A serious lull

I was doing so well keeping up with my blog and than my camara broke over Easter weekend. Ever since, I've had serious technical difficulties and have been borrowing camaras where I can. So I'm playing major catch up here. So in the last month and a half, we got a new playset! It's awesome and Maddie and William have been loving it.

Mikos bought it from Cosco and it was quite the project. Thank goodness Mikos didn't assemble it- he knew better. We hired someone to put it together and a million screws and 2 days later, it was done! All done while dad was in Hawaii for the week for work (poor Mikos... I know).

Maddie taking one of the first trips down the new, fun, fast slide!

We even got new swings set up on the side yard too and they are perfect. We've been having so much fun.

Easter Egg Painting

Friday morning, Andrew took Maddie over to the clubhouse for some Easter Egg painting. Friday April 10th was Mikos' birthday and Maddie painted an egg especially for her Dad. She was so proud and excited to show him when he arrived later that day.

Palm Desert

We spent Easter weekend out in Palm Desert at the Marriott resort where Grandma Jeanne and Papa Mick have a timeshare. Autie Amy and our cousin Andrew came out too and we had a blast! I was bummed when my camara broke down shortly into the weekend. Papa Mick has the rest of our Easter pics in his camara and Lord knows when I'll see those! We played a fun game of Pretty, Pretty Princess. As you can see, Auntie Amy won. Maddie thought she was pretty silly wearing all her jewels and the crown. She really loved that we all played... well at least all the girls.

I picked up these new sunglasses for Maddie on a quick run to Target. Maddie thought she looked pretty glamorous. We'd been swimming in the pool all afternoon so her hair was down. When I came back with these sunglasses, she asked me if I could braid her hair so she'd look beautiful. Too funny.

Andrew was the nicest cousin ever and played lots of soccer with the kids on the grassy lawn right outside our patio. It was too cute. William is like the energizer bunny rabbit. He can run for hours.

Andrew graduates from High School this spring and it was so great to see him and get to spend time with him. Maddie and Wil loved playing with him too!

First Angels Game of the Season

William went to his first Angels game of the season last Saturday night. He went with Papa Mick, Matthew, my nephew visiting from Minnesota, Dad and Papa. Mikos said he had a great time. He loved it. Papa Mick looks pretty proud holding this little guy. William says his name so cute and was saying it for weeks before they came.

William and his Papa's...what a lucky little boy to have such handsome Grandpa's!

I have to say I think he's pretty lucky to have such a handsome Dad too!

All the guys including Matthew who turns 15 at the end of this month! We had a great time with Matthew in town. He was here for a long weekend and flew back to Minnesota on Sunday afternoon. We hope he'll come for a visit again!

What have I started?

Grandma Jeanne and Papa Mick are here visiting with us. They came last Thursday and we've been having a great time. On Saturday, Grandma Jeanne treated Maddie to her FIRST Manicure and Pedicure. She's 4. She was so excited and she loved it! She had a blast picking out a color. Another little girl in the shop came over to give her opinions. It was pretty cute. Maddie chose a sparkly, bright purple. I was surprised she didn't go for hot pink.

She looked like such a big girl sitting in the chair getting her treatments.

It was so cute to watch her taking it all in.

The end result were gorgeous fingers and toes...sparkly purple with white polka-dots! All I could think about as I watched her from my spa pedicure chair was what have I started? Will I ever be able to get out of the house for a mani/pedi without leaving a pleading child behind?

Maddie's pics

I showed Maddie how to use my camara and she has been having so much fun taking pictures. She is my little photographer now and she actually takes some very cool pictures. It's so fun and interesting to see what she photographs. I thought I'd share a small sampling of some of her pictures... (shot at the Long Beach Aquarium)

(stuffed lamb)

(yummy treat in dad's office)

(rosebuds on her tutu)

(silly Mom)

The Acquarium

Saturday morning we took the kids to the Long Beach Aquarium. We met our friends Larry and Chantel and their kids and romped around looking at fish and birds and seals for a few hours. It was so much fun! Maddie and William LOVED it! There was so much to see and do. William loved the bird cage. Not sure how else to describe it but a big netted cage that you entered and cool birds flew all around you. Mike fed them nector and got one to sit on his arm. Wil thought that was pretty cool.

Maddie and Wil got to play with these fun, pretend starfish and octopus. I knew it was time to move on when Wil started to put the squishy octopus in his mouth and the teenage girl behind the table nervously told him not to put it in his mouth.

Here is Maddie with her friends Sophia and Larry. We were waiting in line to see the 3D fish movie.

Maddie said this was her favorite part of the aquarium. The movie. That is so like her. It was really cute. Mike said he looked over at her and Maddie was reaching out trying to grab the 3D characters coming at her.

Maddie and Sophia fed the birds too. We all had such a great time. The aquarium is such a fun thing for the kids and adults too! I look forward to taking the kids again soon.