Happy Easter 2016

I love Easter. It always seems to sneak up on me. Not quite as anticipated or celebrated as Christmas but arguably far more important. We will be resurrected. We will live again. This is not the end. We are part of a great, eternal plan. It really is so exciting! Thank you, Jesus, for this gift! Happy Easter!

The celebratory baskets! 

This is how all my Easter pictures of the kids turned out. Apparently Jackson stepped on Ivy's toe and she just couldn't recover. Oh well!! That Benny is sure adorable!

Delicious Easter dinner at Grandma and Godad's. Followed by our annual egg hunt. Due to rain we moved it indoor and here we are having a quick Easter devotional with the kids while the eggs are being hid downstairs. 

 The line-up.

 My cute egg hunters!

SPRING BREAK!!!!

Oh Spring Break!! How I love Spring Break! It's so nice not having a schedule and having a reason to do some really fun things! We rented a bouncehouse for a few days and set that up by the pool at Grandma and Godads (unfortunately I don't have a single picture of my kids at the pool... rats!) But Monday night we rounded up the group of us and closed down Disney again. Serious, super, duper fun right here. (left Boo at home with a sitter again... that's the way to do it!)

 After we recovered from our crazy Disney excursion the kids saw a late matinee of Zootopia. I actually sat this one out - Boo is not the movie going age - but I sent my lucky kids along! 

 It's not Spring Break without a trip to the beach! And it was the perfect day!

 Playdates in our down time. 

 Turkey hunting was a must!

 Our last day of Spring Break was a cold, windy day and our pool plans were ruined. Instead, a quick trip to Walmart (ice cream cones on the way home) for some egg dying supplies was a good alternative. These kids literally decorated eggs for hours. Painting, dying, coloring, stickering, tattooing, etc... We finally had to call it quits because we needed the table for dinner. 

Sea World!

I was lucky enough to be able to chaperone Jackson's field trip to Sea World in March. (Thanks mama for watching Boo and Ivy for me!!) We had so much fun!! We had another classmate of his join us and we met up with Heather and Porter and another classmate of theirs and just really enjoyed our day! It's fun getting one on one time with the kids. 

The Big Birthday Boy is 7!

Jackson turned 7 last month. I miss the tiny little tot he used to be but I am really enjoying the kid he is now. He is older and more capable. He is so helpful. He is smart and witty. He is fun to talk to and be around. I enjoy our conversations. He makes me a proud mama again and again and I love being his mom. 

2 stories to share about this kid. First one happened the other night. Daniel called. It's the 2nd to last day of the month and he hadn't been able to finish his home teaching. Could I run Jackson over to the Mortensens so he could complete it for him? And he did!! He prepared a little lesson, we went over everything he should do and he did it! (I stayed in the car with the kids... he went all by himself.) Such a good little buddy! 

Second Story... He couldn't find his blankie before bed the other night (this was a few weeks ago). I was doing lashes at the time and couldn't help him look and was getting annoyed that he kept coming out of bed. I sternly cautioned him to get to bed and don't come out again or else!! He could use another blankie in the mean time. A short while later he slowly comes creeping out again, blankie in hand, tears in his eyes. He said he had gone back to his room and said a prayer that Heavenly Father would help him find his blankie. He said he heard a voice (Jesus' voice) tell him to get back into bed like his mom told him. So he climbed back into bed. He stretched his legs out under his covers and felt something comfy cozy on his feet... it was his blankie! Right there hiding in his bed. It was such a sweet moment... this boy needed help, said a prayer and received an answer. I couldn't be a happier mama. 

 Birthday hat in the morning! Followed by breakfast in bed and presents!

 I took him out of school a little early (it was Friday!) got a sitter for Benny until Daniel got home and took the kids to Disney! We met up with the Haughts and closed the park down! 

 The next day was his party... boys only fishing tournament then back to our house for pizza, cake and ice cream. We went out to dinner that night, his choice, Buffet City of course. And I think we can call it a huge birthday success!! 

Happy 38th Birthday Daniel!!

Found the biggest steak I could for this babe of mine!! We are so lucky he was born!!