Childhood Rights of Passage

This weekend the kids, Paul and I watched my VERY favorite movie of ALL time! It was so fun for me to introduce it to my children and hope that they would love it as well. One wonderful scene after another I reminisced as we watched these scenes together.



If thinking of "a few of my favorite things," I might think of this movie and its songs. I watched Cait's face all throughout the movie thinking..."she's going to be singing these songs for weeks from now."






"Yodelei, yodelei, yodeloo"...yep, singing it for weeks from her sweet little mouth.



Another milestone of childhood this weekend was my children's first experience with the ice cream truck. We were in Fort Worth working on Paul's house (yes again) and we heard it. Ya know, that ice cream music that is the dead ringer give away that the ice cream man was on is way. They were so excited to make their choice and spend their own money on their ice cream. SOmehow they didn't even know what an ice cream truck was. We've never had one drive by in our neighborhood. Crazy huh?



It was just a fun family weekend. I so enjoy beign a mom. I admit that it is MORE wonderful when you have someone to share it with. Someone to snicker with at the funny things the kids say, share the joys and the fruit of our labor. We're thankful for the task that has been set before us and so grateful that we can share the task as a team.

Easter baskets

We had kind of a gloomy Easter Day. The night before Cait started running a high fever. We knew that church was out and also going to see family that day was out. Paul's "grandmother" was having trouble with white blood cell count and we didn't want to risk her getting anything from us. It ended up being a cold that we all caught. So lovely.

None the less, we had church on the couch and preached the gospel to ourselves and our children that morning as we strive to do everyday. It was good. We also gave the kids some goodies and hid some eggs around the house. These eggs had their allowance in them. After getting all the money out then they just hid the eggs over and over and over again. They even made us hunt a few times.

Here they are getting their goodies...



Cait's long awaited jersey! Now we all have one!



My love...



Bolt, the movie!!!



Here is B so stinkin excited about a bag of chips that he'd been begging me to buy him. So funny! He looks angry here!! But he's in mid- "YES!!!!"



It's been such a joy to carry on our family traditions with Paul and also make many new ones along the way! We are so blessed!!!!

Spring Celebration

Okay, give me a break! I am aware that spring is almost over and summer is right around the corner! But I still have to blog about it for posterity sake!

We had a great weekend at the lake with my family. We traditionally celebrate spring with an egg hunt and other fun things. Here's the troop right before the hunt. From the left: Eli, B, Shelby (D and Ryan's niece. Joy's baby!), Cait, Luke (Joy's other baby) and Mia Beth



Cait showing off her empty basket


And they're off!





"Do I want this one?" Hmmmm... "Wish I had x-ray vision!"


Woo Hoo!


The bounty


Oh how she carefully opened each egg investigating its contents



"Oooooo...look at this one!"



Mom



Dad



Aunt D



The fam after the tornado force winds destroyed our hair efforts



Is there a more classic picture than a messy-haired little girl with her baby doll?
I wish you could have seen her bouncing her baby, walking it to comfort it, shushing it all the time, in perfect mommy rhythm.






B reading to his favorite baby girl. They adore one another!












Goof balls. That's all there is to say! Dick and my dad






More tradition...bunny cinnamon rolls. This is the making of them step by step, seeing as how they're so very tricky HA!









The happy, sweet bunny possessing kiddos!







One of our new family traditions is charades. We started playing with our kids at home and they crack us up! So, we thought we'd share the humor at the lake with the rest of the family. The funny part is that the kids come up with the clues. Let's just say that it takes a creative mind to figure out what they've written down!



Here's my dad doing a seal or something, not sure. One round he got a paper that said, "pope." He's thinking, okay, the pope. He gave a trooper's effort and we finally guessed it! Yay dad. Only problem was, I knew my kids had never heard of the pope. So we asked Cait what "pope" spelled. "Puppy, of course!!!" We all just rolled! Of course. A puppy. Great job though dad!

The Arboretum

Seeing that I only have 3 personal days all year long...they are precious to me! One was spent on B's last Field trip this year. Such a fun day!





There was a neat children's book exhibit there. They had constructed play areas/houses for different popular children's books.



Alice in Wonderland...and yes, he IS curious!!



Peter Pan's arch enemy's ship...Captain Hook!






Treasure Island! How cute are they? I did not ask for a pose, I just got one!



The WONDERFUL Mrs. Henderson! What a blessing from God she was to our whole family this year!



Mommy and B...sometimes I wonder how much longer he'll enjoy taking pics with mommy, especially in front of his friends. Not long, I think!



Some buddies!



Some silliness! The whole class with their fun teachers joining in!



Second grade is just around the corner! They're not kidding when they say it flies by!