Spring in Minnesota

It's just another April morning in MN, folks...

Everybody! Enjoy the show!

Last Tuesday was filled with cousin good-byes. First there were good-byes in O-town, and later in St. Peter. Charlie, Angie, Ethan, and Owen joined us for late afternoon playtime, dinner, and after dinner playtime. There was a lot of playtime on Tuesday!

I'm not sure I can adequately describe the entertainment provided by H, V, E, and O as they attempted to put on a "show" after supper. The video I'm embedding is a small clip of the chaos that ensued for what seemed like a couple of hours. In reality, it was only about 20 minutes. Don't worry--the video only captures 82 seconds! 

In case it's not perfectly clear should you decide to watch the video, Ethan's job title for the evening was "The Moneymaker". He sold tickets, handled the spare change in a little tin bucket, and handed out ice cream treats to the patrons. Hannah and Owen took turns shouting for us all to sit down, stand up, sit on the floor, be quiet, and "Enjoy the show." By the time I got around to recording the craziness, Vivi had had enough and was ignoring the whole thing. It reminded me way too much of lyceum programs at school!

When the "show" finally ended, it was time to say good-bye. Everyone piled in the car for a few last hugs and smooches. Note that Vivi is proving that she has some Scandinavian heritage--no shirt under her jacket. Ay yi yi, Vivi!!

It must be love...

Kissed by a handsome frog!

                                       

See you in a few months!

Artes in Otown

I'm getting close to the end of Easter weekend posts. I think there will be one more after this, although every time I look at the 250+ photos from the weekend, I find more that are blogworthy!

Last Tuesday, we loaded Viv, Hannah, and Elisabeth into the car and went to Owatonna for playtime, lunch, and more playtime. It was a big day for artes, with the kiddos painting sun catchers and making handprints for the cousin handprint album started a few years ago. When that's all done--E and O need to add their prints--I'll post a picture of it. Six handprints still fit on one page, but all those little hands are growing.

Miles, painting a sun catcher

 

Hannah, concentrating on color combinations

Vivi, the enthusiastic finger-painter

Hannah, helping Westy load up on paint for his handprint

I leave this up to you to decide what Westy is thinking!

 

                                 Four handprints done, two to go!

It was a fun day. Thanks, Annie, for providing supplies for the actividades de artes, and the yummy lunch!

Reading is fun

Whenever the cousins are together, whether in twos, fours, or sixes, books and reading are popular. Hannah is making fantastic progress as a reader, in English and in Spanish. She brought a favorite book and read it many times to cousins, aunties and uncles, and grandparents. Vivi has heard it so many times that she has much of it memorized, too, which is a hoot to listen to! This is just a sample of reading combos over the past week...

 

 

 

 

Kaleidoscopes and frog eyes

Ralph brought kaleidoscopes and froggy headbands for the cousins. A kaleidoscope is also handy as a pirate telescope, with a psychedelic view of land and sea.

 

 

 

Why, it's Froggy O-dawgie and Froggy Daddy. 

Hmmm... does anyone else make the cartoon connection?

It's all about the hunt

All of the cousins are expert Easter egg hunters. Some of them had already practiced several times this Easter egg season in preparation for Ralph the Bunny hiding eggs at our house this year. 

Ralph is the family Easter rabbit, who has been hiding eggs for us since anyone can remember. He typically leaves a note for the kids. As you can see, even at his mature age he has some work to do on letter reversals. But, he's a good and faithful egg hider, despite his writing disability. 

The cousins were eager to hear what Ralph wrote on the postcard.

A week or so before Easter, Ralph got in touch to ask me if I'd shop for some Easter-egg colored tee-shirts for the cousins to wear while they searched for eggs. I found the perfect shirts, and the kiddos were excited to put them on.

 Don't they look sweet?

Okay, some of the cousins look sweet AND confused...

After the requisite cousins-on-the-couch picture taking session, all six were ready for the hunt.

"Look! I found one!" 

"So did I!"

"Mine matches my shirt!"

"Hey...so does mine!"

"I need a break."

"Who, me? No... I didn't eat any chocolate yet. Why do you ask?"

The cousins found all the eggs and divided them up with the help 

of Mommy Auntie Annie.

 Surveying the loot.

 
Time to relax and play with the Easter chicks.

The end of another successful Easter egg hunt, thanks to Ralph the Bunny.

Some April Fools

I'll share some of Easter weekend cousin events and mischief later in the week. For now, here are a few couch shots, for better or for worse!

In case anyone thinks the only time we capture all six kiddos together is when we attach them to a couch with duct tape, here's proof that there are other (rare) moments that they're all in one place at one time. 

More to come.