More Fresh Air....

I'm not sure how I've gotten so lucky the last few weeks, but the kids and I have had some amazingly beautiful days off together. Today was no exception, so we seized the opportunity to take in some fresh air and sunshine.

First we filled our watering cans, and gave the tulips and perennials a drink. Erica got a new pink watering can in her Easter basket, but of course wanted Hayden's watering can, not her own. Luckily, I only had to break up a couple of fights, as Hayden soon started digging for night crawlers, and wasn't interested in watering at all anymore. (Above you can see he has made them a nice new home in a Cool Whip container--which I started collecting last year, after losing all of my Tupperware to bug and worm habitat's :) )

Next, we headed out for a long walk through the neighborhood. Hayden has decided that he can't be tied down in a stroller anymore, so Erica's baby gets the second seat these days. He usually runs ahead, lags behind, finds treasures, etc. Usually by the end of the walk he gets a bit tuckered out, and ends up in the stroller for a leisure ride home. Oscar was actually the most tired on this particular walk, as he is a bit out of shape after the winter.

Having a snack and some juice together after our walk.
What a great day!

Potty Training Progress

We are excited to announce that we are getting closer to being free of diapers at the Sharpe home! Erica has taken a new interest in going potty on the potty chair, and we couldn't be happier about it--especially since Hayden was closer to 3 1/2 before he finally wanted to perfect this feat!!

Could it be that soon our diaper bag will be obsolete??
I'll keep you posted! :)

Enjoying the Sunshine

This past Wednesday was beautiful outside, and lucky for me--it was my day off with Hayden and Erica. We decided to do something outdoors, as the sunshine was just to glorious to pass up, and I don't know about you--but I am feeling rather Vitamin D deficient with the winter dragging on for so long!!

Anyways, we packed up the double stroller, sippy cups, some bag lunches, and headed for Lake Nokomis. We left the house in shorts, which may have been a bit gung-ho, as it was really windy when we got to the lake, and I ended up changing the kids into jeans on the side of the road before our walk (how very Minnesotan of me to think it is shorts weather on day 1 of 60 degree weather, eh?).

Here are Hayden and Erica enjoying their PB&J's beside the lake after playing on the beach, swings, and big slide. It was actually kind of nice to empty sand out of their shoes again! :)

The lake was still mostly frozen, which I hadn't anticipated. Hayden was pretty bummed at first because we brought a bag of bread crumbs to feed the ducks, geese and fish. Luckily, we did find some Mallards to feed toward the end of our walk.

On the North end of the lake the ice was all pushed up onto the shoreline, and looked really cool. We, of course, had to stop and check it out. We took turns throwing ice out onto the frozen lake, and then the kids took a few "Ring around the Rosie" turns while I tried to take their photo.

The last half of the walk was quite a work out for me, as we were then going against the wind. Come to find out that double wide stroller is not very streamlined. Oh well, I guess I was due for a good first work out of the season anyhow, right?