April was a GREAT month! First of all, we had lots of reasons to celebrate between Aunt Emily, Carter, and Grandad all having April birthdays. Then there was Easter and all the fun that brought with it with coloring eggs, Easter baskets, and egg hunts. The final weekend of April we had a fun trip planned to Chattanooga with some friends. And on top of all that, we managed to squeeze in some more fun and enjoy some nice weather!
We made 2 or 3 visits to the zoo this month. On April 1st, just the kids and I went and it was a fun relaxed trip. This was also the first time where we have used the double stroller in this seating arrangement, and I LOVE it! I think by the time we are done we will have used the double stroller in all 12 of the advertised combination of seats! haha!
See Dawson peeking his head up in the bubble of the prairie dog exhibit!?
Hello, Macaws!
The boys loved the meerkats! Carter kept yelling at this one to stop running! :)
We lucked out an got to the Baboons right as they were eating which provided some excitement!
Carter walked through the majority of the zoo on his own instead of riding in the stroller. I know his little legs must have been worn out, but he LOVED walking along and holding Dawson's hand!
We stopped for a picnic lunch at the zoo, and I sat Nora Kate on the picnic table in front of me to feed her. She loved sitting on the top of the table looking around...look at that smile!!
We colored Easter eggs at least 3 times this month! Dawson was REALLY into hiding and finding them this month! I had to continually come up with more and more difficult places to hide them!
Dawson's preschool had a sweet Easter program! Dawson got to stand beside his friend, Bailey!
Pop and Nana with Dawson at his school program! Grandad, Carter, Nora Kate, John, and I all came to watch too!
Dawson got out of school 2 hours early on his program day, so we took a picnic to the park where we played and ate!
And Nora Kate rocked my shades while we were there...it was BRIGHT!
We got 4 caterpillars that would turn into butterflies.
I wish I had take a picture of them as tiny caterpillars and how big they grew before they climbed up and made these chrysalises!
We have enjoyed A LOT of outside time in the backyard this month! It makes me wish we lived somewhere where it was nice like this year around...the kids are so happy to be able to get some outside play time! Nora Kate absolutely loves sitting on the quilt in the shade watching her brothers run around her.
All smiles outside!
Carter taking a break from playing on the quilt!
At least once a week, John has to close the store meaning he doesn't get home until the middle of the night. I've been trying to do something special on these evenings because the kids miss their Daddy! One closing night we made our own personal pizzas! The kids loved rolling the dough and putting their toppings on!
When our chrysalises were ready we pinned them to the top of our big mesh bug container and the wait began for them to come out as beautiful butterflies!
April showers bring...bored boys!
One rainy day we got out our window markers, and the boys thought it was SOO fun to get to draw on the window!
Dawson had fun putting this glow in the dark dino together (with my help)!
Sweet baby smiles!
Carter loves to lay on his tummy and talk to sister!
Here's another zoo trip mid-April! This time we went with a big group...in this picture we have: Dawson, Colt, Charlie, Carter, Nora Kate, Olivia, and Campbell! The moms and kids all had a BLAST!
I love the look Carter is giving Olivia in this picture!
Carter and Olivia checking out the red panda!
Matching brothers at the zoo!
Nora Kate was beyond thrilled that her buddy Campbell came to the zoo!!!!
I decided Nora Kate was old enough to play in the sand, and Carter thought it was hilarious!
LOVED IT!
April also marked the beginning of Wee Ball for Dawson! So far it has been a wonderful experience!! Dawson's buddy from church, Carson, is on his team and John and Carson's daddy are the coaches! Carson's little sister, Harper, is Carter's age, so Carter has a little friend to play with too!
I LOVE this picture of Carter and Harper watching their brothers play!
Dawson running to first base!
If you look closely Dawson is completely in the air...no feet on the ground! He actually said his favorite thing about baseball was the running! And he's FAST!
Between the fields there is a nice playground! So we had to try it out after the first game!
Carter too!!
Of course, I've already posted all about Carter's 2nd birthday party. On his actual birthday, we went to church and then to Lolly and Pop's for lunch. He had already had a birthday cake the day before, but to make lunch special he got to blow out (with Dawson's help of course) two candles in our key lime pie dessert!
Dawson has been really into drawing lately, and I LOVE it!!!
Check out this awesome giraffe he drew!
Carter's main gift from us for his birthday was a water table! HE LOVES IT!
Dawson and I put together treat bags for his class for Easter!
YAY! Our butterflies finally emerged!! Dawson absolutely loved our butterflies and the entire process!
We mixed nectar (sugar and water) and soaked paper towels in it for them to drink.
Thanks for these sweet bunny glasses, Lolly and Pop!
Bunny masks!
After a week or so, it was time to release our beautiful butterflies!
Here's one!
Aren't they pretty?!
Nora Kate loves being outside!
Our church had a wonderful Easter Egg hunt on Good Friday!
Collecting eggs!
1st Easter
The church egg hunt even had some really fun inflatables!
That's Dawson's friend, Bailey, he got to jump with!
Big boy hunting eggs!
I was really thankful Mom and Dad went with me to the Easter Egg hunt since John was working because Dawson and Carter were in separate age groups and hunted eggs at the same time! (ah! I was torn!) Thankfully Pop took Dawson on his hunt, and I took Carter (since it was really his first time being old enough to know what to do!)
Me and the kids at the Egg hunt!
Carter really enjoyed the church playground!
Both boys had fun on the hay ride with me and Pop!
My brother took some pictures of us on Easter after church!
Happy Easter, Love the Zorio's
Carter's Easter Suit
Dawson on Easter
Nora Kate with her Daddy on Easter!
Dawson wanted to put these bunny prints down to show the Easter bunny where to leave our baskets! Guess he took note because the baskets were at the end of the bunny prints!
Easter baskets!
Nora Kate was more interested in the basket itself and the paper Easter grass than anything else!
Checking it out!
SO excited for chocolate!
Oops! Our of order, but one more picture of Carter at the egg hunt playing on the playground!
Hunting eggs in a wheelbarrow in our backyard!
This is what happens when you have two older brothers!
Can you tell Carter and Nora Kate are both cutting teeth (fun!)!
For their birthdays the boys got a membership the The Muse Discover Center from Lolly and Pop, and we have already used it twice in April! They LOVE going there!!
On this particular day, we met one of Dawson's classmates who is also a church friend there to play!
We had a great time!!
So since we had freed our butterflies, we decided to try baby praying mantises. This is the size they were on the day they "hatched." We had to let them go about a week later though because it was becoming increasing hard to feed them, and also they just kind of give me the creepy crawlies! Dawson and Carter both had fun watching them while we had them though!
Dawson drew this train track and I thought it was so great!
Mowing brothers!
The last weekend of April we had a Chattanooga trip planned with two other families. I got really worried the week of the trip when John and I had both had a HORRIBLE stomach virus, but we started feeling better just in time for the trip...and the other families going had somewhat passed it around too and agreed we were "safe" to join them! :) Good thing too, because it was a BLAST!! Friday morning we got up bring and early and drove to the Chattanooga Creative Discover Museum where we met up with the two other families who have Carson (4.5 years), Harper (almost 2!), and Colt (3).
Nora Kate at the museum!
Harper LOVED Nora Kate! And Nora Kate loved Harper's attention!!
I have a picture just like this of me with Dawson in 2011. A picture of me with Carter and Dawson here in 2013. And now a picture in the exact same spot with me and all three kids from 2014!
The boys had fun playing doctor in the doctor's office area and weight Nora Kate on this (inaccurate) scale!
After a loooong and fun day at the museum and a yummy lunch at Taco Mac the kids fell asleep in the car on the way to our cabin for the weekend!
The next morning we were up bright and early and at the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga 5 minutes before they opened! This was quiet the feat considering we had 6 adults and 6 kids to get ready, fed, and to the aquarium! We had a blast showing the kids everything in the aquarium!
Harper and Carter checking some things out!
Carson and Dawson
The three big boys
Colt, Carson, and Dawson
Time for a break between the River aquarium and Sea aquarium. We headed to Big River Grille for lunch and the kids had to climb in this brick boat!
Taking a break to play in the water!
Nora Kate decided the sea building was a snooze!
Oh, you know, just touching some sting ray and sharks!
In the butterfly area!!!
After the aquarium and naps, it was time to explore outside our cabin! Dawson and John worked hard to build a dam in the creek like Dawson kept reminding us he had seen on his favorite tv show-Bananas in Pajamas!
Our fun cabin for the weekend!!!!
We had a wonderful time at the Children's Museum, Aquarium, making smores on the first pit in the backyard, the Daddys went to a Chattanooga Lookouts baseball game after the kids went to bed and the Mommys stayed behind and chatted. All in all, it was a wonderful weekend with great fun! The kids and adults alike all really enjoyed each other's company!!
On Tuesday we headed to the mall to do a little shopping, and the boys got to ride the mall train!
And, of course, loved it!
Nora Kate got her first turn on the mower!
And then the boys had to go for a ride too!
Whew, what a fun month! May is looking to be just as exciting with Pop, Dawson, Lolly, and Cousin Drew all having May birthday, Dawson getting out of preschool for the summer (YAY!!!!!!!!!!!), and our beach trip!!!!
