Happy Easter

 Happy Easter! We were so excited to Skype with Brendan!  It is so much clearer than it was during the last deployment.  The kids really enjoy it and even Declan really responds to Brendan's voice and picture on the screen! 
The Easter bunny had come while the kids were asleep and brought them lots of great stuff!  Mimi and Gramma also got them gifts and Brendan's aunt sent stuff  - so sweet!!  They all enjoyed gorging themselves on candy and then we went out to play with the new hula hoops! What a great gift - something to burn all that sugar energy!!

 I found these masks while we were cleaning and they are PERFECT - Aoife as the Queen for sure!

 Poor Declan never really woke up and went back to bed at about 9 am.  He woke up at noon ready to go - I guess he just needed a little more sleep!

Easter Egg Hunt

 On Saturday we went to an Easter Egg Hunt on post.  Aidan's baseball practice had been canceled because the fields were wet so we were able to go to the hunt!  It was great - there weren't that many people at all, especially compared to the super crowded egg hunt we went to last year, and there were tons of eggs!  Every child that I saw had an overflowing basket by the end!  It was pretty chilly but Aoife was, as usual, a slave to fashion and refused to wear a jacket.  I wore my winter parka and a scarf.

Dying Easter Eggs

 Easter Egg dying is a tradition in our house and Gramma and Daddy Jim have been here for each of the three Easters that we have been in this house.  Here in 2011 and Here in 2012.  Just looking back at those pictures makes me remember how warm it was both years and realize how FREEZING cold is has been this Spring!  We even had snow at the beginning of the week!  Crazy!  It also makes me realize how big the kids are getting - even last year both Aoife and Emmy looked so little!!

Declan at 6 months

 Here are a few random pictures of Declan that my dad and I took during Spring Break.  Declan is getting so big and continues to be the world's smiliest baby!  He is eating 3 solid meals a day and loving every bit of banana or avocado or sweet potato.  He's rolling around the room but hasn't figured out how to crawl yet.  He's sitting pretty well and should be an expert in a week or two!

The Customs House Museum

 We went to visit the Customs House Museum in Clarksville on Thursday morning.  My Dad had never been there in all of the visits he has made to see us!  The kids loved showing him and my mom the trains, play groceries, bubble room and all the other fun stuff!  We have been going to this museum since we moved here where Aoife was 15 months old!  She is so much bigger now and it's fun to think that Declan will be big enough to toddle around and play pretty soon!

More Baseball Pictures

 Is Spring ever going to come to Ft. Campbell?  Goodness gracious it is cold!!!  We're still out having fun at the ballpark but it would be nicer if it was at least 60 degrees!!

Organization!

 My parents were here this week since it was Spring Break.  They were so helpful with the kids and we did some fun stuff - including organizing my laundry room!  My mom has been taking a class on organizing and she had to organize something as a project and I was the lucky beneficiary!  I wish she could do my whole house!!!  Here is our mess before:

 

and here is the lovely room after - mess taken care of, containers and now room for my cookbooks (some of them!).

Aidan's practice - some more videos

Here are some more videos of Aidan hitting from practice on Thursday.  Practice was canceled on Saturday but rescheduled for Tuesday! 

Mammoth Cave National Park

 Today we drove 2 hours up to Mammoth National Park.  It was really fun but we are exhausted!  The easy and short tours were all sold out so we took a 2 hour moderate tour.  It was great but a little tough in the beginning!  We immediately climbed down about 250 stairs that were VERY narrow, dark and wet.  The kids didn't complain but I was carrying Declan in the front carrier and it was a little tough to not be able to see my feet!!  Once we got down it wasn't difficult and we spent the rest of the 2 hours walking and coming back up to the surface.  We saw some pretty cool stuff and the kids were really brave.  For some reason they thought the cave was going to look like something out of Lord of the Rings and they were a little nervous!!

 Riding the bus to the cave entrance:

 Going down into the cave:

 Inside the cave:

 After spending 2 hours underground:

 

The kids' souvenirs:

 

 In the museum: