Can't catch a break...

Man, it seems like my poor family just can't catch a break. We have been bombarded with one sickness after another. Then, when we do find a day when we are all healthy, we go out to socialize and come home with yet another round of the sickies. I am tired of back aches and sinus pain. Tired of germs. Tired of barf. Tired of diar... uh, never mind. And truly, I know we haven't had the worst of it. This has been a rough fall, winter and now spring for most people we know.

I keep thinking that when we are healthy and the weather is once again nice, I will find time to sit and blog. Am I crazy? Once the sun comes out I will be no where near this computer. So perhaps now, as we are stuck at home with yet another high fever and round of the barfs, is the perfect time to play catch up. One girl is asleep, the other is happily watching Sesame Street, and I have a few quiet moments to myself.

Here's what we have been up too - between our bouts of sickness and surgery...

May:
4th - A trip to Plumper Pumpkins
1st - A full day of birthday celebrations
April:
27th - My mother-in-law went home
26th - Grace is obsessed with monkey bars
23rd - Easter fun
18 - 21st - A week in Yakima
17th - Rebeka's first birthday
15th - I became a grandma
14th - Go Timbers!
12th - Going for a walk
11th - Recovering from surgery
March:
31st - Baby Nathaniel was born!
30th - Bubbles
25th - Gymnastics camp
16th - Punch Brothers concert
14th - Driving home from California
13th - A day at Downtown Disney and the beach

There are more missing posts to cover from January and February, but those will have to wait. It is late. I am tired. Goodnight.

Fun at the farm...

Today we headed out to Plumper Pumpkins to see how a working farm works in the summer. My sweet friend Monique arranged the outing for the mommies and kiddos in our Bible study, and it was such a fun way to spend a morning with those friends. The girls had a blast playing in the barn, on the hay ride, and visiting the animals. The best part of the day, however, might have been the 40-foot tunnel slide.
*You can click the photo collages to make them larger.

A lot of birthdays...

Our immediate family has had a lot to celebrate recently. First it was Easter, then we have a 7 day stretch when dad, Melissa, Merrick and mom all have birthday, and to round it out we will get together for Mother's day on Sunday. Since we have busy schedules, it just isn't practical to give each birthday its own shindig, so we typically just get together and hang out. Sunday happened to be a perfect day... the sun was out, dad made ribs, and we played outside with Merrick's birthday gifts.

Toy # 1 - Duck Hunter. Do you see the little orange and white bird flying in front of the large plum tree? That is the "duck" that Grace is trying to shoot out of the air.

 Soaking up the rays of the sun... 100% my daughter.

 Toy #2 - a whistling nerf football (this might have been Merrick's best birthday ever!)

 No, my dad is not trying to shoot my brother, but has decided to come and give duck hunt a try. This stupid awesome bird can really fly. It made it all the way up the street, hovered over a neighbors roof, another chimney, got stuck in three trees and hit both Claire and me in the face.

 And after all that, we still had time for a quick round of Hi-Ho Cherry-O with grandpa.