Mum's Birthday

The Sunday before my 39th!! birthday the boys and Daddy took me out for dinner.

 It was s surprise where we were going but I was told to dress up so I got a couple spiffy shirts out for the boys to wear.  I even ironed them!

 We ended up at a fancy but still family friendly restaurant on the waterfront in downtown Seattle.

The meal was great and the boys behaved magnificently especially considering that Matthew was very sick with double (and as yet untreated) ear infections. 

 After dinner we took a ride on the carousel.  It was much faster than anticipated but the boys loved it.

 Then we got to go up on the big ferris wheel.

 and before heading home a quick stop at the gelato shop near the market. It was a lovely evening and a lovely way to celebrate the passing of yet another year.

Games

After Alex is in bed and Matthew has had a bath, we often play a couple games of go fish before heading off to bed to read books.

 Our deck of cards is matching the adult animal with the baby animal.  It is much more fun than using a traditional deck of cards.

Matthew always picks a prize for the winner.  This particular night the big prize was the tarantula.

Good Morning

What eaven Looks Like

Easter 2014

The day started out with a Canadian easter egg hunt  which consists of finding foil covered chocolate eggs inside the house.

 Alex was thrilled when took possession of both baskets.

 Matthew was awesome for this picture.  He waited until Alex was eating then quickly brought his peeps up so they would be doing it together.

 Then after Grandma Joyce and Daddy arrived we headed outside to see what the Easter bunny had left in the yard=US easter egg hunt.

 Matthew found most of the outside eggs...

because every time Alex found one he stopped to eat the contents before moving on.

Word to the wise, ants very good at finding plastic easter eggs filled with candy.

What's going to work?

The weather has turned and we have had some great days to enjoy the back yard.

 Matthew has mastered climbing the tree.

 and jumping off the rock.

 Alex notices that his big brother is doing something fun.

 and purposefully marches over to join in.

 two is trouble

 Alex gets a better look at the challenge ahead.

 Matthew goes first then amazingly

 turns around and offers to catch Alex.

 And even cushions the fall

Matthew turns 5

 On March 29th we had several kids over for Matthew's dinosaur themed birthday.

 The chaos begins.

 I had planned a dinosaur excavation in the sand box but the weather was crappy so we moved it to a box of packing peanuts in the garage.

 apparently the best technique was to dive right in, head first.

 And when you a re two the best fun is to just throw handfuls of them up in the air.

 The gift opening was a group effort.

 Then we headed outside to kill the T-rex Piñata.

 Alex was totally uninterested.

 group photo, serious cat herding

 cake and then shortly thereafter is was all over.  it was maniacal and next year will be much smaller.

 Dimetrodon from Auntie Kathy

 Ankylosaur also from Auntie

 Dinosaur family

Birthday Boy