Twas the night before Easter..

And we celebrated at Grandma and Grandpa B's!

We dye eggs...

We egg hunt...

With a special section for the "little girls" and color-coded eggs for all!

Uncle Jed gets to start the egg hunt...

Notice Jace's camo..."It's an egg HUNT, Mom..."

Problem solving at it's finest with these two....

And we find bigger baskets inside...

Alexis is just glad to be hanging out!!

New shades, new rain boots, and new flip flops!

 

The gang's all here!

The girls got swim suit cover-ups too.  Thanks for modeling, Cassidy!

Looks like Alexis wasn't a fan of the sunglasses...

March Fun

Head to the track to run with Connor in the stroller.....and Connor insists on running.  We will see how much she can improve her time in some 5K's this summer.

Our babysitter.  She had to be one of the founders of Pinterest.  I don't know where she gets these ideas but always something cool!

Traumatic moment for Mom.  Last time in the rear-facing car seat.....I've stuck her back there as long as I could...

Thumbs up for forward facing! Even though now she squirms the whole time she is in the carseat....maybe it's because she doesn't know what to do with her legs since they aren't propped on the backseat anymore?

Mushrooms!  Kinda....We dug these out of the freezer from last year.  They were okay...but not the real deal.

My boys.

This was an unbelievable moment.  So, Jace had to have some blood drawn.  He had some blood drawn last fall, and it was a matter of me holding him, holding his legs under my legs, a nurse holding his arm down, and another nurse getting the blood. All while Jed watched because Jace wouldn't let him near him and if he would have, there wasn't room.

So. Wasn't excited about getting this done, but tried to prepare him us...warned the nurses when I made the appointment, warned them when we got there, and we were ready for the same thing.  Assumed the position, pulled out my phone for him to watch some farm videos for a possible distraction, AND HE JUST SAT THERE.  Didn't flinch an inch.  Unbelievable.  But SO thankful it turned out like that!

These goobers.

Ranger ride!  Can't wait for summer!

I picked Brook up one day because Barb had to leave early for baseball games, and she's doing some standing!

Jace's Family

The Powell's: Melissa, Aaron, and Alexis (6 months)

The Great-Grandparent Johnsons: Erma and George

Grandma and Grandpa J

The Tharmans: Carl, Jena, and Brook (8 months)

Grandma and Grandpa B

The other Great-Grandparent Johnsons: Richard and Darlyne

The Luedkes: Kyler (6), Derek, Cassidy (2), Colton (8) and Jennifer 

Great-Aunt Debi

The Johnsons: Jay, Morgan, and a soon-to-be boy cousin!

S-I-X

But first, a belated picture of Jace with his Superkid poster.

And now, Jace turns 6.

This last year seems to have been a BIG year for Jace.

~He finally (FINALLY) EATS.  Which means he grew.  A lot.

~He is almost finished with Kindergarten and it is A-MAZING what he has learned in this year.

~His personality is really developing.

~He still loves Connor.  A lot.  But he has also learned just how to push her buttons...

~He loves Jed.  And he is LOVING all the stuff he is getting to do with him FINALLY.  Tractors, hunting, cows, helping Jed...

~He still loves me.  He's still a mommy's boy and I'm soaking this up as long as I can, because I know my days are numbered.  I mean, he still gives me a kiss and hug when I drop him off for school every morning.  He's my favorite guy.

~He loves Angus, and wants another dog.  He's really starting to treat Angus as "his boy" and wants him to follow him around the yard (which he pretty much already does)

~He loves dirt.  Sandbox dirt, where there is always work to do.  And garden dirt, where he is excited to plant things this year.  And of course field dirt, where he can't wait to help plant.

~He's still our red headed boy that loves popcorn, pancakes, starburst, and the occasional Mountain Dew.  And his love for Ice Cream is really coming around too!

Jace wanted to write his own sign, and he did a great job!  The picture on the right is showing that once again, it is SNOWING at his birthday party!

He got some really exciting gifts!  AND...he let Connor "help".

Again, he requested dirt cake.  Throw in some animals and ta-da!  Hunting birthday cake!

This is a new challenge for birthday parties at our house...get all the cousins in one picture.  Not too bad for our first attempt!  Colton (8), Alexis (6 months), Kyler and Jace (6), Brook (8 months), Cassidy and Connor (2).

We used trick candles this year.  That was fun.....

And, trying out one of his gifts after everyone left...just a little roller skating in the house!

Kyler turns......6!!!

Isn't she cute in her "party dress?" 

Sometimes I think these two spend more time crying and fighting than anything else...BUT...it's better than it used to be!

Connor kinda loves Kyler...

AND, the birthday cake she picked out.  Totally fits her. 

Family!  Some are more enthused than others...

Happy Birthday, Kyler Dianne!