Colin's Graduation Picture

This boy is just so gorgeous. Really. He is going to break quite a few hearts when he gets older. 

So here is his Kindergarten graduation picture - Which, I DIDN'T even know he was getting taken! I was surprised yesterday when he brought this proof home to me! Excited though. I asked him when he did this, he said on picture day mom?! Well, yes, Colin, your are right. Doh mom! 

Love the picture. It's a picture of a picture of course though :-) Obviously credit must go to Inter-State Studio designs for it. 

Winter in Buffalo

Remember that picture in January that was 60 something degrees? Yea, apparently March and January were confused. This is what We got to drive home in yesterday  And this isn't all of it. This was just the beginning  Traffic was horrendous by the time Mike drove home. And the roads were a slippery mess. We accumulated enough to have to shovel the driveway. Well Caden did anyway :) 

I am hoping Spring isn't too far away. I don't mind it being in the 40's right now... But 30's & Snow? My sinus's are KILLING me thank you Mother Nature. You can be kind now. 

Random Strangeness

We are odd people in our house. Got home from work/school one night and as I am putting the boys bags away, I turn around to see Colin doing this:

While saying in a creaky old voice, Iam an ollllldddddd Mannnnnn. LMAO - Seriously. He has his fathers personality ALL THE WAY. Lord help me. 

Here's a picture of our second Easter bunny visit to Wegmans this past Sunday. Colin wrote him a nice letter and even shared his pencils with the Easter bunny. That boy is so very giving. 

Father Barney AKA Mike. Mike occasionally like to dress up in random outfits and go out in the neighbor and freak out neighbors. This evening, he was Father Barney. As it was snow hailing outside, we walked down to our neighbor's and Mike continued to Pray and Bless Mr Bobby and Ms Donna. :-) Poor Robbie though... Was SCARED to death of Mike. Even after he took off the hair and hood, he still wasn't sure of it. He's going to be scarred for life. 

Mya caught in a rare playing moment. She thought it was fun to eat my foot :-) And I actually got a picture of her where she didn't look like a huge blob of black! 

And Caden.... Oh Caden.... It was snowing. but not enough to leave much behind. Well, it accumulated enough on the grass for him to shovel  So, that is what he did. He shoveled the grass :-) Any heavy work and he's happy. And really, who am I, to tell him no, you can't go create your own therapy? He likes it, and he's safe, Go for it! 

The Wizard of Oz

Courtney for the first time ever, participated in the School Musical this year! It was the Wizard of Oz and they did the most amazing job ever! As always of course. I've always said I enjoy high school musicals, almost as much as Broadway shows. The tickets are much cheaper, the venue is closer and not nearly as crowded and the kids do amazing, and most importantly, the money goes to the school! In this case though, the money was donated, which made it even more special. IN the last 2 weeks of rehearsal  one of the girls in the play, Mary, her house burnt down :( She was at rehearsal when it happened, and the police came to school to get her and inform her. In the end, they lost almost everything, no house is left and the family dog passes away in the fire :-( They are currently staying with her grandmother who lives in Buffalo while looking for a house to rent in the meantime. Mary also has a younger brother who is 10. So, the school, as awesome as they are, donated all funds from the concessions etc to the family. How awesome is this??? Of course, LOTS of people, us included, donated more then what our concession cost came too. I am so grateful to live in a district that cares enough about the students and families to give back. 

Mike & I saw the show twice, Friday evening with no kids and Saturday with the kids. 

here is Caden with the Wicked Witch, played by Anna. She made T.H.E best witch ever! She had the perfect cackle and really did amazing playing the part. Colin won't go anywhere near her, I guess I can't blame him!

Here's  the boys with the good witch :) 

Courtney, played a flower and OZ{ian} in emerald City. As the flower, she is in this picture, the middle section  pink flower back row, on the end. She's the tallest one, I am SURE you can find her :) 

Here's Courtney with some good friends of her. Michaela, who we drove to practice daily and her family drove home. It worked really well, since practice went until after 10pm most nights, and the boys were in bed already, some night so were we! And Amy to her right. 

And here are the munchkins. I wish I had a way to get better pictures, but it's hard when your not in the front row. They looked adorable!

ALL of the kids did an amazing job. Too bad I didn't have a picture of the lion, tin man and scarecrow. The lion was amazing. best cowardly lion I've ever ever seen it the wizard of oz. These kids really worked hard, long hours and days. Practice 5 days a week, and even some Saturdays  All while having to keep up with school work, sports, homework and stuff outside of school including religion and getting ready to make her confirmation in a few weeks. All the hard work paid off though, because I know I've said it before, but they are amazing!  Can't wait to see what next years play is! 

The Pinewood Derby Car

Caden's first year in Cub Scouts. I had a ton of fun with this project. Must be because of my arts background? I don't know, but I enjoy the design element. Well.. Caden wanted his car to be a dog bone. Unfortunately  because of where the axles lay, that dog bone, turned out looking pretty funny. The more I looked at it (this was before the hole on the end) the more it looked like a wrench to me. So we went with that design and I think it turned out amazing! 

Caden with the unfinished car

Our Wrench

Helping daddy sand the rough edges

The car

Here's Caden winning his Judges award for the best design and the car that stood out to them the most! :) How awesome! 

His Certificate

So, in the end, although we didn't win any races, it was a fun family project. Mike and I worked well with it together and everyone worked hard on the car. Colin was most upset that he didn't have a car to make and race. Next year will be lots of fun having both boys racing!! 

We also learned lessons from our first derby. We for sure need more weight. We added to this, but not nearly enough. We need something flat to put on the top or bottom for next year. Colin next years wants to make a watermelon car. LOL Not sure what Caden's plans are :) 

Randomness

I figure if nothing else, I can at least get pictures on here, so I have SOMETHING to look back on. This past weekend, we had Caden's first Cub Scout Pinewood Derby, We went to see the Easter bunny at Chocoloco, after we took a chocolate factory tour and make our Easter bunnies and Robin Nests, then went to see the Easter Bunny AGAIN at Wegmans. Needless to say, it was a pretty productive weekend! 

Courtney is going to be 16 in less then a week, OMG!!

Caden with the Easter Bunny 

Here is Caden's Pinewood Derby Car. He didn't win any races, BUT he DID win the judges award, for the most creative car, that stood out the most. I was pretty excited :) Caden originally wanted a dog bone, but because of where the axles were, it turned out weird, and the more i looked at it, the more it looked like a wrench, so, we went with it, and a wrench it was :) Yay for using our imaginations on that one! 

These were the cute little race car snacks I made for the derby :) 2 hours of pure detail, but the end result was worth it! 

Colin with the bunny - Gosh this kid is going to be a heart breaker

We NEVER shop at tops, wegmans is our place, BUT sometimes, Tops has great BOGO deals, so we stopped there yesterday, Colin loved pushing his own cart! He looked so cute

Here's all 40 of the mini racers. 

We recently re-did the living room, I need to get better pictures, but we ripped out the carpet and laid a laminate floor. Love

Colin had his 3 day hospital stay for his follow up seizure activity of EEG and EKG. He is said now to have a seizure disorder and chances of having another one are more likely. He can not be left alone, in or near water... ever.  

More of the new floor. That is the not the carpet for that room, it was just the temporary one till the new one came. it's here now.

The floor as soon as we completed it! Go US! We worked out butts off, and it was worth it!