Easter 2017

The kids had been begging to go down to Grammy and Papa’s house in Eugene for a while so we packed up and left right after gymnastics and Brandon’s first Little League game.  At first there was a conflict with Brandon’s game, as Cook Park where he plays all of his games, double booked the game fields with the City of Tigard’s Annual Easter Egg hunt.  We found out very last notice the day before that due to the scheduling conflict they had to move the little league game to Saturday early evening which would not have worked with our schedule as we were trying to go down to Eugene for Easter and also conflicted with a lot of other kids’ schedules as it was the evening before Easter and most of the families already had stuff going on.  Luckily the coaches were able to switch and have the game at Brandon’s Elementary school still in the morning at the same time.  

We left for Eugene around 11:00 AM.  Both kids were up very early that day and fell asleep in the car for about an hour.  We got to Grammy and Papa’s house around 1:00 PM and planned to participate in a public Easter egg hunt at a nearby Baptist church.  The kids were excited to go hunting for candy eggs and since Olivia’s school didn’t have an Easter egg hunt for the families this year (they did it at the school during the day), I was excited to get my pictures of them hunting for the eggs.  The hunt was super well organized and was designed by age groups.  Olivia’s age group (preschool age) was the largest.  Olivia got to go in the second group and then Brandon in the third group so we didn’t have to wait long.  The kids had a blast and got some good candy.  Brandon found a coveted golden egg and got to choose out a little toy and ended up choosing out a stuffed Easter bunny.  The weather was super nice too and sunny after having such a rainy spring we were grateful for that.  After the egg hunt, we went back to Grammy and Papa’s house and hung out at their house and played outside for a bit.  Then we made dinner.  Around that time, Brandon was complaining his head hurt and felt warm.  I went and got him some Advil and he seemed lethargic.  He was coming down with something unfortunately that lasted almost five days and ended up making him miss 1 full day of school and then part of another day of school.  The kids went to bed early and we stayed up watching some TV and getting the Easter bunny ready to come.

Brandon all ready for the hunt

Olivia was pretty excited!

Olivia and I at the egg hunt

Picking up eggs

My little cute egg hunter

Examining her loot

Brandon got to hunt eggs with Grammy

Excited to open the eggs up

The next day the kids were up super early at 5:45 AM.  I think Brandon wasn’t feeling well that is why he woke up so early.  Olivia was able to go back to sleep with us for another hour or so.  We all got up at 7:30 AM.  The kids were super excited that the Easter bunny came.  He left them goodies in their baskets.  Olivia got a My Little Pony hot air balloon that plays the My Little Pony songs and a little Strawberry Shortcake set.  Brandon got an Etch A Sketch which he had been wanting for a while.  The kids also got a Lindt Chocolate bunny, some chocolate bunnies and a few other bigger goodies in their basket.  They both got some blind bags in their basket too, Olivia was super obsessed with these light up Nom Nons that are little good smelly fruit characters that light up and glow (kind of light bigger Shopkins) and Brandon got some Ninja Turtle and Marvel blind bags.  

Looking at their Easter baskets

The kids woke up Grammy and Papa and then got to do their Easter egg hunt around Grammy’s house.  The Easter bunny came and hid candy in his Easter eggs all around Grammy’s house.  The kids had a blast looking for candy and got tons of it.  The Easter bunny also left some pink Peeps which Olivia loved (and nobody else cared for).  Our little candy lover Olivia was super stoked to get all her sweets.  

Hunting for eggs around the house

Looking in the eggs afterwards

Look at all that candy and money!

More fun hunting

Such a full basket!

Olivia loving the Peeps

She especially loved that they were pink

After the egg hunt for candy.  I told the kids that the Easter bunny had one more surprise: a blind bag egg hunt where there were 8 blind bags and 1 large egg that was blue and 1 that was pink that the kids got to hunt for.  I explained that there were blind bags for Brandon and ones for Olivia and to not touch the one for the other sibling so they could find it.  The kids were super excited for this hunt.  I made them change into their cute Easter clothes and get some pictures beforehand and then do the hunt if them so I could get some cute pictures.  The kids had a blast looking for the blind bags and then opening them.  They also had a fun time playing with them afterwards.  

Brandon almost 6 1/2

Brandon 6 and Olivia 3

So many cute ones

Love this one

Also love this one

Nothing like a hug from big brother

She found her big pink egg! 

Opening it and finding Fluttershy!

More blind bag hunting

Opening up the blind bags

Looking at all the blind bag toys with Daddy

After that we decided to pack up and then go see Sean’s Grandma and visit with her for a bit.  Then we headed to a nearby park and the kids had a lot of fun playing at the park although Brandon started to not feel very good again.  He was trying to be a trooper but you could tell his fever was coming back and he felt warm.  After the park, we took a packed picnic lunch up with us to my in-law’s favorite winery, Sarver, which has very beautiful views of the Willamette Valley.  We did some wine tasting and ate our picnic and the kids had a lot of fun running around outside.  Brandon still was not feeling very well and tried to nap in the car unsuccessfully while we did our picnic.  He did end up napping on the way back home.  We got home pretty late and tried to go to Trader Joe’s to go grocery shopping but they closed early due to the holiday so we ended up going to Safeway.  We scrambled to get everything done and ready for the week but were able to do so.  All in all, it was a very fun Easter and the kids had a blast.

Liv and Daddy swinging with Papa

Brandon going down the slide 

View from Server Winery 

Having our picnic 

Brandon's first outdoor soccer games at Westside Timbers in March

Brandon had been doing the Westside Timbers winter/spring development league with his good friend Andrew from Rocking Horse.  They had practices twice a week in January and February (one outside on Tuesdays and one at indoor practice facility on Friday).  In March and April they had practice one day on Tuesdays and games on Sundays out at Liberty High School in Hillsboro.  A few of the games overlapped with basketball but we were able to make it work and only miss one soccer game.  Brandon unfortunately was not on his pal Andrew's team but seemed to have made friends with some of the other boys on his team and enjoyed it.  They played 4 on 4 and it was amazing to see them actually play positions (unlike Rec soccer where they just all ran for the ball).  They still played with smaller goals and no goalies but the games were a lot more defense with few goals.  Brandon played defense a lot and really liked it.  The weather in March unfortunately was cold and rainy so that made playing outside not as fun and made some of the practices quite miserable.  Brandon did get a lot of exercise and has learned a lot!

Warming up 

Playing soccer-game time!

Playing defense

More soccer fun 

Running fast

A typical weekend in April

I thought I would do an update on a typical weekend for us in April now that it is spring time and while Brandon is 6 years old in kindergarten and Olivia is 3 years 9 months and in Jr. Kindergarten.  We start off our Saturday mornings usually with the kids getting up between 6:30-7:00 AM.  Brandon entertains himself and usually gets the I-pad and watches for a bit until Sean and I get up.  Olivia comes every morning into our bedroom and gets morning snuggles with Mommy and Daddy until we get up which is usually around 8:00 AM.  Then we have breakfast together, sometimes a big breakfast but often times something easy like cereal or a bagel.  Brandon and Sean like to play Minecraft together in the morning before breakfast usually.  Then I get Olivia ready for 9:45 AM 3 year old gymnastics class that she does with her friend Addie.  It is nice because I get to get a second cup of coffee and hang out with my best friend Brooke while the girls do gymnastics together.  Sometimes Brandon and Logan come and play together during gymnastics.  The girls are doing well in gymnastics and getting ready for the Mini Olympics where they get to showcase what they have learned for the year in June.

Gymnastics fun! Warming up

After gymnastics sometimes we have a birthday party or two.  Last weekend we had two birthday parties for kids in Olivia's class at school.  One was at Pump It Up and was a fun bounce house birthday party and then the other was at Club Sports for her best friend at school Lauren's birthday party.  Olivia liked going to the birthday parties and seeing all of her friends but I got quite exhausted by the end of them.  It was nice talking to the parents though at Olivia's school.

Pump it up birthday party 

Playing on the parachute with classmates at Lauren's birthday

Doing a craft project at Lauren's birthday party

Birthday party fun!

With her BFF Lauren

Yum cupcake!

Lauren opening up Olivia's birthday present

After a birthday party or two or sometimes none, we have Brandon's baseball game which is on Saturday.  Sometimes Brandon's baseball games overlap with gymnastics and I can't go to his game since Sean is coaching and someone has to take Olivia to gymnastics.  Brandon's baseball games typically last an hour and a half and are at Cook Park.  Brandon is doing coach pitch this year and it is through the Tigard Little League.  Sean volunteered to help coach with another parent, Brad (Brandon's good friends Colton and Riley's dad) and Brandon's old soccer coach Brad (who is the dad of his good friend at school Cruz).  It has been fun for Sean but the crappy and rainy Spring weather has made the fields really soggy and practice and the games not as fun as they could have been.  The Saturday that we had all the birthday parties, Olivia and I arrived at Cook Park and was able to watch the last inning of Brandon's game.  It is amazing to see the progress that the kids have made thus far in the season.  Brandon is having a lot of fun.

Baseball game fun

Playing second base

We come home usually on Saturday late in the afternoon and get dinner ready.  Usually Sean makes dinner and one of our Blue Apron meals that we get on Thursday.  We make the kids something easy and then we sometimes play a fun board game as a family together.  Sometimes we will watch a movie or a show together.  The kids really like the Sneaky, Snakey Squirrel game I got at a consignment sale.  Then we get the kids ready for bed and do a bath or shower and then usually it is bed time and the kids are asleep by 8:30 PM since Olivia has not napped that day and they are usually quite tired.

Playing a family board game

On Sunday, we typically go to the grocery store and buy food for the week. Sean and I plan our weekly meals.  Then we usually go to Brandon's soccer game which is typically on Sunday early afternoon.  At the end of April, soccer will be over and the kids are going to do swim lessons.  We are looking forward to having some more free time on Sunday!  We then get everything ready for the week and I do a lot of laundry.  We wish the weekends were longer!

Soccer game time