Emma's 2nd Birthday Weekend

We had a great weekend with lots to celebrate.  We started out the weekend at Cooper's baseball game on Friday night.  His last one of the season.   He's had a lot of fun, has improved with his hitting, but is still afraid of catching the ball.  

So happy to have Eva here with us all this weekend!  We are looking forward to all meeting at her house this coming weekend for Chan's baptism!  

A video chat with Grammy and Gramps on Emma's birthday!  Grammy even had candles for her! 

Thankyou hugs for Gogo!

A beautiful couple celebrating 40 years of marriage on the same day Emma turns 2!  I've been trying to get their secret all weekend!  

The birthday girl.  Too bad there's no sound with this picture.  She now loves to say "cheeeeeeeeeeeese" for all pictures! 

A lovely? family picture.  I just poked Isabel in the eye, Emma is eating her candle, and not sure what Cooper is doing...

A new cash register from Gogo and Gumma

Emma opening her gifts with lots of help

She LOVED this vacuum.  See video below.  Thanks cousins Alice and Dana!  (This was the first gift she opened, and almost the last due to lack of interest in opening anything else)! 

These were from the night of Cooper's baseball game.   

Janet attacking her mother.  

Hugs for Gumma

Emma attacking her father.

But he still loves her! 

Gumma and Emma

So much Daddy love! 

Cooper's Visit to the State House

Cooper's school and the State of Vermont participated in a "Learning is an Investment" project.  Essentially the kids read books about finance and money and then their names were entered into a drawing.  There were about 4000 kids in the drawing and Cooper was one of 10 that won a $250 savings account for college.  Not very much money in the big scheme of things, but Josh and I were elated that Cooper may actually be luckier than his parents (who never win ANYTHING)!  The best  part was a trip to the State House in Montpelier where there was a little ceremony for the kids and then they did a tour after.  Unfortunately for me, I couldn't make it, but Josh, Gumma and Gogo were able to be there for the festivities.  The person handing out the awards said "nice hand shake!" after Cooper received his award.  He made his parents and grand-parents very proud (we had been practicing for 2 days)!  

The Birthdays...

Sorry, I'm way behind in my posts, so my writing will be brief.  We had great birthdays for Cooper, Josh, Gumma and me.  The pictures below are a little out of order, but I'm sure you can follow along!

A great gift from Gramma Ali.  Cooper loves to learn about our "world"

Daddy's birthday fell on Easter this year.  We celebrated the night before with a surf and turf dinner with Grammy and Gramps.  

Cooper had his birthday party the next weekend.  He had his two buddies, Angus and Camden, over for a sleep over.  It was a really great night.  They even let Isabel sleep in the room with them.  We even did a fire and smores (this was my lazy way of avoiding making a cake).

The next morning Angus' sister and Isabel's friend, Ida, came over for a couple hours to play.  These girls are adorable!!!  

Movie star pose! 

We celebrated Gumma's birthday about a week later.   This was a pre-dinner dance party.  Not sure why Gumma didn't take off her pants, apparently she didn't get the memo.  

Breakfast after the sleepover

Isabel and Ida

And this is Josh and his black eye!  Isabel accidently hit him just below the eye with one of her dolls (you know the bald ones with really hard heads?).  I think he's had a lot of fun explaining that one.

Wacky Wednesday

They are celebrating Dr. Suess' birthday this week at school, so they are having a "Wacky Wednesday" for which Cooper wanted colored hair and a mohawk.  I thought this sounded kinda fun, so I obliged.  For my first mohawk styling, I thought it turned out pretty well!  

The Blind Leading the Blind...

While our skiing has drastically improved this year, we still had yet to get the kids on ice skates.  I'm not much of a skater and Josh refuses to even get on the ice, so neither of us have really pushed it.  We've asked the kids a few times if they wanted to go, and they never really were that excited about it (I wonder why).  But this weekend, we had a very quiet Sunday morning, and started to get a little cabin fever, so Josh actually suggested we take the kids.  They were up for it, so off we went.  I don't think I've been in skates in probably over 15 years, so I was a little rusty!  The town rink is great though, and we were able to get rentals for all of us (minus Josh and Emma), and a some milk crates to help us along!  

The kids had a blast!  The first few minutes were pretty slow and I didn't think we were going to last very long, but they quickly gained some confidence and excitement.  I bounced between the two kids (rather skated quite unsteadily) and then Cooper was quickly off on  his own gaining speed with the crates.  Isabel soon got rid of the crates and preferred to do it "like an adult."  She would barely let me even hold her and by the end was even able to get up on her own after a fall.  

The kids are already asking when we'll be back, so we may have to get on ebay and invest in some skates.  These winter sports are tough, we're going to need to build an addition to house all of the equipment (not to mention second jobs to fund them)!  Check it out below!  (I just added what I have, some are not that exciting)!

Skiing!!

We have had so much fun skiing this winter.  The new "magic carpet" at the Snow Bowl is amazing.  It's been so great to not have to haul kids up the little hill to practice.  Thanks to all the practice "runs", we had an AMAZING first trip up the big lift with the kids.  The first run down with Isabel we had her on a special pole device that let us turn her and slow her down.  We thought she'd be done after one run, but she wanted to go again!  The second time down the trail, we decided to try her without the poles.  It was unbelievable how quickly she caught on.  We figured she would be done after the 2nd run, but nope, she wanted to go again!  In fact, she was crying at the end when we had to go home (as the sun was starting to set)!  She wanted to keep skiing.  She told me later that night when I was laying with her in bed that next time we should get up, eat breakfast, and then go skiing right away!  I think she's hooked!  

Cooper had his last day of his set of 5 ski lessons.  Unfortunately he only made 3 of the 5 (sick one, travelling another), but it was still worth it.  He made good improvement and he also was so much more  independent on the trail.  It's SO fun to see them have fun!  Not to mention, much more fun without dragging kids up a hill, or trying to bribe them into trying to turn for fear of knocking out the other little kids in their paths!!!  We can't wait to go again!!!!  

Cooper and Gogo.  Thanks Gogo for skiing with us!  It was so great to have you there with us! 

Isabel and Daddy

Cooper getting a little help from Gogo

The next day we got Emma on her skis!  It was the first time for her too!  I was surprised that she lasted as long as she did in them.   These kids are full of surprises! 

"GET THIS HAT OFF ME!"

There she goes!