Practicing

Be prepared for the cutest photograph EVER!

This is Gianna and Max.



They will be in our wedding a week from TODAY, and they've been practicing up!

Their parents have done an awesome, awesome, awesome job of prepping these kids! I think they should give lessons ... because Mike and I have sure seen some doozies of flower girls and ring bearers! ;-)

Erik and I are getting *excited* for the wedding! We're excited to see everyone and celebrate with our closest friends and family, but more than that, we're excited to begin our married life!

Having Max and G be a part of it ... along with their Auntie Sarah ... it's so special. My siblings and I practically grew up with Sarah. We spend holidays together and they have become our extended family!

Mikols Men

On any given Saturday or Sunday afternoon, it's a given that you will find someone passed out on "The Green Couch" at my parents' house. The thing seriously swallows people whole!

Paul crashed out, and was having a snore session, when I grabbed this photo of him! Being a college student is hard work, so I understand the need to nap during spring break. ;-)


After Easter dinner at the Sheldon household, Grandpa Benny crashed out ... sitting up! He is a sleeping champ! Anytime, anywhere! I wish I could do that! In the background, you'll see Carl sprawled out on the couch, nabbing a few zzz's also.


Lastly, here is dad. When I was in 8th grade, he taught me to work a SLR camera, and you can't tear it out of my hands now! He continues to take photographs, but not in the professional realm. He's more of a "prosumer." He got a new camera recently and has been having fun with it!

Here is the photo he took of Max:

Easter Egg Hunt No. 2

This is a little bit out of order, but I wanted to share these cute photos of Max and Gianna with Auntie Sarah in Atlanta! (We all MISS YOU SO MUCH, SARAH!). On Easter Sunday, the Mikols family invaded the Sheldon household. We converged with Marie & Gary and their kiddos. Gianna, top, is all smiles and talk. Max, second, is more quiet, but during the Easter egg hunt, had bunches of rowdy fun! (Isn't Gianna's dress cute? I'm told Auntie Sarah got it for her!)

(BTW, Easter Egg hunt No. 1 was at St. Thomas Aquinas before this hunt ... be sure to check back tomorrow for a few photos of that ... but they will be not of kids, but of priests playing!)

The thing of the Sheldon Easter egg hunts is the eggs are filled with one of two things: coins or confetti. If you get coins, you pockest them. If you get confetti, you crack them open over someone else's head (BUT that must be done OUTDOORS!). It's heaps of fun, usually involves chases around the backyard and peals of laughter and shrieks. The above photo of Max is after Gianna smashed an egg on his head. Gianna wanted to know what to do with the egg, so we told her to crack it on Max's head, and she LITERALLY did it...smacked it on his noggin. Oops. She learned how to open them and dump them on people's heads, though ... see Marie help her get her dad, Gary? (side note: Gary used to NEVER let us get him, but his kids are awesome at getting confetti on their daddy-O!)


Check out these smiles! I think Max and Gianna had a blast! (Did I mention they will be our flower girl and ring bearer in September? They are excited, as are Erik and I!)






The twins, Agnes and Clare, were in on a little bit of the romping and playing. Here's Mary carrying Clare around:


I LOVE how you see the teething ring and her little mouth! It sounds like Agnes and Clare are teething, but Clare gnawed on my fingers for a good portion of Sunday, and I didn't feel any teeth .... but she was chewing away regardless!

Lastly, it wasn't the little kids having all the fun. My dad was distracted with his new camera, so Erik took advantage of it and let loose with some confetti...