Easter 2015

The spring has certainly hit in the northwest and although we are very tempted to put the garden in, we have not yet done so since the conventional wisdom of waiting until the snow is off of Mica Peak, has not occurred with any regularity yet.

Matthew is such a ham sometimes and is always talking about helping out and getting a screwdriver so when he is given the opportunity to do anything with tools he is right there.  If he is anything like me he is going to end up breaking a lot of stuff so there will be a lot of fixing in his future.

This year for Easter it was perfect weather and we once again hosted a Easter egg hunt at the house.  The dads all got to be involved as well by hiding all of the eggs while the moms kept the kiddos at bay in the front yard.  Once I gave to go ahead, the race was on.  Everyone got a chance to get some eggs and I encouraged the older kids to keep the easy ones for the littler kids.  I thought that was a shot in the dark, but it actually worked and the hunt was very civilized.  I gave the ground rules at the beginning and did so without smiling, so I am sure that helped.

James is such a cool kid and it is great to see kids learn and do things for the first time.  It never ceases to amaze me the things that these kids come up with.

Matthew showing off his first egg of the day.

Here is Brenda going over the 12 resurrection eggs that were mixed in with all the other ones.  She  was in all of her teacher glory. 

One of the very few pictures where you will actually see me in the background.  I am convinced that one of the main jobs of a dad is to take the pictures and therfore is rarely in any of them.

Matthew got a twofer here

 Easter Sunday after church we had a chance to take a few picture via the 5 burst shot time delay feature on the camera.  Out of five shots, I am bound to get a least one where everyone's eyes are open.

Matthew and James being best of buds and holding hands on the swing.

We got some chicks on Saturday and the boys loved touching them and petting them.  Matthew had this automatic reaction when he touches something soft.  His thumb in his mouth is so predictable. 

James was initially frightened to death of the chicks, but he got used to them and loved touching them.

Adorable.  James thought it was a good idea that we played with them in the grass and told the chicks "hey baby chicks, it is ok if you want to poop in the grass"

Check out this guy with a chick in his pocket.  He loved having it  in there, but the chicks grow very fast and this is not possible with them anymore.

Hanging out

Matthew with the thumb thing again.

We hauled a bike we got for free out of the barn the other day, but the bike is a 18" wheeled bike and meant for bigger kids.  James normally rides a 12" bike so this one is big.  I told James he has to be able to ride this bike if he ever want to ride a motorcycle and that was all thee motivation he needed.  He cannot even touch the ground on while sitting on the center bar, but with a little direction he can get started now on his own and riding around like a champ.  He is such a natural at biking and almost never wrecks.

The kids love to have cereal for breakfast and Life is a favorite.  James loves looking at the cereal box and plays "eye spy" with the same picture every day.  I love hanging out with him and eating cereal in the mornings... it is the simple things in life that really make it fun.