A hike and a birthday....

Yesterday, we started our day off by heading to the Britton Forest trail with a group from Momstown for a hike, where we were looking for signs of spring.  This hike was led by Rhonda Sage-Ursulak.  She helped the kids think of things that tell us it's spring, and led us around the trail, showing us different things.  My boys did great.  They both hiked most of one way (we had brought the stroller) and kept themselves busy looking for sticks, bugs and birds.

There was a hole in this tree.  Drew was tapping near the hole, to "see if anyone is home".

Hunter LOVES dogs.

Having so much fun throwing rocks into the water.

We were out for about 2 and a half hours.  On the walk back to the van, the boys sat in the stroller.  Hunter fell asleep leaning on Drew's shoulder and because he had to stay still for Hunter, Drew fell asleep too.

After the hike, we headed to Chuck e Cheese to celebrate James' birthday.  We drove into the parking lot and then drove straight out and headed for home.  We should have known better, it was a saturday afternoon...the place was packed!  Drew didn't really want to go anyways, Nana was coming over later in the afternoon and he wanted to go home and wait for her.

James picked up Pizza (we had taken 2 cars, because James was going to leave from Chuck e Cheese and go to his basketball which was at 3) and met us at home.  Nana came over about 2:30 and hung out with us for the afternoon.

Our neighbour (Mr. Stark, who lived on the 5th line) had passed away a little while ago, and his family was holding an auction sale to sell off the farm equipment (his farm had sold a few years ago).  This was where Papa was for the day.  He was trying to get Drew and Hunter the John Deere gator that Mr. Stark had.  He bid up to $9400.00 and thought he had it, but then someone else came in and started bidding...it ended up selling for over $10000.00!!!  Dad had visited our local John Deere store a few days before the sale and had priced out what a new one was worth and what other used ones were going for.....$9400 was the most he was willing to pay.  Too bad, the boys would have loved riding around the farm on it.  Dad had a good day though.  All the neighbours were there, as well as a lot of the "old boys" from his neighbourhood growing up, and from 4H and junior farmers.  He loves catching up with everyone and hearing all the "stories" (it's pretty much gossip, but I guess men can't call it that......teehee).

The boys, Nana and I drove to the Glen to pick Papa up when it was time to go for dinner.  Once we got there, we had a few minutes to spare, so I let the boys out to go play outside.  I should have known better.  They were both covered from head to toe in mud.  A quick outfit change (thank god Nana keeps extra clothes at her house) and we were ready to go (after Hunter peed on Nana's chair of course....what would a visit from us be, without one of the boys ruining something of theirs??)

We ended up arriving at East Side Mario's at the same time as James, so we all went in and waited for our table.  It took about 30 minutes for them to seat us (which is why we try not to go out to dinner on saturday nights...).  It was such a nice evening, James and I took the boys outside while we waited (that, and because they were disturbing other people as they ate).

Dinner was great.  The boys behaved once we put food in front of them, everything was delicious and they sang to James...which he hated, but the boys loved.

James had put his hood up while they were singing to him because he was embarrassed.  Naturally, Drew did the same thing.

Happy birthday, James.  We love you so much!!