A Happy Easter

He is risen indeed! We had a wonderful early service at church on Sunday, celebrating Christ's resurrection. (The weather was chilly, but I was determined to wear my sleeveless dress, and to have Daniel wear the outfit I bought Nicholas two years ago- the one he didn't get to wear because it snowed on Easter!) After church, we returned home to rest for the afternoon, then had a delicious meal with friends. After Busch Gardens on Friday and Nicholas' birthday on Saturday, we were pooped. But, meditating on the cross and the miracle of Jesus' resurrection put everything into perspective. The Easter baskets and new clothes are nice, but ultimately, we are here for His glory.

Nicholas Turns Four

Turning One Year Old, April 2006

Our "baby" turned four years old on Saturday. People told us that the time would fly, and it seems to be true. Here are some pictures from his birthday, and some from birthdays passed:

Just before his second birthday, April 2007

Turning Three, April 2008

Nicholas had an "earthworm" cake.
(Those of you familiar with Max and Ruby will understand this.)

More Busch Gardens

The characters put on a little show at the beginning and end of the meal.

Nicholas wanted to touch Ernie's shoe.

Daniel got a kick out of touching Bert's nose

The boys on one of the Sesame rides

Nicholas and Mom at breakfast

We hit B.G. again today! (We are really making the most of these unlimited summer passes.) This time, we had breakfast with "Elmo and Friends." (BTW, Daniel was considered an "infant," and got to eat for free. Chris and I thought this was hilarious since he ate more than the rest of us. They probably changed that policy after we left!)
Our expectations were exceeded in every way! Bert, Ernie, Cookie Monster, Elmo, and Big Bird walked around and visited with the kids for at least 45 minutes. They joked, entertained, and danced around with the children the whole time. Nicholas thought it was great when Ernie tried to drink his juice. Daniel wasn't frightened at all this time, and judging from the number of times he said "Bert" today, I think he may have a new favorite.

A Day at Busch Gardens

There were lots of rides that the boys could do alone together.

The "kiddie" roller coaster. Chris and Nicholas are in the back row. (It looked pretty scary to me, but Nicholas wasn't frightened at all!)

Nicholas was thrilled to see his favorite characters, but Daniel was a bit more hesitant.

Ernie is Daniel's favorite, but he still didn't want to hug him.

Yesterday was just as close to perfect as you can get. The weather was warm and sunny, and we decided to take the boys to Busch Gardens in Williamsburg (about an hour away) to celebrate Nicholas' birthday early. It was the grand opening of a new Sesame Street section, and there were characters everywhere! B.G. is VERY family friendly. We spent about four hours there, and only did the kid stuff! Both boys had a great time on all the rides, and Nicholas even surprised us by wanting to try out his first roller coaster. The only thing that scared Daniel was when the characters got too close to him. It was an awesome day, and because we're Virginia residents, we get unlimited passes for the summer!