Easter Time

We started off our Easter celebration by attending our church's Easter Extravaganza. We watched a drama, sang, and made a craft. Okay, I basically made the craft for Micah but he enjoyed carrying it around afterwards.
We also had an Easter egg hunt. I'm not sure we were quite ready for it at almost 2 years old. The picture shows what he did most of the time. Looked around at everyone to see what they were doing. I finally got him to pick up about 6 eggs, but that was a lot of work on my part. Maybe we should have practiced before we got there.

His favorite part was the bounce house. He really loved this and didn't mind at all being knocked over or bumped around a little.

For Easter we headed down to my parent's house. We dyed eggs which was an adventure. We really just tried to break as few as possible. Micah really loved it and was so excited to see the colored eggs when they came out.

"Ta Da," Adam and Micah say about their wire egg holders.

But best of all was dipping the wire egg holder in the food color and then sucking on it. I guess a little vinegar and food color can't hurt anyone.

Conveniently Micah and Tanner wore matching outfits. So nice of them to match to make great pictures.

Micah did a little better at his second Easter egg hunt. He picked up a couple eggs and then rode his bike. Then he picked up a couple more. I don't understand, wouldn't you want to pick up bright colored eggs and put them in your basket to keep.

I'm not really sure when eggs started having money in them because they never did 30 years ago when I was hunting eggs. These eggs had money so of course he needed a piggy bank to put the coins in. He actually enjoyed this more than picking the eggs up. He also got a tooth brush from Grammy and Grandpa which was a big hit. We had to start brushing our teeth right away. Well it was a great Easter with a little boy who is starting to get involved in all the holiday traditions.

Weeds, weeds, and more weeds

Well, you should know by now that we live on 2.5 acres. It's spring time and let me tell you, we have weeds. For all you "city folk" who are complaining about weeds let me show you just a few of our weeds. Oh, and there just happens to be an adorable little boy in the picture. Micah stomps through anything to get where he needs to go.

Why can't grownups have this much fun too!

Micah got a chance a few weeks ago to make the most of what may be the last puddles at home before springtime takes off and it stops raining. It has been neat to watch how the ground at our home and surrounding area have slowly filled up with water all winter and got to the point where puddles will stay for awhile. Now the frogs are coming out and making lots of noise every night. Can't wait to find out what happens next in the countryside.

No fear when you got stylin green frog boots like Micah does!

Finally some warm weather to wear the oufit that Aunt Jenny got for Micah from Turkey. We didn't have any Turkish shoes so boots had to do. Everyone loved his outfit at church. Jill is not the biggest fan of outfits (loves the "little man" look), but I think that it is great. When else in your life can you dress up any day of the week and get the response "how cute" and not "why are you wearing that".

Definitely a highlight of Micah's on Sundays is running around on the lawn at church with other kids after the service.

Micah's new ride.

He loves riding the scooter during the daytime so we got him one with three wheels for stability at home. He currently goes about half as fast as he can walk and is not good at steering but loves to try to get around on it anyways. The tank top and vest is definitely a look that Micah can pull off. Doesn't hurt that he loves wearing the construction hat he decorated at Jackson's birthday party with stickers.

The goodtimes roll - more fun in the snow

Micah ate his first cookie about a week or two ago. He was interested in the warm fresh chocolate chip cookie for about a bite or two and left the rest on his tray. Yet he will cry if he only gets one mandarin type orange or banana to eat. I guess it is a good thing that he likes fruit more. Continuing with the funny creativity from the last blog Micah has decided that it is more enjoyable to slide down the box that the slide came in than to slide down the actual slide. Feet first, head first, toy cars, blocks, anything goes. He also just decided that it is best to put a pile of crumpled newspaper at the bottom first and then to slide and roll around in that too.

Now for the good stuff. Micah went up to the snow at Hume Lake again for the second time. This time he was determined and knew what to do. He tried to pull the tube again with much determination but will not be big enough to do so for a few more years.

Micah's favorite was to ride the saucer on his own. Before it had stopped at the bottom of the hill he would already be saying please and want to go down the hill again. We are starting to understand that when other parents say the kids are wiped out after a day in the snow that they really mean themselves.

Every once and awhile we would be lucky enough that Micah would let one of use ride with him down the hill. Micah and Jill definitely score style points for both wearing knit beanies/caps.

Micah did some rides with Adam too. Just becuase there is snow outside doesn't mean that it is really cold. With the temperature probably in the 60's the big winter jacket and carrying Micah up the hill was too much for Adam.

Since Hume Lake is where Micah's cousin Tanner lives we got to spend much of the day with her too. Toddler's are not the best at sharing so we only got a few chances to slide down the hill with both of them at the same time. Taking two toddlers at once also meant getting both of them to sit in the tube and get pulled up the hill together. Two are about the limit at one point we had a third toddler along for the fun and need both an adult pusher and puller to get the tube up the hill.

Mr. Funny Man

Micah has been loving to have fun lately in some pretty interesting ways. WE have found out that he continues to love crumpled up newspaper and we have a hide-n-go-seek type of game with him that is hilarious. He also likes to run around and have newspaper "snow" fall on him.

He also is still very attached to his blanket and loves to carry it around while playing. Last week he decided to put it over his head and try to climb up to his slide and then slide down the slide. He did pretty good and got a good laugh from us so he went back around and did the same thing several more times.

Daddy and Son Snow Fun!

Adam and Micah made a trip up to Hume to check out a tractor and had some fun in the snow. The first thing they did was ride Uncle Jay's big snowplow. Well I guess it's not really Jay's he just get to use it.

Then cousin Tanner joined them for some rides down the tube runs.

Micah wanted to walk up the hill on his own but it is really hard work for a little guy.

He also thought he was big enough to pull the tube everywhere but he needs to get a little stronger. So Adam had fun hauling Micah and the tube up the hill. Micah had a blast riding down!!! I was sad I couldn't join them but I had commitments in Fresno.

Goodbye 2009 Hello 2010

For New Year's day we went to the Hmong New Year's celebration at the Fresno Fairgrounds. I was able to get Jill to go again (3rd time?) and it was a first for Micah. I think that I am on 5 years in a row now. Micah loved all the booths, sounds and traditional clothes that many people were wearing. Last year I went by myself and spent time with my friend Ger and his family, at the end of the time there I saw a little shorts and shirt outfit and Ger ended up buying it for him. This year we got Micah the same type of outfit in a bigger size and also a matching hat to go with it. When it gets warm again Micah will be sure to wear his outfit to church and maybe some other places it Jill will allow it. Micah also enjoyed his first taste of Hmong sausage and bbq'd chicken along with a jello drink with a coconut milk flavor
Also this past week we said good bye to our Christmas tree for the year. I will miss seeing it lit up in the window as I would drive past each night coming home from work and looked forward to spending the evening with Jill and Micah.

I am sure that Jill will have more to add about the New Years too!