The girls in the pool

When the pool finally reached 80-degrees, we decided it was remotely warm enough for the girls to venture into it one afternoon.  We got Maya decked out in her pool gear and water hat for her 3-minute foray into the pool.

 Swimming on the top step -

Collin jumped into the pose -

 My swimming kids and me -

After Cas and Maya got out, Collin and I stayed behind, and I even got a few laps in before it was time to head in for dinner.  Looking forward to a lot of pool time this summer!

It's a Bird, It's a Plane

While Maya took her nap on Friday morning, Collin took the pillows off the couch and practiced flying.  Then we had fun with the high-flying Super-man photo shoot.

In between every jump, he'd come to see the picture.  More than half of them were blurry, but in all of them, he was smiling away with mischievous, fun-loving eyes -

Jumped so high his head was outside the frame -

I love the one-on-one time with Collin while Maya naps!

And not to be neglected, a few shots of our sweet girl in the afternoon, pretty in pink -

And silly in black beans -

And our finally-complete pool.  We had hoped construction would start last June and be completed by mid-August.  Instead, as we've heard is typical with pools, they didn't start construction until the end of the summer, and it was nearly complete in April.  All that is left is the decking, the diving board, and a gate, but we just had "pool school" where they taught us how to turn on the jets.  The boys have loved swimming and Maya and I are getting close to venturing in, just waiting for the temps to hit 80-degrees!

Second annual Easter at the farm

We were the last to arrive at Easter at the farm, with Maya blessedly sleeping the entire ride.  As we pulled up, the rest of the gang was on the dock fishing.  Coady with her catch - 

Collin, showing his more adventurous side, decided to climb up the dirt pile as king of the mountain -

As Superman ran off, Cas followed him up the dirt hill -

The boys went for a go-kart ride -

After fishing and go-kart/dirt bike rides, we ate some farm hamburgers (as in, meat from our cows - wonder how the cows react to the smells off the grill!)  Collin and Coady, deep in conversation -

Time for an early birthday cookie cake for Alex since we were all together to celebrate -

Our happy girl in Brownie's arms -

Collin decorated Easter eggs for a tree Aunt Rita brought -

Comparing muscles with my grandma -

Next it was time for cascarones.  Collin still had trouble breaking them on people, including himself!

But he was all grins when someone was patient enough to let him smash an egg on them -

Surprise attack on Coady who was oblivious to the confetti egg fight as she fished -

Alex had dodged my attack one too many times, and so I went after him with a vengeance.  I successfully smashed the egg on his head, but clocked his head at full force.  And then it cracked us both up how out of control I got in my quest to get him with confetti that I fell down laughing at my pathetic, competitive spirit -

And as we end every farm trip, we had to feed the cows.  Our brave four year old lasted awhile in the truck bed before asking to get down and get closer to the action, with Cas keeping a watchful eye - 

Coady once again hand-fed the cow -

Alex has experienced cow slobber probably every farm visit since he was four!

I stayed back at the ranch house with my sweet girl who was ready for her afternoon nap, but still gave me a few grins in her pink overalls -

Cuddling in with Grammy.  This is her move if she thinks someone she doesn't know as well wants to hold her.  She also snuggles in and pats my back when I pick her up after work or in the morning - what sweetness!

On the way back home, Maya fell asleep in the car, but Alex and Coady stopped with my parents for some classic Texas bluebonnet pictures.  Way to go photographer Lesa - and what a nice break to have two adults you don't have to bribe or act crazy to get them to smile and look at the camera!

I know it's an age thing, but at Thanksgiving, Collin was busy playing and didn't want to stop to give Alex and Coady a hug good-bye, though I knew we wouldn't see them again for almost 5 months.  But this visit, he was begging them not to leave.  I can't wait until we see them again in June for my cousin's wedding.  

The cheap, the generous, and the thoughtful Easter Bunnies

Maya woke up more like herself on Easter morning.  She had fun cruising on the couch between Coady and Alex while we waited for Collin to wake up and waffle breakfast to begin.  If you see the blue hue on Fergie's coat, it's because she laid down in the chalk note from the Easter Bunny and smeared the message.

One of many signs Maya was on the mend - she was smiling in someone else's arms.  Happy uncle with sweet niece - 

Easter breakfast eaten, Easter story read and discussed, time for the egg hunt!

My mom carried Maya's basket, and Collin alternated which bucket held the found eggs -

With hot and cold directional hints, he found all the eggs - 

Proud of his egg hunting abilities.  It's easy to get them all when you're just competing against an 11-month-old!

Telling his sister of all the candy he scored for her -

Showing his strength with Uncle Alex -

Our Easter bunny snooped around our house, saw some art supplies that had gone unnoticed, re-gifted some unused candy from the church egg hunt, and bought one book for each child for their Easter baskets.  My parents' Easter bunny brought the grandkids - and their kids - their favorite candy, gifted Maya with two new musical toys, gifted Collin with three new books, chalk and squirt guns.  Alex and Coady's Easter bunny knit a homemade basket, filled it with candy, stickers and fighting men.  Needless to say, my kids racked up!

Talking about the fighting men with his uncle and aunt.  We were SO GLAD to have them with us for the long weekend and had a great Easter morning with them before we loaded up the car to head for the farm.