Backyard Easter Fun

We decided to have an Easter picnic at our house on Easter weekend. We invited a couple of our neighbours and our friends from the ward. Joe put off cutting the grass to help hid the eggs a little bit better. I think all the kids had a blast.

All the kids ready to go(from left to right) Adelynn, Aidyn, Noah, Brin, Kira, and Brooke

Brooke really was happy with just one egg at a time. She would find one open it sit down eat the candy and then get up and look for a new one. Noah and Brooke finding an egg

Brooke and Brin finding eggs. Brindi was a busy bee trying to get as many as possible

Brin, Aidyn and Kira showing off all their eggs

Brooke with a mouth full of candy

Brin and Adelynn trying to still fit in the car together and Brooke trying to push them

Brooke trying to get the last drop of soda out of the cup

Brooke probably mad because she can't have any more candy and then when she hit her wall

Bike Wreck

My thought process. "I need to fix the garden plot. It's not too late I can get to TruValue before it closes. I think I will take my bike, its a beautiful night for a ride. I am only going a block, I don't need my helmet." As I am riding out the drive way I think to myself, "my back tire is a little low, oh well I am only going a block." Well a long story now short, I hit some loose gravel and the bike went one way and I went the other. After several hours in the ER I emerge with several stitches in two places above my eye, a sprained wrist, and a broken thumb. The worst part, my softball league started this week and I will now miss several weeks as I heal!

Coloring Eggs

Brindi has been pretty anxious to color eggs this year. We finally got around to it one night after we put Brooke down for bed. I know, how sad we denied the little one the opportunity to color eggs! But we had a good time anyways, and as you can see we had some good colors!

Egg Hunts

One of my student's was doing her internship for a local parks and rec department and one of her projects was a Breakfast with the Easter Bunny event. Since I was her advisor for the internship I just had to evaluate her during the event which meant we got in for free. Ah the benefits of networking. So we headed to St. Charles for a free breakfast.

After breakfast we headed outside for an egg hunt. Each child was only allowed to find 15 eggs. Apparently, egg hunting has gotten violent in the past couple years....among the parents mostly.

We then headed in for crafts and made fluffy bunnies, smore beeps, and put a streak of purple in Brindi's hair.

We then headed to Weldon Springs for their annual egg hunt. This is by far the best egg hunt in the area. Tons of eggs and several golden or silver eggs that can be redeemed for prizes worth $15-$50. There is also some raffles for kid bikes and gift cards to local businesses. Sadly, this year we did not get a gold or silver egg but we did get a ton of eggs.

Smurfette

One of Celeste and Brindi's favorite shows to watch is the Smurfs on YouTube. As we were doing laundry one day Brindi found one of Celeste's under shirts and her eyes widened and the light bulb above her head turned on. She left the room for a little bit and then came back dressed as the picture shows above and asking if she looked like Smurfette. What do you think?

GranDad's B-Day

Grammy and PopPop came out for a week and we were lucky enough for it to fall on Poppop's Birthday. We didn't get hardly any pictures and the pictures of the basement work they did has to wait until we get it done. PopPop spent most of his time putting up drywall and lights while Grammy, the girls, and I spent most the time shopping. We did enjoy some good weather and had fun playing out side too. The week went way too fast, but we had a blast. We were lucky enough to get a few pictures of the Birthday...

PopPop had to ride the Birthday Saddle...it was quite funny...

Singing Happy Birthday

Brin and PopPop blowing out the candles...

Brin, Brooke and PopPop

Brooke loved to watch Grammy fixing all of Joe's pants that his wife has never gotten around to fix.

St. Patty's Day

We headed out to the Cottleville St. Patty's parade. It was such a perfect day!

Brin and I waiting for the parade to start

Brooke taking time for a snack

Brooke not wanting to keep her hat on

Brin hiding from the camara

She's ready now....for candy

The motorcycles came by and Brin absolutely hated it

Brooke with her first beads of the day

Everyone that walked by in the parade kept piling beads on Brooke. Which is funny because she usually puts a necklace on everyday. They knew what makes her happy.

Watching the parade

Getting more beads.

Brin and Brooke

Yep, they just made their day...beads and now a BALLOON, it doesn't get any better than that.

Brin so excited about her treats...actually I think she was showing Joe how high she could jump.

Brindi got really good at waving...she knew that would get her candy

The ship Joe thought was cool

And of course the shark that was chasing it

Brooke LOVES suckers

Brindi soaking wet. It started pouring so we had to run to the car. Brindi wanted to get out and play in it some more.

Brooke conked out before we even got home. Wet and all.

ACA-Chicago Conference

I headed to Chicago for the American Camp Association Mid-States conference and was able to visit some key locations in the area before the conference started and right before my flight home. The first and most important spot for me to visit was the statue of Michael Jordan outside the United Center. Jordan was the first player I truly followed and it all started with a colorful Skybox 1991 basketball card. My dad took me to a card show in Salt Lake and while looking at cards, this skybox card caught my attention. I did not really know who the guy was on the card but I just liked the design. When I purchased the card, the seller told me that was a smart choice and if you were going to collect anyone it should be his cards. I went on to buy several Jordan cards that day and went home and did my research and instantly became a fan. I went on to accumulate many Jordan cards and followed his career until his final retirement. To illustrate my devotion to him, my mom almost kicked me out of the house because I was going for him rather then the Jazz during the finals in the mid-90s. Funny story. So to wrap it up I had to get my picture with the iconic statue of the greatest player to ever and will ever play the game!

I swung by University of Illinois that has on their campus the first settlement home in the United States. It was here that Jane Addams created a social revolution. It was remarkable what she was able to accomplish and the impact she had on our society which does include my profession of wholesome leisure:)

I was also able to head down to the lake front where all of the museums, aquariums and sights to see were located. When I went to the science center they had a tribute to our cousin, James:) Just kidding but I did get a picture to show our name (Lovell) is famous.

At this same location is the famous and historic Soldier Field. It is now the home for Chicago Bears but it was also the birth place of the first special Olympics, the venue for several Army-Navy football games and multiple sporting events during the 1920s or otherwise known as the Golden Age of Sports and Leisure.

We hope as a family we get to go back to Chicago during the summer to visit Wrigley Field and also see the White Sox play (I don't care about the Cubs but they do have a historic must-see field). I also did not have enough time to get into the Field Museum that has the Ghost and the Darkness Lions that I really want to see among other historic artefacts. So there is lots to still see. Someday.

1st Saturdays

We went Home Depot to get outlets for the basement and a closet door. Well we couldn't fit the closet door and all of us in the car, so Brindi and I decided to go build a race car while we waited. Brindi had a blast. I think we'll have to go back and do it again sometime.