Happy (St. Patrick's and Jack's Birth) Day!

Not only did we all happily wear our best green gear on Tuesday, but we also joyfully celebrated our dear dog Jackson Brown's 9th birthday. Jack was Dean's present to me for my 22nd birthday and it is hard to believe he is already 9 years old. He is really a great dog. Lord knows he drives me nuts and there are days when I think my life would be easier (and certainly smell better) without him, but he is a part of our family and we all do love him. Especially Benjamin. Ben was so excited to celebrate Jack's birthday and wanted to start the day right with special birthday pancakes. We made Jack a special pancake with a treat on top, popped in a candle, and sang happy birthday. Jack was thrilled. Joe stared at Ben and I like we were crazy. The weather was glorious on Tuesday and we couldn't wait to play outside. But business first...it was time for Joe Joe's first haircut! In typical Joe fashion, he went along for the ride and though he wasn't overly impressed, he sat relatively still and took it all in stride. The end result was great and he no longer looks like Bozo the clown with his long locks covering his ears. After the haircut the boys and I headed to the park for a picnic lunch and some play time. We had a great time, despite the fact that the park was way overcrowded. Ben was awesome. He was such a good listener and did a great job staying relatively close while Joe and I played in the toddler area. Joey LOVED the park and was a master at the slides by the end of our visit. His favorite part of the park though was the duck pond. There is a huge fountain in the center of the pond and Joe was mesmerized and kept trying to get a closer look. After the park we spent the rest of the day outside playing in the backyard. We had a great time and are so ready for spring to officially be here and for the warm days and sunshine to stick around.