Easter Celebration

Around 6am, the kids woke up to see if the Easter Bunny made it through the storms...he did!  Blake got some books, Lego and Club Penguin goodies, and a pirate game.  Taylor got a book, some Squirmies (little weird animal toys?!?), and some ballerina stuff!  They both got a small chocolate bunny too! The Easter Bunny even left a couple of bones for Sophie to chew on...how thoughtful! 

Then....we grabbed the baskets and went outside to search for the eggs that the Easter Bunny had hidden for them.  We told them each to find six eggs...that way Blake wouldn't find them all!  lol!

Then we headed in to get ready for church.  We were trying to get ready in time to have a pancake breakfast at church around 9am, we were late, but still had plenty of time for pancakes and donuts.  I was excited because Billy had been working on a really great music set for the worship band to play.  I really look forward to the music!  And this Sunday, my cousin, Cheryl was coming to the service too!!  What I didn't expect, was my friend Jennifer to show up with her family too...what a wonderful surprise!!  Her daughter, Sabrina, has been friends with Blake since kindergarten.  Sabrina goes to church with us most Sundays, but to have her whole family there was so awesome! 

The service was great!  I must admit, the last few days, leading up to Easter have been super-stressful at our house.  I have taken on way too many activities, can't keep up with the housework, and struggle to get things ready for the holiday...but when I'm there at church, surrounded by loving people, listening to a message that always seems to speak directly to my heart...nothing else really matters.  God loves us!  He "knows" we are not perfect and he "knows" that we need HIS help!  I'm going to "let go" of the negativity and focus on what really matters! How blessed we are to have a God that would give up his only son...just for us!  As you can tell, the service was awesome and followed by an Egg hunt for the kids. 

After the egg hunt, we headed to the house.  Aunt Susie and my cousin, Cheryl (whom I don't get to see enough) came back to the house too.  It was great to get to visit, snack, and spend time together.  I had bought a huge ham and all the fixins' for a traditional Easter dinner, but never got to it!!  We had some finger foods and dessert and we decided to forget the work of starting dinner...crazy, but I think we just started a new tradition...NO big dinner plans, just easy snacks!  Can't wait to NOT plan a dinner next year!  My sister had to work late, so she didn't make it over this evening, so the kids and I are going to take goodies to her house tomorrow, along with the "special" eggs they colored her and we'll celebrate again!  We should celebrate Easter more often, anyways!  Happy Easter!

Easter Prep

 I usually decorate the house for Easter, immediately after St. Patrick's Day, but this year...it just didn't happen.  I didn't even think about decorations until three days ago!  I finally got the house organized enough to bring up the tub with Easter stuff in it.  The kids love to dig it all out and go "decorating" all around the house.  I used to want it decorated a certain way, but now I just let them do it how they want. 

Some of the decorations that we put out, were my Mom's.  This Easter Tree was hers.  I decorated it each year, and now my kids do too. 

Ha!  The egg yolk looks like Taylor's other eye!

Of course, we colored eggs.  I usually try to make it a family event, but with Billy gone all the time, we had to do it without him. Just when we got started, a tornado siren went off, so we headed to the basement.  Billy made it home safely and took cover downstairs with us! It took us two days to finish the eggs but, it was fun this year, they both loved getting creative with their little egg masterpieces.  They even made "special" eggs for Aunt Sissy, Aunt Susie and our cousin Cheryl.

In the midst of the storm and egg coloring,  a wonderful surprise came...Aunt Regina had adorable Easter baskets sent to both, Blake and Taylor!!!  They were loaded with wonderful treats, fun things to do, and stuffed animals!  Regina is my sister-in-law and I am truly blessed to have her in my life, she always goes out of her way to make things extra special!  We love her!

Thanks Aunt Regina!

The kids even loved the packing bubbles inside the box!!!

After the candy-high from Aunt Regina, the kids set out their Easter baskets for the Easter bunny...Blake also decided to draw him a picture.  My Mom bought Blake the most adorable basket years ago and we decided to use it each year.  My sister found the perfect one for Taylor when she was born, so that she would have an adorable basket to use each year too!

The kids usually set out the eggs they've colored for the Easter Bunny to hide for them, but this year we forgot.  Thank goodness Mom remembers though! lol!  Once they were sound asleep, the bunny fills their baskets with books, games, and a small chocolate rabbit.   Everything is ready for the morning, now to get some zzzz's...

2011 SPRING PORTRAITS

Blake says...

After running like crazy for all of Blake's events today,  he is getting ready for bed and notices me cleaning the bathroom and says... "Mom, tomorrow I'll do anything you ask, okay?"
 I ask him, "What made you say that?"
 He says, "just because I love you"

I wonder if he was feeling guilty for needing several reminders to get his things done...hmmmm...at least he's thinking of me!! LOL!! 


The other night, he made me a candy necklace....

He can be sweet

Museum of Transportation

Today was a FULL day!!  We met the cub scouts at the Museum of Transportation at 9am, followed by soccer pics and a double-header across town!  I cannot believe we squeezed it all in, but with careful planning and packing the night before, we did it! 

The first event at the museum was a class in an old rail car.  "Train of Thought" was the name of the class.  The scouts learned about the first flights, automobiles, boats, and trains.  They also got to build a wooden model car and then build with Legos, which Blake said was his favorite part....are you kidding me???  A huge museum with jets and trains to walk through and he loved the box of Legos on the table during the class...he's crazy!  LOL!!  Almost as crazy as me not taking ANY pictures of the trains, boats, or planes...lol!

Blake building lego trains

Blake and Tristan

Taylor got to build too!

Look what Taylor made...a horse on top of a window?!?!?

I took Taylor for walks while Blake had class

Next, we got in line to ride a tram down to take a train ride...the boys headed for the back, so we followed.  They pretended to be army guys shooting the enemy behind us...silly!

waiting in line for the tram...

Tristan, Blake, and Hayden...happy kids!

Mike, keeping the boys in line!!

Then we took a group shot of the boys with their newly earned "transportation" badge and model car!

The scouts with their leader, Cheryl...thank goodness for her!!

I am soooo glad we made it to this event, we had a blast even though we were a bit rushed for time.  We headed out at 11:30 to make it to the soccer pictures that were scheduled at noon in Lake Saint Louis.  If we could have, we would have spent the day.  Crazy busy days!

Blake and Taylor ringing the train whistle on the way out

Blake's spring soccer

Blake played soccer several years ago and was just too young to catch on to the sport.  He hasn't had an interest again until this year, so we signed him up with the YMCA.  I love the fact that two of my friends signed their kids up to be on the same team!!  We have an awesome time at practice and games each week! We all look forward to it and our kids all love to play together...it's just perfect. 

Also, he is really catching on to the sport and enjoying it...that makes a HUGE difference!  He has had two practices and three games and really gets in there and goes for the ball, I am so proud of him!

My little soccer guy!

Blake's first practice !

First drills

Today was the second set of games.  We had been up since 6am, visited a museum with the cub scouts and already had a full day when we got to the fields.  I made Blake change from his scout uniform to his soccer gear, in the back of my truck.  We packed up the stroller with our waters and snacks and headed to the picture sign-up table!  Got pictures taken (and on time, I might add!), covered the kids in sunblock, let them shove some crackers down, take a sip of water, and head out for a double-header!!  Again, proud of both kids for being troopers for the next three hours!

Getting in a kick



Blake threw on the jersey for goalie and
accidentally got his head in the
arm hole...coach had to help him out!  It was
choking him!  LOL!



being a good little goalie!

got a pat on the back from coach

My little goalie

hiking with the cub scouts

I absolutely love Blake being a cub scout!  Last week, we met at 6pm at a local park to go for an evening hike together.  It was at Legacy park in Cottleville.  I am happy to find this new park, it is very close (via a shortcut behind my house) and has an awesome playground, lake, and dog park.  I can already see summer play dates here! lol! 

We took the kids all around the lake, chatting and gathering leaves to make rubbings of.  I brought along the stroller for Taylor, but she ran the whole way.  She just fits in wherever we go.  We always seem to be with Blake and his buddies, but she doesn't mind-just tries to keep up! 

We took time to pet EVERY dog that came by (thanks to Taylor and her dog-loving self!LOL!)  It was a wonderful night! 

Blake is ready for the hike!



Hayden, Blake, Tristan, Cameron, Kyle, and Devon



leaf rubbings on the sidewalk

Blake's leaf masterpiece!

Taylor got a snack too!!!