so {egg}citing!

Today is Good Friday...and we can never be thankful enough for all Jesus suffered and gave up so that we may have so much! 

Alex and Emily did not have school today so we enjoyed a little trip to the Outlet Mall {okay...maybe just I enjoyed that!} lunch at Applebee's so they could finally use their coupon for free Oreo shakes for getting all A's...and color Easter eggs!

We don't seem to ever get very creative...but it's always so fun!

This is Elizabeth's first Easter!  Another first...she's growing so fast!

Of course she didn't get to color any eggs...but she was a very careful observer!

 Alex was upset that he accidently dropped an egg...but it turned out to be his favorite because it looked like a spider web!

I'm so happy that they still enjoy and get excited about the Easter Bunny...even if they are starting to wonder just a little bit...

And even happier that they are able to celebrate the true meaning of Easter even more!


Also...this sweet little ducky has some pretty {egg}citing news...

We noticed her showing up on random mornings and just hanging out on our pool cover...

We couldn't figure out why Quacky {of course we named her!} kept coming back...especially since there's a much nicer place to swim just across the street in the little lake...

Until I discovered the answer under one of our bushes...

Quacky's going to be a mother...

of nine!  I hope we get to see her sweet fluffy little ones when they hatch!  So exciting!

May you have a happy and blessed Easter and celebrate all that we have in life...so that we may celebrate an even bigger reward with Christ!

 

Wordless Wednesday {Until Next Year...}

{another Science Fair Project...}

{complete!}

{YAY!}

{Looks good!}

{...because I helped!}

{...you're welcome big sis...good luck!}

{Emily's} Got Talent

Friday night was Emily's night to shine! 

She came home from school a few weeks ago with a paper in her hand so excited to tell me she wanted to be in the Talent Show!  My first reaction was to be enthusiastic right along with her...but then I started to feel anxiety because I didn't think she really had a talent!  She said she was just going to dance...and as she started to show me her dancing...I got even more nervous...ha!  As bad as it sounds...I even tried to talk her out of it...I know...I'm a terrible mom!  But I was so nervous that she'd get up there and not know what to do!

Obviously...I don't know my own Emily very well!

She had no worries whatsoever!  She was thrilled to get up on stage and do her own ballet! 

{I'll admit...I was still nervous up until the very second she performed...I couldn't help it!}

Grandma and Grandpa came to show their support too!

{When is it Emily's turn?}

She was great...of course!  The first time she stepped out on stage...her music wasn't ready...so she just smiled at the crowd...she had to come off stage for a minute until the technical problem was fixed...

...then she was more than ready!

I love Emily's personality...she really teaches me to just go with the flow...and enjoy it all along the way!  She truly doesn't let anything worry her...and I so admire that about her...she's fearless!

And all the kids in the Talent Show were amazing...it's not necessarily about having talent...but more about having fun and confidence!

We're so proud of you Emily!  Keep doing what your doing...and don't let anything stop you! 

{including your unnecessarily nervous mother...sometimes!}

Never {Finished}

If there's one thing that's never the same around here...

...it's the furniture arrangement...

...or the pillows...

...or something got added...

...or taken away...

The sun room is one of those rooms that's never finished!

It's never a big, dramatic change...but the chairs that I dragged in from outside...that I had in the kitchen...are now in here...

...plus I added a soft, creamy rug to cover up the drab dirty carpet soften the space!

It's kind of shag...and I hesitated about getting it...but I really love it!  I remember our lovely yellow shag carpet from my childhood in our pink house!  ha!  {Yes...I really lived in a pink house...just like John Mellencamp sings of!}

{My toesies are happy here!}

I'm diggin' it...for now...I'm sure it will change again!  {maybe if we ever get rid of our decade-old couches and put the outdoor furniture...back outdoors!  oh well...}

And the chairs that used to be in the sunroom...that used to be outside...have made it into the kitchen...

I'm happy that all the chairs are the same color...but it still doesn't seem finished to me...yet!

{until next time...}

I do know of one thing that is finally finished...

{hey Alex...did you get that done yet?}

Alex completed his Science Fair project and is turning it in today...two weeks early!  Hoo-to-the-ray!

He's pretty darn proud of it too!  The little plastic egg is attached to floss and the salt shaker is attached with a brad...so he can shake the salt and pull the floss from behind to make the egg float...ha!

Good luck Alex!  Way to finish!

{Now to finish Emily's...sigh...}

Wordless Wednesday {Celebrate...}

{...every. single. day...}

{no matter what...}

{because these four are always gonna be a part of it!}

{Walk} It Off

Today is a gorgeous day!  And I got to spend it with this gorgeous girl...

Well...she should be in school...but the infamous fever has struck again.  It got Alex last week...and it came back for Emily.  She went to the doctor this morning...but he said it's probably just a virus.  She has the terrible barking cough again, but the fever seems better.  So we decided to just go out and take a walk and get some fresh air...and blow those stinkin' germs away! 

{the crew}

It's great what the sunshine and a nice brisk walk can do!

As soon as we were off...Dan pulled up with some trees to plant!  {he loves his trees!}

{a little help after our walk}

{Skipper is always on alert when someone gets too close!  he's barking at Dan before he even realizes who it is!}

{and Elizabeth is all smiles to see her Daddy!}

I don't ever wish for them to be sick...but I secretly loved having Emily home today!  I miss the days last year when she'd be home in the afternoon from Kindergarten. 

If it were up to me...I'd keep them home.every day.all to myself.and keep them little

...if only that were possible...sigh...

So I will enjoy any second I can...

...whenever I can get it...

{even Skipper...he's getting to be such an old boy...he has been with us from the beginning...and is always close by...he's practically my shadow all day when I am home...

{do you see him?  that's his nose in the lower left corner...ha!}

{such a good dog!}

Yes...if it were up to me...I'd keep them all to myself...

...but it's not...

so I'll cherish our walks...{even with a virus}...

if it means more time with my little ones!