Workin' Hard for the Money...

A couple weeks ago the kids were with Bo and they found a little wooden gun that Brodie really wanted.  Bo said he would have to buy it himself, so he needed to save up $10.  Ever since then Brodie's been collecting change and doing chores to earn enough money to buy the gun.  He finally reached his goal of $10, so we took his piggy bank to the bank and put it through one of those coin machines.  He got his $10 bill from the teller lady and when we got in the car he said he wanted to go to the store and buy a toy.  We looked around the store for a very long time.  Then Brodie got the bright idea of getting himself some fish!  He picked out 5 little $0.28 goldfish, some rocks, and a decoration for the goldfish bowl (which I already had at home) for $9.80, so he even had a little money left over.  He could not have been happier!  He was kissing the bag of fish on our way out the store and continued kissing them once they were in their fish bowl.

Brodie also got a little ladybug land container a couple days ago which he has been filling with local ladybugs, ants, and butterflies until he waited to get his ladybugs in the mail.  This morning we finally got the ladybug larvae, so it's sort of like a zoo around here now.

It snowed last night, and for the majority of today.  The kids wanted to go out right away of course.

Then after I thought we were done playing outside Ryker put on his Mr. Potato Head glasses, and managed to pull on Brodie's boots and kept saying his word for outside.  He looked so cute I had to let him out again!

Our indoor activity for today was finger painting - only the non-messy version.  I put a piece of paper and some paint inside a ziploc bag (thank you pinterest) and the kids went at it!  They actually look pretty neat and now my fridge is decorated.

Love these boys!

Slide, Golf, & Water

Someone learned how to climb up the slide and slide down!  Ryker was so happy and proud of himself!  Brodie was very excited for Ryker too!

The kids and I picked up a little putting green off Craigslist for my sister's boyfriend's birthday present.  They had fun testing it out!

Today I bought some plastic sheeting and the kids and I taped the pieces together with duck tape.  We then filled it up with water, so they had a "water bed" to play on.  I got the idea from HERE.  It's a great idea because it cools you off just enough on a warm day, but you don't get wet, so you're not freezing.  Brodie had a blast!  Ryker didn't love it, but he still enjoyed himself hanging out in the yard.  As a bonus, now that we're done playing with it, I can build some greenhouse shelters for my plants!

We also started gymnastics this week.  The boys love, love, love it!  I didn't get any pictures because I'm doing a parent-tot class with Ryker.  Ryker is so fearless.  He loves the trampoline and did belly flops into the foam pit all by himself.  Brodie really liked the foam pit too (who wouldn't) and he also liked hanging on the bars like a monkey.  Can I just say how much I love being a mom?  It is so great.  I definitely think I'm more of a hands on mom.  The kids and I try to do something fun every day.  Yes, my house is almost always messy, but I won't apologize for that.  I love pretty much every minute with my kids.  They are super cute, smart, and are full of love!

Dancing, Dishes, Disgusting... and a Puzzle.

My mom sent the kids a little Easter package and in it included some learning dvds.  One of them is called Alphabet Exercise and it is just awful!  The exercise director is the most annoying person I've ever seen.  However, the kids LOVE it.  Thankfully they usually only last until around "g".  If you love your grandkids, get them this dvd.  If you love your children DO NOT get your grandkids this dvd!

My sweet Rykie-bear looking all angelic.

Brodie has been begging me to do the dishes lately so he can earn some money.  He has his eyes set on a toy gun, but his dad told him he would have to work and earn money to buy it.  He needs $10 and he's already scrounged up about $6 in change.  I let him do all the silverware for a quarter and he could not have been happier.  Oh I hope this lasts!

This morning the boys were playing out in the yard while I was watching them from the window.  Brodie looked like he was investigating something, but he had his back to me so I couldn't quite make out what he was doing.  Then he jumped up and excitedly dashed inside the house and exclaimed, "Look Mom, I found a little birdie!"  GROSS!  I made him throw it in the outside garbage can and wash his hands immediately.  There was much protest though: "Mom, he a nice little birdie, he's not yucky.  I holding him."

Ryker managed to beat Brodie in the gross factor today though.  The boys were eating some crackers and Ryker was wandering around.  I heard the toilet lid lift and fall, so I dashed into the bathroom and there was Ryker dipping his cracker into the toilet and then eating it.  SUPER GROSS!!!  I made him drink some listerine, which he did not like.

Brodie has been wanting to do this big floor puzzle we have for quite some time now.  He finally got his wish and he and his Dad put it together.  It takes a lot of patience to put together a puzzle like that with a 3 year old.  Not to mention the obstacle of a 1 year old tearing it apart any chance he gets.

What a nice Daddy!

Easter!

Easter was a blast with the kids this year!  Brodie left a little basket of carrots out on the back porch for the Easter Bunny and in the morning the carrots were gone and the Easter Bunny left a big basket of goodies for the boys!

Yes, I am aware that they are wearing their Christmas pajamas... but Easter morning has a little taste of Christmas that comes along with it, so we're all good.  After the Easter basket excitement we got dressed and went to church.  And I didn't even get a picture of us in our Sunday best.  Fail.

When we got back from church we dyed Easter eggs!  The kids loved it!

At first we used the tool that came with the dyes for dipping eggs, but it was a little hard for the kids.  Then I remembered the wisk idea from Pinterest and it was so much easier!  Love that website!

After the eggs were dry we put them out on the front porch in a basket.  Then that sneaky Easter Bunny came and hid all our eggs!

That sneaky bunny even tricked Brodie....

... He thought this was an egg, but it was actually a rock painted purple!  That darn bunny!

Daddy found himself a special egg too.

Weird how that bunny hid that particular egg with the best chocolate in it, in a spot only he could reach.

It was a very fun Easter!