Spring Break visit

For Spring break, Aunt Kelly and Grandma and Grandpa Shields came to visit! Yay! We kept really busy this time as the weather was nice, and last time they came it was freezing cold and snow snow snowy! The first day they came we packed a picnic lunch and met Micheal for lunch. There was a playground there, so Parker of course couldn't eat much and only wanted to go play. I only got this picture because my camera card was then full and I didn't know it.

Addison loves to swing! I was really afraid she could fall through if there wasn't that strap in the middle!

So that afternoon we went to Oxbow Zoo, it's a local zoo here with just a few animals, but is really nice to walk around and spend a couple of hours or an hour if you want. We have only been a couple of times, but it's very peaceful and a nice walk. Easy enough for me to do myself. The next day we went to storytime at the toy store and then shopping at an outlet mall 45 minutes away. Grandma got us some really nice bargains and stuff for summer and next winter. Thank you sooooo much. The next day we went to Minneapolis and went to the Como Zoo. It's a bigger zoo, but small enough to do in an afternoon, especially in the winter when a lot of the animals are not out yet. Then since we were in Minneapolis we went to Mall of America, figured we should do it as many times as we can while we are here. We didn't do much there but eat and ride some rides. Grandma, Kelly, and Addison did some shopping.


Amma and Addison at Oxbow.


Aunt Kelly and Parker at Oxbow checking out the bald eagles.

The bird section at Oxbow, notice Parker way far ahead. The independence of a 2 year old is clearly exhibited here. He can feel very safe in going far away from us if we let him.

Parker and Pa going to check out the turkeys at Oxbow.


Pa and Parker

Amma and Parker checking out this old building.

Addison strutting her stuff at Oxbow, can't lose the cracker, had to stick it in her mouth.

Parker and Kelly, the basketball stars!

We found a Parker size basketball at the Nike outlet store, so Parker, Pa, and Kelly were practicing their basketball skills...this kids' got game, watch out future!

Go Parker!

Addison and Pa. Pa got talked into carrying her in the Como Zoo.

All of us but Micheal at the Como Zoo.

Pa and Parker on the big rig ride at Mall of America.

Look! Micheal and I do exist! Seems like there are hardly any pictures of us, let alone together anymore!

Amma, Addison, Aunt Kelly returning from their shopping trip.

Addison watching Parker on the Ferris wheel.

Pa and Parker waiting to get on the Ferris wheel in Mall of America.

Parker and Pa on the Ferris wheel.

March 2010

Another month gone! It's been a crazy month. It started thinking it would be another cold month, another month of winter, and getting spring fever. I wondered why I had this feeling, I expected it to still be winter, but then I realized that in Lubbock, it was spring for sure, with warm temperatures, and high winds. The winds I do not miss at all, and am so thankful that we didn't have any respiratory issues from the winds in March either! That's a change! I already posted a couple in March, so it feels like there isn't much left really. We went to Wisconsin Dells, WI for a mini vacation with Micheal's work and had so much fun at an indoor waterpark. You can see those pictures in a post below. Grandma and Grandpa Shields and Aunt Kelly also came to visit, also more in another post!

You will also see in the pictures that ALL our snow is gone! I had to add a couple pics from April already in this post to show you the nice spring days that we have already had. Some days were even in the high 70's! We took advantage of it when we could in between activities and Addison's nap time.

Addison had lots of milestones this month. She mastered the stairs, going up and down. And she began to walk! Now she is into everything, it seems like how can I move things higher and higher, they just keep growing! She also got her FIRST teeth! Yep, her first ones! And they of course weren't the 2 bottom ones that are normally the first teeth, they are her top incisors! She doesn't seem to do much anything according to how the world expects, she does it in her own way. My brother says she's going to be a vampire and that maybe I should have named her Bella!

A nice day to take a walk. As you can see, as soon as you put Addison down she walks away. It's hard to get her to stay put anywhere, even if it's for 3 seconds to take a picture.

The lost cause of an organized tupperware and lid cupboard. Addison gets into it every day, I gave up trying to make it neat....just throw it in there.

Parker going down the slide at the playground in our complex.

Addison wanting to climb up the slide. She loves to go down the slide and has even figured out how to push herself off to go down it when you put her at the top, but she doesn't have full body control yet, and will fall over by the time she's at the bottom.

Parker stylin' his cool new sunglasses for summer.

Addison on the stairs, up and down, up and down, up and down we go.

Addison has discovered she loves to be outside. She is often at the door waiting for someone to let her out and explore.

Mommy said I couldn't go outside, but she didn't say I couldn't reach outside!



An example of Addison and the balloon, that must stay on as long as it floats in the air. It doesn't even hinder her eating.

What? You aren't supposed to chew on markers? Addison learned how to pull the cap off a marker.

We went to brunch with the Easter bunny. Addison let him shake her hand, Parker wouldn't get close enough for a picture.

And, finally, the handsome and oh so sweet and smart Parker! He is doing well too. He has learned more and more words and is understanding more and more. He can tell you what animals live on the farm, and has really grasped size. He has begun to be able to match items very well and started on pattern making. I don't have as many pictures of him as he is too busy to have his picture taken. In April he is going to start swimming lessons!