Clara's Seventh Birthday Party & Weekend

With Clara's birthday conveniently poised the week before Easter this year, we once again opted for the old reliable - an Easter egg hunt!

About 8 or so kids came over and started off the morning playing in the backyard.

Then they decorated their buckets, before heading out on the egg hunt.

After a delicious lunch of grilled hot dogs, of which the children at very little because they all gorged on their newly acquired Easter eggs, we had birthday cake. Happy Birthday to Clara! (yes, I am belting it out).

Silly Jack.

Found this series of Meghan to be particularly cute. Not sure why she's telling me to be quiet.

Sunday, look who lost her other front tooth! Two days shy of her 7th birthday.

Jack took a walk with Daddy in the afternoon and got to play at the creek.

Sailing leaves down the "river".

Digging a tunnel.

Meghan's First Haircut (& Second Week of April)

I always try to maximize Jack's haircuts, meaning that often before his hair has grown out to an all around shagginess, it's too long in the front, but a quick snip of his bangs buys us more time before we head back to Delshay.  Goofing around after lunch outside on the picnic table, it's obviously time for a trim. 

4/9 - I perform said haircuts prior to bath time so that Jack can hop right into the water after I'm finished and rinse the fallen hair off. This night, however, Meghan wanted to get involved, and as soon as Jack was done, she sat down in the seat and demanded her turn. I figured what the heck. And that's the story of how Meghan got her first haircut. It turned out quite nicely.

She was very happy to show it off from all angles. (And you can once again see Jack's eyebrows!)

Next morning the princess is ready for her laboratory experiment.

On Friday morning we met our friend Mary at Roanoke park. Jack dug a giant hole in the sandbox.

Mary and Meghan pose for a quick pic.

Meghan shows off some new tricks on trapeze with Clara giving her pushes.

Jack's Splinter (Apr. 6 - 10)

Sometime during the second weekend of spring break in all of the time we spent outside in the backyard, Jack got a splinter in his foot. He was pretty upset but was adamant that we didn't touch it. So as a true child of Pop-pop, we soaked it in Epsom salts and waited for it to make its way out of Jack's foot.

4/7 - Monday afternoon Jack's foot was still very sensitive. He was a trooper and just hopped around all day. That afternoon after soaking it, I inspected it and pressed on it revealing this shard of wood! We were so relieved and couldn't believe poor Jack had been walking around with that in his foot. 

He was still hopping around and was assumed as the cut healed, it would become easier for him to put weight on it again.

4/9 - Wednesday arrived and Jack's foot remained extremely sensitive. After his afternoon soak it looked like this, and if I pressed on it, causing him great distress, a some pus would come out.

4/10 - Finally on Thursday after he soaked his foot again, I put a lot of pressure at the bottom of the red area on his foot and this gigantic splinter popped right out of the cut. I was completely shocked. Poor guy, no wonder he absolutely couldn't walk. He never complained, he just did not want us touching his foot. Needless to say it healed quite rapidly after that.

Spring Break in Raleigh (Mar. 31 - Apr. 4)

Continuing our spring catch up, picking up where we left off at the end of March...

Wake county threw us for a loop this year by having spring break nowhere near Easter Sunday. That meant that Nay-nay was busy working during our week off, so we opted for a stay-cation and entertained ourselves around Raleigh. 

3/28 - The Friday before the elementary school officially was on break, we explored a new play area, Prairie Ridge Ecostation, with our friend Mary. The kids had tons of fun digging in the dirt, playing with sticks, climbing, and other creative activities in this low frills nature-centered park.

Jack digs a hole with Mary looking on.

Meghan pops out of the giant culvert hill.

Much to my vexation as I was scrambling around, preparing snacks and waters for the park after school pickup, Meghan was busy creating a masterpiece with markers on Jack's bedroom wall. 

Then I turned around and saw Jack's contribution to the madness. When I asked him if he had drawn on the wall, he said that he hadn't. Upon pointing him to the word "Jordan" clearly spelled out, he responded that he had written on the wall, not drawn on it. 

Trying to prepare dinner that night, Meghan was a tad tired after a fun day of play. What a way to start our weekend.

3/31 - Monday we went back to Prairie Ridge to give Clara a chance to explore there. Clara and Janie investigate the adjacent creek.

4/1 - Tuesday we again teamed up with Janie and Mary and ventured to Durham to scope out the Museum of Life and Science. Clara and Mary ride on the parasaurolophus.

Meghan opts for the tail end.

And Jack climbs onto its neck.

Waiting for the crash test dummies demonstration.

Later on Monday evening in the backyard, the kids put on a "slide show".

4/3 - Thursday we took a trip to Roanoke Park. Clara and Janie spent the bulk of their time off playing in the trees. Jack takes his car out for a spin.

Meghan has fun sliding beside Mary.

4/4 - Friday the transplanted daffodils bloom this year, finally.

Clara and Jack snuggle on the couch for a little afternoon TV.

4/5 - Sat. morning Meghan got some Daddy time, taking a walk on the greenway and back by the church with the grassy knoll.

Meghan rolling, picking flowers, & walking home.

4/6 - Sunday morning the children are happy about something, vigorously wagging their tails.

And Sunday afternoon Clara and Daddy enjoy some quality time together at the creek.

Ice Bucket Challenge

Today our family participated in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. Brec got nominated by a co-worker's daughter and did not want to let her down. Then the kids wanted to join in on the fun. Each had their own priceless reaction to the icy cold deluge. 

Jack's turn.

Clara's turn.

Meghan's turn.

Last but not least I got roped in, thanks to Meghan.

First Days of School

Last week saw some big changes in the Carson household. Summer is over and it's time for school once more. On Monday August 25 Clara went off to her first day of second grade. 

Wake county does staggered entry for kindergarten which means that for the first week each student only attends one assigned day. So Tuesday Jack headed out the door with Clara to his first day of kindergarten!

As you can see, Jack settled in quite easily, and he played with the big yellow clock.

Then last but not least this Tuesday (Sept. 2) was Meghan's first day of preschool in the older 2 year old's class. She was very excited and even asked if she could go longer, since they only had an hour long class for the first day.

Tuesday was also Jack's first day in his assigned class with his teacher and the rest of his classmates. He settled right in at his seat and began his morning work.

And since she is so cute, here she was today on her second day of school, first full day!