Spring Dates, Milestones, & Round Up

Spring brought some really great weather, family visits, and precious (and somewhat hilarious memories)... 

Market street dinner with Dee Dee.. strip down to your boxers?  Why not!

shopping with Dee Dee

I assure you Market street was safe although the jewelry store "was the worst ever"

And did I mention the seriously glorious weather?  We enjoyed it!

rolling in the dirt with friends

planting

sweet boy with my new planters

Finally took down the diving board and redesigned the pool area

washed our truck of course

painting outside

glorious sunny afternoons

Lots and lots of swimming

April brought Easter.. and unfortunately a few rounds of the sickies.  We had to get creative to make it all work but we did it!  Dad went out of town for the week leading up to Easter so we had lots of fun shopping and getting ready.

Then this happened...

Mommy.. I don't feel so good

So we missed the school Easter egg hunt.. but made up for it at home!

dying eggs of course

working hard on our stickers

hiding them all around the house. over and over and over again.

They were both well enough to attend a super fun Easter party complete with baby chicks, dugs, and chocolate surprise eggs.  

But then the next morning... this happened.

no brother doesn't feel good :-(

So Easter looked a little different for us.  Eli was my date to Saturday services.

This guy was my date to church and was a perfect gentleman.  He told me I looked beautiful and he held my hand.  He's a thinker and I love his questions and conversation.  His smile melts my heart and I love to hear him laugh.  He's a little bit wild, a lot silly, and absolutely loved by his momma and his Maker.

And the next morning Mom headed off to work and worship while the boys stayed home to recover.  Eli over heard me talking to Justin about trying to make Easter morning special and to make a breakfast.   All by himself he decorated and set a "special Easter breakfast" complete with the Resurrection Eggs as a center piece and the empty tomb egg on top.  He even filled a pitcher of "fresh water" for the table.  #thatsmyboy   Making lemonade friends!

The next weekend we celebrated the wedding of the boys precious teacher Ms. Summer.   But just our luck.. Eli had strep AGAIN. Eli to Beckett and passed back to him from Beckett.  2 times in 3 weeks.  STOP.  I think this picture pretty much sums up his feelings on getting left behind while Beckett and I headed out for a date. That sweet face in the window :-(

The most handsome date in the place.

My Beckett.  His heart is pure joy.  He loves hard and big.  This night was one of those nights where I wanted to freeze time.  Lock these memories away fro a life time.  He is such an encourager and told me over and over how much he loved me and "how good that dress looks on you." During the wedding he head the words "love you with my whole heart" and he leaned over to me and said " mommy. I love God with my whole heart."  His constant commentary of the night ended with " I wasn't expecting this.  They sure know how to throw a party! " God's goodness and mercy abound in this little guy.

Bribed to take this picture.  "Mom. All the girls like me and I DO NOT want to take a picture with them."

"Mom. I love you but I am saving my first dance for Ms. Summer"

If these fun dates weren't enough to show me how fast they are growing up, we had a little surprise.  Eli was eating dinner and we were having corn on the cob.  He told me his mouth felt funny and sure enough a wiggly tooth.  Didn't take long until I got this picture from his daddy at a baseball game.

Yep.  First tooth gone.  What a big celebration! 

This bear hung on the hospital door when he was born and tonight we got him out.  The little pocket on the back for teeth seemed so so far away then.  A handwritten note, a little snack, an enormous amount of excitement (and a touch of jealousy from sweet brother) and we are ready for our first visit from the tooth fairy!

In anticipation for registering for Kindergarten we finally had our 5 year check up.  Yeah.. well, better late than never.   Beckett is a "square" says the nurse 43" tall and 43 lbs :-)   Eli is a little smaller 42" and 41 lbs but they have the same shoes size, clothes size, and even the same hair now that Eli decided to "grow his long like Beckett's".   Hearing test and eye test all good.  Healthy big boys reading for Kinder in the fall :-)  

And we are officially registered!  Kindergarten round up was held in late April.  As we pulled into the parking lot Beckett said "I'm kind of nervous."  After seeing the school though they both got excited.  Lots of paperwork for mom (x2) and disbelief that this is actually happening! 

We are so big in fact that we had to say goodbye to part of our family.  Seriously feel so silly about this but these guys have been with us since they were born.  Rear facing.  Hours and hours of long car rides.  Too many flights to count. I remember how much I stressed about how expensive they were and turned out they were worth every penny.  Lots of memories made in these seats... but their new big boy versions are awesome.  

What's next? Driving the car??  What a great spring!

Love, 

The Riley's