#87. Winter/Spring Wrap Up

Even though the weather was mostly frightful throughout the late winter and ENTIRE spring, the twins still found plenty of fun things to do.

Like celebrating Trig's birthday!!

Our lucky 6 year-old girl earned a special treat!

Speaking of treats, one day after school the twins decided we needed to bake cookies.  (Dad was on pins and needles watching them pose for pictures while handling the hand mixer!)

Cheers to the best part of the operation!

The twins stayed warm and cozy during the cold months...Luke shows off his 'hot mess' pajamas...our kids never wear a matching set!

Clare and Luke took in a little theater with their friend Matthew...one of their favorite books (Go, Dog, Go)!

There were more swim lessons at the Northwestern pool...they're skills are coming along!!

And when the MONSTER TRUCKS came to town...these two were there!

Who knew it was such a popular sporting event?!?

These two, of course!!

LOUD fun for the whole family!

In the spring, we made a couple of trips to Eureka.

Of course, we had to recreate this classic photo from 3 years ago at Daddy's elementary school playground!

The main reason for the first trip to Eureka was to visit Grandpa...

...and beat him at checkers...

...and to hang with Grandma Knapp to celebrate the Easter holiday!

Typical Easter activities took place, including...

...egg dyeing...

...and the Easter morning 'haul'...

...complete with Easter baskets...

...containing a lot of fun stuff!

There was also an Easter egg hunt...

...in Grandpa and Grandma's yard which was a lot of fun...

...and a lot of candy!!

But the best part of the visit was seeing family, including Great Grandma Knapp...

...and taking special pictures...

...with Grandpa and Grandma Knapp...

...and even Papa and Daddy too!

Sadly, we had to make an unplanned trip back down to Eureka in May to say goodbye to a special family member, but everyone made the best of it and enjoyed time with extended family.

The twins enjoyed spending time with all of the other great grandchildren...

...having a jumping party on the trampoline...

...and helping Great Grandma Knapp show off all of her GREAT grandchildren!

The twins also were happy to see their cousin Keira, visiting from Germany...

...and we got a great photo of all three cousins with Grandma Knapp

As the weather began 'warming up' (don't let the Christmas pjs fool ya!!)...

...the twins have started getting outside the house more...

...to enjoy our yard! 

Clare and Luke decided they wanted to take these photos at our street corner.  Which twin took the better phone photo?  (Bonus points to Luke for a nice job centering!!)

During the spring months, the twins enjoyed visits to our house from...

...cousins...

...good friends...

...and even Grandma Steffie (who will be back very soon!)

The highlight of spring was 'graduating' from preschool.  This year the students had a great year attending St. Francis Xavier in Wilmette.  They definitely learned a lot...

...and grew a lot!  Kindergarten, here these two come!!

#86. We're 'Goin' to Carolina(s)...and Florida...in Our Minds'

Well, it wasn't Disney World, but on our trip to Florida in February (it felt like spring down there...we flew down the week of the epic 'polar vortex' in the Chicagoland area...-25 degree F...not windchill...temps!!), the kids got their first taste of an amusement park...Dinosaur World!  Though Chris and I were skeptical of how this might go (this was a mostly non-interactive park designed to display hundreds of statues of 'life-sized' dinosaur replicas), the twins had a great time!  It sure was nice to be outdoors (a near 100 degree temperature swing for us in 24 hours!) and the park was very well maintained.

Someday (when Daddy and Papa have more money...and patience) we'll do Disney!!

Posing with the triceratops at the park entrance

Right inside the park was a fun dinosaur playground where the twins got 'warmed up' riding dinosaurs...

...and Luke became so excited that he demanded this comprehensive solo photo shoot...while eating a can of Pringles!!

If you are a lover of dinosaurs (including all the obscure ones you've never heard of!), this park was very interesting.  There was a lot of information about the various dinosaurs including where they were discovered, their habitat, eating habits, etc.  We aren't sure the twins got into all that, but they sure enjoyed seeing a wide variety of dinosaurs they have (or have not) studied in school.

There was the long-necked brontosaurus...

...the curly-horned wooly mammoths...

...the short-armed Tyrannosaurus Rex...

...and the 'scelidosaur' which, coincidentally, was the word Daddy
spelled almost 30 years ago to advance to the National Spelling Bee!

Outside of viewing dinosaurs, the twins enjoyed digging for fossils...

...hiding in dinosaur eggs...

...and putting together a gigantic dinosaur puzzle!

They (proudly) did this all by themselves!!

At the end of the visit, these two were definitely worn out...good thing they had a brontosaurus bench for resting purposes!!

Dinosaur World was fun, but the main reason we headed to Florida in February was for a family wedding.  Papa's cousin got married which was the twins' first time at a wedding.

(Dressed up) Luke once again delivered his photogenic side...

...but Clare pulled it together for the all-important family shot!

This Armenian church set a nice background...

...for some pre-reception photos!

But then it was time to party on...

...and the twins sure did!!

In March (during spring break) we took a road trip out east to the Carolinas where we visited grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Our first stop brought us to Waxhaw, NC,...

...where the twins enjoyed a stroll through downtown Waxhaw over the 'train bridge'...

...posed with their cousins...

...and had some fun swing time.

Over the border (in SC) at Grandma and Grandpa's house, Clare enjoyed swinging at Grandma Steffi's pitches...

...and Luke enjoyed being a goofball in Grandma and Grandpa's backyard!

The twins sure enjoyed their time with Grandma Steffi, Grandpa Dan, and their cousins (and Grandma/Grandpa's dog Happy!)

Another highlight of the Carolinas trip was visiting the twins' great aunt and uncle (a little more south) in Charleston.  

The twins sure loved staying with great Auntie Kip...

...and playing 'shadows' in Auntie Kip's parking lot!!

Charleston was not short on things to see and do.  The twins' great Uncle John does video work for the USS Yorktown at Patriots Point, so (thanks to him!) we spent a day visiting the enormous aircraft carrier.

Before heading on board, the twins visited the Vietnam War experience at Patriots Point...

...and had the opportunity to strap into this helicopter!

Then it was time to board the USS Yorktown, definitely the biggest 'boat' the twins (or any of us) have ever stepped aboard!

There was much to explore and see onboard the boat and attached submarine, including learning about the Apollo 8 mission, which was collected (the capsule) by the USS Yorktown after its splashdown in 1968!! 

Outside, it was easy to see why this aircraft carrier needed to be so big to accommodate planes taking off and landing

On another day in Charleston, we visited Folly Beach.

It was a little too cold (and windy) for swimming...

...but the twins realized what a neat spot this place must be...

...with warmer weather,...

...though the views out to the ocean are spectacular year round!

We also spent a day exploring 'downtown' Charleston.  This 'old city' (established in 1670) is very charming with a lot of really nice architecture.

One beautiful scene after another in 'Chucktown'

The twins enjoyed a traditional Charleston experience, taking an (hour long) horse-drawn carriage ride...

...through some of the most historic parts of town

Ice cream proved to be a nice bribe/reward for keeping their attention for that hour-long carriage ride!!

After ice cream, we did a lot of walking...including over to 'Rainbow Row' to view the pretty historic homes...

...and over to the Battery for some scenic views of Charleston's harbor...

...and to climb trees!

Of course, no walk around Charleston is complete without a picture in front of the Pineapple Fountain...

...which capped off a great day in the downtown area!!

Both vacations were a lot of fun, even more being able to spend them with family.  With family living out east, we will certainly be back to the Carolinas (and Florida) for more in years to come!