Cinco de Mayo

Of course, the mom had something up her sleeve.  Crafts - two were so excited, one just participated to make his mom happy.  We made shakers (Maracas) and hats (Sombrero) for our table decorations.

Ella was thrilled.  This girl loves to paint.

Seth enjoys working and crafting.  (The hat never leaves his head these days)

Okay, whatever you say mom!  Garrett doesn't grump or complain because he knows just do it.  It is easier to do what mom asks.  He claims to be a good sport.

Happy Cinco de Mayo - Yummo!

We had Chicken Taquitos - new recipe

black beans

salsa/chips (we went by the mexican place and bought their yummy chips)

cheese dip

Fancy glasses with non-alchoholic Margaritas

festive napkins

Seth's place

We tried new things.  Enjoyed time together.  I think this is the longest supper we have had in a while.  It seems that we sat at the table for 45 minutes or so.

Garrett had football practice so we didn't eat supper until 8:15.  I think everyone was very hungry.  Memories in the making.

So now our thoughts shift to

This amazing vacation:  ahhhh Disney Dream we are coming for ya!

Next week we sail on this new Disney Dream

Who will be the first to try out the slide?  It goes out over the ocean -

The Disney Dream hit the water in January for its 1st trip.  We take the same route we took last year but we can't wait to see the new boat.  Thanks meme for making this happen for us.  Clothes appear in every corner of my house.  Pile here and pile there.  Suitcases come out today. 

Sunshine here we come:  5 glorious days

We really are celebrating big birthdays this year.

Mom - 60

Amy 40

Garrett - 13

Seth - 10 (double digits)

Ella - 5

Happy Early Birthdays to Everyone

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

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. 

Ending to the countdown

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY

Everyone had goodies in their shoes when they woke up yesterday.

This is Ella heading towards her goodies -Good Morning

One of the goodies was this toy.  I love the cross eyes watching the ball

Everyone with their new shirts on heading to co-op

No pinching going on here

Supper was even all green.  Garrett was worried about the spinach wraps.  I really had him going on all the green

1 Day to Go!!

I had to include this.  For the pass two nights after bath time, the spies come out.  They sneek around the house and then just pop out

Too Funny!  This is what happens to little girls that have big brothers.

 Yesterday was potato stamping. 

The stamp cut into a heart shape

 Ella getting ready to start her stamping

She was not too sure about holding a potato for the stamp

One stamp

Two stamps  - tricky to line up the centers

All done - even the boys participated

Today we all enjoyed a huge box of Lucky Charms for breakfast.

Tomorrow is the big day - Green comes out- what will be left by the leprechaun??

Update:  Today I ran 6 miles in 1 hour and 4 mins. 

I know that I can do this - 17 days to go 6.2 miles is calling my name

and with all my strength - I will finish the race

It is amazing how much I focus on God when I am running for 1 hour

I truly focus on nature, sounds, mailbox to mailbox and then the thought comes to mind how Jesus carried the cross, His own cross down the path without saying one word to anyone, no grumbling or complaining,  He endured it all for me.

He saved me.  So because I that I have the strength to endure a little discomfort and pain while I run.  It is not easy.  Sometimes I just want to stop and say "Why?"  Then I remember Jesus. 

I can do this.

Lent Begins

We started this last year.  You can go here to review It is all about this.  I like to look at the pictures.  My how the children grow. 

So here we are to counting down to Easter.  There are many things in the Bible for 40 days.  Jesus in the wilderness, Israelites wandered for 40 years, the flood for 40 days and nights, and Moses was a shepherd for 40 years.  So 40 days have begun.

It begins with Ash Wednesday.  The ashes from last years palm leaves burning are gathered and placed upon foreheads as a sign of repentance. 

Now we have to choose what to Lent

I posted my idea on the fridge.  Then Garrett joined me.  It was cool to see Garrett's thoughts to his choice.

Yesterdays Countdown to St. Patricks Day included a countdown of Lent

Ella decided to do rings to tear off each day.  WOW!  40 days is alot of days

Seth decided to have a sheet to mark off

Garrett did the same.

So we begin to get excited about the arrival of the Easter season.  We seem to do so much more at Christmas.  Christmas is special since the tiny baby was born as God the Son.

But just within years the story would change.  He came as a Savior, Redeemer, Sacrifice, and Perfect Man.

I want to get excited about My Savior who drug that cross, endured incredible pain, died, and then rose again for Me.  I want to remember each day and I think by observing Lent it will help each of us focus on that.