Egg Dying & Easter Baskets

Season of Robots

You know your son is obsessed with robots when, during homeschooling, his idea for an "H" thing is a "House" robot that shoots bubbles out of its chimney, has 2 door legs, and window eyes lol!  2 weeks ago, when we were on the letter "A" it was an "Army" robot... what next?! And of course, Ellie gets into the robot fun and talks like a robot at random times!

Tulip Festival 2011

Grandma & Grandpa Telenga got to see Tulip Town for the first time!  It was a pretty cool, windy day...but we managed to see most of the tulip fields before it started to rain.

Grandma Kathy & Ellie at the indoor display at Tulip Town

Daddy & Ellie

The happy soon-to-be parents!  Auntie Theresa & Uncle Eric came to see the tulip festival for the first time too!

G & G got this painted on Ellie's cheek while at Tulip Town (she was SO impressed and happy about her first time getting her face painted!)...it matched her jammies perfectly later that night!

at the tulip fields April 21, 2011.  nice sunny day!

this pink variety of tulips were HUGE!

Auntie Missy (first time seeing the tulip fields too!) & the kids having fun!

Joel & Ellie thoroughly enjoyed the mud puddles...

some of my favs

Ellie and her friend Olivia

beauty

friends walking in the fields

my friend Wendy & I with her daughter Olivia

Missy & I (=

Love this one of Auntie Missy & Ellie

Daddy & Joel all smiles, holding some tulips to take home for me (=

Joel's First Day of Kindergarten

I'm sure you can tell by these pictures that he was just a little excited to be officially starting Kindergarten!  I think he was up bouncing off the walls at 6am when John got up for work!  Thankfully I convinced him to go back to sleep until 7:30.  It was a great start and he enjoyed science and reading books the most...and of course getting to go on the computer to watch a short video with quiz and "build" satellites!  I'm still getting into the swing of things as far as figuring out how to teach handwriting and math.  At times, it was a little challenging to keep Ellie occupied, but overall she loved to sit and color/doodle and listen in on what we were doing.  I'm loving how laid back and fun the morning went...we were able to get a lot accomplished by 11am and be done for the day and ready to hop over to playgroup and an appointment in the afternoon.  We're hoping to get Joel back into gymnastics next month and get him registered with Home Connection for some added homeschooling support.  What a new adventure and season we are stepping into!  I'm so grateful we have the Lord's guidance and wisdom to get us through each new thing He's called us to do.  What a privilege and joy to get to educate our kids and prepare them to be a positive influence on the world around them!  Please pray for us to be good partners with the Lord in raising Joel & Elianna. 

3

skyping with Grandma Susan & Auntie Jess while opening presents from them

loving the new shopping cart!

yep. one happy girl.

bring on the cupcakes!

the scene

cherry cupcakes with heart jelly beans (=

enjoying the cupcakes with friends

dishing them up

present time!

our friends Tim & Beth

friends Mindy & Larissa with their kids

diggin the new hair clippies

reading a card from friends Noah & Johanna

playing around

impressed with the pink Duplos!

common!  just one pic you 2!?!

thanks for the nice clothes Auntie Ericka & Uncle Ryan

yay!  stickers from G & G Telenga!

dressing up like a ballerina

ballerina slippers from Mom & Dad

those beautiful brown eyes

Princess Ellie

Our little Ellie has grown into quite the little girl now that she is 3 and is an official preschooler!  She has this way of making us savor and love life more...with her slower pace, all her smiles 'n giggles, graceful twirls, and wonder at the new things coming alive all around her.  Today I told her I loved her and her reply was, "I love you to the milkiest waves...the galaxy rangers!"  {Translation:  to the ends of the Milky Way Galaxy.  Galaxy Rangers is a movie Joel likes...so of course she likes it too lol} She doesn't seem to be very shy and I often wish during the quiet times in church that I could locate her mute button!  She is a joy and a cutie pie!  That is, when she isn't going through the typical tantrums and screaming at the top of her lungs when her brother looks like he might think of touching one of her toys!  She loves the water (even if it's cool).  I think swimming lessons will be good for her this year.  She is doing good with potty training, but it is a process.  No accidents as long as I take her (kicking and screaming many times...where does this stubborn streak come from I wonder?!) to the potty every 3 hours or so.  Eventually it's gotta click and she'll start telling me when she has to go or just start going on her own.  She is doing pretty good at nights too...50% of the time she wakes up dry.  We'll get there!  She is curious about everything I do in the bathroom and often asks for a dab of whatever makeup I'm putting on, to have her nails painted, or some lip balm.  It's adorable how proud she is of her own unique beauty...I hope she always has that pride in how wonderful God made her.  Now that she's 3, she has graduated to 3/4 year old Sunday school (called Super Lights at our church).  She's ready for the new challenge and seems to enjoy it.  She still loves to come and sit in my lap and see what I'm up to on the computer daily.  And ask for a drink of my tea.  I love these little everyday moments.  It is so fabulous having a daughter! 

Interview on her favorites at age 3
Color:  Pink (and purple is another favorite)
Animal: Dog (as long as they don't lick me!)
Snack:  Goldfish crackers
Ice Cream:  Phish Food (Ben & Jerry's) 
Treat:  Gummies
Thing to do with Joel:  Snuggle parties & building
Book:  look at her photo albums
Music:  TobyMac
Songs to sing:  "Cubbie Song" from Awanas and "Jesus Loves the Little Children"
Thing to wear:  dog shirts
Game:  potato bowling