Santa Claus, IN

Last weekend we enjoyed our second annual family weekend getaway.  This year, we traveled to Santa Claus, IN.  Santa Claus is a tiny town in Indiana that has Christmas-themed everything (roads, stores, museums, etc.) We stayed in a large country house that I found on "Vacation Rentals By Owner".  The house had lots of bedrooms, full kitchen and lots of outdoor space to enjoy.  In addition to enjoying a nearby state park, each others company, and three birthdays, there was the nearby Holiday World.  Holiday World is a combination amusement park/water park.  I have to say, it was a GREAT park.  The kids loved it and so did John and I.  There was plenty to do for Austin and Ellie was tall enough to ride every ride!  Actually, Ellie was tall enough to ride the most intense wooden roller coaster on the face of the earth.  I, however, did not know the reputation of this roller coaster before I eagerly suggested that I ride the coaster with Ellie.  (did I mention that this was the first ride of the day?)  All I can say is that I was pretty sure that the coaster was out of control and that we were surely not going to survive.  I did my best to hold Ellie's little head still through the ride and we did thankfully survive.  I can now officially state for all to hear, "I am old".  I have now come to realize that some people like this kind of terror.  They actually love it and want to ride these types of rides over and over.  Well, not me and Ellie.  We were done with that and agreed that it was the worst ride ever!  Luckily, Ellie got back on the saddle and rode a similar roller coaster later in the day and enjoyed it very much. The first one was just WAY TOO MUCH for us girls :-)  Hope you enjoy the pictures of our weekend!

Fishin'

We took Austin and Ellie fishing down the road in our creek.  I, personally, figured that we would just "pretend" to fish so that Austin could try out his new fishing pole.  But, to our surprise Ellie put the hook in the water with a bit of bread and to our surprise she caught a fish!!!!  We quickly threw it back in and it told all of his fishy friends to swim far away.  No more fish for Austin to catch.  We'll have to go back another night so Austin can catch one!

Preschool Graudation

We enjoyed a perfect-weather night at a local park for Austin's preschool "graduation".  I still can not believe that my little boy will be riding a bus in the Fall on his way to Kindergarten, but I am very proud of him for doing SO GREAT at his new preschool.  I have been so impressed with his school and have loved that he has had the last year before Kindergarten there.

Here are a few pictures of the fun we had the other night.  Each child received a portfolio of all they had learned during the year from their small group teacher.  (Austin was SO EXCITED to receive his portfolio.  He's been talking about it for a few weeks!).  The portfolio contained pictures of Austin with his teachers and friends, work that he did during the year, etc. to demonstrate the learning times and fun that they've had during  the year.

The first picture of him receiving his portfolio.  The second picture is of him with his small group teacher.  The third picture is of his sister, Ellie,posing in the pretty evening sunlight with Austin's rose.  (Each child moving on to Kindergarten received a rose to take home.)

Austin:  Great job at Preschool and we hope you have just as much fun at Kindergarten!

Teachers:  Thanks for everything you do for Austin and all of the other children!

Camping in the backyard

This weekend the kids broke in the new tent (in the backyard).  I've decided I love this kind of camping - the kind of camping where I can sleep in my own bed!  So, John and the kids slept out in the backyard and wrangled the neighbors into doing the same.  Everyone slept great (even me!).  Austin was VERY concerned about me sleeping all by myself inside (in my own bed), but I assured him that it would be okay.

John and Austin will be going on a boys camp out in a few weeks.  They are now set with the new tent, as well as a bow and arrow, and a fishing pole.  Ellie and I will probably go shopping while they are gone!

Here are some pictures of making s'mores in the neighbor's fire pit, the kids with the neighbor kids and our new tent.

I guess I'll be trying the new tent myself in the Fall at the annual camping trip to the farm.  I am so looking forward to it - haha.

Art Show

Ellie is fortunate to have an art teacher this year that is in her first year of teaching.  First year teachers really go all-out and Ellie has definitely enjoyed art this year.  There was an art show this past week and Ellie was proud to show us her art creations that were on display.  Among them:  a bird's nest complete with eggs, Rainbow Fish that apparently took many, many steps to create, an origami bird, a clay pot with "Mom" engraved in it, and a jump rope girl that was part of a much larger mural on the wall.  I should have taken a picture of the large mural (there were actually three of them) that Ellie's very small jump rope girl was a part of, but it didn't dawn on me until much, much later.  Oops.

John's First Half Marathon

John did awesome at his first half marathon.  The weather was perfect, too!  Having so much rain lately, we were so lucky to have perfect temps and sunshine this morning.

John finished strong.  His time was around 1:50 - which I think is just amazing for a first half marathon.

We celebrated with HUGE cheeseburgers and red velvet cake.

Happy Easter!