What a difference a year makes!

I was planning to do a little catch-up post, but I think remembering this day last year is much more important.

~You can see pictures and read last year's post here.

It's still hard to believe the destruction and devastation that covered the state of Alabama. The number of tornadoes. The lives lost.  The emotional fatigue. Restlessness. Fear of the unknown. Fear of the unthinkable. Helplessness.

It was a hard day. It was a hard summer. It was a hard year.

We had already moved to Florida from Alabama, but Ella Grace, Major & I were visiting. It was hard coming back to "everything." I felt helpless; there were things I wanted to do, and support and volunteer. But I couldn't physically helped. So we prayed and we remembered a lot.

Tuscaloosa is making such great recovery; I can't wait to visit in a couple of months and see the progress. Last time we visited was November. I know it will be exciting!

Dye-ing to decorate eggs

On Good Friday, after the cake was baked, eggs boiled and cooled, vacuum cleaner pushed down to my neighbor's house so she could borrow, the kids and I prepared to dye eggs. This is always a fun time, a little messy, a little trying at times - the kids enjoy it SO so much, though.

My table was covered in newspaper (makes for easier clean-up, especially this year!), our cups and bowls all set out, vinegar and tablets added, then the water. (And I usually struggle with having enough dishes the right size. This year I grabbed some plastic containers I had held on to and they worked great! They weren't too deep or too wide. It was sour cream & a feta cheese dish, about the 16 oz size.)

Then, we got down to business!

Ella Grace & Major made some beautiful eggs.


I forgot to mention Ella Grace decided to have her own "backwards shirt day". She intentionally put on and wore she shirt backwards ALL day! Love my girl!




These are Ella Grace's. She had some very creative ideas. The teal egg on the left has a cross made out of sequins. The purple one at the bottom has a heart (half sequins/half glitter).
These belong to Major. The blue one at the bottom has a smiley face!

And after they were decorated, Major was quick to grab a paper plate, peal and eat two of his eggs! Just like that. What a simple snack!

Ella Grace followed suit. This was her favorite egg (and I think mine, too). The top is yellow and she had me put a "J" on it for Jesus. The bottom-half is red with an "R" for resurrection and a cross on it.
Have I mentioned my kids have the best hearts?!

A morning to ourselves

Good Friday was the first day (other than Spring Break) Ella Grace has had off with Major in a while. I knew she needed some extra playtime and something OUT of the house to do! I planned a pretty fun day that I think they both enjoyed.

Unfortunately, we had to make a last-minute adjustment to pick up a document at Major's allergy doctor, but then there was no stopping us!

First to the park! They carried their shovels and sand buckets and played in the sand by the lake. It was so pretty and I felt we had the park to ourselves.
So peaceful!
The moss was so lovely.


Nothing like a sandy little bottom!

Then we had some time on the swings and slides. It was pretty perfect!
Next stop was Ella Grace's hair appointment - time for a trim! A quick trip to Wal-Mart and then we headed home to unpack groceries, boil eggs for Easter egg dyeing activities and make a cake for our Easter dinner.

More later!

UCF baseball!

While Jeremy was in Alaska (3/23), I took the kids to a baseball game. it is so much fun (and easier on me to keep them busy).

Before we left, though, we had to welcome our neighbor Chelsea home from her mission trip to El Salvador. We began chalking her driveway, but then got busted when her mom, Ms. Tammy, came home. All was good - she helped us! (Not such a great picture, but the drive way was COVERED in pictures and all sorts of things!)



We had a really good time. Major kept us in tears, dancing and making faces - he had these two big guys behind us laughing, too. Really, who does the hula at a baseball game? MAJOR!





Determined to catch a ball, Ella Grace & Major went in to a grassy area. They ran at every ball headed towards 3rd base. I hope they are able to get one soon!

Hallelujah, Christ arose!

Our favorite song to sing at Easter is

"Up from the grave He arose, with a mighty triumph o'er His foes; He arose a victor from the dark domain and He lives forever with His saints to reign;

He AROSE, He AROSE, Hallelujah Christ AROSE!"

Kids love it, too!

So, that is what we woke up singing Easter morning and throughout the day.

Babes were so excited that their Easter baskets were filled with some fun things. To show we put no emphasis on the "Easter bunny", my sweeties have never had their picture made with the Easter bunny, and Major didn't even remember the night before that he would sit his basket out and when I reminded him he asked "what for?" Love 'em!

A few little goodies they got - more bug collectin' stuff for my outdoorsy little guy! (And he has already put a frog in the big thing!)

A couple pieces of change for each, a pair of fun socks, a notebook & headband for my princess, and of course some yummy, sugary snacks!

My handsome husband with our two ADORABLE kiddos!


Doesn't get any better than this!
And after church we hunted eggs around the yard. They had the best time.








Daddy stole my Kindle and read in the driveway. Trying to sun his legs! :)
Afterwards, we joined up with our neighbors and ate a late lunch together. All the munchkins went swimming (too cold for the adults!). We saw blue lips and chattering teeth, but they kept going back for more!

Hidden Eggs

At the end of March, yes March, I took Major to a local park where the MOPS group I belong to held their annual Easter Egg Hunt. It started at 10:00 on a Friday morning, and so after little Ella Grace was taken to school, Major and I headed out.

I helped set up a few things, while Major spent the interim playing. Of course the slides were wet - but, you know that towel that many moms keep under car seats? Well, mine came to the rescue once again. Our slides were water-free! Major even surprised me with a new trick:


Yes, now I have two blister-handed kids, who swing their legs in crazy ways so as to keep the momentum up and move along those bars. Can't believe it.

After making a fruit loop necklace, decorating an egg-shaped cut out with foam stickers and crayons and then icing & decorating a cookie, it was time. Time for the best part. The hunt.
Lining up - backs against the fence...



Checking out his prizes!


After all was done, it was time to climb up the rock wall for a little snack.


Fun stuff!