Bike time

Nothing says Saturday fun like bike riding with the cousins.


We tried a bike switcharoo, but that didn't work out so well. Carolyn needs pedals to feel comfortable.

After biking, all four children concentrated on making a giant pile of chalk dust.

Grandpa Wilde visits

My dad came to town about a month ago. I caught this moment on the couch...



...and it reminded me of this moment when Carolyn was only eight days old.

Games

Blake and Carolyn made up this game where someone gets dragged around on a blanket. It doesn't sound like a whole lot of fun, but it really is for one very good reason. Blake. He just flops himself on the blanket and enjoys the ride. If any blanket is left out on the ground, he lies on it, waits, and then looks around hoping someone will start dragging it.

I demonstrated for Jeremy how to do the game.

But to do it right, it needs to be Carolyn dragging Blake.

Memories

Jeremy's dad passed away last month unexpectedly. We miss him dearly and these pictures are how we will always remember him--a doting grandfather.

Harry holding Carolyn when she was 12 days old. She is his first grandchild.

Carolyn and Harry at East Goshen Park in Pennsylvania. He went on every child's toy with her.

We made time for Disneyland when we were all in California for Kent and Erica's wedding. Harry gleefully carried her around and pointed out all the sights.

Oregon Zoo, 2008

This is a classic photo because Grandpa was happy to have the children on his lap, but he also wanted to be able to see ESPN.

This is one of my all-time favorites. Harry and Carolyn (Mom) took us to a concert for children by Ralph's World. We had never heard of it, but Carolyn Ann loved all the music. She was doing a jig on Harry's lap in this picture.

We are grateful to know that families are forever. Harry loved his family more than anything else in his life and we loved him.

Easter is here.

I have lots of reasons why I haven't blogged in the last six weeks, but I finally have a reason to start again. We switched internet providers. We are no longer on DSL. Hallelujah!

To start things off right, let's get to what we did today. Carolyn had an Easter party again this year, and we expanded the guest list.

We had ten children in all today. I'd tell you to count them in the picture, but one is missing. He must have been playing with the toy cars.

The main event was the egg hunt. I sent Blake to a neighbor's to nap (he didn't) and the hunters tromped through my entire upstairs looking for 150 eggs. In bathroom drawers, clothes hampers, dryers. It was a blast.

The eggs started flying into the baskets as soon as the first kid got up the steps.

Carolyn: I got an egg!
Arys: I got...toothpaste?

Let me out of here. I need more eggs!

Before the last hunter got back downstairs, the kids were tearing into their candy. Mmmm.


We tried to decorate some dyed eggs, but the stickers wouldn't stick. Not even the ones that come in the box. So instead, they decorated their plates.

We snacked on some treats, and I asked some of the children to smile for me. Responses were varied.


I love doing this party. It is always so much fun to have little kids around getting excited about the nickels in their eggs. Special thanks to Ashley for taking Blake even though he didn't cooperate as well as I would have liked. And thanks to Holly too. It was nice for someone to be wiping up spilled juice while I snapped pictures.