April: Fast Track, Fish Hatchery, Lake Koocanusa

At the end of our Spring Break trip to Utah, we tried out a place called 'Fast Track' so Todd and Parker could ride go-carts.

Watching the pre-race instructional video.  I love how attentive Debbie and Lincoln are even though they won't be driving!

Parker at the wheel

Avid spectator: Linc can't wait until he's big enough to try!

Post-race smiles

Anndra prefers 2 wheels?

After we returned home from our vacation, Lincoln's kindergarten class went on a field trip to a fish hatchery.

Mrs. Bennett explaining about some of the equipment. Have I mentioned what a wonderful teacher Lincoln has this year?  She's the best!

Students peering into the tanks where the baby fish are kept.  Linc and his buddies - back left; Anndra and her buddies - front right.

Anndra with one of her good friends from reading group: Heather

Lincoln and Tyler

Another fun adventure in April was a 10 mile hike Todd and I did with our friend Jude at Lake Koocanusa.

On a sad note: our good friend (and piano teacher) and her family are moving to the other side of the country in August.  We will really miss them.  Here are the kids playing together in April:

Spring Break trip to Utah

We are halfway through our 2 weeks in Utah and were finally joined by wonderful Parker yesterday - I missed him SO MUCH this time!  When I got my arms around him at the airport, I didn't want to EVER let go - sorry if I embarrassed you with the loooooong weepy hug, my boy.  Sometimes we moms just can't help ourselves.

Anyway, before Parker got here, we had lots of cousin fun.  Our little 'triplet' girl cousins are all 4 now - so fun to have them together again:

Jess teaching preschool with NINE kids - wow!

Packing

Anndra asked me several times a day for over a week, "Can I help you pack for Grandma's house?"  So when I finally got the suitcases out of the closet she was thrilled.  However, HER idea of packing is seeing how many of her little FRIENDS she can bring:

Best Friends

Lincoln and Anndra really enjoy sharing a room right now.  In fact, we've even got them trained (finally!) to let me sleep in the morning and just play with each other when they wake up (usually between 5:30 and 6am).  I have to say - it is a bit of a miracle for me.

Lately they've been wanting to tell everyone that they are best friends.  It seems like they're trying to label their relationship so that others know that they are more than merely siblings now (because now they like to play together so much).  It is very important to them and I am loving it.

Sometimes Lincoln will add: "You can have a best friend inside your family, you know."  Sigh.  Well said, Little Man.  You make this mama very happy.

Pollywogs 3

Anndra graduated from the third level of preschool swim lessons!

Lincoln is 6!

Linc requested a Lego-themed birthday

Birthday hugs

Demonstrating a new toy

Lately he's been asking about the man he was named for - so we found him this book

Getting straight to work on a new lego set

Cupcakes for his kindergarten class

February is Fleeting

We ended January with more good times in Utah for half of our family.

Cousins are the best

Red Lobster smiles

'tea' party

watching Jane put on a puppet show

Parker and Todd stayed home to ski (oh yeah, and for work and school too).

Sometimes Anndra and I have to get creative when we're sitting around in the lodge during the boys' ski lessons.  Here's what she did with the Rummikub tiles the other day (she pretended that the jokers were little people running around on the 'sidewalk' she created).

Lincoln's kindergarten class exchanging valentines:

Anndra has a new friend in her primary class and we've been having him over for play-dates because his family just moved here and his mom had a baby 2 weeks ago.

Parker had his second band concert. He played the bass drum in the William Tell Overture:

We've been building lots of forts.

And our most recent big news is that last night Lincoln lost his very first tooth!