The Arrival

Here are the pictures. No order. Self explanatory.

Things have happened...

Grandma and Grandpa arrived so we showed them the willows. But here's a picture of us.

Grandpa read books and books.

Grandma brought sticker earrings for the girls!!

We waited for Grandma and Grandpa Tovey to arrive to celebrate.

Happy Birthday to Ruby!

She is glad to be able to tell you she's two. (It's a piggy cake.)

Bocce and Art

Every year on Memorial Day the Elder's Quorum of the Ames 1st Ward has a get together where where we bring snacks and have a Bocce Challenge. Yes, bocce ball. I had never heard of bocce ball before arriving in Ames, but it's pretty big in this ward. Last year I was too busy with the girls to compete, but this year I was the runner up (by one point). Since the winner had recently moved to North Carolina (his sister was getting married and he was visiting), I am now the holder of the trophy which is prominently displayed in my entry way as outlined under the Rules of Engagement of the Bylaws Governing Award of the Russell Trophy. Yes, it's a serious matter here.

Anne and Megan were drawing pictures of each other a few days ago. Anne's picture has a description as she described to Megan after finishing. (I think she captured Megan's belly well, don't you?) Then she asked Megan to draw a picture.

Too bad Ruby got a few marks on Megan's head with the crayon when no body was looking.

The Birthday Ball

Anne is 4!

She loves to fill her days

coloring and drawing pictures for friends and family

playing with her sister

and her dolls

(and even, sometimes, both together)

riding her bike

(we just took off the training wheels tonight!)

digging with sticks in the mud

and

watching Dora the Explorer

Yesterday was a good day and Anne was sad to see it end.

She kept asking if today was still her birthday.

Here are some highlights from the day:

First thing birthday morning she donned the birthday hat.

The guests arrived for the Ball. Don't they look fancy??

Anne requested a strawberry birthday cake this year. So we made half cake and half cake balls. Yum!

Birthday present time!! Finally!!

My favorite gift, if not hers :) So funny!

The Dutch & the Poo, Happy Mother's Day to You

I (Randy) only had braces for 2 years... and a retainer for 6 years prior so they could get braces on.

Anne still can't wait to play the violin. This violin is a baby toy guitar and the bow is a wooden screw driver.

What an angel.

We went to the 75th annual Tulip Time Festival in Pella, IA. It's a small town that was founded by Dutch immigrants and they have a week of parades and all things Dutch. I'm not sure if spring hit a little early this year, but we did make sure to get a picture by one of the last tulip flower beds that still had flowers with petals on them.

It was sweet to see a parade where one of the main attractions was a bunch of parents pushing their kids in strollers (many with wooden shoes, of course).

We weren't quite sure what this float had to do Holland, but then we saw the shoes...

Our favorite part of the parade.

Anne's and Ruby's favorite part of the day -- the shuttle ride into the city -- in a REAL (old) yellow school bus!

Ruby has been getting into EVERYTHING lately. The highlight of our week was when Ruby showed us that a travel size tube full of

+

+

=

poop on the floor

(I'm talking a log)

The most amazing part was that she never took her diaper off...

Happy Mother's Day!!!

Whoa-ho!!

Here is an attention-getter.

Seen from one of my favorite angles--usually my only angle. And yes I am leaning forward a lot so I can see my toes. After confirming how many weeks along I am, the doctor told me I have a "good sized" baby. I'm thinking on the bright side. I'm going to believe that just means they were wrong on the due date and she'll probably be coming earlier! I can hope right?

Last week was VEISHEA at ISU, and Saturday was the parade! We met some friends there and watched together, then made Thai food afterward. It was a great day. The weather was perfect for parade watching--or just being outside. Not too hot, and not too cold! (Although it must have been a lot sunnier than I thought because we all got sunburned noses and cheeks.)

Anne is becoming really good at gathering candy. She and Ruby accumulated an impressive number of tootsie rolls. I like it that Anne is still a little nervous to just run more than a few steps out into the street to get the candy. She always made Randy go with her.

Ruby was pretty funny too. She couldn't stand to have empty hands. Dad was in charge of holding the candy bag and it took a lot of convincing to get Ruby to go make deposits. Her hands were too full to pick up more candy more often than not. When she did put the candy in the bag she always kept at least one piece. She ate so much candy!

After the parade we saw some tractors and the girls climbed on them for a while.

Anne has been practicing her bike-riding so she can show the grandmas and grandpas when they visit.

I know, it is hard to believe I'm only 32 weeks... and that I can still stand upright. Whoa-ho, right?

Easter and Art

Happy Late Easter!

It was fun to have grandma and grandpa Griffiths over this year! This morning Anne was still asking for Grandma.

We did the egg hunt at a park this year. It made for a much better egg hunt.

We went to see the baby horses at the university Easter morning.

Anne's art has been getting very good. A few months ago she started drawing people: 1- draw circle for head, 2-draw eyes (now with eyeballs but they started as swirls), 3-draw arms from middle of head (but now arms have been replaced by earrings), 6-draw lines from bottom of head for legs, 5-add lines above head for hair, 6-girls get eyelashes.

Anne did this today. Do you see the smile and the three eyes (blue, green, yellow)? (earrings, not arms)