easter weekend

Happy Easter Everyone!

I will try and keep the long story short. Oh who am I kidding!!! I think this post is interesting, but if you are not wanting to read a novel make sure you read the stories in the middle. I think they are worthwhile ;-) We drove up north to the West Edmonton Mall to play with our boys. We love Love LOVE the recreation center in Red Deer and always make a point to stop there when we are going through the area.

Let me tell you, this place is amazing and is fun for all ages, is fun and functional for both Landon AND Evan, and is warm for Mama. We played and played and played. There was one moment where my heart stopped. Evan wanted to go down a waterfall by himself. It was small and though I was hesitant I am trying to not be the one to constantly dampen his fun. Naturally I was at the bottom waiting for him. Well he goes down and there is a current at the bottom of it and he gets sucked under the water. I quickly grab for the yellow neck float and pull him up. Justin and I both had a small heart attack and what does Evan says when he comes up???? "Let's do that again!!!" Evan wasn't very pleased when I told him that we would never be doing that again. I did try and reassure him how good it was that he held his breath.

(Landon is always trying to undress himself! He would walk around naked if I let him.)

From the rec center we continued the drive to Fantasy Land. The boys had a lot of fun, but we were fairly limited as to what we were able to do with them. I don't think they noticed and it ended up being a really fun, wonderful family day for the four of us.

(Evan looks soooo much like his Tummy mommy here, it is crazy! Seriously, AC, if you are reading this compare it with some of your pictures)

(we did this ride a couple of times, and if our boys had the choice they would have stayed here all day long ;-)

(check out Evan's suave look as he passes the camera)

(that blur is Justin. Evan kept saying "Daddy you are so brave!!!")

My Grandma lives in Edmonton and so we stayed with her. We were all pretty lame and went to bed really early. We knew that we had another big day ahead of us so we wanted to recharge.

I wish that I had pictures from the next day, but alas ... it was too hard to manage the camera AND make sure my children didn't die. We went to a full on waterpark, which has created some very lasting memories for our family. Before I dig right in to story time let me say (feel free to skip over this rant if you'd like) ...

if you have a disability and you are attending the water park at West Edmonton mall prepare to be VERY frustrated about the changing area. There are no change rooms big enough to fit a wheelchair, the aisles by the lockers are barely big enough to fit a wheelchair, and there are no change tables or private areas for people who cannot weight bare.

Ok now that I am done with that: STORIES!!!

1) We may have traumatized Landon. They have a children's section of the water park, not kiddie area, but still for children. Adults are not allowed to ride with them (stupid rule) but could catch at the bottom. The slide doesn't look that bad so I run down to catch both of the boys at the bottom. Landon goes first. Landon is so freaked out that he stops himself in the middle of the slide and spends the next couple of minutes screaming! Justin and the life gaurd are at the top yelling at him to let go. I am at the bottom convinced that my baby is drowning. Finally he slips and comes down the rest of the way. If only there were words to describe the terror/relief to see me on his face. Next came Evan ... crying as well. THAT was a BUST!!!

2)I was sitting in the hot tub with Evan towards the end and he tells me to move because he can't see. I asked him what he was looking at and he points to a girl sitting in the hot tub across from us and says "Her". I asked him why he was looking at her, to which he replied "Because she is sooooo beautiful!" He then proceeded to give me updates every time she smiled. When it was time to go I asked him if he wanted to tell her that she was beautiful. He said, "Yes, I will swim to her." And he did. He swam over, introduced himself and told her how beautiful she was. :-) Such a charmer!

3)Our locker jammed (of course) and Justin went to get some help. While I am holding Evan in the shower I watch Landon slip and smash the back of his head on the tile floor. (now let me remind you that this kid is TOUGH) well he just fell into my arms screaming (understandable). The next thing I know he is turning purple, his eyes roll back and he passes out!!!! It was only for a second, and I don't know if it was from the fall or from forgetting to breathe, but it was SCARY!! Especially because I was holding a floppy Evan and now a floppy Landon. It took everything in me to carry them both across the slippery tile floor to a bench where I could easily hold both. All day we watched him for signs of a concussion and I think he is fine .... but man oh man! Can we say adventure???

We head back and pick up Grandma, make the drive home and go to sleep ... eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Easter Bunny.

Oh the magic of childhood!!! The Easter Bunny left a trail of candy from the boys rooms to their baskets. You should have seen the wide eyes of wonder on Evan's face when he saw what was on the ground. I wish you could have witnessed the cuteness of Landon's Hansel and Grettel moment following the trail of candy, while stuffing it in his mouth!!! It was beautiful!!!

Church of course was lovely, dinner with family was wonderful, and my bed looks sooo inviting. It was one very busy weekend.

p.s. the weather was FINALLY nice and I even got a tan line when I went and sat on my deck!!!!

(first signs of life in my yard. Is that a plant with a bug on it???)

(cuddling with sweet baby Levi)

(check out how small he still is!!!)

HAPPY EASTER

from our family to yours!!!