the kids were invited to a church friend’s bowling birthday party this week.  they’d never been bowling before and i wasn’t exactly sure how they’d like it.  maybe the ball would be too heavy (i only remember the 8 lb ball being the lightest one as a kid), maybe they wouldn’t be able roll it hard enough to get all the way down the alley, maybe they’d want to be done halfway through.  turns out, they both loved it and had a great time!  especially my boy mikey who couldn’t get enough of it. who says frilly pink skirts aren’t proper bowling attire? mikey’s feet were too small (size 11)…

so with phil in new mexico (he’s back now, more on that later), and while the kids are home this week on spring break, we’ve been sticking close to home on a more relaxed schedule and just enjoying doing little things together. since we didn’t get to it over the weekend, we went ahead and dyed easter eggs yesterday. hey allie, wanna make some easter eggs? i wish i had put allie more in focus in this picture cuz i love her expression here.  live n learn, right? they got right to work dunking in the eggs. carefully, carefully… and then we waited… and waited…  (btw, it finally dawned on…

phil came home yesterday a little after 8 in the morning.  he said it had been a particularly busy call night at the hospital and he’d been up the entire night.  he was tired.  but he still somehow managed to to stop in at walgreens to pick up these for the kiddos: they’re pretty lucky kiddos. “mama, are these for us?!”  note phil’s legs as this is just about the time he crashed on our bed and fell fast asleep.  and started snoring. he really loves surprise easter baskets. allie could hardly wait for lauren to finish her milk so that she could give lauren her very own basket, too.…

thank you for the get well wishes! after a rough night with mikey, it looks like we are coming out of the woods as far as gross bodily fluids are concerned.  we spent today (the first day of the kids’ easter vacation) hanging out at home.  which for some reason happens to be my kids’ very favorite thing to do.  often mikey will ask me in the morning, “mommy, stay home today and do nothing all day long?”  you’d think he’d be hoping i’d have some great outing planned.  but no, he actually loves staying home and gets all excited when i say YES!  and because i love him and…

at this very moment, i *thought* i would be sitting with lauren in a large room with lots of other parents and grandparents.  i *thought* i would be watching as mikey and allie and the rest of their classmates stood on risers in front of us and sing their joyous easter songs.  i *thought* i would be simultaneously snapping pictures and trying to keep lauren from wandering off.  i *thought* i would later bring home my pictures and video footage and post them here, to relive a happy event in the kids’ lives. but all that was not to be. instead, we’re now quarantined. this morning started off like any…