So I don't have many new updates... maybe that is a good thing! Life is just zooming by as it always does this time of year. Caleb has been up and running with the start of another landscaping season and the boys and I anxiously await his return every evening! It's really fun to see how excited they get to see him when he pulls up in his truck and they freeze where ever they are ... because they know the sound of his diesel truck... then when they see him it's all hugs and kisses! So sweet! And Caleb, I'm sure, is JUST as excited to see them!

Luke zoned out in the basket of toys! Playing hard is tiring! :)

Caught them reading books together... 

Best buddies... I just love them!

Found this sculpture today when I was cleaning... I saw Max stacking this earlier but I was pretty impressed when I realized he fit a cow in the mix of rings! Ha!

We have an exciting weekend ahead of us! We are walking in the March for Babies event up in Duluth on Saturday morning, helping to raise money to combat prematurity. March for Dimes is an amazing organization that has done awesome things for the world of preemie care and research! If you would be interested in donating check out www.marchforbabies.org/audreyjean. We have joined Miss Audrey's team. She was one of our neighbors in the NICU that has an amazing story! I'm excited to have a mini reunion with some of our great friends and acquaintances from the unit!

We also have a gender reveal party to go to Saturday night. One of my good friends, Seanna, due in the end of August is having a get together/bbq with a bunch of friends and they are revealing the gender of their sweetie-to-be! Such a fun idea! Her and her husband found out the gender at their 20 week ultrasound a few weeks ago and they have been strong enough to keep the secret to share it with all of their friends and family this weekend! We are all pretty excited to find out what they are having!!!

Parties!

This past weekend we got to go to John's 2nd Birthday Bash! It was a blast! It's so fun to watch the boys grow up together and to see them interact more and more. John is such a sweet and super SMART little boy. He is a joy to be around and his parents have done an awesome job so far. I am so thankful that God has blessed us with amazing friends to go through life with. Amber and Dawn and I have had a great connection raising our boys... hand in hand. It has been such a constant joy and safety knowing that I have two other woman that love my boys just like I love theirs, and knowing that I can call them at any hour to ask all those crazy mom questions... like what is the toddler dosage for Tylenol... again!?!?! Ha ha!

You know my favorite... before and after... Below is one from John's Birthday party last year and then his party this year! Wow! Amazing what can happen in a year. We went from babies to BOYS! 

 Luke... Tyler... John.... Max               Luke.... Max... Tyler.... John

Max got this sweet new toy from Grandma Cookie in his Easter basket... he LOVED it! His facial expressions were priceless!

And again... ever amazed!

My handsome Luker... after a bath and ready to go home!

Ok, I know I'm partial, since I'm their mom... but aren't they so cute!? 

The boys got to go to our local airport, which is about a mile and a half from our house, to watch Papa land the other day! It was great!!

Future pilots?
Just call them Goose and Maverick! :)

Here comes Papa! 

So happy to see his boys!

We also got to go see my grandma in Ashland the other day and we also got to meet our newest little cousin... Sophia! She was born just a month ago and is so tiny and sweet... and did I mention, girly?! It was a blast to see them!

Great Grandma and Max... I think Max was supposed to be wearing the crown... but this works too! :)

Luke and Great Grandma... she really is a GREAT grandma! 

Spring Projects

We have been busy bees around our house, trying to get some last minute things done before the landscaping season starts. I know that in a matter of days... the dreaded words will be spoken... ROAD BANS ARE OFF! Which means, goodbye Caleb, see you next fall. Well... that might be a little dramatic, but you get the idea. So here are some pictures that I have been meaning to get on here...

A little before and after... this is before, of course.

And after-ish! We still have lots to do, but it sure looks different, thank goodness!

I'm so thankful that my husband can do things like this! He even made a gate out of the same materials to put at the top of the stairs. I'm excited to get staining now!

Max riding his four wheeler, that actually goes! It's supposed to have a 6 volt battery but all that Caleb had in the garage was a 12V, so it goes a little fast to say the least!

Luke is just determined that if he sits long enough on the big wheeler that someone will give him a ride... always perched on there!

Max giving his baby a ride! So sweet!

I could hear him talking and grunting and I looked over and there he was... getting his baby ready for the ride!

Luker

Dad tickling the boys...

Looks fun?

So you know how I like before and afters... here's another one. Caleb and Luke touching for the first time. Luke was only days old.

And this was just Sunday, after he woke up from his nap.

We had a great Easter!!!!! We went to my parents' on Saturday night and then were with Caleb's family on Sunday. All of the boys' cousins were sweet enough to stuff the boys' eggs and hide them in the yard. So fun to watch them search in excitement!

Max with Grandpa.

Dad and Luke.

Found another one!!

Mmmm... yogurt bites inside! Sorry... no candy!

I just have to say, we have such awesome family. It is so nice to get to spend time all together and relax, play, make memories and eat! :) I just feel so blessed to have times like these, with my boys. And to know that there are many more memories to be made in the future!!

The boys got this sweet little 50's diner set from my mom and dad for their birthday, which yes, is next month. But Grandma Cookie just couldn't wait! And I'm happy she didn't... they love it!!!!!

And it's so cute... with a little jukebox and ice cream scooper. And pie, hotdogs, and hamburgers. Just too cute!

The boys are busy cooking right now in their new play set and they are working on the whole sharing thing. Just doesn't come easy! Also, in other good news... we received a letter just on Saturday that brought me to tears. It read...

Dear Parent/Guardian of Luke:
It was nice to meet with you and to evaluate your child, Luke. We are very pleased with his ongoing progress. Luke's growth had been excellent...
Luke now scores in the normal range on our developmental assessment. His physical exam was also normal.
In summary, Luke has shown significant growth and improvement in his development scores. He is now thriving. We feel that he is doing very well and he will be discharged from the NICU Follow-Up Clinic.

Now, I understand that this letter is automated for the most part... Max got the same exact one. But as I am reading this letter in the car on the way to my parents' house, Give Me Revelation is playing on the radio and I just started to bawl! I couldn't help but get overwhelmed remembering the fact that I put the lyrics to that song on my blog while the boys were in the trenches during their NICU stay, and not knowing how to handle it. And now... they are normal, they are thriving! It just blows me away! And more than anything... it hit me like a freight train that God hears me... He really hears my cries and answers my prayers. Amazing! The season of Easter is humbling. To think that God gave us His son, wow, we are not worthy! How awesome!