2nd Birthday Extravaganza!

Bo turned 2 on Tuesday and on Saturday we celebrated with a big construction themed birthday party. All of our family and friends came over to celebrate. 

Bo up from his nap and ready to party!

Ava was ready to party too!

The girls playing. I have a feeling there will be a lot more of this in the future. 

I love the look on their faces. We must have been making funny noises and faces. 

Bo's construction cake

Bo trying really hard to blow out his candle. He did finally get it. 

Happy boy after his cake and ice cream!

Hitting his piñata. Bo was a little frantic when the big kids started tearing his tractor apart.

It turned out to be a super fun birthday party and Bo had a great time. Thank you to all who came to celebrate!

Easter!

What a busy weekend we had last weekend! We started it off on Saturday morning with our church's Easter egg hunt. There were a ton of kids and Bo had a blast. His most favorite thing at the carnival after the hunt was the basketball shooting game. He didn't want to use a little ball. He had to use the full size basketball. He never got close but had fun trying. They also kept trying to give him a prize for trying, but he didn't want one, he just wanted to keep shooting. After naps that day we dyed eggs. Bo wasn't that interested but ever since has been obsessed with eating the Easter eggs. 

Chillin' and watching all the kids. 

Bo ready to eat his "Easter" (Easter egg candy)

Dying eggs

Our eggs

Sunday morning Bo came downstairs to find his Easter basket and a few hidden eggs.

Chocolate basketballs, soccer balls, and baseballs.

Daddy and Ava watching Bo "hunt" eggs in the living room.

Pretty girl

After church we headed to David's parents house for lunch and more egg hunting. There were 11 kids hunting eggs!

Bo grabbing up eggs

We stopped at home for a quick nap before we headed to my Grandma Stude's house for dinner. Unlike the last egg hunt, Bo was the only kid hunting. He has fun hunting eggs wether he's 1 of 30 or by himself. 

Can you spot the egg he's running after?

He's a little spoiled - can you tell?

Ava likes Easter eggs too. 

All Grown Up!

We've had a blast the last few days! On Monday afternoon we took Bo bowling for the first time. He saw some kids on TV bowling and was really interested. He was so in his element and I should have known - any sport with a ball is his sport! That ball could not come back fast enough from knocking down the pins. He even tried to use David's 12 lb. ball! Crazy boy!

Excited to get started. 

Love the tongue! Concentrating so hard!

Aren't these tiny bowling shoes so cute?! I didn't think they'd have size 6 toddler, but they did. 

Putting the ball on the ramp. 

Letting it go!

Watching it knock down the pins. 

Daddy showing us how it's done!

Ava cheering on the boys. 

On Thursday, Monica and I took the kids to Funville in Crown Center. Although it was SUPER busy due to Spring Break, it was still fun. Bo saw a lot of fun stuff, including a really cool model train exhibit at Union Station. Funville was neat, but if you plan on going, leave the non-walking kiddos at home. No strollers allowed inside, mainly because it's not big enough. The same person/group who did the painting and design of the children's museum in Johnson County also did Funville. If it were closer I would go back because there was so much fun stuff!

Bo loved being a pro football player.

All of the rooms were so small that grown-ups could only fit into a few rooms.

Playing guitar just like (soon to be) Uncle Darren. 

Farmer Bo - almost 2

Here is farmer Bo at 16 months old at the Johnson County museum. 

President Bo

Into the rabbit hole. I'm not sure what was in there, but it was dark and he liked it!

Out the rabbit hole.

Cookin' cousins

Lilly eating the pizza Bo and Henry cooked up.

Dr. Bo checking lungs

Bo LOVES animals, especially dogs. Maybe a vet when he's all grown up?

See ya later!

Throwback Thursday: Remembering Hallie

I spiffed up my blog's layout a bit. I kept trying to get a really cute picture header and it just wasn't working out. Oh well, I really like the way it turned out. 

Most of you already know about our losing our sweet boxer girl Hallie in the middle of November. I've gone through a really weird grieving process and I'm not sure why. The day it happened I was shocked, three days after I was already looking at a new dog (really sensitive, right?), and I haven't really grieved or missed her until recently. I've decided to dedicate this Throwback Thursday to Hallie. Here are a few of my most favorite memories and things you might not have know about her. 

1) She was our first dog. One Saturday, the day before Easter 2007, I randomly went into PetSmart. Safe Harbor Prison Dog program was there with their adoptable dogs. All the dogs were in playpens except for one, who was just on a leash next to their table. I thought she was one of the workers pets. I walked by, thinking how pretty she was. I made myself walk back by and ask if she was for adoption too. She was. I called David and he met me there. He knew when I called that we were not leaving without her. 

We loved dressing Hallie up. She was very tolerant. 

2) David was her favorite. She loved everyone, but her and David were best buds.

Daddy and Hallie resting. 

3) Hallie was named by the inmate who trained her. He named her after Halle Berry because she looked like Cat Woman.

Hallie was a Chief's fan.

4) Hallie could tear up an entire phone book by herself. (This was before Max!)

5) Hallie was a lap dog. A fifty pound lap dog, but she thought she was a little dog.

She loved to be comfy.

6) Hallie didn't get any gray hair until Max showed up. She was starting to slow down and didn't want to play anymore. After we got Max she turned gray, but also found a new love for playing.

The first day we brought Max home.

Siblings playing

7) Max licked Hallie's feet, face, and ears everyday. He loved his sister and took care of her. She didn't reciprocate. lol

Max giving Hallie her daily bath. 

8) Bo didn't start saying her name until a week before she died. Hallie died playing in the yard with Max. We are not sure, but we think she had a heart attack. As far as dogs, I think this was the best way to go.

Silly girl 

9) Max misses her and still has good days (when he seems happy) and bad days (when he doesn't want to do anything but sleep). He misses his sister.

10) We all loved Hallie very much and miss her everyday.