I had to add this photo after Aaron pointed out my face. Like I'm sliding to my death or something.

When the winds blow

When the winds are blowing 50 mph and your children are driving you crazy, make huge flower hair bows. It soothes the soul.

Also, why is there not an on/off switch on hot glue guns?

Updates on the Gabe:

He loves books. He walks around all day with a book in his hands saying "boo" to anyone who will listen. He reads for about 5 seconds and is off to find another one. He also loves birds. He'll spot them anywhere, as small as they are, and says "boo". So maybe everything sounds the same so far. However, his favorite thing to say is "I want dat". There is no mistaking what he's saying. The cashier at the grocery store knows, friends know, the lady at the gym knows. It gets a little embarrassing when you're going through a store... One lady asked how I could resist him and I told her we'd have to leave with the whole store. And he loves to scream, run around, and hit things. I'm wondering if I'll survive this one but rumor has it he's exactly like his daddy was at this age. So we're in for a rough ride.

Updates on Ilon:

Still wears dress-up clothes at every moment, wakes up in the morning and immediately changes. Calls Aaron and I honey. LOVES swimming. She is excited to go to school in the fall and says hi every time we pass it. She has left Ariel behind for Dora and her faithful friend Boots. She prays at dinner and asks for her mommy and daddy and Gabriel to have good attitudes. She has learned tons of Spanish words and says "gracias" followed by "pinata" for "de nada". It's so funny we don't have the heart to tell her. And she is madly in love with her cousin Addie who is her best friend. They still have their lovers quarrels which are instantly forgotten.

They are fun and exhausting.

Lazy days

Ilon catching lady bugs!

Reading in the yard

Ilon the artist hard at work in her tutu.

Give them water and dirt and they are pretty content until snack time rolls around!

Ilon and Gabe love messing around outside and our yard is finally turning green!

They had a little carnival at the college. We all loved the bounce houses and slide. Ilon tried out the inflatable ball but sat down inside and wouldn't move. Gabe got his first tattoo. I think we had more fun than the college kids...

Aaron's Birthday

Aaron's 30th birthday was celebrated with a fun party involving music, poems, readings, and lots of stories of why Aaron really shouldn't be alive today. It's amazing to me that I always hear something I haven't heard before...He went camping for 3 days with friends and I only had about 7 hours total that I wanted to share the kids with someone else, permanently. Other than that we had a great time enjoying the weather and playing outside! Aside from a bloody lip at the park and falling into a mud hole things went pretty well. Aaron on the other hand got kicked out of a state park and lost all of his clothes. He also says it went pretty well. I guess it's all in your perspective...

Ilon at Hooper pool, one of her favorite places to go.

Monkey bread that I made for breakfast and had to throw out because I ate practically the whole thing by myself and my stomach hates me. Mere it had 2 sticks of butter you'd be proud.

Small town fun

Monday night we celebrated the first thunderstorm of the season driving out to the country eating ice cream watching the lightening race across the sky. It was wonderful! I'll take that kind of entertainment any day!

Thankful

Just wanted to take a minute to be thankful for some small things I use every day and without them I would be a different person.

Thank you.

For the endless lists I make and leave all over the house and drive Aaron crazy.

My recycled green fleece I got for my birthday from Aaron that I love and wear everywhere. I never want another one.

My Tevah tea steeper. On good days it gets used twice, on bad days about 4-5 times. From my sister Katie.

My slender spatula, you fit everywhere and get the very last drop of everything in my psychotic efforts not to waste food. I think I've had you since my wedding.

Ikea kitchen knife. You're endlessly sharp and small and I wish I had 10 of you.

The Dunes

Back at the Sand Dunes. We came home brown and dirty, pretty much how we'd like to stay until next fall. Ilon hiked the whole way in her tiara.

I'm pretty sure we'll be staying outside all summer. My toes saw the sun today and never want to go back inside.

Spring time Take 2:

Aaron came home to a gorgeous afternoon and did what any man would do before entering the house. He set the tent up in the backyard. Of course a cold front came through and it got back into the 20's within the hour but it's still up in the garage just waiting for a backyard campout...

We had a lovely Easter. I had to work but my family got up at the crack of dawn and picked me up to go to a sunrise service at Cole park and breakfast at the Campus Cafe before I slept the day away. The kids went on an Easter egg hunt, got fabulously dirty, and had a great time. Grandpa made us a great dinner and the kids slept long and hard that night.

Ilon on the hunt for her basket

We are trying to teach Gabriel sign language. It's been slightly mystifying because Ilon learned so quickly and knew quite a few signs by 10 months. Gabe is 15 months and has absolutely no clue what's going on. I mean, NO clue. Notice my slightly deranged expression while trying to teach him "more". He laughs, screams, and bangs the table. Maybe he's creating his own language. But I have a feeling we're in for a long ride with him...