Sympathy and Science

Emily has such a sincere heart...I {heart} that about her...and this is the note she wrote for me yesterday...

{I hop tat yor day wel by good}

{I hope that your day will be good}

I wasn't feeling the best and she brought me an envelope with this letter and some stickers inside while I was lying on the couch.  Wow...did my heart fill with joy and happiness!  How can you not feel better after receiving that?

So I perked up and took some pictures of her sweetness {after she reclaimed the stickers she gave me, ha!} outside with the beautiful blossoms. 

Thank you Emily for your sweet, sincere sympathy!  You sure know how to make me feel better and appreciate these special moments!  I love you!

Now...could you put some of that energy in an envelope too and give it to me?  ...sigh...

Dan is also out of town for a couple days...and Alex has a science fair project coming up...blah so exciting!

...well...at least this part was actually kind of fun...

...now...trying to help Alex explain this reaction using the Scientific Method and what ratio of vinegar and baking soda creates the strongest volcano-like eruption...not so much!  ...um...I'm not feeling so good again...  Dan, help!

Wordless Wednesday {These Boots...}

...are...

...made...

...for...

...walkin'...

{...and because most of my Wednesdays aren't really Wordless...

...Emily has been into fixing her own hair...and boy was she proud of all the clips she put in!  I actually liked it too...except when she does it to mine!  Ha!  She's also really into her new earrings...she is dying to get her ears pierced...but we need to work on Dan a little bit more...wink...so for now she is wearing these little sticker ones her neighbor friend gave her...}

Get 'Em Dawgs!*{Updated}

As you know...we're cheering for Butler to win it ALL!!! 
We're so excited they came this far!

Emily and I are watching the excitement in bed {because Dan's at the game with his dad...and Alex is fast asleep} and I'm a nervous wreck!  Fortunately...yet unfortunately...Emily and I had a nice little nap today...so we may not get much sleep tonight...look out tomorrow...we could get a little grumpy...but...Go Butler!

*so sad...{big frownie face}...Butler is not the National champs...but are still true winners!  Thanks Butler for an awesome season and bringing it all the way home!

{Rise} to the Occasion

We had a fun Easter weekend...and I feel like I'm in chocolate shock! 

But we haven't forgotten the real reason for this wonderful Easter celebration...

Luke 24:46-47
46He told them, "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and {rise} from the dead on the third day, 47and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem."
 
And although we are always thankful that we are only perfect in God's eyes and that our sins are always forgiven through Him... Easter also gives us an occasion to dress our best, look for treat-filled eggs...and take lots of pictures!
 
We are so fortunate to live only an hour away from our family and can get together often...and have a tradition of meeting for Easter dinner every year!  Our favorite place to meet is Hollyhock Hill... and although it's not always big enough to hold our growing family... we missed a few this year who are lucky enough to be away in Florida for Spring Break or be at the Final Four game {like Dan and his dad! Go Butler!} but we always enjoy those we're with!
 

{Hannah, Kendall, Emma and Emily}

{our little group...plus Uncle John and Aunt Stephanie who were taking pictures for us!}

{me, Jeff, Janet, Grandma, Kendall, Don, Alex, Joel, Great-Grandma Martha, Emma, Hannah, Cameron, Bethanie, Emily, Shelbie}

{all the grandkids getting treats from Grandma!  She's the best!}

 

Then Sunday morning the Easter Bunny left their goodies in their rooms!  {Except Emily's was outside her door...since she was asleep in our bed...ahem...}

 

 

The search is on...

 

{They get quicker every year...I can't keep up with them to get many pictures!  They have so much fun looking for eggs...and so do I...because I don't ever seem to remember where they all are!  We kept finding more after we got home from church!} 

{I always get a picture of them on the church steps, I love the doors!  Can't you tell how thrilled they are?  Ha!  I had to convince Alex to smile!}

They had an Easter egg hunt at church too...but they were in different groups...and if I thought they were quick at home...I had no idea how fast they could snatch those eggs with other kids around!  Whew!  Forget getting pictures of that...I could barely get the camera turned on before they were finished!

Then I stopped on our way home to get a few more pictures... I couldn't resist!

It is such a beautiful day!  And the Easter Bunny even left one more surprise on our front porch when we got home...the kids found two more giant bubble wands waiting for them!  {Really...it must have been the Easter Bunny...because it was a surprise to me too!  Thank you...Easter Bunny!?}

They couldn't wait to try them out!  Such a fun surprise!

 

May you all have a blessed Easter!

{Egg}cited for Easter!

We are excited about Easter and Alex and Emily always get excited about coloring Easter eggs!  I wish I could be more creative about how we decorate them...but they still enjoy dipping them in the dye and painting them...maybe one of these days we'll go crazy!

I look forward to this fun tradition every year...even though I always crack at least one egg when I boil them and all the color seeps through!  I know I don't have too much time to spend with them enjoying all the {egg}citement of Easter morning and looking for treats from the Easter Bunny and coloring eggs...before they're too old and have to go and grow up on me! 

{sniff...sniff...}

Happy Easter!

And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.  Romans 8:11