Pella Tulip Festival (sans the tulips)

First of all, just a cute photo of the young cousins having a picnic in their dress up clothes.  Oops, except Hadlee, guess she took hers off.

 While Mom and Dad were here at the beginning of May we went to the Tulip Festival in Pella.  I haven't beent here since I was about 8 so I don't remember much.  It's pretty cool and if you're looking for something unique to do in the midwest you should go.  Lots of shopping, vendors, crafts, dutch food and items, 2 parades a day, the latter being lighted at night, lots of wooden shoes and windmills, etc.  There's one street they've made to look like Amsterdam with a canal down the middle and shops on either side.  It's a smaller version, but accurate. 

 Hadlee was very excited about the parade and especially the marching bands.  She was clapping and marching along.

 This parade is cool because it actually has real floats, not just cars and trucks with signs on them and people throwing candy.  Not much candy at this parade, but they did throw cheese.

 Hadlee still being silly with Grammy and Papa behind her.  She's always amusing.

 Dad got a tulip from a Dutch woman in the parade.  How sweet!

Let's end with an adorable picture of Hadlee just because.  I love her freckles!

Growing Up a Little Bit...

... to quote one of Maddox's favorite school songs.  Seems fitting for Hadlee too.  I try to wait until my kids are 2 years old before I give them a haircut but Hadlee's was getting SO scraggly that I just had to do it. It was only about 5-6 weeks early, not too bad!  April 21st was the date of her first ever haircut.  I did it myself since I didn't see much sense in paying someone to snip so little hair.  Here's the uneven messiness before...

 And here it is nice and even afterwards...

 And here she is just being cute later that day.  Hadlee is our more adventerous, braver, bolder, more stubborn girl so far.  She climbs all the time.  Taking her to Colorado this summer could be fun, or dangerous, depending on how you want to look at it.  All of her teeth have come in as of just a few days ago.  Well, not her 2 year molars but she's not 2 quite yet.  But her cuspids finally all are in.  She's talking up a storm.  She'll use 4 and 5 word sentences even.  And she's pretty clear with her words.  People who aren't with her daily can understand her as well.  Guess that's the perk of having a big sister.  Her frequent phrases are "oh man" (when she drops something for example), or Hadlee, do you want to....   "Yeah, I do".  Or Hadlee, did you.....?  "yeah, I do"  Or Hadlee, are you....?  "Yeah, I do"  When we're in the car the radio is always on of course and I hear a little voice from the back say "Turn it up Mama!"  Pretty cute at this age!  Of course she's always becoming a little stubborn and would like to scream and cry about anything, whether it's warranted or not.  I've been working with it though and telling her if she screams and cries and doesn't use her words instead she'll have a timeout and she's catching on.  Big sister doesn't help the situation though.  Sometimes it is warranted.  She must be rocked to sleep at nap times or she'll lay up there and play for an hour then maybe sleep.  But if you rock her she'll fall asleep in less than 5 minutes.  But at night she goes to sleep all on her own so that's fine with me.  A little cuddle time alone is nice.  It's hard to believe my baby will be 2 in a week (June 1 for those of you that are needing a reminder).  She's now spent half her life in Iowa and half in North Carolina!

At the Farm and Easter Weekend

Jeremy had to go back to Wathena/Elwood for his alumni basketball tournament Easter weekend.  We did find some time to go out to the farm and see the work Randy has done on the house and have a little fun.  Jeremy took Maddox for a short ride on the 4-wheeler but she thought it was too loud and was scared.  We've been back since and she wouldn't ride it at all. Hadlee tried it out too but didn't love it either.  She lounged on the car to keep out of the mud and ticks.

 The farm brings out the country boy in Jeremy so he had to do a little mowing with Grandpa Randy's new mower and 4-wheeling.

 For the record Jeremy's alumni team, which is now the oldest team made it all the way to the final game but lost that one.  They only lost by 2 though!  Almost pulled it out!  Being the oldest team doesn't slow them down any!  At least not until the next day....   We came back late Saturday night so we'd be home for Easter.  Don't ask me why the girls are hunting easter eggs with no pants on.  I don't remember.  Hadlee is a good egg hunter, and of course Maddox is too but she's 4.  We had a great Easter Sunday with Suzy's family and had lunch at her friend Joy's house with their family.  It was a wonderful and beautiful day!