If you can't go to a PLACE that's warm for Spring break, go where the PEOPLE are!

For Teya's spring break we decided to do some road trippin' to visit some of our old friends back in good ol' Minnesota!

We loaded the 3 stooges into the back of the car around 4pm and set off into the sunset.

The girls passed out fairly quickly but Cam kept on partying in his car seat till we got there after midnight.

  I mean really, how can a guy sleep when there are movies to watch? 

(he takes his movie watching very seriously as you can tell.)

We stayed the first few days with our Boston General Mills besties, the Knutson fam. Taber and Jenny worked together back in Methuen and our familes all bonded during a work offsite at Martha's Vineyard. Ever since then we've pretty much considered them as family. :)

Our 2 oldest girls are just a year apart and have a blast together.

 Our 2 youngest girls are just a year apart and also have a blast together.

 And our 2 baby boys are just 6 months apart and were pretty excited to each have there own little wrestling buddy to rumble around with.

Like I said, who needs warm weather when you get the warmest welcome from the warmest people ever? Seriously we could've just hung out at their house all day and it would've been an awesome vacation! 

 But of course we had to do a few adventures so we started with the Minnesota Children's Museum.

Kids Loved it. 

Loved watching the girls play together. It's amazing how well they get along

The boys have fun together too, touching lizards and doing boy stuff. :)

They wore themselves out climbing through the ant tunnel

Experimenting with water pressure

 And blowing bubbles. 

 The next day we headed to the Maple Grove community center (where Teya had her 3rd birthday party!) to play on the indoor playground and do some swimming. 

 The maze was awesome and definitely improved since the last time we were there. 

 The highlight though was swimming. Teya and Brinley took off like little fish, and Cam just looked like a stud in his manly little swimsuit.  

 Swimming was followed by dinner and the silliest bubble bath I have ever witnessed. These girls got the jets going and made so many bubbles that it gave them a crazy case of the giggles. They were laughing so hysterically over their bubble beards and masks and clothes, it was honestly one of the funniest things I've ever seen and I'm sure a memory they will never forget. :)

The next day we set off to spend Easter with some of our other good friends in Maple Grove, but Jenny wouldn't let us leave without a fabulous "bunny butt" pancake breakfast. Seriously so awesome.

Up next: Snowy Easter Egg Hunts, More bestie reunions, and some serious X-Box dance parties :)

She didn't get the solo, but she sang her heart out anyway.

Teya wanted to sing a solo in her school's spring choral concert more than anything. She practiced and practiced, belting the songs out every chance she could get. She has a decent voice, can hold a tune, and is super confident speaking and singing in front of people so I thought she had a pretty good chance. The day of auditions came with 4 solos up for grabs. She tried out for each one, but came home broken hearted when she didn't get any of them. It broke my heart too to see her so dejected. I wanted to tell her that the teacher made a mistake, that she picked the wrong kids, that she was missing out big time by not picking Teya!

Instead I said, "You know what? Once I tried out for a play in high school. I really really wanted the lead, and I was sure I would get it. I thought I had an awesome audition but when the cast list went up, I didn't get the part. I was so sad I didn't make it after trying so hard that you know what I did? I ran out of the school and hid behind a bush and cried and cried! It's okay to cry when you feel disappointed, especially when you worked really hard for something and it didn't work out. But the next day I went back to school and I congratulated the girl who got the part, and then I went to play practice and put my whole heart into the part I DID get, even though it was small, I still decided to do my best, and I still had a ton of fun being in that play even though I didn't get the part I wanted."

Teya sat and thought for awhile about my story, then she wiped her eyes and said, "you know what mom, I'm going to do my best too, even though I didn't get a solo. I'm still going to sing my very best and I'm still going to have fun!" 

(can't tell you how proud I felt of her in that moment :)

Teya was good for her word and on the night of the concert, she sang her little heart out and had a blast!

The concert was for all the 1st and second graders. They had hand actions and even wore sunglasses for one song. It was incredibly adorable. 

The theme was "The Sound of Color" Love their little tie dye shirts. 

Rocking the hand motions.

Such a cutie 

The whole family came to support our little songbird. 

Of course Cam got bored after the first 3 seconds so Taber spent the majority of the concert wrangling Mr. busypants.

Towards the end we finally gave in and gave him an iPhone

And after that, the iPhone did not leave his hands.

Not even to take a sibling pic. Little stinker.

Brinley was super proud of her big sissy and can't wait till she gets to sing in the kindergarten concert next year. 

Teya and Mrs. H, her awesome 1st grade teacher. 

It was a great concert, and a great learning experience for Teya. Proud of her for doing her best and making the most of it. She really is such a good kid :)

How Lucky Charms and Green Food Coloring Saved St. Patty's Day...

Teya and Brinley burst into our room at 6am on St. Patricks Day yelling, "Did he come?!! Did the Leprechaun come?"

Taber and I looked at each other with confusion and slight panic thinking, "Whoa wait... there was supposed to be a leprechaun?!!" 

Taber was quick on the save and told me to distract the girls while he ran downstairs to "check if the leprechaun had come" (wink wink)

Fortunately we keep our pantry stocked with several reserve boxes of Lucky charms at all times, so "The leprechaun" opened up a box, spread it all over the kitchen and living room, and took a green dry erase marker and drew shamrocks everywhere. Mischievous little devil... :)

The girls came downstairs and were all laughs and giggles at the naughty leprechauns mischief.

And since we were being all St. Patricky I decided to throw a little green food dye in with some whipped cream and topped the girls eggo waffles with green cream and lucky charms marshmallows.  

The girls deemed it "The best St. Patricks day ever!!"

Which is kind of cool to know that we pulled off the Best St. Patricks Day ever without even planning it. All we needed was Lucky Charms and green food coloring. Who knew? :)

Everyone should have a big sissy like mine...(by Cam Rigg)

When I wake up, if mommy is too slow to come get me out of my crib, my big sissy jumps in to play with me so I'm not sad.

My big sissy taught me the secret to staying warm on a cold day, cuddles by the heating vent. 

My big sissy lets me drape myself all over her when we watch TV together, she doesn't even mind when I suck my stinky thumb. 

My big sissy pushes me around in my car when Mommy's too busy doing laundry. She also helps me break the code on the iPad so I can play games even when I'm not supposed to. 

My big sissy lets me ride in her pink car and makes it go extra fast because I love going fast!

My big sissy is my bestest friend. 

Everyone should have a big sissy like mine. 

How grocery shopping with kids is kind of like running a marathon...

You have to make sure you carb-load 

(Costco makes this very convenient with their carb-laden samples)

You have to stay fueled during the race

(berries are a great option)

Hydration is crucial!

As you near the end, it's very common to hit a wall, but you just keep pushing....

And when you cross that finish line, as hard as it was, you can't help but smile knowing you just accomplished something pretty darn amazing. :)

I think I might have a complete meltdown when this girl goes to Kindergarten...

I think I mentioned before that I'm relishing my days with Brinley at home. We didn't put her in preschool when we moved here, so I have her home all day, every day, and when Cam is down for his nap, I have her all to myself. This is some of the cuteness I get to live with...

She loves to build towers

 Sometimes she builds them before she's even out of her jammies :)

 She wants to be a singer/rockstar when she grows up (as well as a sea explorer and an artist) So one day she set up all her stuffed animals to watch her put on a show, because of course, a rockstar needs an audience!

She loves to hear stories about what she was like back when she was "just a kid," and pours through my blog books for hours. 

She is the best big sister and such a helper with Cam during his therapy. She's always cheering him on and helping him learn new things. 

 She is genuinely happy 99% of the time and has the gift of enjoying every moment of life. 

 She LOVES babies, LOVES them! and is always the first to ask to hold one when they're around.

Love this girl SO so much and hopefully one day when she goes back to read the blog book with this post in it, she will know what a ray of sunshine she is in my life :)

Brinley may possibly have the 2 cutest friends in the world...

Since we moved to Chicagoland, Brinley has made two little friends that are so cute I can't help but take pics of them every time they're together.

This is her little buddy Rainier. 

Seriously, how cute is he? and so sweet too! 

He can totally have her number when they're 16... ;)

Foreshadowing of the future: That awkward moment when you're little brother ruins your date by sandwiching himself between you and your crush...

Another indoor playground meet up...

You gotta love a boy who likes to cook!

 This is one of my favorite pics. I asked Rainier if he knew how to crack an egg and he was like, "Oh yeah!" but as you can see by the cracked egg in the batter, he was really just kidding :)

 Cutest cookie makers ever. 

This is her other adorable friend Maddie. These two have so much fun together that after one of their play dates,  Maddie asked Brinley if she wanted to be her sister. So cute!

Love Maddie's shy little shoulder shrug smile. They are two little peas in a pod. 

And all 3 of the musketeers together at ChikFila. 

So happy Brinley has found such good little friends out here. :)