Mr. Fashion and a Little Girl

Seth's Easter basket had something he has been wanting for a long time.  A Fedora Hat.  Really???!!??

What is that about?

Not sure but he was thrilled

Mr. Fashion was dressed to go to ballet on Tuesday.  Garrett could not believe he had on a collared shirt to go to ballet.  Seth was determined to wear the hat so a collared shirt it was.

He was fussing at his brother but the face was cute

Ahh!  I could just squeeze him.  He is so loving and sweet.  His hugs are the best. 

Ella decided to get up early today.  She snuggled with "Georgie"  Georgie, the brown monkey, tucks safely under Ella's arm each night for bedtime.  Georgie and Blankie have comforted Ella since she was 2.  Both are Ella's sidekick.

Beautiful Days

We have been having some incredible weather.  This week's temperatures make it hard to stay inside for school.  Ella couldn't wait until the sprinkler could be put under the trampoline.  We have done this several times this week.   

I love the action shot

Seth would just belly flop

Seth

Ella resting to give Seth a turn

While sitting on the bench by the trampoline, I could see Garrett's tree.  We planted this when he started in Kindergarten.  We could see over the top of it when we planted it.  Now here we are 6 years later.

This is what the big brother does while the little ones jump.  The hammock came out this week as well.  We spend many hours enjoying the cool breeze. 

Everyone is entertained so mom can sit to soak up some sun.  I am also working very hard to read The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo.  This book was recommended by one of the moms at ballet.  Well the novel is becoming very good.  I can't put it down.

It is the first of three in the series.  I think I have my reading planned for the summer.

Happy Easter!

HaPPy EAsTeR!!

What a wonderful day.  Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is Risen today.
He is Lord

He is Lord

He is risen from the dead

and

He is Lord

Every knee shall bow

Every tongue confess

That Jesus Christ is Lord

The day began at 5:15am for Jeff and me.  The kids woke up at 6:00am.  Guess who was excited Garrett?  He was the one to wake up everyone else.  Go figure - a 12 year old

Easter baskets full of goodies

Everyone always get a chocolate Easter bunny

Our family's Easter picture

Easter egg hunting at the Lake.  Thanks meme and Lori for having sooooo many eggs.  I think 4 kids hunted for about 200 eggs.

Seth is busy

Run - I see more back here.  Seth, Ella and Cooper

Ella bending to find more eggs

Cooper and Ella

Seth is checking out all of his goodies in his basket.  By the way, he ended up with a laundry basket of eggs.

Each of us enjoyed our Lent sacrifices yesterday.  40 days of fasting from different things.  What an accomplishment. I am so proud of my boys. 

Happy Easter 2011

Happy Earth Day

As the children woke up this morning, the kitchen table greeted them.  Happy Earth Day. 

Used newspaper was our placemats

Rocks were our placecards

Gummie worms were on the table

Water bottles for the day

Oatmeal (dirt) was in their bowls

 We made a Love EARTH banner yesterday from "clean trash" we had around the house

We had "dirt cups" for dessert and blue ocean jello for lunch

One thing that is different for us on Earth Day.  Instead of planting trees, we decided to cut some down.

The trees in the front of the house had gotten taller than the house.  They were supposed to be shrubs.  (I will add a before picture once I post about what we plant in the place)

Worker Weddine's

After

Days off

I had to add this picture.  We are headed out the door to Taekwondo.  I couldn't get over how big she looks.  We are tyring to persuade her to wear headbands.  AHHH!!  I never knew it would be such a huge task.  Another big first for this spring/summer, flip flops.  She will finally wear flip flops. 

Our days off have consisted of not much.  Yesterday I had several crafts in mind that I wanted them to do.  First, was Is. 53:5.  Everytime I hear "By His Wounds", I just get really still and listen to the words.  I think we take the pain and suffering that Jesus took on our behalf for granted.  We make a mistake and just think or may say "I'm Sorry" or "Oops"  "I didn't mean to do that".  It is so much more than a few little words.

The kids wrote Is 53:5 on their cut out crosses.  Then one by one they rolled a mable in a pan that had red paint.  As we rolled the marble across each cross we listened to "By His Wounds, We are Healed".  It was pretty powerful.  I incluced Garrett's picture since I am so blessed that my 12 year old son will still participate in his mom's crafts. 

Each of their crosses.  It really looks like stripes.

Then onto making the Jelly Bean Prayer bags to give to 2 other people.

There was such team work with Garrett helping Ella.  By this time, Jeff had come home for lunch.  Jeff was amazed with how Garrett so tenderly and carefully taught his sister and helped her.

 The Jerasalem Dinner

I set up the table in the den with pillows to sit.  We had grape juice, crackers, cheese, fruit, dates, and nuts.  I place the white and red candles at the end of the table to represent Jesus on the cross with the two theives beside him. 

The kids were amazed when they came to dinner.  They didn't know what was going on with supper tonight.  We wanted to remember The Last Supper that Jesus had with his disciples on Maundy Thursday.

It was a special night.  After cleaning up supper, we all lined up on the couch together.  Jeff came and washed our feet as we sat still and quiet.  It was a touching moment to see their dad kneeled and so carefully washing our "stinky" feet.

"It was just before the Passover Feast.  Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father.  Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love."  John 13:1

Love isn't optional for Christians.  They are to be people who love.  When they love each other in the self-sacrificing way that Jesus loves, non-Christians see how real Jesus is by the difference he makes in their lives.

  I pray that this family is a reflection of that Love.  Oh! Let our light shine.

Yummy!

I promised the boys some sugar cookies last week.  When I started to pull out all the ingredients, I didn't have eggs.( that seems to be the story of my life right now - I don't quite have everything I need)  But today, I had everything I needed.  Seth had a friend over so he joined right in with decorating.

A twelve year old boy still gets excited about decorating sugar cookies, icing, sprinkles and all.

My smiley cute boy who is always ready for a picture.  He understands why this mom wants to take pictures of everything.  He has just decided to do it right the first time and get it over with quick.  HA!

There is nothing like sugar cookies and yummy icing.  

Chuck E Cheese Party

Ella was invited to a birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese.  One of those moments where she has been before but doesn't remember.   She was blown away.  The cool part is that the whole family was invited.

Really I just put a token and do it!  Yes Ella.  Play all you want

Seth and Danny

Ella pedaling the bicycle to go up in the air.  Her eyes were huge the first time she did it. 

So we left with the question, "Can I come here for my birthday?"

Easter Celebration at Noni's

We had to move up the Easter Celebration at Noni and Popa's.  They are going to the beach for Easter so we celebrated a week early.  As the Big Boys hid the eggs the little ones went for a walk. 

Mallory, Ella and Seth

Time to hunt.  I love this picture.  She is almost upside down looking for eggs.  I think this is the first real time she remembers hunting eggs.  She was so excited. 

The best part about hunting Noni's eggs is they have dollars in them.  Wow!  Ella made 6 dollars just finding eggs.

Noni and Popa's grandchildren - Garrett, Seth, Will, Mallory and Ella.

When we all get together, this is the table Noni has all set up for them.  She wants them to all be together.  Boy is it loud. 

I love traditions and what they are beginning to mean to my children. 

Who Knew??

I saw this on another blog and had no idea.  I had no idea that turning ordinary breadsticks into letters, numbers, and symbols would be so fun.  This was the creation from Garrett and Seth.

 Garrett's design once they finished cooking.  G, a fish, X and Numbers 27 (that's his jersey number)

I made two sets of silly breadsticks.  They dipped the sticks into pizza sauce.  I hear comments like, "We should do this next week."  "Can we have these once a month?"

WHO KNEW???  Silly Breadsticks could be so fun for a 9 year old and a 12 year old.  Go figure!

Another note:

When we were picking up our packets for the race, a vendor was selling Sweaty Bands.  I bought three just to see what they were all about.  I have been wearing them almost everyday at home.  Love them.  Not just for running but a little dressier than a headband.

This is me this morning.

Cool Design

Race Day

I bought three different sizes- thick, medium and thin. 

These are samples from the website

This is the April Pack

Neat design

They are very cool.

sweatybands link to their website

I didn't know there were so many to choose.  They do not slip up.  They stay put. 

Now I can continue to run and be in style.  Ha!  I do not look to be "cute" while I run just finish the miles.

So if I do run a 1/2 marathon with Jeff soon, this may be my inspiration - new sweatybands.  Just thinking about it.