Friday, March 30, 2012

Spring and Bubbles


Spring

It used to be my favorite season when I taught because of the obvious reasons that summer vacation was fast approaching but also because I loved the chaos and fun that always came at the end of a school year.

Spring is still a season I love.  The prolific blooms allows even an amateur photographer like myself to take some nice pictures.


Not this one.... it's not so great.
I was just playing around and took it out my kitchen window.

We put that flower bed in the yard years ago to cover a manhole.
I wonder if MSD would ever find it if they needed to?



The cherry tree is the only one leafed out so far.  Of course I have to remind myself it is still only March.



This little tree out front has put on a show this spring.
It's ususally not this pretty.




Now that it is officially spring, we are playing outside more.



One thing we did this week was make bubbles outside.



These weren't just any bubbles though.



Some were almost as long as the driveway before they burst.




The kids took turns with the bubble wand.



Grace and Grant's biggest challenge was keeping them from popping on the driveway since they are so close to the ground themselves.


They managed to make some good ones too.



Grant and I worked on making some the next day as well.


He got pretty good at making BIG bubbles.



See?



Of course, being Grant, he had way more fun popping the bubbles I made for him.

Happy Spring!

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Pink Poodles and American Girls



Really  it was a white poodle.
Now it is just a memory.
It was consumed in less than twenty-four hours.



Last week Grace celebrated her seventh birthday.






Has it really been seven years ago we brought home that tiny baby?


No one can deny she added a new dynamic to the Shupe household.









We celebrated the birthday girl's special day with a trip to the science center with grandparents in tow.  Thanks for going with us guys!



 

A day later we enjoyed a birthday dinner of spaghetti (birthday girl's choice) and of course a birthday cake and presents.


I can tell she's growing up.
Her requests for gifts are getting more expensive all of the time like her big brother and sister's.

 
Her entire wish list consisted of American Girl items.
Good thing her daddy is so easily persuaded.
She probably enjoyed a bigger bounty of gifts because she started working on him before she ever gave me the list!






Meet Mackenna....the latest American Girl doll to take up residence at the Shupe household.
Grandmas did a lovely job adding to her dolls' wardrobes too.


Grace was one happy girl.
Happy Birthday!!!
We love you.

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

One Cool Cat

Bella




will let Grant do most anything to her
including brush her with a bottle brush that is no longer used on bottles.





and put his sunglasses on her.


Yes, I'd say she's one cool cat.

Busy

It's been two weeks with no new posts.


Life has just been busy around here lately.

Doing what you ask?



We celebrated a birthday



spent a day at the zoo



rode our bikes in the front yard




enjoyed the pretty spring blooms




drove our jeeps around the back yard





visited with family from out of town





rode our bikes some more





enjoyed a band concert at school




learned to play the guitar (at least one of us did)




played with new birthday dolls




visited with more family from out of town






studied hard and did our homework




rode horses at the farm




 enjoyed the beautiful weather we've been having 





and rode our bikes some more!



Come back later.
Maybe Mom will have a new post up.



Maybe that is if I don't murder her for using all these pictures of John and me when we were little!




Yes, if you look carefully, these are all pictures of John and Emily, not Grace and Grant.

Monday, March 19, 2012

technology - a four letter word

tried to download pictures tonight.  computer wasn't cooperating. 

bad computer!!

think i'll go to bed

goodnight.

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

The Best We Could Do

Our back yard the morning it snowed recently...


Surprisingly, the snow hung on long enough for the kids to play in it.


There wasn't a lot of it on the ground.


But we did manage to make a few snowballs to throw.


The dogs loved it.



Sadly, this was the biggest snowman we got to make all winter.





A couple of snow angels rounded out the fun.


I think it was enough to satisfy the crew.






Best Friends



@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@



At least seventy thousand times a day I have to tell Grant not to stretch out his shirt.





I don't think he's getting the message.


Do you?