We took Elle and Hanzies measurements. Elle now weighs 22lbs and Hans is back up to 34lbs. They are both much taller.

Elle is sick of the snow. She wants to go outside.

I had just cleaned the toy room and about 10 minutes with Elle this is what you get. She makes a complete mess. Hans walked in and said baby mess.

Elle bells loves jewelry so for her birthday we go her a necklace. As you can see she love it. I told the kids at school we had decided to get her a Tiffany's necklace, American girl doll Kit and a bitty baby. The girls loved the necklace idea and I think Elle does too.

Our annual birthday celebration at Rainforest Cafe. Mark met us there after work. It is the best place to take kids, I just wish we liked the food. If you know what is good there let us know.

Hans and Elle got the volcano cake. At least this year Hans didn't cry when they put it in front of him. Although he is still not that sure of the sparkler in the cake as you can see by his face.

Hans wanted to climb in and touch the croc. Good thing we don't have them around here. Hans would probably walk up and want to pet it.

Elle bells loves to be held and in this picture she was upset with me because I didn't pick her up.

For friday family night we went to the new Olive Garden. Hans got his favorite foods pasta and breadsticks.

Grandpa came down on Friday for lunch with Mark and the kids. Hans is so spoiled. Grandpa got him a transformer and got me oberweis lemonade and iced tea.

I woke up in the middle of the night because I heard a noise. Nervous that someone was in the house I grabbed the 357 magnum (JK) or maybe not. I woke up Kari cause I was trying to figure out what was going on. She told me to check. As I cautiously walked out, I saw Hanzie with his juice running to go turn the light on downstairs. When he saw me, he said more juice pease! i seep nigh nights a mommy. He wanted to sleep by Kari and me.

We buy weekly roses during the winter until I can start to cut them from my garden. I just loved these.
Well I got a new haircut. I wasn't sure what I thought. After I have seen so many of my friends with what Mark calls mom haircuts. I wanted to stay away, but I added bangs. When I went to school. Everyone was commenting and people were asking who the hot new student was (weird especially when your students tell you). I just responded by oh OK and moved on. I am still getting complements so I guess it is a good thing.
I love when Elle bell wears her bonnet. I am so glad spring is on its way.

Sunday we got to see all the neighborhood kids. There was about 20 kids over playing on our swing set. Some people had to eventually leave because they knew their hubbies would be worried because the were gone so long. It just seems where our house is all kids want to come and stay. Kyle and Hans were shaking the tree we planted last year.

We went to the family fun day at church. Hans got to see the croc, play in the moonwalks and his usual favorite play on the choo choo side. We ran into some people from college who go to one of the other church campuses.
The other day we went to pick up Mark from the train.
Hans: Go to choo choo
Mom: yes we are going to pick Dad up from the train.
Hans:ya ya choo choo
We pull in the Metra Station
Hans: No choo choo mom?
Mom: choo choo is coming
The train pulls up and Mark gets off. Hans started to crying.
Hans: No choo choo Mama, Dada (in between many tears).
We realized every time he thinks he is seeing a train, he is going to church. He wanted to go play on the train slide at church.

Ellie Bells loves her cup, and we love her cup because it is the only time she is quite. Yesterday she said bye to Dana, and Andrew.

The weather has been so great so we have been outside. It is nice because Hans has been able to see most of his friends.

Friday night we did a game night. We played hungry hippo's, trouble, croc dentist, and boxing. We also took down the Dickens houses, and switched to the cows.

Elle is walking every where and into everything. I have drawers that I don't have locks on because Hans never bothered with them. She is so the opposite. She decided to open one and start throwing the plastic lunch baggies all over the kitchen. Her she is on her way to try to figure out how to get the cabinets open that have locks on them.

When we returned home from our trip I had to have Ellie try on her light up bunny ears. She loved them. It was hard to know what to get her. We are having the same trouble with finding a gift for her birthday. Any suggestions?

Our Little Adventure-
Day four- We went to Michigan more specifically Frankenmuth. It is the World's Largest Christmas store. I have wanted to go there for years, and it came to mind it is on the east side of Michigan. Mark called John because John and Katie said I would love it. While we were there we went to the military museum, and Oma's restaurant. At the Christmas shop I found exactly what I came for.
At the military museum Hans was impressed by everything although he loved sneaking in between the tires.

Saturday night/ Sunday morning we arrived and stayed at the Frankenmuth hotel with the five pools. It was the perfect place to stay with Hans. He enjoyed the toddler pools and the water fall pool, but his favorite was the hot tub pool. The reason was it had bubbles.

Hanzie's supermodel pose karate chopping the water.

Day 3- We went to Niagara Falls. Mark and I were going to go back to the city for the day, but I just needed a day break from people. We decided that Niagara Falls would be perfect. We drove and I entered an approximate address, but as we got closer we called Adam. He gave us the exact directions but when I inputted it told us to turn around. I told Mark not to listen to it, but he did. After an hour of driving back Mark looked at it and it was sending us back to 3rd st New York city not 3rd st Niagara Falls. At first we were frustrated, but we ended up laughing about it and called Adam to tell him what had happened.

Since we were at Niagara we decided to go home through Canada. Mark filled up with gas in Canada. He said great it is only 80 cents. Little did he know it was 80 cents/ liter and then there was the currency change. It cost $80 the same amount gas cost for the whole trip. At customs we had a difficult time since we weren't planning on going to Canada. We didn't have our birth certificates and we had to prove that Hans was out son. Luckily they took a picture from August of Hans. By summer we would have needed a passport.

The DVD player came in handy on this trip. Hans was entertained playing with his toys and watching his favorite movies.

Day 2-New York City for Hans and I, and Cherry Hill, NJ for Mark
Hans, Mark and I took the light train to the financial district, when Mark wasn't feeling well so he returned to the hotel. Hans and I continued on the path to ground zero, Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Hans was mostly interested in the pigeons and geese. Although he did like all the display cases at Ellis Island. On the ferry we made friends, Hans was goofing around, and he got a bloody nose and they helped me take care of him.

While we were in New York, Mark went to Jersey for the Friday 13th convention. He now has his Jason mask signed by every Jason, and his book signed by most actors. He wanted to get Alice Cooper, but he decided he would rather be back with us.

Hans was so good that I took him to Times Square Toys R Us to get guys. He picked out a transformer. We also got Elle some gifts.

Hans and I went through all of central park. Hans wanted a Popsicle from a stand in the park and I got a Snapple because we were so thirsty.

We took the subway to go to every hot spot in the city and Hans zonked out on one of the rides even though it was completely packed. We made some more friends along the way. We hung out with the author of Christ in the Mayan calendar. He is from Europe and speaking all over the US. It was a group of intellects (United States Professors from Columbia, New York college and Harvard) and they thought I was charming and bright.(OK?) The long conversation started off by asking if I though Pluto belonged in the universe. Hans and I went around with them and they said we could go into the Planetarium where they were speaking, but we passed. We went to art museums and any place I thought Hans would like.

There were a group of guys dancing. We were amazed at how they spun around on one arm.

At Ellis Island

At the Statue of Liberty

Waiting on the Ferry to get to the Island. Hans knocked his nose on the bar behind us and got a bloody nose.

We went to Times Square to see Shrek at the broadway theatre. Mark and I were quite worried Hans would not make it, so we had made up our mind to leave halfway through. Hans loved it. We got him M&M's and he made it through the whole show. We went to a restaurant that was packed thinking it would be good, but Mark and I decided we didn't agree. We should have gone to the Four Seasons Restaurant.

We took the water taxi over to New York. If we drove over we would have missed our Broadway show.

Our next stop was Blairstown and Hope, NJ. We went to all of the Friday the 13th movie sites. We went by camp crystal lake and Mark got water from there. Hanzie's favorite part what hiking

The first night we stayed near Penn State. Let me tell you every experience I have had with the people of Pennsylvania, I have found them to be some of the nicest people. We had missed breakfast time and they made us what we wanted anyways.