Easter '11

Happy Easter Friends!

We had a great stay at home do nothing kind of weekend, yet somehow, here I sit here in bed at 9:01 thoroughly exhausted! We just kind of smashed our monthly "family night" and Easter into one big weekend party. We had some hunting and dying of eggs, Ry & I did some sprucing up in our bedroom, Ry & Griff went to "African Cats" and loved it and we got to celebrate Easter with family! We had lots of sugar and now feel waaaaaaaay too full of holiday goodies. Here's some highlights....

Breakfast and Egg dying...

the handsome boys at my house:)

Easter Bunny treats waiting for the two little boys...

Just out of bed family photo...

...and all dressed up in Easter duds...

Neither boy was really digging having to take these photos, but we did end up with some cute ones! I love these little faces and I am already treasuring the pictures of them from today!

Some Auntie & Grandparent love!

All smiles for drums & bow ties!

Another Easter already here and gone! Thanks Jesus for such an amazing thing to celebrate!

He is Risen, we are thankful!

This week was Hopping

It's been hopping at our house this last week and I am sure it will continue into the next as this Sunday is Easter. Griffin got into the spirit of the season at his schools "Hop-a-thon" in which they hopped to raise money for Muscular Dystrophy. When I asked him what you needed to do a Hop-a-thon he said, "Mommy all you need is some bunny ears and then you do some hopping till you gotta stop!" I love the hats they make at preschool...LOVE them!

On Friday I submitted myself to pre heart attack conditions when I hosted an "Eggstravaganza" at my moms house for Bean and Griff's friends and classmates.

It was supposed to be an outside game and egg hunt party and even though they were calling for rain, the forecast didn't say rain until late afternoon so I pressed on determined to have my party outside. As I opened the door at 2pm for our first guest, I not only realized I left all the sugar cookies I had baked to decorate at my house, but it also had just started raining. Thus I quickly had to revert to plan B and C and possibly even D. We had around 13 kiddos there and they blew through the bunny hop relays, egg hunt and other games I had planned in about 15 minutes. It was seriously crazy, although the kids didn't care, they had a blast. I just pictured things a little more organized I guess:)! I had great friends like Mary Beth, Erin and Jen who stayed to help. Mary Beth has more details and pictures of the party, and she is very enthusiastic in her depiction of the event even though she had to work very hard...what a friend! I am so blessed to have had such great helpers.

Suz with Josiah

My mom, as always, is an angel who ran to get the cookies and just acted cool, calm and collected when she came home to a house full of children.

cookie making fun

In the end it was a blast and I will say, praise the LORD for Veggie Tales which allowed us time to decorate the cookies in shifts and kept the kids busy while we waited for the parents. Griffin had the time of his life and that was the point, so mission accoplished. If I am brave enough next year, I am putting the "rain date" I mentioned in the invitation into effect!

Beanie and Henry chit chatting!

Also getting us into the bunny spirit??

These ADORABLE little bunnies from my Gramee and Grandpa Sapp! Aren't they so cute? Griffin has been walking around with his telling me how cute his little bunny is!

Happy hippity hoppity Spring and have a very blessed Easter!

The Everyday

"Cleaning your house while your kids are still growing

is like shoveling the walk before it stops snowing."

Phyllis Diller

I am not going to lie to you.

I am not the best house keeper. Ask me the last time I cleaned my tub. I won't tell you. It's not because I am embarrassed, (and I am) but it's more because I just don't know. I feel like just the "pick up" of daily life with little men is more than enough to get to most days.

My laundry room always looks like this....

My sink is always like this because there are more dishes than can fit in the dishwasher...

And here is what the embroiderd towels that we got as a wedding gift look like...

I kid you not, I was going to the bathroom, looked over at my decorative towels and saw the perfect prints of one small blond 3 year old. He obviously engaged in a little finger painting without anyone knowing. I am not going to point any fingers but Ryan was home with him on Saturday morning while I was gone...just saying(kidding, kidding). In case you didn't know I have kids, just look at my towels.

The truth is, that at times this all seems a titch overwhelming.

BUT the truth also is that all these things mean that I have

this face...

and this face...

to take care of and snuggle and love. At church this weekend they were talking about finding the JOY in everyday life...breaking the monotony of the everyday and just engaging in the moment. Ry and I were both commenting afterwards that what is tough about life sometimes is just finding a break in that everyday stuff to feel really happy. So that is my new goal. No focusing on the piles of laundry and dishes. No stressing about unorganized piles. God is calling me to find joy in the little moments of my life and that means sitting down for sessions of patty cake and songs of "the wheels on the bus" and games of tag your it. And cherish the laundry because that means there are little bodies that need me to be their mom.

9 Months

Hi precious pork chop!

This month you turned 9 months old (in case the pics didn't give that away:)!)

Your sweet face is absolute JOY to my life. You are moving and shaking and loving life. Dad and I love seeing you and Griffy play together. We love to hear you laugh. I love how you started to give me kisses. You are getting close to standing on your own and you are eating tons of table food. You still are having trouble staying asleep all night, but I will say that you are pretty good about going down. I sing you some version of Twinkle Twinkle and rock you back and forth and then lay you down in your crib and you usually just smile and drift off into dream land with just a few little peeps. I am LOVING seeing you come alive.

Growing up "so big" this Spring

...and crawling towards 10 months before I even get the pictures posted.

Love you Beanie Boy!

For the weekend my dad, sister and her boyfriend joined us and we did what all sensible people visiting somewhere warm and sandy do...pack up the shovels and hit the beach! Aren't my beach babies so sweet...and sandy??!!

The day started with Sawyer helping my dad get some work done, and I am sure he was a very effective helper!

and then we "suited up", rented a yellow umbrella and settled into a spot on the white shelly sand. It was breezy and hot and all things a good day at the beach should be!

There was playing in the sand with friends....

(note the tiger atop the castle)

sweet baby beach feet,

relaxing and reading,

tropical snoozes,

one great view,

sisterly love,

and hubby love:),

and Sawyer giving Grandpa driving tips for the way home!

Our last night there we went out for a super yummy dinner on an outdoor patio and it was a great way to wrap up a great trip.

We came home with sun tans...ok a few burns too, lots of happy memories,

and this....

the little boy initiation into summer...a skid on the cement at the pool!