Outside in the springtime

I've pretty much been kicking the kids outside every day. It's just too nice to be playing inside. Of course, they can entertain themselves for hours with a creek and a few sticks...

Mulch

Lots and lots of mulch! We had 25 cubic yards delivered and actually managed to spread it in less than a week! (Of course, spreading it also included moving a sizable pile to the back of the lot for future use.)

The boys had a great time playing in and on the mulch pile. I didn't mind so much, until all of their Thursday friends came over (about 10 boys total) and decided it would be grand idea to play with the mulch by spreading it over a large portion of the front yard.

A long talk about making good decisions around friends followed. Apparently, it had little impact as the next day I heard a report from another mom's house that several of the same little boys decided it would also be a grand idea to pull a dead mouse out of the family's trash container.

(Same long talk ensued. Should I just record it and play it daily for the next 18 years?)

Hungry Again

From the day he was born and figured out how to nurse, this little man has been a bottomless pit. He eats A LOT! To the point that I almost made him a shirt with this "name tag" ironed on:

We really hear "I'm hungry again" numerous times a day. Sometimes, he even emphasizes the last word (I'm hungry again), as if he is also surprised to find himself ready to eat again (likely only 15 minutes after he's finished a meal).

His appetite has leveled out a bit in the past few months, but when Nana and Popsie found this shirt at a pancake house in OBX, it was pretty much a necessary purchase!

Bike Riders

It was an exciting weekend of spring weather, so the kids were outside as much as possible! Brady has graduated to a bigger bike and Rudy has officially learned to ride a bike.

Pretty proud little man:

Hard work...

It's tough getting back in shape for warm weather and spending all your time outside!

Buddies

The boys still love playing in this fort that they built with Papa last year. When they have friends over after school for our Thursday playgroup, they drag all kinds of treasures over there and have elaborate battles or spy missions.

Ice skating

The boys just finished a first round of ice skating lessons. They seem to really like it, so we're looking into options for more lessons. I was impressed with their fortitude - lots of falling down and getting back up during these lessons!

Car Show

James took the boys to a car show this weekend while I was in NYC. Hours of fun, climbing in and out of various cars.

Brady's favorite car? The minivan.

Angry Birds Seasons

Angry birds...what a weird little came, but totally addicting. The boys are pretty excited about Papa's new phone because now he has angry birds also!

DC

My parents took the kids to DC for the weekend. Despite some miserable weather, they still managed to have a great time.

They went to the zoo on Saturday, before the rain rolled in:

They spent most of Sunday at the Smithsonian, in the SparkLab. I don't want to move back to NoVA, but it would be awesome to be able to go to this part of the museum more often!

I met up with them on Monday at the Marine Corps Museum to get back my kids.

The boys used the art table to draw a pictures for a Marine.

I think, four days later, the boys are still exhausted from all the fun! Rudy went upstairs to bed at 5:30 last night, in the middle of a playgroup, he was so tired!