Random selection of April happenings

April 18th we got hit with a huge snowstorm-- tears, tears and more tears. I was devastated but Zach was on cloud nine. Getting snow on the weekends means Daddy-Zach time shoveling for hours at a time. As I have said before, Zach is a legitimate helper and very hard worker. He didn't stop shoveling the snow until the job was done. Dave was shocked and proud because he said this snow was the heaviest, hardest snow he had ever shoveled. 

The boys also built a snowman which Zach was thrilled about.

Julianne loves to dress up (in thing she thinks are cool or cute, hence the conductor hat), she loves her babies, blanket and shoes.

Julianne is as cute, mischievous, defiant, care-free and crazy as ever. I can't get enough of her even though she tests the boundaries every minute of everyday. She is a complete PAIN to shop with (as a few of my friends can attest to). She screams, hits and throws a complete fit if I make her sit in a cart (if she doesn't want to) or if I tell her she can't have any more snacks before lunch. There is nothing I can do to calm her down or change her mind. If she wants to do one thing and I want her to do another I either have to give in, listen to screaming (which all the other shoppers love) or leave the shopping place all together. It drives me nuts. Zach has always been an easy kid to take on errands so this is very new to me.  Luckily Dave has experienced this first hand so he feels my pain, embarrassment and frustration when this happens.

I just love kids in church clothes! When I lay out Zach's clothes each Sunday and he sees a tie in the ensemble he is thrilled because he loves being able to wear a tie just like Daddy. We are still trying to master the whole smiling and saying cheese thing. Julianne always furrows her brow and looks mad when she says cheese and Zach just looks dazed. Why is smiling for pictures such a hard thing for kids to get? I remember my Mom taking certain brothers into the bathroom to practice smiling the week before school pictures. Back then I thought she was a bit crazy but now I get it and will probably be doing the same thing in a few years.