Rolling Ridge Ranch

Just when I'd thought we'd seen all there is to see in Amish country...we found ANOTHER amazing spot. This ranch was AWESOME!! First we walked through a petting zoo where the kids got to hold and pet all sorts of baby animals. Then we went on this hour long wagon ride where the animals came right up to the wagon to eat out of our hands...amazing. My kids were giggling and squealing with delight the whole time.

Super boy loved the baby ducks. I love how he is checking out his wing in this one.

Proof that I was there too...got to love having my 5-year-old take the picture with my huge lens and camera...she did pretty good {even if she did cut off my head}

Little pretty, who is my animal lover, with a baby goat.

This little rascal {along with his big brother and our friends} chased the animals so they would run away from him.

Ohhh...cute cow

"Laaaa-ma face" {has anyone seen The Emperor's New Groove?}

I took a bazillion pictures of all the amazing animals we saw. Not pictured was a camel, zebra, zedonk {half zeebra, half donkey}, and a crocodile.

This peacock was amazing! The colors are so vibrant.

Aflac...doesn't he look like that duck?!

These are pictures from our wagon ride. It was quite the experience. This is our Amish tour guide. The animals were hungry!

Super boy kept pointing to all the animals saying, "Am-mal"

This water buffalo blew snot on Super's face! It was funny!

The ostrich kept pecking at G's food.

We lost our bucket to this guy!

I caught him licking his lips after we fed him, funny.

Easter

Spring is FINALLY springing! {just with TONS of rain}
I love Easter. We have had a great weekend with people that we love.
We decorated eggs, had an egg hunt at church, and attended a beautiful service this morning.


Here is my rainbow egg that I was proud of!

J's "pink panther" egg

G's rainbow egg

the kidlets in the gym at church after the hunt

super boy taking time to eat {I mean hunt} for eggs

I made their Easter baskets by following the "'soft basket" pattern from HERE

then I added a 1 handle instead of 2

Cleveland Doesn't Mess Around

When it comes to St. Patty's Day!

we made some clover cake pops to get us in the holiday spirit. we all LOVE green around here {but I'm a little afraid of Leprichans...so they didn't visit our house}

then, we sent the older two off to school and went to the 144th annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in downtown Cleveland with super baby {shhh...don't tell, but we really didn't want to miss it being our last time and all...144 years makes it the longest running SP parade in the US...who would have thunk that there were so many Irish here in Ohio?!} super baby waved to all the paradees who passed by.

apparently Irish REALLY love dogs...there were tons in the parade.

there were also many 'fife' players.

i just love that we got to see 'Lolly the Trolley'...isn't that just the best name for a trolley?

Walking Shoes

I just picked up these puppies...

So I can tour Europe in comfort and style and see places like this:
{only 30 min from the army base}

we are getting so excited for our new adventure...
but oh so sad to leave our Ohio.

Club 30

i know i've been a bad blogger, but we've been SO SICK! we've had every sick bug you can imagine. regardless, we still had a wonderful February. our highlight was my mom {Nana} coming to visit. she came out for my 30th {yeah, that's right} birthday. she stayed for one week and we cried when she left. it's so nice to have mom's come visit. the kids enjoyed snuggling in her bed in the morning {and sometimes snuck in during the middle of the night}. she also read them stories at night and stayed with them until they fell asleep. not to mention she did all my laundry and was constantly cleaning and helped my kids with their homework. Mom and I also enjoyed Anne of Green Gables {my all-time fav} and Amish country. we found raspberry cider down in Amish country and had to buy some...it reminded us of raspberry cordial on Anne of Green Gables. we also committed to going to Prince Edward's Island someday in Canada! We finished many projects, and just had a great time. It's so fun being adults with my mom and I consider her a great friend and confidant. thanks for coming all this way mom {she lives in AZ again}. WE LOVE YOU!

My BFF's {Jenny, Emily, & Tara} treated my mom and I to lunch at my favorite place, Miss Molly's Tea House, where we at yummy "girl food" {so named by my hubs}. We had a great time. Thanks girls, I love you more than I can say.

30 doesn't feel any different. {I actually thought I was turning 30 last year...that's how much I care!} All I know is that I hope to make my next 30 years {Heavenly Father willing} even better than the past 30. {and please let me have my mother's genes and look as great as her when I'm 51!} I have learned many lifes' lessons and I know many more are to come. So here's to "Thirty, Flirty, and Thriving" {coined phrase from the movie Thirteen Going on Thirty}.