Stormy weather

Yep, it's definitely spring in Minnesota as the storms hit us quite badly over the weekend. I was working on Saturday evening when the tornado sirens went off and all the staff and customers had to take shelter at the back of Target. Jon was at home and brought the kids down to the basement. The sirens went off again when I was working on Sunday but the managers decided not to shut the place down that time but a tornado did touchdown in the northern part of Minneapolis and caused quite a lot of damage and sadly two deaths. Not a very cheery subject, sorry, but unfortunately another weather phenomenon we have to live with. Oliver doesn't really like the sirens but he copes pretty well with them and, as you will see in the video, he does a very good impression of them!!!

Anyway, in between times we have had some nice sunshine and we've been outside at the parks playing. We were out this morning actually and the wind made it really chilly!! The kids don't mind but the adults do ;)

Emily had a great day of walking yesterday - she was toddling all over the place!! She was actually in a really fantastic mood and had a wonderful time at her swimming lesson which makes a change! Oliver continues to come out with some very grown up words and phrases which amaze and amuse us. He is using the word "similar" quite a lot at the moment and in the correct context which is interesting to hear. And yesterday he told me the lawn looked beautiful after I had mown it :) He recognises most letters and his counting is very good. As always, the kids do a great job playing together and making each other laugh.

It's a holiday weekend here in the US and I just have a couple of short shifts at work so hopefully we'll be able to do something fun. But, of course, there are storms in the forecast......

Emily loving her teapot :)

Not feeling well and about to fall asleep

He's got spread on his lip!! And Emily is still looking forlorn in the background!

Cute new PJs - in size 2T I hasten to add!!

"Hi Mabel. I like your hat".

"You can have it Emily. Here." :))

The bigger kids making a cherry pie!

Yum - Snugbugs!

Emily was most upset that Oliver was still taking a nap!

I asked him to smile for Nanna and this was the result - sorry about that Nanna Pan!

Silly girl!

Playdoh fun!! Emily thought it was something to eat.....

When she tips her head back like this she wants me to tickle her under the chin :)

Oliver does a surprisingly accurate impression of a tornado siren

And she's off!!!

Of course - Daddy has been out of town so Emily decided it was a good time to figure out this whole walking thing!! She took one step at the beginning of the week and today she took maybe 6 or 7 (see the video at the end). She is still pretty wobbly but she obviously loves the fact that she can do this wonderful thing :) I am pretty excited too!

The beginning of the week was beautiful weather wise and on Tuesday it reached the upper 80s! The air conditioning went on and the storms rolled in :(( The tornado sirens actually went off about 20 minutes after I put the kids to bed but nothing serious hit us here. It was such weird weather - really no rain at all, just sweltering heat, a funny coloured sky and some serious looking storm clouds!! The past couple of days have been a bit chilly and rainy and I had to put the heating back on this morning :( Another day like that tomorrow then hopefully we'll see some prolonged sunshine.

We've managed to stay nice and busy while Jon has been out of town. Play dates and school have taken up our mornings which is always good. I took the kids to swimming lessons on Tuesday night and they both did great. I was in the water with Emily and Oliver was just a short distance away in another pool so I could see what he was doing as well. When we start the next session I am going to take Emily to lessons on a Tuesday morning while Oliver is at school because I think she gets too tired going in the evenings.

Oliver has spoken to Daddy on the phone a couple of times while he's been away and it's so funny to hear him talk - he just sounds so grown up!!! This evening I told him again that the new Cars movie was coming out in a few weeks and he said: "Really? Wow! That would be good!". He makes me laugh!! And Emily's word of the moment is "hi". She says it ALL THE TIME and just loves it when you say it back :) When my phone rang the other day she said "hi" before I even answered it! So cute :)

Anyway, the kids are in bed and we are looking forward to Daddy coming home tomorrow.

She was so excited playing with the ball!

First dinner outside this year :)

Yay - we bought Candyland!!

Oliver with his new Thomas Bubble Machine

Not sure if you can see but she has dirt all around her mouth because she was eating it - lovely!

Oliver was copying Emily - I'm not sure what to say......

Park play date on Wednesday - at this point it was tipping down with rain but it did stop and the kids had some fun getting wet on the play equipment!

But I kept Emily in the stroller most of the time!! Loving the curly hair in the heat and rain!

Oliver feeding Emily some oatmeal at breakfast time

New digger PJs!!!!!

Oliver playing dress-up this morning :)

New York trip

We just got back from our week in New York on Thursday. It was a busy time but the kids, particularly Oliver, had so much fun. He was so excited about going on the airplane and he did a fantastic job on both flights. He announced on Thursday as we were landing that he wants to be a pilot when he's older (cue the "you need to study really hard" talk from mum!!!). Emily did pretty well too although she was a very wiggly worm on mum's lap. Our flight back didn't leave until 7:30pm so she was really tired and couldn't get comfy to sleep. Safe to say both kids fell asleep in the car on the way home and Oliver had to be carried inside!!

The 60th wedding anniversary party for Jon's grandparents went really well. So many people showed up and I think they were really stunned by how many people had made the effort to come along. And it was so wonderful for them to see all the great grandkids! Aunt Shari had drawn a really cool road map on a shower curtain which was taped to the floor and the kids had a blast driving cars all around it during the party!

Sunday was a bit cool and rainy so we didn't do a whole lot but took the kids to a play area in a mall. Oliver went on a carousel ride for the first time and couldn't really decide if he liked it or not. But he did go on another one later in the week so I think he's a convert! Monday wasn't as wet so we took the kids to Buffalo Zoo in the morning and then headed over to Canada to see Niagara Falls in the afternoon. Oliver was so excited to see the really big waterfall like the one in Lightning McQueen (if you've seen the movie you'll know what I mean!). He loved it and had no fear standing on the wall to take a closer look (mum almost had a heart attack at one point though - me and heights don't get along let alone watching my kids near heights). Emily was so smiley all the time as well! This was despite being sick overnight the previous night. We think there was a little bug going around as little Jameson was sick, then Emily and then me. Thankfully brief though!

Tuesday was awful weather wise but we went to the National Museum of Play in Rochester which was the most amazing place I've ever seen. Rooms and room of amazing things for kids to see and do, some based around favourite kid's characters, others science and history based but all with the element of fun. I think Oliver could have spent another whole day there and I'm pretty sure we didn't see everything.

On Wednesday and Thursday we tried to chill out a little and the kids had some time at the playground although it was chilly on the Wednesday. They were pretty tired anyway, especially Oliver as he hadn't napped all week. Now we are getting back into routine and they have both napped very well the past two days!

Jon had a very quick turnaround once we got home and headed off for a business trip to India yesterday lunchtime. He is gone until next weekend. So it is me trying to keep the children entertained for a whole week on my own! Today the weather is gorgeous so we'll be outside after naptime blowing bubbles :)

Oh, and the big news yesterday was that Emily took her first proper step!! I keep having the camera close at hand so I can catch the next one on video but nothing yet. Watch this space....

Hello???

Oliver with the Easter basket he won in the prize draw at school :)

Beautiful Oliver!

Playing at Minneapolis airport

Very handsome boys ;)

Zach and Oliver

Arianna and Emily

Mikayla, Arianna and Oliver

Emily enjoying the toys at the party

Jamie and Jameson

A photo to embarrass him in later years - he was undressing and redressing Mikayla's doll :)

Emily not looking too enthralled with the ride at the mall!!

Nor was Oliver though!! He would only go on if Mikayla or Emily did!

It's Olivia Newton Mikayla!!!

Nice play area at Buffalo Zoo

Mikayla and Emily playing together

The falls were pretty spectacular!!

Emily loved every minute of it - even getting wet!!

Jon with the 3 kids - I joked that he and Oliver even look the same in a hood.....

Museum of Play - Oliver playing at being a cashier!

The place completely wiped out Emily!

Yay - The Berenstein Bears!

Oliver went on a couple of carousel rides during the trip - the first time he had tried it

Oliver made this all by himself (thanks Aunt Patty for the craft supplies!)

And here's one he made for Emily!

Mikayla and Oliver having a picnic

Swinging in the sunshine!!

Yep, Oliver is a little big for these swings!!