Veggie straws

Juliette was busy eating a snack and trying to document the "ordinary" stuff I got out my camera as she was being all sorts of silly.

Lollipop

I was trying to do a bit of aperture practice and lighting work here...but just got a little snap happy when I saw through the viewfinder how much Juliette was enjoying that lollipop! :)

Sunday, April 8th

The girls and their shadows on a very bright and sunny Easter afternoon.

Juliette and her dress before church.

Miss Juliette

I am really having a hard time with her (and her sisters) growing up so quickly. She has recently started saying a lot of words and stringing them into sentences and summarizes everything I say. "Juju, Daddy went to work". And she says, "Dada go bye-bye". Or Lizzy our cat will be on the stairs and I will comment, "Look at Lizzy in my way" and she will say, "Lulu is nigh-nigh". I have become misty eyed on many of occasions looking at my "baby" changing so much. I just love who my girls are becoming...their very different personalities, their love and respect for one another, their love for us...oh, if I could just freeze time. Juliette loves it when her hair gets put up in pig-tails or pony-tails and wants to "look hair" in the mirror. She has this smug not quite smile as she shakes her head from side to side admiring her reflection. This picture was taken on Sunday at the IMA. She really does not like her picture taken and usually every single picture I get of her happy is when she is looking at someone else. She was sitting on a bench looking through me, just staring at my soul.

Our 1st ever Easter egg hunt!

Easter bunny and Isabelle and Allie. Juliette decided she needed a nap.

The bunny himself!

Allie was my little sleuth. She was way more concerned about how the bunny was wearing shoes with spats and also that there was a ZIPPER in the back!!! She would not leave this subject alone...she kept coming up to me and said..."I saw that bunny had a zipper...and you know I saw him go into the woods and then go into Jenny and Wayne's house (our neighbor next door). I think that it is Daddy...cause he isn't here you know....but it might be Mr. Wayne cause Daddy doesn't have those shoes I think." While other kids were relishing in a big bag of candy from the hunt, you could see Allie's wheels in her head turning...walking back and forth. That girl!

We were so grateful for sun and temperatures in the high 60s as we hosted an Easter party for some friends and their children. This was the 1st Easter egg hunt that our kids have ever been to. We had over 250 eggs in the front yard for about 25 kids who rushed to find the golden egg. It was such a great time. After the hunt while the kids were emptying their eggs into a bag, the Easter bunny made an appearance and gave out chocolate eggs and posed with the kids. So fun! We had sandwiches, salads and drinks before the hunt. After the Easter bunny was here, the grown-ups that were around got to do an adult version of an egg hunt for prizes that included wine and gift cards. It was a blast...but exhausting too! :)

Spring break in Solon

oink, oink

Juliette loved the animals and smelled like a little piggy our entire stay in Solon

cousins

they love being together

I tried my hardest to get Juliette to cooperate...but guess what! She refused! But, spontaneous moments make the best photography in my opinion.

She loves her daddy. Daddy loves her.

Loving the lambs!



The girls got a chance to bottle feed some lambs. They loved it!

The last 2 days of our spring break in Iowa we spent with Grandpa and Grandma Koss in Solon on the farm. I am so lucky that my kids get a chance to experience a bit of the farm life that I grew up with. They got to see some aunts and uncles and also spend time with their cousins. Sometimes I wish we lived closer so they got to see each other more, but am so grateful that they play so well with each other when they do.

Pella, Iowa

Great grandma, Grandpa Miller, Daddy and the girls


Although we are early for the 77th Tulip Time festival in Pella this year, thanks to a warm spring we were able to see most of the tulips in bloom. We had lunch and walked around the square. Of course we had to stop at the Jaarsma bakery for some of their dutch letters and cherry donut holes! Yum!

Daddy and his girls!

Spring break in Moravia

We left on Saturday morning and drove to Moravia to spend a couple of days with Grandpa Miller and Great Grandma Trafton. We also were able to see Shawn and his girlfriend, Andrea briefly in Peoria on the way. The Jurasek family came down on Sunday. It was a nice time. Jamie got out some of his old toys for the girls to play with. They had a ball! Jamie mentioned that they weren't exactly banging the trucks together or making dirt tracks but instead were marrying the trucks and having them kiss. They also had "baby" trucks. Girls!

The gorgeous tulips are in full bloom! It is my favorite flower of spring. I love its simplicity and movement.

The girls hanging out on the bridge out back.

Crabapple tree in bloom

a pretty smile!