Cousin love!

Right before school started, we took a trip over Jackson to visit my parents.  My brother and SIL were also in town so Ben could take the Mississippi bar.  Since they currently live in Denver, we are always excited to see them any chance we get, but this time we were doubly excited because...

 

We also got to meet sweet baby Hayes!!

 

We don't get to see our CO cousins enough (and cannot wait for them to move to MS so we can see them much more often!) so when we do we are sure to smoother them with all kinds of love and affection

Charlie had fun getting to be the "big kid" for a change.

 

Melody had fun practicing her babysitting skills

 

I tried to get as much of a baby fix as possible.

 

After all, who can resist a precious baby smile like this!?

 

 

Jack realized how fun it was to boss around a 2yo who will do whatever he's told. What could be a better activity for a firstborn, type A child!?

 

And we tried to get a group shot.  Well, we got a group shot.  We tried to get a good one! Tried being the key word here...

 

 

Just a few more weeks and our CO cousins will be living in the south permanently!

Spring break!

Nothing like a little fun at Resort Mitchell during Spring break.  Which I, incidentially, called Summer vacation the. entire. time.  Apparently I am ready for summer fun!

 

Lost of outside fun time!

Along with a little gardening

 

 

And we topped it all off with the first jumping wall jump of the season!

 

Summer, hurry up and get here!

I'm petrified!

Ok, I'm not petrified, but this wood is! 
 
Last week, we took a little mini vacay to Resort Mitchell (aka my parents' house where my mom watches the kids while I eat oreo cupcakes.  Yes, you should be jealous...she's the best!)

While we were there, we went to the Petrified Forest!  This is the only petrified forest in the eastern US.  (Yes, that is how my 4yo responds when I pull out the camera.  Can anyone say "class clown"?)

 

We had a lot of fun learning about petrified wood, how wood becomes petrified, and enjoyed several hands-on activities as well...

 

We tried to move really heavy petrified logs.  This log weights 1685 pounds.  In case you're wondering, no, they could not move it.

 

 

We looked in all kind of holes for small animals.  Some of use didn't seem to understand in order for animals to come out of their hiding places, you have to be quiet. 

 

 

We climbed on petrified logs and pretended they were surfboards.

 

 

We climbed on a log that looked like a frog.

 

 

And thought about jumping off before we realized how far down it was. (It actually was quite a bit higher than it looks...I am standing uphill looking down.)

 

 

And best of all, we got some great Grammy time!

 

First day of...

Kindergarten and 3rd Grade!!!

 

Ok, the first day was actually Monday.  Last Monday.

 

But whatever.  It's well documented now that I'm a slacker when it comes to blogging.

 

To say the least, these first 10 days of school have been exciting for sure.

 

We have more firsts coming up as well.  Tomorrow is Melody first day of gymnastics.

 

Next week is Charlie's first day "Giraffe" class...aka preschool to those are are less cool and unfamiliar with preschool lingo.

 

Here's the three of them.

 

 Charlie had to be in the picture as well.  With his super-cool Spiderman lunch box.  And that expression.  Well, let's just say you can probably guess what kind of little brother he is.

 

My sweet girl is off to Kindergarten.  She has been so excited about this day.

 

 

Sitting at her desk. I was so happy she let me walk her in.  Jack told me I could walk by his classroom but not into it.  I must have looked a little bummed because then he said he might wave if he saw me.

 

 

And here she is again, two days later, on her first Chapel day.  Yes, I know the outfit is too big.  It's the smallest they make.  My girl is teeny. At least I know she'll be able to wear it for a few years.

 

 

And then again on her first day of PE in her PE clothes.  And posing. Yes, I know I take way too many pictures of her. But seriously, look how adorable she is!

 

 

I started back to school yesterday.  In a panic, nonetheless, because I had deluded myself into thinking it was next week.

 

Charlie's chomping at the bit to start.  Ok, fine, I'm chomping at the bit for him to start.

 

But even with all this excitment I'm a little sad our summer is coming to an end.

The Traditional Photo...

No, not a Christmas card photo.  The traditional Snellings / Powell kids photo.

You can view the previous editions here, here, here, and here.

They're a cute bunch, aren't they!?

What do you do...

when you find an Easter egg?

Stop looking for more of course!

There's candy in this bad boy.

See?

Charlie found all of one egg. And he was fine with that. He got a few pity eggs thrown into his basket by some friends.

Melody racked up with a basket full of eggs. She knew what she was doing this year.

Jack graduated to the big kid egg hunt this year and found it's harder to be a small fish in a big pond instead of the big fish he's been in the past. He was a little disappointed when he saw Melody's stash compared to his own. But a very good sport about it.

I told him that Charlie only found one egg.

I think that made him feel better. Maybe.

Sprrrring Brreak!!!!

I'm not going to be around much this week.

It's Spring break for us and we're headed for Florida. In fact, I'm probably in the car right now.

I'm going to be chillaxin' with my bestie for a few days.

Or at least doing as much chillaxin' as these children will allow.

I do have a few post scheduled and 'll try to check in whenever I'm not helping Lauren keep six kids in line lounging with a margarita.

Peace out.

PSF and a photography lesson

One of our Thanksgiving traditions is taking a photo for our annual Christmas card.

The picture on the card (or pictures if it's one of those years where getting my children to all look at the camera at the same time with pleasant if not smiling expressions on their faces is just not going to happen forcing me to use individual, albeit adorable, photographs) always looks wonderful.

But, for every amazing photo we get, there are the ones that just don't make it.

So, I give you the anti-Christmas card photos.

One rule of a good Christmas card photo is that the subjects have to be able to stand still.

Sadly, my boys haven't acquired that skill yet.

Then, of course, there's the traditional someone-looks-drunk-photo. This time it was Melody. Those candy canes go straight to their heads, you know.

Looking at the camera is also another strong Christmas card photo characteristic.

Not happening here

and happening a little too much here.

Then there's the picture where one person is looking but the other two aren't.

Then one looks (kind of) and one closes his eyes and one decides to just leave.

And then this. This is the "I'm done" shot. Which, incidentally, reminds me of this. *Shudder*

Fortunately these are not the only shots we got...stay tuned!


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