Sunday, April 24, 2011

Easter Bunnies and Wagon Buddies

We had a very quiet day today for Easter.  It was just the three of us for a change, I think it is the only holiday so far, in 10 years of marriage, that we haven't spent a holiday with some other family.  It was still a nice day and instead of having an elaborate feast and lots of activities, we came home from church, gave Callie her Easter basket, ate sandwiches and all laid down for naps.  We did end up having a smaller feast this evening and there has been much activity today considering Callie has been high on chocolate and jellybeans during the awake hours and she has spent that time tearing into everything.  It is very hot here today too, which is why there are no outdoor Easter pictures like last year.  We let Callie play in the playground after church for a while and when we got in the car she kept saying, "Hot!  Hot!".  So we spent most the rest of the day inside.  And she looks a little flushed and disheveled in the pictures we did take.

I am also including a few picture of Callie and her friend Leah.  Since it was spring break this week, we were able to hang out with my teacher friend Jacquie and her daughter Leah on Tuesday.  The girls had a pretty good time together.  Callie is still not playing WITH other children much, just playing in the vicinity of them but they didn't fight over too many things and seemed to enjoy each other's company.  The pictures of the two of them in the wagon reminded me that I had a picture of myself and a friend in a wagon from when we were three.  So I scanned the picture and will include it below.


The cookies we made this week (well, the cookies I made, mostly.  Callie helped cut the shapes then spent the rest of the time begging for a "guck guck" or a "hop hop hop".)



Her basket.  The Donald Duck sings and dances and screams at you if you pull his ears.





Dancing with Donald.



Trying on the bracelets and necklaces while Donald dances around her.





Ready to go to the park in the wagon with Leah!


Me at age 3 1/2 with my friend Suzanne.  (In case it isn't obvious, I am the one with the pig-tails.)

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Hunting for "Ecccks!"

Callie loves eggs, both scrambled and chocolate and so we are celebrating Easter this week with lots of fun activities, and lots of chocolate.  Callie and I will be making shaped sugar cookies tomorrow, we have window stickers decorating the sliding glass door, we have a special Good Friday service at church and then comes Easter Sunday with her basket, church, lunch and probably another chocolate filled egg hunt.  We started the week with a trip to Pa's on Sunday afternoon.  Callie had the best time she has ever had there.  It is fun to see her getting older and being able to enjoy running around and exploring the more rural landscape at Pa's house.  We hid eggs for her on Sunday and everyone enjoyed watching her hunt for them and then stuff her mouth full of chocolate later.  While reflecting on what Easter means to us as Christians and while praying and reflecting over the death of a dear lady at church this week, special moments with family, like these from Sunday, have become even more precious to me.  Not just because I want to enjoy and appreciate every moment I have in life with my loved ones, but because I was reminded that every precious moment is just a glimpse of the joy we have in store for us in the next life.  That is what Christ's death means to us.  Because He has conquered death, there is so much more than this to look forward to, which is a great thought because so much of THIS is so wonderful!
















































Thursday, April 14, 2011

Callie is "Twooooo"!

If you ask Callie how old she is, she will enthusiastically answer, "Twoooo!"  She will also hold up her two pointer fingers or attempt to hold up just two fingers on one hand.  This is an improvement from the first few times we tried it and she would hold up eight fingers each time.  I don't think she understands what being two means but she definitely understood it was her special weekend.  She was deep into wrapping paper from Friday (her actual birthday) through Saturday and then enjoyed opening all her birthday cards on Sunday.  Saturday was the especially festive day.  We had a barnyard themed birthday party for her and invited a bunch of her little friends.  We had eight kids and about 12 adults crammed in the house Saturday morning.  It had rained the night before and it was cool so we decided to keep everything inside and it all worked out just fine.  The kids enjoyed exploring the house and playing with Callie's ridiculous amount of toys.  Callie enjoyed seeing people in her house, although I think she was a little confused about why they were all there at first.  We had BBQ (thanks to Grammy!) and pigs-in-a-blanket and animal cupcakes that I made and animal-shaped cookies that my friend Mary made.  We ended the party with a very messy art activity which the kids seemed to enjoy much more than the adults.  All the mommies had trouble understanding my relaxed attitude towards paint messes!  Callie was sad and exhausted while saying goodbye to everyone but she had a great nap and woke-up later to another big surprise -- Daddy had put her swing set up in the backyard during her nap!  She is really enjoying her new outside toy and I will enjoy it much more when it is not covered in yellow pollen every day!  Callie is, so far, a pretty composed two year old.  No major terrible two moments yet (knock on wood!).  Here are some pictures of the fun weekend!  My parents weren't able to join us but Grammy, Grampy and Aunt Missy were there.  We just said a tearful goodbye this morning to Missy.  She is off to her new life and new baby (puppy) in Indianapolis.  We were glad that she was able to stick around for the party and we will miss her terribly!  I will post wedding pictures once I finally have a chance to sift through them all.
I spent an embarrassing amount of time online shopping for these balloons!  But they were worth it!



Mrs. Potato Head


 A football, emphasis on the word "foot".  She is trying to figure out why it is called that.

 Finally!  The present she had been snooping around and begging for since I bought it at a consignment sale --The Wonder Pets!

 A tiara from Aunt Missy

 ...and now for the big box!  Mommy's proud consignment shop find!  A village complete with a house, church, coffee shop and tons of people, plants and cars...all for just $30!


 Little Mermaid slippers from Grammy and Grampy!



 A princess soccer ball (we bought a lot of sports and outside toys this year.)

 Demonstrating for everyone how she says her prayers.


 A big girl basketball goal!  Pink and purple, of course!





 Time for the party...


Sara finally got a chance to wear the random costume that her Grandmother sent her.






The farmyard cake.  My first attempt at artsy cupcakes.  A lot of planning and sketching went into these!

 Pigs, sheep, purple cows and chickens.



 My friend Mary made these yummy cookies.



Callie got a new barn and animals for her birthday as well.


 What is happening???  Why are all these people in my house?


The balloons were a good source of amusement.



 My kitchen staff was a life saver!


 Callie's basketball goal was popular.




Callie stole away to her room and played by herself in true only-child fashion!



Matt stole away to his room and got out the "boy toys" for Matti and Noah.  We will have to invite them back to play with Matt and his action figures more often!  


The birthday girl is ready for her cupcake and birthday song!  (She also enjoyed some birthday Doritos for lunch!)



Digging right in this year!

 Playing with her horse cookie.



Noticing that other kids have different cookies and cupcakes.



"Maaamma, Maaaamma, Maaaamma" -- begging for what she didn't get!


Art Time!





Callie had no reservations about making a huge mess.







She was very sad to see everyone leave.



This is her special friend, Sara.  She reminds us so much of Brighton in her looks and her goofy personality.



The aftermath...


An empty and quiet house during nap time but...Daddy was putting together the swing set so more fun was in store!




Callie's reaction to seeing it for the first time.



Grampy got her a Clifford swing like they have at Tumbles.




 What a fun birthday!  She also got a trike from Nana and Papa, but I will save those pictures for another day!