Easter 2013

 Pictures from Easter.  

I jokingly mentioned that Easter was the last day of March and the hubs should shave a mustache.  

He did!

We still took pictures.

My brother was here Easter weekend and we also got a pictures just the two of us. Thanks for coming out and Happy Belated birthday!

Love their Uncle J

 a.k.a. King Wedgie

1st Day of School

An opportunity arose for Jack and Hannah to be a part of a 3 year old class that is just forming.

So...last Friday Jack and Hannah started school.

They will be going to school on Fridays from 9-12.  There are 5 kids in their class.

Jack told me EVERYTHING they did and Hannah waited hours before telling me anything.
Even then I only got information by asking specific and direct questions.

1st day was a success and they are both excited to go back again this week.  

Melkam Genna!

This year we celebrated Ethiopian Christmas.  It is celebrated on January 7th each year.

There is an Ethiopian church in Denver that graciously offered to host Genna for ET adoptive families.  When we received the invitation we knew we had to go!

It was good for so many reasons.  We want to expose our family/daughter to Ethiopian culture.  We want Hannah to see and know other Ethiopians.  This was perfect timing because she likes to ask "will there be anyone who is brown and has curly hair like me?"  when we go to new places.  She has become interested in her skin color and notices that she has curly hair.

H says she is "brown" and calls myself and her dad "shiny."
Her brother says Hannah is "brown" and he is "gold."

Watching the coffee ceremony

Aside from seeing lots of beautiful Ethiopian children all gathered in one place we met other adoptive families, talked to some of the hosts, drank delicious coffee, and stuffed ourselves full of Ethiopian food.  A good time was had by all and I already look forward to celebrating again next year!

 

 At least one of my children likes coffee!

Jack, Sami (someone who knew hannah when she was in Ethiopia), and Hannah

While we are away...

...the little ones play!

On sunday evenings we are incredibly blessed to have some dear friends watch our children for us while we volunteer with a high school youth program.  It is a relief to know that while we are spending time investing in students this family is investing in ours.  It looks like they have fun!!

Dashing through the snow

My husband has been taking the kids across the street and hiking up the hill.  He pulls two kids on the sled and wears the little one in the carrier.  (What a guy!) They hike up the hill, making turns at the switch backs, and then eventually stop to reposition themselves. They all get in the sled and zoom down the hill.

It is fun!  I have gone and it is a blast!

This week we introduced the hill to some friends.  

Then we come home and have hot chocolate.  Hooray for Winter fun!

Boo!

I bet you weren't expecting to get boo-ed  2 months after halloween.  This year for Halloween we traveled to the local library for story time and threw on some costumes on our way out the door.  Jack and Hannah wore their 2nd choice costumes and Caleb just wore the same one he wore later in the day.

After somehow successfully managing naps for all three...this very rarely happens - we did a bit of trick or treating around our neighborhood.  Hannah was feeling a little under the weather with
a cold and begged me to just lay on the couch and watch a movie.  I wrangled her into her Princess mermaid costume and Mark asked her if she wanted some medicine.  She said yes and he handed her a candy bar.  What a fun dad!  She perked right up and mustered enough energy to get herself outside in the cold and trick or treat.

 Elephant buddies

 These two made Jack's costume together

Some friends of ours

My princess mermaid, elephant, and airplane.

BestFriends

Jack and Hannah are best friends...at least for now.  They don't remember a time when they weren't get together and while they play with others  - their preference is still each other.  Last weekend Mark overheard Jack say to Hannah (while sliding down the stairs in their sleeping bags) "This is what best friends do."

Caleb on the other hand has no built in playmate the same age.  So he really likes it when our friend Madison is around to play with him.  

Madison

He calls her "son" and it is a blast to watch the two of them growing up together.  Madison reminds me of a typical first born and Caleb definitely plays the part of the youngest child well.