Coloring Easter Eggs 2011

We colored Easter eggs as a family today -- Love doing that. The kids always get soooo excited about it. Noah and Rachel had been asking all week and couldn 't wait to get started. It was Kate's first year to help and she was more than happy to do her part. I boiled up 48 eggs - we had 3 break while boiling. Rachel helped me mix up the color tablets and then we set to work. The kids got to color as many as they wanted and we gave Kate four to keep her busy. She kept dunking her same four eggs the whole time. She was funny because she would hold her eggs about six inches above the cups and drop them in... Needless to say, hers were pretty banged up and looked like little dinosaur eggs. Noah was funny about his eggs wanting them to be deeply colored and so would leave them in the dye for a long time. Rachel just enjoyed coloring hers as she pleased. My favorite of hers was the deep red one she made. So cool. Daddy did his yearly peace sign shaped like the Mercedes sign... He seems to do that one every year. :) It was a very fun afternoon and we ended up with lots of gorgeous and brightly colored Easter eggs. For more pictures visit the album here.

Pink & Purple

Mom got me these two hydrangeas the other day. I thought they were so pretty. When I got them home Rachel immediately claimed the pink one and Noah loved the purple one. They helped me plant them yesterday in the front beds, by shoveling the dirt and then watering after we had them planted. I'm hoping they will really take off like the ones in our back flower bed did last year.

Doug Said It Best - Our 2 Year Old Is A Crumb Factory

She leaves crumbs just about everywhere she goes.... But she's so darn cute!

Goofy Girls

The girls and I were sitting in the car after Rachel's soccer practice while Doug and Noah ran into the local deli to get us some dinner. Rachel asked me to take her picture and also if she could snap some. Love that she is even remotely interested in taking pictures... We were goofing off, for sure!

Happy

They finally figured out a way they could both ride in this car... They usually fight over the 'Pink Papa' car... so yesterday I brought in the little red car we have had since Noah was a baby so they would both have a car to drive... They immediately started fighting over it... I was so relieved when they figured out a way they could both ride and be happy...

Prayers For Christina

On March 23rd my sister was told she might have breast cancer. On March 30th, after biopsies, blood draws, tests and scans, she recieved a confirmed diagnosis. I cannot explain what she, her husband and kids and rest of us in her family have been going through. I just know that she must feel the fear that I feel so many times multiplied. We have worried, cried and been sick. She is such a strong woman - and stubborn. I know that if anyone can beat cancer - She can. Yesterday we did all the 'normal' things. We had coffee at Panera and enjoyed 'our' time. Later, we hung out and watched the kids play. We scrapbooked. We talked. A lot. We had dinner at Firehouse -it's a Wednesday night tradition. It was a nice day. Tomorrow she has her first session of chemotherapy. I am praying that it goes well and she doesn't get too sick. I want her to be okay. I want to ask all of you - my friends and family, if you might say a prayer for her as well. She's not just my sister, she's one of my best friends. I know she's going to beat this. There just isn't any other option. I love you Chris!!

"Mommy! My Tooooooooooth!"

Rachel was so happy when her tooth fell out! It was 2 days after we discovered it was loose while we were riding along in the car, when I hear 'Mommy! My toooooooth!'. She was sooooo excited about the Tooth Fairy and couldn't wait to get home and put her tooth under her pillow. :)

Soccer Pictures

The kids had their pictures made with their soccer teams at the game on Saturday. I snapped a couple of quick ones while they were shooting - I am looking forward to getting the professional ones back - I know they will be sooo much better!

First Loose Tooth!

When I picked up Rachel from preschool on Wednesday, she and her teacher were quick to tell me she had a very loose tooth! Now this surprised me a little because Rachel hadn't mentioned that her tooth was loose at all before this. When she showed me her tooth and wiggled it, I knew it wasn't going to be long before it fell out! She was so very excited about the Tooth Fairy!

Celebrating Kate's 2nd Birthday

We celebrated Kate's 2nd birthday on Sunday with our family there. It was a sweet and special day for our sweet girl. She celebrated 'farm' style, as that is what she's into right now. She loves to sing Old MacDonald and see cows and 'horseys'. Kate went down for a nap at noon and at 1:50 when she woke up, 10 minutes before her party, she found the house transformed. I had set up all the party decorations, balloons, her cakes, and her little farm themed sand and water table we had gotten her for her birthday. She was so excited when she saw everything and I loved the way her little mouth stayed in an 'O' as she Oooooooed and Ahhhhhhed. So cute. We celebrated with a farm themed white cake topped with a cute little cow, horse, and rooster that came with the sand and water table. I got so lucky that they were the perfect toppers for her cake. We also enjoyed a chocolate 'horsey' cake and icecream. Kate was so cute trying to blow out her candles. She was trying so hard to blow them out, but ended up needing just a little extra help. After she enjoyed her cake she set to work opening her presents. She knew exactly how it was done this year and needed very little help. She was so happy with everything she recieved. Thanks so much to everyone who came and helped celebrate her special day! Also a special thank you to Christina for taking such wonderful pictures of the birthday girl and the party for me.