Philly ZOO

We have been meaning to go to the Philly Zoo for a long time, but for one reason or another it hasn't happened until NOW!  The kids were excited to be going to the Zoo - Taija kept asking if it was going to be as cool as the Florida Zoo!?  While there was no giraffe feeding I think the kids still had FUN!

 Pa was pretty funny - the kids were laughing so hard as they ran around this play area and he couldn't understand what was so great about it.  And then Mika kept popping out to surprise him and he got caught up in the excitement!

Thanks Pa for all of the FUN and adventures!  We sure do LOVE when he comes to visit!

Pa Comes to Visit

We were so lucky to have Pa come visit us!  The kids had been talking about it for weeks in advance.  We are truly blessed in the fact that we get quite a few visitors as we live so far away from family.  One of our first stops was to the river park...

The kids had a BLAST throwing sticks in the river, climbing on rocks, sword fighting with Pa, having a picnic and truly enjoying the outdoors!

A few weeks ago the kids and I went to Home Depot to purchase some carrot seeds, soil and small containers as we began our adventures into gardening.  Since Pa was here we took the easy route - buying already grown flowers!

Things that make me HAPPY

Since this blog will eventually end up being our family journal I want to make sure I document some of our 'happy moments.'  Justin just started what will be 4 weeks of ER nights, the first 2 weeks being insanely LONG hours of working then coming home to sleep.  So...last night while putting the kids to bed Taija came and sat on my lap for singing time.  Mika - not one to be dethroned decided to sit on Taija's lap.  Taija then declared it 'group hug' time so Luke came to join us.  My kids sure do make me happy!  Hugging all three of them brought such happiness to my heart.  It won't be much longer when I won't be hold all 3 of them in my lap.  There are moments (maybe even entire days) that being a mom is HARD, but there are even greater moments such as these that make it ALL worth it.

March Madness

March has come and GONE and it seems like we didn't do much - although the pics say otherwise.  Here is a random post of ALL that took place (or at least what I remember of it)!

Mika got a NEW scooter for her birthday so when the weather is good (it has been teasing us with warm weather, then snow, some days rain and yet others with biting wind) she has been testing it out.

 St. Patrick's day - GREEN waffles, and a GREENish dinner

My little climber

and driver...

Proof that my kids do at times play together

Ever since the new year when church changed to 1pm I lose at least one kid before we get there...this Sunday it was all 3!

Silly Daddy decided to play MONSTER...the kids were laughing hysterically!

The day Frozen was released!

Luke was so excited...he kept saying he looked 'hansome'

On a Saturday that Justin had to work I decided to load the kids up and take them to meet up with my Sister and Ari at the National Aquarium in Baltimore.  This aquarium is MASSIVE.  It's like 6 stories that is designed so that it keeps you moving - there are literally escalators that move you from each 1/2 level to the next.  They don't allow strollers (but provide you with baby carriers if needed) so it is not somewhere I would visit ALONE with the kids.  Thank goodness Reiko was there to herd the older 3 as I attempted to keep Mika moving along with the others.  It is pretty dark throughout most of it so pics aren't the greatest.

This was the rain forest area - Taija was having a HARD time with the smell.

Luke and I waiting for the dolphin show - we actually saw it twice.  We decided it would be the BEST place to eat lunch!

Phew!!!  What a whirlwind, but I am sure that April will be just as BUSY!  Life sure is crazy with 3 little ones, but I wouldn't have it any other way!

My Mika Mookers is 2

So I am finally acknowledging the fact that Mika is 2.  I have been hoping that if I ignored it she would quit growing up so FAST!  But alas it continues to happen!  My BABY is 2!  Mika is such a fireball.  Definitely independent and strong-willed.  This crazy girl of mine is fearless.  She LOVES going to nursery and doesn't even look back.  Mika LOVES being included and feels as though she is a BIG kid.  Anything Luke and Taija can do, Mika wants to try too.  She is quite the mischievous little one too.  There have been numerous times where she will deliberately 'poke the bear' (or rather Luke) and cry for protection when he retaliates.  Little stinker!

Mika still continues to be my best eater.  She will try most anything although her favorite is rice.  She is starting to be more picky, but hoping it doesn't last.  It was pretty interesting because at her 2 yr check up they took blood to check your hemoglobins and Mika's iron was pretty low.  Really?!  My best eater?!

Mika LOVES to dress up.  At least once a day you will see her in her princess attire, or a hat of some sort.  She hates having her hair done, but doesn't mind if Taija sticks some sort of bow/headband on her.  Taija was never into the dress-ups so it is FUN to see all of the different outfits Mika puts together.

I love that she still likes to cuddle.  Her favorite activity is sitting on your lap to 'read, read'.  Although most books only last a few seconds before she is off to get another she LOVES the one on one attention.  Her vocabulary continues to expand and her little voice is so cute if I do say so myself.  The kids (along with the entire world) are into a Frozen obsession and Mika is right there with them singing her favorite songs.  While we didn't do a BIG friends party we did do a little Frozen theme since the movie was due to be released the day before her BIG day.  It was so much fun.

For her birthday Mika is getting a BIG girl bed, but due to the fact that she is content in her crib and she still has a heater in her room we are postponing the actual switch until it warms up a bit.  Luke and Taija were both in a BIG bed well before their 2nd birthday (mostly due to the fact that the crib was to be vacated for its next resident) so I feel like we are WAY behind.  And I still rock my baby before bed time - what can I say, I am not giving up on the baby stage quite yet!  I am so glad Miss Mika Mookers is in our family and we are truly blessed with such a beautiful, independent, funny, mischievous, loving BIG girl.  Love you Mika Kate Robison!!

MARTINA!

I really am SPOILED!  It all started when Justin was in Utah for his residency interview with the U and was able to go to the George Strait farewell concert with Martina McBride.  I LOVE Martina McBride.  Hands down my favorite artist!  Well, I made him promise that before I DIE he MUST take me to a concert of hers.  So, when I found out she was going to be in Philly I started looking for tickets, but they were WAY out of our price range and most of the GOOD tickets were gone.  I told him I had been looking and he had this sort of panicked look in his eyes as he made sure I hadn't done something SILLY and bought tickets.  He later confessed that he had bought tickets as a birthday present from him (and his parents of course - thanks Scott and Tina for the AWESOME tickets)!!  He even had it arranged that his mom was going to be out here to watch the kiddos, but due to our Florida trip she wasn't going to be able to come again so soon so he arranged for our good friends the Itri's to watch them!  Best.Husband.Ever!  The concert did NOT disappoint!  It was AMAZING.  And further cemented Martina as the most talented artist EVER in my book.  It was great - no flashing lights, no back-up singers...just Martina and her band.  George was great too - of course!  Thank you to everyone who made it possible - Justin, Scott, Tina, Stephanie!!  Love you guys!