Easter weekend

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Why can't I get these pictures in order?? This is on Easter at the park

Ryan with a nice haircut AND his new braces!

Brady at the park swinging with Ryan

A snapshot documenting that my kids were quiet for all of five minutes in the car.

What we do to stay sane....

After a rather disastrous car ride--can we say fighting, bickering, whining, and crabbiness?--we arrived at Aunt Stacy's house. The kids were so giddy to see one another. Brady stepped right into her house and went straight for....you guessed it...her kitchen cabinets! That boy had more fun playing with her pots and pans than anything else. He loved Stacy. Hearing him say her name repeatedly was soooooo sweet. So he was one happy camper. Ryan was in heaven because Shane has a PS3. The girls, as always, played so well together.

Unfortunately Thad was not feeling well. He had complained for a few days of not feeling well. The morning we were set to leave he was feeling worse. I kept telling him to stay home, but he insisted on going. By the time we got to Prior Lake, poor Thad was miserable. Picture six screaming and lauging kids running around. With all that noise, he slept right through it on the couch. I don't think he said but five words all evening.
Then came bedtime...yeah not so fun. Eighteen months is a tough age. By the time Brady went to sleep, Olivia had a meltdown. Twenty minutes and a few choice words later, Thad announced that we weren't staying a second night. I couldn't blame him. Who wants to be sick anywhere other than home?
We woke up bright and early Saturday ready to go...but Thad could hardly talk to swallow. So the adults and kids headed to the MOA. That place should stand for "Moms Overly Annoyed." The kids were too impatient and were only happy when they got to do what they wanted. Typical I know, but no less frustrating. The girls finally got to see the American Girl doll store...

We left shortly after that. Thad started feeling better. I am convinced that he was dealing with being slightly sick and maybe a big old dose of allergies to their pets. Why else would he have felt better so soon after we left?

Sunday we went to church....oh that was fun. We will leave it at that. We laid low all day, hit the park, and went to my parents' for supper along with Thad's mom. **I need to interject here that my mother in law is a saint. The woman does not lose her cool. It amazes me.**

We ate another fabulous Grandma Jeanne meal, hid some eggs, and visited....

Here is a picture of Brady and Hope playing with kitchen utencils.

That was our holiday weekend in a nutshell. No matter how wild and crazy things get, I am quite aware of how lucky we are to have such amazing relatives who are also great friends. My sister in law is great. I am bummed that we didn't get as much of our own quality time, but we will try it again soon....okay maybe not super soon, but soon as in a few months. Olivia says she is having her birthday party at Aunt Stacy's so maybe we will be back in a month! Oh wait, I am going to LAS VEGAS that weekend with my mom and sister. Thad can take the kids there. Alone. Yeah right.