Kindergarten Graduationh

P. graduated from Kindergarten today. Much to our surprise, both Kevin and I got a little choked up after it was over. Seems like just a short time ago he was a little guy and now he is going to be in first grade! He did a great job singing the songs (reluctantly) and he is looking forward to the rest of the week. He has field day tomorrow; a school picnic on Thursday; and a PTO carnival on Friday. We will be at the school every day this week to help out and K. is just as excited! Mrs. Hale (in photo above) was a wonderful teacher and P. LOVED being in her class. I think he is going to miss her next year!

The Mini Gourmet

M. is going to give P. a run for his money in the foodie department. Last night for dinner, among other things, I made (reheated rather, as it was from Trader Joe's) a mushroom and black truffle flatbread. Neither P. nor K. would come within 50 feet of it, but M. kept pointing at it and saying "more, more." We finally gave her some, fully expecting her to take one bite and spit it out. We were completely in shock when she not only swallowed the first bite, but ate the entire piece you see in the photo! And the joy on her face...I too like black truffles, but didn't expect them to elicit such a response from a 15 month old! She has exquisite taste!!!

Basement Update

Here are the latest pictures from the basement remodel. The first photo is taken as you come down the stairs. There used to be a door on the left, but Kevin knocked out the walls and opened up the stairway in both directions. If you turn to the right, you can go into the kid's toy room and to the storage area. If you turn left, then you head into the tv/ bar area, and the bed and bathroom are also to the left.

The photo of the bar (the half walls) is taken as if you were standing in the tv room. We have yet to install cabinets (they are ordered) and we have to add the wood panels to the bar, along with countertops. The door to the right is the bathroom door. The room with the holes in the wall is where the tv and couches are going to be. The view is as if you were standing at the bar.

The last photo is of the tiled shower in the bathroom
Kevin and a neighbor have been hard at work finishing that job. We hope to have the shower and the bathroom floor, along with the bar floor done by next weekend. (Fingers crossed!)
We are really very pleased with how it is coming along and are very excited to get it done! Kevin says he plans on hosting a halfway day party to christen the new space...dare i say mark your calendars?

Latest Doings in the Lynch Abode

Here's K.'s "new" hair-do, I was at work and Kevin dried her hair while K. brushed it and the end result is above. When Kevin asked what she thought about her hair K. replied, "I look like Mommy." Needless to say, I am getting my haircut next week.














M. has figured out how to climb up on things and one of her favorite spots is the couch. They were all snuggling the other night watching a cartoon and I don't think there are three cuter kiddos anywhere (I am biased, of course).



















P. has had a great time this soccer season! He has done a great job and the entire team is much improved. They have actually only lost one game this season. He loves to play defense and gets VERY excited when he steals the ball or stops a shot on goal. It has been fun to see how much they have all improved since their first season. K. can actually start soccer this fall if she wants to (and from the way she talks I am guessing she will want to play!)
M. and K. have also started to work together (a little bit). K. got herself a snack out of the pantry and left the door open so M. could get her own, as well. I don't think M. could have stuffed more in her cheeks if she tried! She was so proud of herself too.

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter to all!! The Lynch children awoke with the sun, literally, to see what the bunny had left. P. was thrilled beyond belief to see that the bunny had given him the Lego Star Wars Sith Infiltrator ship (these are VERY hard to find). That bunny has some connections! K. was equally thrilled to find her new Barbie Clean Up Pup doll. She has not stopped giving the puppies a bath.

The bunny left M. her very own Gertie Ball and a Magna Doodle of her own, too. She was so excited to get a new "ball, ball" (as she said all morning). M. was a big fan of the candy, too!
We decided to take pictures of the kiddos prior to church, as afterwards they are all in a hurry to change and play. The first one turned out great! We do have several of P. frowning and being a grouch as he was embarrassed at how handsome he looked. After he got over his shock of how handsome he is, he was good to go. I asked him later why he was being so goofy and he said he wasn't used to looking like a man and it made him feel embarrassed because he is really only a boy. Needless to say, he looked great! K. picked out her entire outfit (shocker) and believe it or not, she wore the hat nearly the entire time we were at mass. Kevin and I realized that M.'s dress was the same one K. wore on her first Easter here in St. Louis. My how a few years can really change things. We reflected today on how truly blessed we are and for this we are extremely grateful. We hope that these Easter greetings find you and yours equally blessed and equally grateful. Happy Easter everyone!

Birthday Present is a Huge Hit

M. received a ball pit for her birthday and 100 balls for Easter. We blew it up this past week, as it was rainy and cold just about everyday. She LOVES it. She frequently nose dives into the pit and comes up giggling. Her siblings have been having fun in it too. Thanks to the Burns family for the pit and to Grandma and Papa for the balls!

Lots to Catch Up On

Well, let's start with this first picture of the SNOW we woke up to last Sunday morning! K. asked if meant Santa was coming...try explaining that one to a three year old. She associates snow with Christmas and we had to tell her that this snow was a mistake. A big mistake if you ask me!

P. had spring break last week and we spent a few days at my mom and dad's house. We had a great time, as always! Kristen loves to see the kids and she probably watched more kid's movies that week than she has since she was a kid herself! We went and had lunch in Grandma's cafeteria and I don't think we could have hand picked a better menu for P. There were Chicago Style hot dogs and Chicken Parmesan (with a side of broccoli) . He had to really think hard about which he was going to choose, as they are two of his favorites. He and K. loved their first experiences with the cafeteria. After that lunch, Kristen and I took the kids to the children's museum and all three had an awesome time. As you can see in the photos, they got to paint their own faces and for a snack, they each made their own pretzels, complete with chocolate chips and marshmallows! YUM-O!!! We also went and got our bridesmaid/ flower girl dressed and K. looks adorable in her's. They are beautiful dresses and the color is great. Can't wait to wear them on the big day!



Who is happier in this picture? K. or Kristen?








This last photo is of a table my Uncle Jerry made for us. My mom and dad decided to have Jerry make each of us kids a piece of furniture and we chose to have a table for the front entryway. It turned out beautifully. The drawers on the front are made of zebra wood. It is truly a gorgeous and unique piece. Thanks mom and dad!!! As for this week, we are back to the grind. P. has a full week of school and starts soccer tonight with the first game on Sat. K. finished gymnastics last week. M. just cut her fourth tooth on top, so she will have a full smile (on top) very soon! Kevin just got back from a meeting in Chicago and it looks like we will have to fit in a vacation for the two of us this summer as he won Vice President's Premier Club and a trip to St. Kitts!!!!! He won two other regional awards as well. We are all VERY proud of him. Basement is well underway. The HVAC was completed this morning and Kevin says the insulation should be up in the next two weeks. I think we may wait a few week before we drywall, as I will have the furnace turned off to cut down on the mess and I want the weather to warm up a bit before we do that. No need to freeze anyone while they sleep! It is coming along and will be awesome once it is finished. I am sensing there may be a party to celebrate it's completion. Stay tuned for more details!