gone surfing

Dramamine for Caroline,

bathingsuit for Rob,

3 bottles of homemade wine for me,

3 backpacks full of toys and a shovel for Coop,

this is all we need (and a car FULL of other stuff)

for a week on the beach.

just dance

since she was 3 we have been bringing Caroline to dance class once a week

over 20 minute drive 2 towns over

this year i take her off the bus and race her to class, snack in the car, rush, rush, rush to make it to class on time.

every 5th class they do a little show for the parents

i love watching her concentrate on the steps

 

i hope she always loves to dance.

Sunday afternoon at the lake

we have been blessed with a some warm weather…on Sunday afternoon we headed to Nana and Grampa’s house to enjoy the sunshine.

a little bike riding first

 

cooper is very serious when riding and honking horn.

caroline got right to work checking out the shore line

bare feet in April….lovin it!

Cooper is very excited the lake isn’t frozen anymore!

 

a beautiful sunny day,

spent with family,

no worries,

just being together…..so precious.

Easter Morning

baskets ready

Caroline woke up first, hopped into bed with us because we wouldn’t let her wake up Cooper too early….she was so excited!

so many thoughts about the bunny

“i saw his shadow last night, but i didn’t hear him, i thought he would make a thump, thump sound, but he was really quiet. mom, did you tell him not to come in our room? because, he left a special egg outside our door. there must be lots of bunnies because South Carolina (?we live up North) is really big! the one we saw at the store, was he real? I think i saw our baskets when i went to the bathroom, and they were full of toys! can we wake up Coop? can i wake up Gramma?”

at 7am we let her wake coop….he was out!

and needed help going down the stairs because i think he still wasn’t awake.

they got busy picking up the trail of eggs the bunny left.

and coop looked out to the porch and found the goodies!

 

so excited about new toothbrushes!!

 

and then off to church! not sure why Caroline’s head bands always end up around her forehead….funny girl!

Easter part1

on Saturday we had my mom’s side of the family

from Vermont, New Hampshire and New York,

all traveled to have Easter lunch together at our house.

the kiddos both had gymnastics in the morning…which allowed me to clean house and get a start on the food.

this is Cooper’s favorite kind of meal…..the meal before the meal….i think it was the longest he sat all day.

caroline can’t get enough of cousin Hayley

and was by her side the whole day.

 

Uncle Jamie gives the best baskets!!!

 

our traditional family picture on the front steps

getting ready part2

 

the kiddos sealed up the tomb last night after we made the Easter Story Cookies

we woke up and “opened the tomb” 

yummy cookies…..a great gluten free dessert for our guests coming today.

the kiddoes set their table

i love how we clean the house like crazy when we are getting ready for a house full of family and friends!

the tables are set

 

the fridge full of food,

the bathrooms cleaned,

and the floors vacuumed, again.

ready, set, Easter party!!

Spring is Here!

every year i think about buying all yellow pansies….

but every year i can’t resist all the other colors!!

a little spring decorating

this is our 3rd batch of lemon cookies this week…..

so easy to make and so yummy they keep disappearing!

found a new blog with a wonderful idea…..Just be Blogged by Tara Whitney has come up with a great “personal project” of photographing her family….six people/twelve times….go check it out!  i am going to give it a try! except it might be called 4 people/once in awhile!

and my next link goes to Darby over at Fly Through Our Window….last year she posted this great recipe for Easter Cookies…and it tells the wonderful Easter Story…..this is a must if you have little ones….my kiddoes loved it and i am looking forward to it too!

getting ready

 

           i heart Easter…i love it all!

pastel colors, Easter dresses, bunnies, eggs

our church has a tradition of making Easter Eggs on palm Sunday

Rob got to work finishing them up….

after the eggs are colored and waxed in layers…..you melt off the the wax to reveal the beautiful design and colors!

we received this book from our neighbors…a wonderful story about an old woman named Babushka who decorates beautiful eggs.

the egg insides are then blown out and a ribbon through the holes…we hang them from the chandelier!

this weeks agenda:  get the house ready for Easter dinner and Spring cleaning……they are forecasting 70 degrees for Easter weekend! that is unheard of…..we are usually hunting for eggs in coats, hats and mittens!