Spring Break Mountain Style

 We took a trip to North Carolina to catch the last weekend of skiing.

 Adam found out he prefers skiing to snowboarding and got to ride the lift this time.

The skiers, Brian opted to be the photographer.

Jacob clapping that I didn't fall down.

I am not sure if this is a look of worry or the sun is in my eyes

Merry and Jacob in front of us.

 Eliza took some lessons but has decided that she is a snowboarder not a skier.

Grace is actually skiing in this picture the zoom just doesn't show it.

 Full smiles ahead.

Jacob posing or something like that.

Eliza with hat hair.

 After waking up at 4:00am flying to South Carolina then driving up in the mountains straight to the ski resort and skiing for 5 hours we finally checked into to cabin.  The view was amazing.

Not that Grace and Eliza noticed it they were too worn out.

After an afternoon nap we went back to skiing for a few more hours.

We skied until they were lifting up the chair lifts for the night.
Check out the happy faces.

 Saturday morning we went on a hike to see some waterfalls.

 Jacob and Brian looking very pleased to be standing on a rock.

Jacob and Merry came well prepared.  Jacob pack a bag of goldfish.

Merry brought a book.  I think you can tell how much they want to go.

 Adam next to a budding rhododendron.  I would love to visit when the mountains are in bloom.

Grace examining the buds.

Eliza climbed down to see the stream.

The problem was she couldn't climb back up.  Fortunately, Jacob rescued her.  Unfortunately, she had to abandon her stream poking stick.

Happy Birthday Adam

Happy 9th birthday to Adam.

He was by far the quietest baby but he is making up for it now.

He loves facts of all kinds, especially about animals that will eat you or anything beyblade related.

He is still super sweet and comes in to say I love you every night before bed.

 

 He doesn't love taking pictures, it is very close to physical torture.

 Papa was here for his birthday and brought some birthday cake peeps which we use to decorate his cake with.

 It is a thumbs up from Adam who will ingest sugar in any form.

A very dramatic birthday candle blow out.

We love our sweet, handsome Adam.

100th day of school shirts

 This year the kindergarten classes had to make shirts with 100 items on it instead of dressing like a hundred day old woman.  Eliza picked buttons which we made into this cute tree.  Lucky me I got to sew 100 buttons on.

Grace didn't want to be left out so she made 100 thumbprint ladybugs on hers.

Adam had no interest in making a shirt but told me about 15 different types of beyblades during the conversation about shirts.

Now entering the teen years

 Happy 13th birthday dear Merry.

 She requested red velvet cupcakes as her special treat.

 Such a pretty girl.

 Crazy how the time flies so fast.

 Her blue steel look or mom I am sick of pictures.

 She is a lover of books, drawing, swimming, volleyball and sleeping.

We love having her as part of our family.

Eliza is 6!

 Eliza is six!

 It is taking a little more lung capacity to blow the candles out now.

 She looks so sweet in her pictures.

 But don't let that cute face fool you she is sassy to the bone.

 The whole time I was taking her picture, she was telling me that this was the worst outfit I have ever picked for her.

 Yet she turned on the toothless grin as soon as the camera came up.

 I am hope this strong will makes her an independent woman some day.

 Hope fully after she leaves my house.

 We love our sweet, sassy Eliza.

And her cute freckles too.

Getting in the Christmas Spirit

 All the kids, looking very grown up.

Jacob with a fresh haircut which he dislikes.

Merry in her fuzzy sweater that Eliza kept petting.

Grace and Eliza still like to dress alike.

Adam sporting a Mr. Rogers sweater, I am loving it.

Eliza had a rough day at church, thus the unbrushed hair and lack of shoes.

Halloween

 Jacob as Waldo.

Merry as Rocket Raccoon.

 Grace as Rey

 Adam as Obi Wan

Eliza as Moana.