We started off April by having a Bridal shower for my cousin. Kyle and Grandpa entertained the kids while we were gone.
Crazy Cousins:
My Sister (Laura), Cousin Jessie, and I
The girls had green and gold day at school. The kindergarten class (Brooklyn) has all assigned events that they do as a group. 1st grade (Katelyn) and higher do group activities and each kid gets to pick 2 events to do individually. This year, Katelyn did the soccer kick and the 200 yard running. It was fun to watch her trying her best. Both of the girls had a lot of fun in the group activities as well.
All decked out in our green with stars on our faces and green hair.
Brooklyn in the tug of war (center).
Katelyn - tug of war.
Katelyn finishing off her run strong.
Katelyn's Soccer Kick:
Easter 2017!
The girls' school always has spring break the week following Easter. We tried to fill it with a bunch of fun activities.
We did not have a chance to dye eggs before Easter, so we did it a couple days after.
I had some really good helpers working in the church library with me.
Park Day!
The girls made Easter egg shaped cookies.
Kyle also started a new job the week of spring break. It is only 30 minutes from home and with no freeway traffic, plus it is a great organization and a job role that he really seems to like. So it has been really great.
Because our plans to go out of town were canceled when Kyle got a new job, we decided to take the kids to the beach the Saturday of Easter break.
Random Photos of April!
Doesn't everyone read while in Home Depot?
Love my big reader (Katelyn).
Date night at an escape room. We made it out! (Kind of. The gave us a bunch of extra clues in the last 30 seconds because we were so close.)
The big girls love having their picture taken (sorry the picture is so small).
We teach them young.
Love this stinker.
I guess she was tired (only time this has ever happened). She had missed naptime.
And a couple random Madison videos for your viewing pleasure (turn up the volume on the first one):
Kyle's family frequently comes to California for Christmas, but this year we headed out to them. We left on Christmas Eve and flew to the Twin Cities.
All ready to go and waiting for our plane.
We spent the first few days in Twin Cities area at Kyle's sister Kristina's (and brother-in-law Nick) house. We woke up to freezing rain on Christmas morning, so we didn't make it to church, but after the rain stopped, the kids enjoyed some sledding on the hill in the backyard.
Stockings on Christmas morning. Thank you, Grandma!
Brooklyn & Grandpa (all smiles)!
Madison was not a big fan of the sledding, but she liked being in the snow.
Grandpa & Katelyn!
Trying to make snow angels (it was too icy).
On Monday night (26th), Nick's family had tickets to the Timberwolves game, so Kyle & I went with Nick & Kristina. We had two very close tickets and switched off each quarter with the tickets that were a little higher up. It was my first NBA game and was pretty fun (even if it wasn't the Lakers).
The girls were given tickets to the Crayola Experience for Christmas, so we headed to the Mall of America on Tuesday. Kyle and I enjoyed some time without the kids while they had fun with Grandpa & Grandma & Uncle Nick & Aunt Kristina.
After the Mall, we drove down to Kyle's hometown and stayed with his parents for the rest of the trip. Highlights included Kyle's grandparents visiting from Iowa, a wagon ride in the snow to the Christmas lights and of course lots games.
Baking Christmas cookies with Grandma.
Decorating the cookies.
All bundled up for the wagon ride.
The girls with Great Grandpa & Great Grandma De Graaf.
This was technically in November, but I forgot to include it. We measure the girls each November & May around their birthdays. I thought this was fun because we reached the first time when the kids were measured at the same ages. If anyone wants to know how much older Katelyn is than Brooklyn at a certain age, her it is.
Brooklyn fell the first Saturday of December and the next morning her elbow still hurt and she would not bend it, so I took her to urgent care on Sunday and the x-ray was inconclusive about if it was a break or not so they treated as one. When we went to the specialist a couple days later, he did not think it was broken and she was acting totally normal.
I took Brooke for a treat (donuts) after her urgent care appointment.
Decorating for Christmas.
Katelyn got a subscription to Clubhouse for her birthday and everytime she gets a magazine she finds a quiet spot to read for a long time.
We took a family bike ride to a local Little Free Library.
When you are a kid, it is still fun to rake leaves.
Here's a few more randoms.
Katelyn reading a Bible story to Madison. 💗💗
You will need to turn up the volume on this, but it is pretty sweet.
When did she get so big?
Kyle has become a true Californian. Here he is in our bedroom when our heater wasn't working in Dec.
Katelyn had her first soccer practice before Christmas. (Top left)
The girls each got to pick one thing that was important to them over the Christmas season. Katelyn wanted to make a gingerbread house. Brooklyn wanted to do a Christmas tree craft. I picked going to see Christmas lights.
We drove through the lights this year and on our way home stopped at a home that has a display set to music. Here is Madison watching it.
We opened some of our gifts before we headed out of town. Evidently I didn't take too many pics, but here is a pictures of pure joy of Brooklyn.
