Happenings

So once again, its been a while since we've blogged about life over here....so in no particular order here we go!


First, we sold our house! It took less than 2 weeks but we are so glad its over. Not only to have relief and peace of mind knowing we won't have a double mortgage but also knowing that I can leave the dinner plates on the table over night if I want to because I just don't feel like cleaning up! ;)

A funny little story...on the day we accepted the offer, Chad took Bryce in the stroller to pick up the For Sale signs that we had posted out on one of the busier streets of Altoona. Thinking nothing of it, Chad simply put the "For Sale" signs at the top of the stroller and started walking back. As he's walking he heard comments such as "How much for the kid?!" and "Will you accept a trade?" Not really knowing who these people were talking to, it wasn't until Chad got back to the house that he realized this is what he looked like walking back with Bryce. Who wouldnt want to buy that sweet little face?!


My sister and her family also made one last trip out to Altoona to visit us on their Spring Break. We SO appreciated them being willing to pack up 3 kids under the age of 5 and brave a 3 night stay on our third floor. We had such a great time and Brielle still talks about "seeing Grant and Brookey after her nap" (She still hasn't realized Grant and Brookey aren't around after she wakes up but it gets her to take a nap!)

Now...look at this picture...don't these two just look like the best of friends...so sweet and cute...holding hands and swinging together? Well...that was maybe 5% of the time. The rest of the time was spent trying to decide how they could do the opposite of whatever the other one wanted to do or wanting the exact thing the other was playing with. They were seriously either the best of friends...or the worst of enemies...such a girl thing to do!

While they were here, altoona held an Easter Egg hunt at one of the local baseball fields where there were over 11,000 eggs strewn around the field. Now, one would think that 11,000 eggs filled with candy would be enough to entice any 2 1/2 year old to want to collect as many as she possibly could...however there was also the obstacle of the Easter Bunny who was looming around the field.

Now she was able to collect more than enough for her liking, but

but all egg hunting stopped whenever the Easter Bunny might be making any attempt to walk in her direction (whether he was at home plate and Brielle was in center field)...off Brielle took in the opposite direction. (Notice not even 1 of the 11,000 eggs are in her vicinity as she's trying to put distance between her and the Easter Bunny)

Well, whew that Easter Hunt was over but then my parents had sent some Easter eggs along with the Petros to hide in our backyard and in our house for the kids to hunt for. This hunt was much more up Brielle's ally...no Easter bunny...just some ants she had to contend with. She was much improved this time around in looking for the eggs and getting a little help from her pal Grant

and of course opening them all up is the best part of all! Fruit snacks...grandparents know they're way to Brielle's heart!

Thanks Grandpa and Grandma! The kids had a great time!

Oh wait....a third Easter Egg Hunt! The child prep class Brielle goes to had an egg hunt for her. Well, Brielle certainly had the egg collecting experience since this was her third time and she was on a mission. Despite keeping the bunny in her sights she wouldn't let him hinder her from performing her best in collecting those eggs now knowing what those eggs might hold!

Showing off her eggs...but always with her eye on the bunny!

At least I could get one child to sit on the bunny's lap this year!

Ah...and in other action...we went to the mall to get Bryce's 9 month pictures taken. Despite all efforts, the kid just couldn't handle sitting and smiling for a stranger and took off every time he was sat down. So we attempted some pics at our house and these were the best we could get.

Not only were our attempts at getting Bryce's picture taken a bomb, but Brielle also decided to have a little "water bomb" of her own on the escalator which prompted a very quick and speeedy exit for the Carlsons (which totally disappointed this mom who hasn't stepped foot in a mall in ages!) And of course after all this it is the one time she wants to be in a picture with her brother! What do you think...framer?!

And as if three easter egg hunts weren't enough we thought we would add a fourth since our church put one on Saturday...and there was no easter bunny in sight. I did have a picture of Brielle collecting eggs except I accidently deleted it and don't have the energy to reload and move it to the spot it needs to be in. However...I do have a picture of what she collected...needless to say Chad and I have snuck more than our fair share of her collections!

While Brielle was doing all the collecting this little man was just content to sit and watch everyone.

But when he got his hand on the easter eggs and the basket he had a heyday!

Despite all the egg hunts and fun that went along with it, we also could not forget the true reason we celebrate Easter. For God's ultimate sacrifice of sending His son, Jesus Christ, to take upon himself all our faults, failures, and sins, to suffer on the cross, and to die...for each of us...He loved us that much. But to rise again so we could be forgiven and redeemed. Hoping you all had a blessed Easter full of celebration for the risen Savior!