Happy Mother's Day!

We kicked off Mom's weekend at Jean's Berry Patch. 

I think we ended up with around 18 pounds of strawberries, or at least that's how many ended up in the basket.  Jean might go bankrupt if she gets too many 3 year olds who like strawberries as much as Maggie.  They probably should have weighed her before and after- the kid ate three times  as many as she picked!

We've had berries on angel food and short cakes, on waffles with whipped cream, and even in a very delicious spinach salad with greens from the garden!  I also jammed (?) last night, for the first time.  It tasted just as good as my Mom's and Grandma's, but then again, I don't know if you can go wrong with that much sugar!!  And just for the record, this was another of those experiences that made me realize, once again, how awesome my mother is!  She rocked out jam every year, with 5 rugrats running around her!  I love you, Mom, and gain a greater appreciation for you EVERY DAY!!!!!!

  (mostly because of these two sweet little monsters!!!)

Happy Mother's Day!

Squirrel.............bait

Thought it might be about time to post some pictures of the actual family members who made the trek to NC for Easter.  It was a great weekend, just about all the Cheney clan was in the house.  A special thank you to the Florida Cheneys, who made the long drive up from Tampa with a toddler and a two week old babe.  (Yeah, thank you.  For making us look bad and ruining our excuse for not driving back to Ohio for Christmas because our baby was ONLY 2 MONTHS old!) 

Will and Maggie creating masterpieces on the deck

Ready to find some eggs (actually just one, and some strategically planted baseballs)

Alex and Libber

Obviously, when Will talks, the ladies listen.

Gotta go...naptime is over!

Duke of Squirrel, ?.?.2010- Apr. 4, 2010

 Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning,  Uncle Donald came unto the resting place, bringing the bananas which Uncle Donald had prepared, and certain others with them.  And Uncle Donald found the pine cone rolled away from the resting place. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus, but the body of the Duke of Squirrel. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed.
LDuke 24, 1-4

Apollo, Duke of Squirrel, you came to us on Good Friday, which really was a Great Friday!  You made us laugh.  You made us cry, (we were laughing so hard.)  You bit fingers and apples, and you stole our hearts.  Thank you for making this a very special Easter weekend, one we will never forget.  May you rest in peace.

A visit from Gamma and Grandfather

Well, Libby is already past the 4 month mark, and ready to join the rest of the gang at the kitchen table.  This is a first taste of that delicious, pasty, rice cereal...yum!

 My friend Stacey brought over some fun Halloween costumes that don't fit her little ones anymore.  And who in their right mind would want to wait for Halloween to do any dressing up?  (You also don't have to wait until you're out of your PJs to start dressing up at our house, either.)

We hit the Easter egg hunt downtown this past Saturday.  Maggie did a great job and filled her basket with lots of eggs full of lots of treats.  She didn't want anything to do with the Easter Bunny, though.  I don't blame her on that one.  Has anyone ever seen an adult size Easter Bunny that doesn't look like he creeped out of a closet from 1972?

That rotten egg doesn't really fit in the basket.

Go ahead and fill in your own caption here.

Libby and Grandfather

Happy Birthday, Gamma!!

Laughing Baby!

Coloring some eggs

Flower for you, Mommy!

Grandfather and the girls!

We had a great weekend with the Pittsburgh Austins, and the weather was great, to boot!  Thanks for coming down, Gamma and Grandfather!  We'll see you soon in the burgh!

Spotlight on #2 (and this post has nothing to do with Maggie and the toilet)

Libby is approaching the 4 month mark this week. It's so hard to believe how fast these kids grow. It hardly even seems like she's much of a baby any more. Boo.

We broke out the 'bumbo' about 2 weeks ago.  She really likes sitting in it, on the table.  At which point Daddy likes to sing "Libby, Libby, Libby, on the table, table, table."  This is his version of a canned fruit ad from who knows when, that I'm pretty sure he's never really actually heard. (But it's all very cute, none the less!)  The adorable hat she's wearing was a handmade gift from honorary Auntie Carrie.  Although I have not been pleased with the weather around here this winter/spring, it has given Libby plenty of time to grow into it, and wear it just about every day in January and February!  So impressed with your crochet skills, Carrie!!!

These two pictures, I do not like at all.  Not because they are not cute, but because she looks so grown up!!!

When Maggie hung out in the exersauscer, we said she was hard at work at her desk.  It cracks me up to see Libby doing the same thing, spinning around from project to project!!!

Just a little monkeying around before bed time.

  She's been getting a little cranky every evening, and we discovered she's ready to get naked and roll around on the soft blankets on the bed!  Puts a smile on that face every time!!!