My Afternoon With Bode

Monday Bode and I made a trip to the zoo...just he and I.

When you're a second child (and you still nap while your sister is gone at school) it's rare to have your mom all to yourself. So that made it all the more special.

Usually you end your day at the zoo falling asleep in the car. But this time he fell asleep on the way down. This was due to the fact that we were driving down at noon, right after Mimi went to school, to meet some family who were in town.

I couldn't get enough of this baseball hat boy...

We were meeting Katie and Rosey, who were in town from Minnesota :) And of course our favorite zoo tour guide, Aunt Karen and Aunt Andy were there too. How could we NOT drive down during nap time??!

(that's a baby zebra :)

Love these two xo

...and these two!

Our special treat was seeing Bodhi the elephant at the show...he's so cute. How is that possible?!? How can an elephant be cute? Maybe it's because he shares a name with my little boy...but he's so playful and just...well...cute!

We had to say goodbye to get home for Mimi after school, but not before a group shot

(and a visit with a cool Mongolian Vulture :)

Then Bode serenaded me in the car with a few of his favorites...let's call it a "Bode medley."

So, since there was all kinds of singing coming from the backseat, I decided to sing along to my favorite song on the radio as we were driving.

I kept singing (thinking my son thought I was awesome) until I heard Bode saying something. I couldn't quite make it out, until I realized that he was saying "let them sing it by themselves"...meaning, stop singing. Much like that old burn, "who sings this?" "Well, then let them!" OUCH. Okay. 

Good thing he's cute.

xoxo

And now I leave you with more Bode singing...

Frozen:

And a random video I never posted :)

Single and Ready to Mingle

Mimi has taken up bike riding.

Now she thinks she's too cool for school.

Today we rode to the park. 

We look awesome when we take walks:

Look closely. You will see a 5 1/2 year old, a 2 1/2 year old and a dog in a crate (made for a cat). What you can't hear is Sesame Street blaring from my phone on top. So, yep. We're pretty awesome.

(that whole day was a looonnng story, but we definitely walked through longmont like that. Good thing I'm past caring what people think of me :)

***

So, since the stroller is NOT the place for Mimi, she's starting riding her bike. My hope today was that I could run with Bode (and Winston!). But I forgot that a kiddo with training wheels doesn't really go that fast. Especially a kiddo who has her mom in her, no matter how hard I try to toughen that out (I was terrified of bike riding for most of my childhood. I credit that to a harsh stepdad and dirt hills behind our house).

So we walked most of the way to the park while Mimi rode (and Winston actually rode outside of his crate and rode like a normal dog. In the stroller).

But we went a long way and Mimi did great. 

The park was practically perfect in every way and we're VERY thankful for sunny days...

Now I will leave you with this picture once more...because I can't get enough (and I can just hear Nana laughing in her cubicle at work when she looks at this ;)

Disney Dancing With the Stars

Through this most recent soccer season, it has been apparent where Mimi's true passion lies.

(Let me give you a hint, it's not soccer.)

It's dance. 

It always has been.

The other day we watched Dancing with the Stars together because it was the Disney addition. (Most the time I feel like I have to watch it with her and fast-forward a lot because some of those sambas sure heat up.. yowzers. A little old for a 5 year old I think).

She LOVED LOVED LOVED it. It was her two passions united...dancing and disney.

This morning she was upstairs by herself for awhile. When I went up to check on her, this is what I found:

When I asked her what she was playing she replied, "Disney Dancing with the Stars."

(The best part, not caught on camera was her performing her hosting duties...she'd announce each doll, then judge them with scores. She even took a commercial break). Watch out Erin Andrews.

A FULL Easter

Truly, "full" is the best way to explain it. We ended the day full of food, (some of us full of sugar-tiny people in my house, I'm looking at you), but mostly just with hearts full from our time with family and friends. We felt blessed.

It was our turn to host Easter this year. We felt glad to with our new and improved backyard! And the miracle/blessing that ALL of our parents like each other and can celebrate in the same vicinity wasn't lost on us either. God really is good.

(I'm sure that I'm going to post TOO many pictures, and my photog dad will scold me, but I'm going for it. Just looking at all of these faces make me happy :)

***

(my aunt mare used to make these, so it's our tradition. I thought I could carry it on..)

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Brothers :)

Dad and Rach got a new dog too :) His name is The Colonel.

I thought Winnie was cute, but this guy is INSANELY cute! The dogs had fun playing.

(winnie normally has a collar on. That keeps him from looking like a sewer rat that escaped into the house..in my opinion)

We passed around Paytie on faceTime...

That's ONE of Gianna and Isabelle's Grandpas...

...and there's another one! How sweet are these Grandpas?

Then the hunt was ON! Courtesy of Oma and BT

Alden and Bode are super close in age...they enjoy the same things. 

Like making waterfalls in the sink..

We were so glad to see the Billings family!!

While Jordan met the dogs, the boys started on the dishes...

The party and playing took its toll on The Colonel...

...so I read him a book. 
(parties get weird the longer they go on. Everybody knows that).

***

Everyone started leaving, and our day that had been going since morning church came to an end. Ben and I could barely keep our eyes open, but Bode and Mimi decided to sport their new suits from Geeps and Nana and take a dip in the ice chest. Of course.

Hope you had a great Easter remembering what Jesus did on the cross! And celebrating his victory over death, so we may live!

****