The first weekend in the boat - and it wasn't even ours!

We were so excited to find out that the temperature was going to be in the 80's all weekend!! We have all been chomping at the bit to get to Picwick!! HOWEVER, the last weekend of the last season while we were there the boat nearly ran out of gas and then never really recovered from it! We tried to take it out one more time after that and it really seemed like something was wrong with the fuel injectors or something??( I am obviously not the savvy boat engine words type so just go with me on this one).... it kind of did a sputter thing. Anyhow, Jason has been back and forth trying to get this fixed and that fixed and test driving it and still it doesn't run great! So, we decided to go anyway.... we all had our hearts set on going so Papa said he and Nana would rent a pontoon boat and we'd just go for the day on Saturday..... it was so nice to just be out on the water!! Everything was perfect, the weather, the kids and Kait's knee boarding behind the boat - ROCKED!! She totally got up the first time and did so awesome even behind a Pontoon Boat!!! Great Job Kait!!! Welcome warm weather.... we are ready!! And secretly praying that Lewis and the boys at L&S know how to fix our boat!!

I loved the girls all in a row with their sunglasses! Perfect photo opp!! I think this ones for the frame!

Everybody wanted to drive.... and since when anyone else drove Papa got drenched he too wanted a chance to drive!! It was a really windy - white caps(on the lake?) kind of day and water kept splashing in on everyone for some reason??!! But the weather was actually perfect!! Not too cool or too hot!

Harrison and Daddy drive the boat! He did a great job!!

I loved how serious Jack was about driving - he did such a good job! Very careful to pay close attention!

Even the girls took their turns to drive too!!

Harrison couldn't swim in the water so he brought his remote control boat.... thank goodness Santa gave him that thing.... He and Jack really enjoyed it! But Jack was a little disappointed Harrison couldn't swim he just wanted somebody to get in with him! Hopefully next time we go the cast will be off! I do have to give Harrison props though he didn't complain a bit!! What a trooper!!

And did I mention Kait rocked the knee board?? The very old and not very padded knee board - she paid for that the next day but man she looked so good out there!! Her daddy told her he'd take it home and put a new cushion on it just for her! (Since he's so domestic and everything!) Kait said, "NO! Just buy a new one!!" LOL! I love watching the two of them banter back and forth- they crack me up!

Couldn't pick just one of these.... I love them both!!

Oh yes, and the goats were there!! We went to Goat Island to feed the goats and there were sweet new babies!! And one very hungry adult goat that came onto the boat!! All the kids (except Lilly) ran screaming to the back of the boat and everyone wanted Brian to "get it off!" We're so proud that he was able to do it without hurting the sweet Large Aggressive goat!! At one point I noticed that Lilly Ann still had food in her hand and the goat was looking over at her and she was leaning in toward him and.... I may have lost it if that goat bite her but Uncle Brian saved the day and no one was attacked :) I know the goats seem really sweet but when it comes down to your babies I'm here to tell ya you are not interested in hearing anything about how gentle they are just that they are not coming toward your baby!! Oh well, all is well that ends well and the goats are still on their island until our next visit! (And if Harrison has his way we'll NEVER GO THERE AGAIN!)

Jumpin' into Spring with the Shaw Family

Our sweet spring started off with Palm Sunday Celebration at church. Both Harrison and Lilly Ann's classes lead worship. It was the sweetest day ever!! Lilly's class sang only the opening song , "He's Alive, He's Alive, Jesus is Alive..." Lilly sang it for a week before and hasn't stopped singing it yet! Of course I forgot that i could record from my camera so I missed her performance but trust me when I tell you it was precious! Although Lilly had total stage shock and never sang a word she looked so sweet with her little friends all up on stage moving to the music and taking it all in! The rest of worship was lead by Harrison's group and it was so perfect! I was overwhelmed with emotion as they sang "How Great is Our God" by Chris Tomlin.
It was so perfect! And Sweet! And .... I was just so proud!! How Great our God was through the voices of those sweet angels!! Praise God Jesus IS Alive!

The Saturday before Easter we went to the Easter Egg Hunt at FHCC. It's always so much fun! Lilly had been playing dress up that morning and insisted on keeping her princess skirt dress on so we just found a matching shirt and pants and we were on our way! She ended up looking so precious and very "Lilly" that day! As we arrived the Easter Bunny was waiting to greet us at the door. Lilly was sooooo excited she would not leave that poor bunny alone! She literally had to be moved away from the bunny so other children could get a picture with him. She loved him soooo much!

Easter Sunday we went to FHCC for a sweet service and then to Granny and Papa Jack's and then to Brian and Tina's for dinner. Dad and Susan wanted to have an egg hunt for the kids at Granny's but it rained all day!! Just before the rain Granny had pictures in her front yard.... the kids all looked so sweet!! I'm not real sure what in the world Lilly Ann is looking at but this still is one of my favs!! It just makes me laugh!! I always say she's such a boy with a bow and this is such a perfect example.... one of her new things to say is... "EWWW" it looks like she may be saying that right here! Lunch was fabulous and it's always so nice to see everyone!! And dinner at Brian and Tina's was yummy too!! The kids had fun playing together and everybody looked soooo nice!

I almost forgot to put the Boston pics. All the adults went to Boston for Nan's goodbye - and Kait was old enough to go to. It was such a bittersweet time. We all got to be together and love on each other and the immediate family was even there for Nan's last moments of life here. They loved on her all the way until the very end. We had such a sweet time looking at old pictures and reminiscing about how much we all love her so dearly and how much we will miss her!! What a precious person she was in the lives of EVERYONE that was blessed enough to know her!!
About two or three days into our trip we decided to go shop and enjoy sometime together and Kaitlyn decided she would (last minute) get her ears pierced! We had such a great time laughing and being silly and I think it went over without a hitch! Jason and Brian even got themselves a pair of earrings too!! Or they at least pretended to get their ears pierced! Papa was SHOCKED! They got these magnetic HUGE diamonds and walked out with Kait to the van that Papa was driving... He laughed and thought it was a joke but the boys kept on and on about support for Kaitlyn and how they had to do it so she would and bla bla bla Papa began to believe it! Tina, Kait and I were totally dying in the back seat laughing to ourselves about the whole thing! Finally Papa said, at least you could've gotten something smaller! LOL! It went on for hours until finally Kelly pulled Brian's off at dinner and said, "it's magnetic!" I think it's one (of the 3) earpiercing Kait will never forget! :) Thank you, GP for making it possible for us to go for a week and say goodbye!! Lilly Ann and Harrison were well taken care of!

As the weather gets warmer and warmer the Shaw kids are wanting to spend more and more time outside. We decided to get a water table and give the kids a few more fun things to enjoy.... Lilly Ann and Harrison found some old boots that were Kait and Ashleighs and they had such a fun time in them that they wore them all afternoon!! You gotta love a girl that looks good in her boots and a boy that is just plain cute period!!

Harrison also STILL has his cast on -it's camo now- for 3 more weeks because they found a fracture that is trying to callus and it just needs a bit more time. He is such a trooper! I am so proud of him for sticking it out with barely any complaints at all!! I'm sure this is just one of many breaks in his active life!! Thank goodness he'll be through this by summer!!

This is Palm Sunday, "How Great Is Our God"! Press play and enjoy!