Marshmallow season has begun!

I could say we stumbled upon this, which is true, but it's also misleading. We spent Saturday morning in search of Easter fun. We were batting o and 2 on leads I'd found online. Then we drove by Silverwood Park. Didn't know it existed - but we'll be back when it greens up a bit! The were having an egg hunt and assorted activities. Seed art. Face painting. Puppet Show. Easter Bunny pictures. 

MARSHMALLOWS.

Nummy.

At the library

This time you both sat down to a computer and with a few pointers (so to speak) from Mom, you were maneuvering that mouse and clicking on things you were really trying to click on. Still working on the left click/right click. But still! YIKES.  

You were playing some PBS kids games. Most of them a bit too complicated, but you were both doing really well with a Curious George fishing one where you had to click the right number. How could you go wrong with George?

Do I tell the story about Zoe sitting on the rug in the play area announcing  "I peed....They're going to have to clean that up!" No, probably not. Still working on the potty training.

My Left Foot

Or Foot 2.0

He's at it again.

Just not Right Foot.

Grandma Candy brought Miss Zo a dress last Thursday, and Zoe had to wear it right away Over a size 18 month dress that she still wears as a shirt. Yeah, funny, eh?  I think your dad has an attachment to this shirt too. It's somewhat in the style of the shirt one of the little girls wears on Sid the Science kid. A show you really haven't watched in awhile...but still. Your dad is nostalgic!

Zoe's told me more than once that she wants to wear dresses this summer. Ok then. That wasn't me at 3. Or maybe it was, although I distinctly remember voicing my opinion that I wasn't going to wear dresses and I just bet it was pretty young.

But I willingly oblige Ms Zoe's request. We even found a really cute Easter one yesterday. Pink? What do you think? 

Can't wait.

Dah-lings!

Ready for her closeup.

LOVE these glasses we got at the Children's Place outlet.

(gas: $3.69 right now)

Say cheese people!

We made a trip to see Jannie and Gordon in NSP. 

Roman, Jannie and Matisse. (Zoe was napping in the van, although I later decided we'd better wake her up or she was going to be M-A-D that she missed the opportunity to visit). By the way Gordon was napping in the house, but he did come out and say hello just before we were heading out.

Even Matisse makes the "cheese" face!

And had a fun time running around with Roman and Zoe. Lots of kisses.

And a little time checking our the newly filled pond (in March, people, March!).

Ms Zoe was having some issues keeping the tights up. No matter. She can adjust whenever and wherever she is. ;)

Here you go grandma

A picture of the summer haircut.

CHEESE.

our beautiful kids

First bike ride of the season!

I took an impromptu half day off last Friday because 1) I had been out of town on my normal day off and 2) it was INCREDIBLY nice. Sunshine and light ;)

Your dad and I took the bikes over to Shawn's to pick you up.  At about minute 3 into the ride I thought "maybe this was an ambitious plan"...minute 15 "huh" and 20 minutes in "give me WATER". gASP. Good thing we had an ample supply.

On the way home, we spent some time taking advantage of playground equipment that usually has another month or two of rest before being utilized by the kiddos.

Joy.

And Mr. Roman sat right down and suddenly could manipulate the crane. 

This was not the case last summer. 

This overnight ability reminded me of my own experience learning to drive a manual transmission. Not getting it. Not getting it. Ask Grandma Jane about that sudden curve out in the country.  I DID grow up watching Dukes of Hazzard, so a little high speed YEE HAW action came naturally. Oh boy. Anyway, after a winter of avoiding "the stick" I got in the Ford Fiesta one nice spring day and drove around the block flawlessly.  Suddenly I could do it without a) panicking and b) killing the engine (which leads back to point a, a vicious circle).  I still remember wondering how I could suddenly do something I couldn't do before. 

Good lesson: give things time to develop. Even if it just means setting it aside for a little bit.

And Miss Zo had no fear on the swing. That's new. "Push me higher!"

Makes her happy I guess.

GO

FLY

A

 KITE! 

Good idea, Dad.

You better behave or I’m going to put you in jail. Under the Gazebo down by the St. Croix River in Stillwater. No, not really. 

This picture has “photo shop me” written all over it. Not sure what Mr Roman was trying to show me (but he did tell me “no pictures!”.) Kind of looks like he’s holding up an imaginary fish.  Several times I heard pieces of a story from Zoe about somebody fishing down by the river, and something about a mermaid and a kiss. I finally got the scoop on that. Last year your Grandma took you down to this location and asked a man who was fishing if he was catching anything. He told you guys that just the day before he had caught a mermaid. She said if he put her back she’d give him a kiss before she left.  So of course he took the kiss and let her go.

So that’ been rattling around your little brains for some time. Wonder if it’ll stay.

Maybe Roman’s showing  me his pretend mermaid. Never know.

There’s been so much talk about this bridge lately, but I think a replacement is actually going to be built.

 

We ended up walking out on the bridge a couple bit. As soon as a herd of motorcycles went by, Zoe was done.  Too noisy. So off the bridge we went. As we were moving away a car passed overhead and revved its engine. I jumped a bit, Zoe jumped a bit and Roman looked up at me and said “That scared my legs!” Nice description, little one.

We were approaching the gazebo on the way back to the car when you saw people in it. “There are people IN it!” Well yes, YOU can go in it too guys, do you want to? Is that a dumb question or what?

Up the stairs you went. And down the stairs you went. And up. And down

And try a bench. Or two. And greet other visitors who come to the gazebo. Social ones, you! 

This was more than a week ago and I wonder if that ice is now long gone...

Sunday night in the middle of March

Doesn't get any better than this. Short sleeves and sandals (or bare feet!). 

Unbelievable.

Roman's gallery

All Roman via the old Sony Cybershot.

 No cropping. 

That's daddy's pajamas.

"That's the wall."

Say cheese!

Ditto!

Hmm. I wonder what Zoe was doing (and both your Dad and I are wondering how you got this angle)

Self portrait!

I like to call this one "Toes"

Ok, we've ALL attempted this, no? It just happens that he's 3 when he first does it. Yikes.

And his other half, Miss Zoe. Not bad!