So, I've been inspired by my sisters to make my blog "cute." Last night the kids and I sat down and went through all the cousins' blogs and decided we needed to make ours better. We looked through all the cute blog templates and Madalyn's vote won this time with the yellow flowers. Erik put up a songlist with a few of our family favorites and fixed the layout. I put up a ton of pictures and I don't think you can see them all on one page, so you'll have to check the archives to make sure you get to see them all.

4 away from 40

We celebrated Erik's birthday on Friday because he had to be out of town for the actual day. Erik asks for the same cake every year since he first had it...that Chocolate Prailine Cake. McKay asked if daddy was 4. Erik laughed and said 4 away from 40! Are we really that old already. I say we because my day to be 4 away from 40 is just around the corner.

The kids were exhausted every day. Erik couldn't resist taking a picture of our sweet babies when they were asleep. I just love that they can't talk back. The girls had so much fun sharing a room at the beach that they've decided they want to share a room at home. They have been getting along great. Erik and I are on pins and needles wondering how long it's going to last. I hope forever. I told them how Aunt Kate and Aunt Emily shared a room thier whole life until they got married. Madalyns eyes got huge and her jaw dropped..."thier whole life?!....WOW!"

At the pools, the girls made friends with some girls from Kentucky. It's like they were kindred spirits or something. We've never met another sister combo that had so much in common with Madalyn and Maryn. They had a blast in their pretend animal worlds and running back and forth between the hot tub and the pool. This is a picture of them on thier last day together. Erik and I had fun visiting with thier parents, who were also amazed that there was another pair of sisters/daughters just like thiers. It was alot of fun! HELLO to the Patels if they read this!

Here's Mads checking out her treasures. She wasn't too interested in getting totally wet, unless there was a cool shell involved.

Don't know what happened with the picture on that last post, but here it is. He's my cutie!

McKay loved the water too. He was shivering the whole time we were in the ocean but wouldn't sit out for a second. He had to keep up with his sisters. Erik got him a body board and showed him how to ride the waves in. He didn't quite get the idea but had fun trying.

Maryn is my water baby. She has always loved being in the water and didn't think twice that the ocean might be cold or too deep! She loved it!

Here are the kids searching for sea shells or whatever the waves send in. The water was really rough while we were there and the kids had more fun in the pool that in the water at the beach. We found lots of fun shells. Madalyn was most interested in finding the "cool" ones and is very proud of her collection.

Spring Break 2008

We went to the Alabama Gulf Shores for Spring Break this year. Actually, I think it's the first time my kids have been to a real beach and the first time we've taken a family vacation during spring break. In the south, it is THE thing to head to the beach while the kids are out of school, so we went and had a great time. It was fabulous to escape for a few days and relax.