts!  And not a single complaint from her teachers after school.  ;)

Checking out the lobsters at Red Lobster.

Coloring with Great Grandma.

Cutest gymnastics girl.

Cheesecake Factory!

After dinner at Cheesecake Factory we stayed out late to go dress shopping for the girls.  They were pretty excited to get in them first thing the next morning!

It was the first time we've ever done proper dress shopping where we actually tried several on to find the best option.  Lyla had so much fun posing in front of the mirror and said "it feels like I'm at the beauty shop!"  :)  (Gotta love that bed head.)

Last stop before the airport!  Minnehaha Falls.  The falls were pretty cool, but we didn't get to stay long and explore.  Next visit!