When Adam leaves, the crazies come out!

Adam's spring break was last week, and he spent it in Washington (again) to look for a job. That left me alone with the kids for a week! Of course, my sister Kelli came from Toledo to visit and give me someone to hang out with, although with her three kids and my own, there was a lot of chaos, tears, fighting, and fun.Kelli brought her Bumbo chair for Aubrey, but we tried to sit Madelynn in it as well. She had a hard time keeping her head up and didn't really enjoy herself, so she lasted about 20 seconds. We'll try again in a month or so.Olivia and Madelynn ready to go to Target (of course). You should have seen the looks we got- Kelli and I with two babies, two toddlers and two preschoolers. It was chaos, and of course every one had to look at us like we were a circus. It was fun!

While Kelli was here we went to the Aurora outlets and got some screamin' deals. We let the kids play at the playground at the outlets because the weather was in the 60s. It was so nice to sit outside without freezing for once! We also went to the Rainforest at the Cleveland Zoo. I'd never been before but we needed to get the kids out of the house and it was cold outside. The Rainforest is indoors and heated (hence it being like a "rainforest"). It was nice to be in humidity again. Wow, I never thought I'd say that.

Olivia and her friend Emma checking out the tropical birds.Roman and Jack climbed on a blue frog statue and didn't get into a fight about it- amazing.Hayden, Emma and Olivia followed suit on a nearby statue.

Jack loved the rainforest. He especially loved the monkeys and the tarantula. He is definitely all boy.Olivia and Jack watching the crocodile. They've only seen crocodiles on Dora before so they were really excited to see one in real life and this crocodile was all about showing off for them.We had a lot of fun and my kids were really good. We have definitely been cooped up inside too long and are really looking forward to warm weather. Hopefully the weird Cleveland weather will cooperate soon!

Who knew I'd miss this place?! (Part 1)

We are officially moving. Adam graduates May 17 and we move out four days later. As happy and elated I am that Adam is finally done with dental school and we are moving very close to family, I am starting to feel that it is a little bittersweet as well. Moving here we knew it was temporary but I have still gotten attached to a few things that I'm really going to miss:

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Thornton Park pool- For two summers in a row, I stood in line at the Thornton Park center and bought my early bird pass to the pool. For $60, my kids and I had something to do for an entire summer and it was so worth it. A perfect kiddie pool that was gated in and had a covered area for those of us who have pasty white skin that burns easy.

Kirtland and This is Kirtland!- I think of all the amazing places in and around Cleveland, Kirtland is probably my favorite. It was such a wonderful experience to live near a historic church site like Kirtland, with the beautiful temple and the LDS visitor's center. I have done both the temple and LDS site tours many times and both are worth it every time. Even more, I will miss performing in This is Kirtland! Even with the massive amounts of travel time and rehearsals, I enjoyed every minute of it. Once we were actually performing in front of audiences, I could tell that I was apart of something that was touching the hearts of members and nonmembers alike. I even cried in my very last performance because I realized that I probably would never again have an opportunity to share my testimony on stage like I did when I was in the musical. I even got to share the stage with Olivia this last summer, making it even more exciting!

Giant Eagle, and more importantly, The Eagle's Nest- For those of you outside of Ohio, Giant Eagle is one of the bigger grocery chains. I love the one in Legacy Village because it is so nice. I know where everything is and the people at the bakery, bank and checkouts know who I am and love my kids. Best of all, they have The Eagle's Nest, which is free babysitting for kids 3 and up while you shop. Olivia loves it there. She can color, play computer games, play house and dolls or watch a movie. It is so nice to have one less child to worry about while I shop, and best of all it is free!

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I will also miss Patterson's farm, the Christmas tree farm, my kids' doctor, University Hospital, being so close to a Cheesecake Factory and California Pizza Kitchen, being within a day trip of Palmyra and Niagara Falls, fuel perks at Giant Eagle, Olivia's preschool and of course all of our friends (you know who you are!).

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I will not miss: the endless amount of potholes, the shut down of traffic whenever there is a funeral procession, the "no turn on red" signs, hardwood floors, and the words "lake effect snow" that lasts until Easter, having to drive more than 10-15 minutes to get places, weather so cold that my face freezes and so hot that I am melting.

2 months old

Where has the time gone! It really feels like just yesterday I was checking into the hospital to be induced and now my baby girl is 2 months old! Madelynn really is coming into her personality and I love it. She is such an easy baby, which is nice because most of the day I am dealing with Jack and Olivia still. She sleeps quite a bit still, but is up at night for a few hours until about 10ish when she is wrapped and fed and put to bed, where she will sleep until about 4 or 5am for me (nice, huh?). She loves her swing, her Baby Einstein baby gym (she'll talk to the star above her and kick and squirm and it is so cute) and smiles for every one. Madelynn loves her binky, falls asleep in the car seat every time, really only cries when she is hungry or tired (or Jack has thrown a toy at her again), and is such a snuggler!Madelynn had bronculitis, which is a fancy way of saying bronchitis for kids. She had to be on a nebulizer for a few days whenever she got "wheezy". The mask looked like a fish and Madelynn smiled and cooed through her treatments, unless she was sleeping through the whole thing.Jack loved getting his picture taken, and even more, he loves to see the picture on the camera after I've taken it. And yes, he does have a knot on his forehead thanks to his forehead meeting the concrete floor at Costco. What picture of Jack would be complete without some sort of bruise, scrape, black eye, etc?Madelynn and her Einstein gym. She loves her "friend" the star, and then talks to the animals on the mat for tummy time. Notice Jack and Olivia's feet/hands next to her. They were as enthralled with the play mat as much as Madelynn was.Isn't she adorable?! The shoes were Olivia's "purchase" (I didn't notice she had put them in the cart at Walmart until after I'd gotten home and paid for them and then lost the receipt. Olivia told me "I thought they would be cute for baby Madelynn!" How can I argue with that?) and the headband I bought online. It's interchangable, so I can put whatever flower or bow I want on the band. I also got a band in black and one in white. She seriously was so cute I couldn't stop taking pictures of her!
This is Madelynn's perch while I am in the bathroom getting ready in the morning. She stays here while I shower and dry my hair. Usually she is sleeping through most of it but many times she also just watches me or Jack will try and entertain her (while I watch closely to make sure he doesn't try to pick her up or sit on her).I love this picture because Olivia is pushing Madelynn's face towards to camera and telling her to say "cheese". I have my kids (well, Olivia) trained so well. Olivia always wants to hold Madelynn and I love what a big helper Olivia is. She really is such a wonderful big sister and it's amazing to me how old she is now. Maybe it's because Madelynn looks like a mini-Olivia, but I definitely am realizing how fast my kids are growing up and how time really does go too quickly.