The new ride.

We got a new vehicle in the Fitzgerald household.  It's one I have been looking for, for a long time.  There was no way I was going to spend $400 on a new one so I've been stalking the online yard sale and Craigslist.  I found a couple on the yard sale but they weren't gender neutral or the kind I wanted.  I looked at Craigslist one day and found a Gator in Rockford.  I called her up and she was willing to give it to me for $100 since the battery they had "wasn't working."  I said deal and went to get it the next day.  When I got there it was a bit older looking than I expected but I had already driven there and Adelyn saw it so we got it anyways.  The people who had it did quite a bit of work on it..it's pretty souped up.  It has a better "stock" battery (I ordered 2 more, 1 to have in it and 1 to have charged and ready to go), they put new tires on it last year and they added another battery in the back.  When you hit a switch for the other battery to kick in, it goes super fast.  We haven't charged that battery up yet ;)  When I got it home Eric put the old battery on the charger just to see if we could get some juice in it.  The batteries we ordered aren't going to be here until the end of the week..kind of a long wait when you are 3.  We got it working, it doesn't last very long but it works!

She loves it.  Sooo funny to watch her figure it out.  She would hit the gas and get scared and let go and repeat.  Hahaha

She saw a butterfly in the grass and got scared that she was going to run it over.  She had to get out and take a picture ;)

Brecken woke up from his nap and had to have a ride.  We all knew he would love it.  He is going to be ripping up the yard by the end of summer..

Jojo woke up and went for a ride!  I thought she would be terrified but she loved it!  And, yes, we are those parents who use a bungee cord for a seat belt.  Don't call CPS on me.

Please get a good look at Joelle's hair.  Cracks.me.up.  We also bungee cord our children in the back.  Again, don't call CPS on me.

Bahahahahahahaha.  This totally makes me smile.  They all loved it and no one fell out.

  

PS.  The neighbor kids all thought it was hysterical that you could ride in the back.  That was everyone's favorite seat ;) ;)

Coloring!

Brecken has been itching to get his hands on some crayons.  He "asks" grunts and points every time Adelyn colors.  I decided to give it a try today..  I don't remember when I started with Adelyn but I don't think it was this early.  Brecken did really good and loved coloring.  Joelle loved coloring..and eating the crayons.  We have done it a couple times since and it's always a hit..for about 15 minutes.

B and Jojo trying it out.  Jojo was already preparing to eat them..

All 3 of my crazy babies coloring :)

Bye Josh :(

My brother is leaving tomorrow.  We had a good-bye supper tonight for him.  It's sad to see your sibling 2 weeks a year.  We are going to miss him.  He deploys in June and he gets post-deployment leave so we are hoping to see him for Christmas...and maybe Brecken and Joelle's birthday.  Hint, hint, Josh.  

When I finally sat him down with everyone, to get a picture, they were ready for bed.  They were sick, crabby and tired.  The pictures we got are pretty pathetic but that's how it goes right now.

The best one.  Jojo cried in all of them.

 An out-take.  Adelyn's wiping her nose with her blanket, Jojo is screaming, Brecken is picking his nose and Josh is trying to control almost 90lbs of wiggling children.  Ha.

Easter!

Our plans were to have 3 Easter's.  Friday night with my Dad's side, Saturday night with Eric's family and Sunday with my Mom's side.  On Tuesday our kids got mild colds.  On Wednesday Joelle stopped eating and got a fever.  On Thursday we went to the doctor (negative for a UTI, just a bad virus).  Thursday after the doctor she developed some strange twitching that was very intermittent.  Friday morning she vomited blood.  Friday morning we went to the Urgent Care.  She was diagnosed with pneumonia.  Our Easter plans came to a fast halt.  We didn't go Friday night and cancelled Saturday, since it was at our house and Eric's mom was sick.  Sunday we all went to church in the morning.  The kids sat with us since they were all sick and we made it about 3/4 of the way through the sermon before we had to evacuate. 

We went downtown Holland and got some pictures with the tulips before they were stems.  The three of them give me a run for my money trying to take pictures of them.

Daddy and his babies.

My handsome matching men.

Pretty little ladies

 Mister man.  The only shot of him, head on, that was halfway decent.  Snot included.

aanndd the only shot I got of Jojo that was halfway decent.  Ha.

Believe me when I tell you this is the best picture of me and the three of them.

Adelyn Brecken and I made it to my mom's side for lunch and the kids got to have their first Easter egg hunt of the year.  Adelyn had a blast hunting for eggs and playing at the park.  Brecken had fun entertaining everyone and causing trouble.

Little B and his bag for Easter eggs.

Adelyn and her Easter egg hunter-helper.

B and Auntie Rachie

Adelyn thought it was hysterical if you held your hand out in front of her, she blew on the party favor and it hit her hand.

My Birthday-Part 1

We celebrated my birthday on Sunday with my family, my Grandma Smit and my second cousin Simeon.  My dad and Josh are going fishing Tuesday and Wednesday so I was stuck with April Fool's day.  Priorities.  We had fish (YUM), a ranch pasta salad, fruit, rolls and angel food cake with strawberries for lunch.  All of my favorite things.

Birthday Cake!

Make a wish!  For one more baby..just kidding.  Maybe.

Finally got a picture of little B doing this.  When he crawls and he's tired, he puts his head on the ground and goes.  It's the funniest thing and he does it a lot..not so much anymore, since he typically walks.  But apparently he didn't forget.

Birthday picture with my babies.  Pretty good considering everyone had just been wailing.

Uncle Josh is home!

My brother came home late Wednesday night for two weeks.  He came over Thursday at lunch time and spent the afternoon with me and the kiddos.  I hadn't mentioned anything to Adelyn about him coming because sometimes things change in the Marines at the last minute.  Randomly on Tuesday when I was putting shoe's on B she said "Those look like Uncle Josh's shoes!"  So I did tell her on Tuesday and she was sooo excited to see him.  She has been talking about him non-stop.  He won Brecken over right away and won Joelle over today.

B and Josh reading :)

 

Uncle Josh and Jojo

Uncle Josh and his two favorite nieces.

So glad that he is home for two weeks!

Easter Tree

I bought a bunch of Easter eggs this past week intending to put some up on the tree with Adelyn at some point.  In all the craziness that idea was lost until Saturday when I saw the neighbors doing the same thing.  We had Sophia and Charlie for the day and I figured Sophia would love to help.  While everyone was sleeping I strung up the eggs and when Adelyn and Sophia got up, we went to work.

Getting started

My pretty little lady hanging up some eggs.

 

It takes a great amount of concentration to get that loop around the branch!

 

Pretty, silly girls.

Kisses!