Happy Birthday Six Year Old

Today is a day of celebration!  

I saw good-bye to my "favorite five year old" 

and welcome with a big hug my "super-duper six year old".  

We love you BIG MUCH!

4P's for Lent and Celebrating Easter

With the season of Lent winding down, we celebrate the rebirth of Jesus.  Lent is always such a cleansing period, and Easter is a re-awakening.  Fortunately this year the weather also added an additional pop to the big day. 

We gathered with our sons, daughter-in-laws and favorite five year old for Mass Easter morning.  As Father shared the Homily I enjoyed hearing him share his personal moments of sacrifice and change during Lent. 

After church we met up at our home for a family meal.  Krieg invited an unexpected guest who was traveling from Portland, OR, relocating to Syracuse, NY.  We'd met RP two summers ago when he hosted a Rhino Lacrosse Camp in Boise.   Krieg was working at the camp after meeting RP and team over in Oregon.  Naturally we had to extend some Shaw Hospitality when they came to town. 

Holiday or not, the Shaw family table has no boundaries and all are welcome.  I think both Mike and I enjoyed how Krieg knew RP would be welcome without asking first.

Missing from our family gathering was our new parents and newest grandson.  With their work schedules and hockey season sneaking out of town with a nearly 2 month old baby wasn't on the agenda.  Besides they were anxiously awaiting the arrival of Chris' dad and Kathy, who were driving to Idaho from Michigan soon.

Cute Easter Bunny 

She loves being a Momma

After a meal with several new dishes, we took in some vitamin D and added some photographs to go with our Easter memories.  

Our Easter Family

With Brit

Tater got a fun Creationary Lego game.  Much like Pictionary but you have to build something out of Legos and have others guess...  My coordination with Legos is nil (ask my sons) and my recent attempt at building with my favorite five year old was an epic fail - and that was WITH the "map" so I abstained from the game.



Overlook the shaggy beard.  My hubby has accepted our son's Duck Dynasty beard challenge...  winner to be determined the last week of July at Kalaloch.  (Oh goodie...  April...  May...  June...  July...)

Krieg and RP

My Play Date...

We were fortunate enough to have Tate for company Father's Day weekend.  The following Monday we took him to his first day of lacrosse camp.  After lunch Papa was volunteering at Birds of Prey.  .

Tate and I passed some time sharing day-old bread with the pond ducks. He even met some new friends and offered to share

We walked around the pond, stopped to climb and tree and then played for a bit on the playground.

Naturally since Papa was out and about, Tate suggested we go check out the Birds too.  We love the new Subaru decorated for advertising, with a picture of Stoffel.

We checked out the microscope slides in the Children's area after reading all of the questions and answers.

Freedom, the Bald Eagle, loves to chat with visitors.  She'll squak at Papa when he steps outside.

The Condors aren't the most attractive birds but they've come back from near extinction. 

Papa and Tate

Nature Trail

Looking Northwest.