Turning 5, travels and Sunday best

So it's been a little while since the big snow and last blog post. The snow has finally melted, the flowers are blooming, and we've had some adventures we thought worth reporting. One of the BEST adventures had around these parts was done by Evie - she turned FIVE! Nothing like a birthday with multiple parties to bring in a new year. Evie had been asking for a teddy bear for the past year - "soft and furry". Jen drove the kids down to the Seattle airport on a scavenger hunt to find a bear on Evie's birthday. The bear was waiting at the baggage claim area held by none other than Meemee! Evie's response was one of surprise and fear. "Can Meemee come home with us?" After realizing she got to keep the bear - and her Meemee for about a week - she was overjoyed. Her birthday also brought a new bike...


...and a doll that makes her own poop! Now Evie won't have to load her dolls' diapers up with brown plastic sandbags from an action figure set any more.


The first birthday party. We've got one cute girl.

Evie's 5th Birthday from James Bradbury on Vimeo.

Arun's taking a liking to books now and loves his photo album about when we traveled to India to bring him home.


It was so windy I thought for sure he'd be like his buddy Curious George and take off into the sky.


We got to visit family and friends Kentucky, Alabama and Tennessee for 10 days in April. Our kids love to travel and "airplane day" is always one of the best days of the year. Arun proclaimed "NUTHER ONE!" to the entire airport lounge every time a jet landed or took off.


Arun and cousin Langston taking a break from sliding on Nana & Peepaw Jack's playset.


The reason we got to head back east was for the Kentucky book festival held in Bowling Green, KY - home of Jen's alma mater, Western Kentucky University and for a number of high school author visits in her hometown of Owensboro. She got to speak on a panel of authors at the festival, mingle with other amazing writers and folks in the book industry, sell out of her books on the first day in a couple of hours, promote her new one coming out in May, buy lots of books and make some new friends.


And speaking of new friends, Arun couldn't get enough of "Cat-n-hat!" at the book festival.


We got to spend time with the amazing Ekbundit family both in Owensboro and Bowling Green. Here the gang is reading books WAY too late in the hotel room while on an extreme ice cream buzz.


After Kentucky, we drove down to Alabama to visit more family. On the way, we must have taken a wrong turn because the kids ended up somewhere on the moon. Those suits sure make potty training tough...


The visit with Uncle Derry, Aunt Jana and cousins Harrison and Hayden was too short, but still great. Before watching Harrison play T-ball, Derry got to teach Arun some dunking skills.


On the way home, the bonus of waiting until everyone else gets off the plane before we do (lots of toys, books, snacks to pick up off the floor) is that the stewardesses get to gush over how well the kids traveled (translated "thanks for not having screaming kids"). I think they really did like us because they offered a turn in the cockpit. Evie was a bit shy, but Arun jumped in there enthusiastically - and of course started pushing and switching every button he could reach within seconds. Someday...


Evie wasn't shy about the tractor ride with me come grass cutting time. Fitted with some ear protection, she took to the wheel like a NASCAR driver. Quite a change from the rechargeable push mower at our last place.


And finally the Sunday best. We got back from Kentucky in time to see our yard a bloom with tulips. Perfect for an Easter Sunday.


Though this is the best ham we had that day.



Until next time, we wish you all a happy spring and look for Jen's next book, "WRAPPED" coming out May 24th.


If you can't find it in your local bookstore, you can find it on Amazon.com Buy lots so we can save up for Arun's flying lessons!
Jimmy