Mother's Day

Here is my Mother's Day picture with Elijah. We had a fun day at church, hanging out with family, and enjoying some ice cream together. It was nice to relax and not have to worry about anything.

Cole's Fourth Birthday

We celebrated Cole's 4th birthday the Friday before Mother's Day. It was a Pirate-themed party and there was Pirate Booty for all. Here is the happy Gleason family (my brother Dave, his wife Danielle, and my nephew Cole).

Me and my beautiful sister

Elijah and his Uncle Dave whom he adores

Danielle and Elijah

The birthday boy in his pirate outfit

Hockey Play Offs

This time of year is always a highlight for Jerod because there are so many amazing hockey games going on. Of course, we are Sharks fans and hoping they will make it all the way this year, but there have also been some other interesting teams doing well and making upsets. Most nights find us watching a little bit of hockey or catching up on highlights. A couple months back we also got a hockey stick for Elijah so he can play with his dad. It has been so fun to watch Jerod teach him how to use the stick, how to win a face off, how to score a goal, etc. Below is a picture of them getting ready for a face off. For all those hockey fans out there, hope you enjoy the rest of the play offs. GO SHARKS!

Easter Sunday

What a joy this Easter was to celebrate with friends and family. We went to church and enjoyed a fantastic pancake breakfast along with an Easter egg hunt for the kids, then we drove up to Fairfield to spend time with my brother Dave and his family. So much food, so much fun, and soooo many Easter eggs!

Elijah has really grown attached to his Uncle Dan at church

Uncle Justin giving a special Easter present to Elijah

This is a wind-up chick that hops around and pecks at the ground. It is such a crack-up to watch him and has already provided many laughter-filled moments.This is "Meester Easter" and he is the special bunny hero that leads the children to their Easter egg hunt at church.

Finding eggs

Sharing one of his eggs with his friend Caleb

Reading with Grandma Lupe

Riding bikes with his cousin Cole

What a cute nephew I have!

Climbing is oh so fun

Cole absolutely loves bubbles and got two different bubble making machines and a gallon of bubble solution from his aunties. He was in heaven. I've never seen him so excited as when his Auntie Linda pulled out that gallon of bubble solution.

Cole was so sweet to take turns with Elijah on the bubble machine

There was another Elijah at the celebration and he was so good with the two younger boys

The whole gang heading over to the Easter egg hunt (we were able to canvas two different yards for our hunt and there were so many eggs it was ridiculous.

Cousins in search of eggs

Found an egg

Elijah with a basket about to spill over with eggs :-)

Headed home with the "loot"

Check out my eggs

Now comes the fun part of opening them up

Auntie Steph, can't quite open this, can you help?

Aw, the deliciousness of chocolate

Easter Activities

This Easter is Elijah's 3rd Easter and what a fun Easter season it has been. He is beginning to understand a little bit about the true reason for Easter and that Christ died for him and rose again. He has also had a fun time doing all the other activities we normally associate with this time of year.

Easter Egg Hunt at Elijah's Preschool

He found so many eggs they started falling out of his basket

All the preschool children made bunny ears and jumped around to the "Bunny song" where they had to act like a bunny (wiggling ears, shaking tail, hopping, etc.)

Making a baby chic with Miss Joan

At home, we decorated and dyed our own eggs for the first time. We colored designs on the eggs first with crayons...

Then, dipped them in the dye...

Then had a fun time pulling them out of the dye

We ended up with such fun, bright colors

Since we live in a mobile home park, they put on special activities for the children during holiday times. Yesterday we went to the main club house and Elijah got to make his own bunny mask.

Here Grandma is helping Elijah put his mask on

Ta-da!

His favorite was the lollipop he received

In the afternoon we went to an Easter egg hunt from Grandma's church.

There was a fun puppet show (isn't my boy so handsome!)

And instead of getting his face painted, he decided to put it on his hand

Elijah loved his rainbow and was disappointed the next day when he realized it was no longer on his hand.
His favorite part about this event, was the bouncy house. In fact, two minutes after the Easter Egg Hunt, he was no longer interested in his eggs and just wanted to bounce. Who can blame him.

Running on the hillside

Rolling down the hillside

Following the white rabbit