A Photo an Hour

April 15th, 2012

I decided to attempt another Photo an Hour challenge on Friday morning. I didn’t quite know what was in store for the day but figured I would just document our normal comings and goings. I am so glad this day was captured – it’s not what our ordinary days look like, but instead an impromptu family date full of sweet memories.

The weather was kind of unbelievable on Friday; cool and breezy, highs in the 70s. So there was a rumor of a trip to the zoo floating around the house that morning. I just didn’t know what time we’d get there, and initial plans included only us girls. When Anthony called to say he was heading home midday, we spruced ourselves up and hightailed it to the zoo.

We had such a great time. The most gorgeous weather (besides a few giant wind gusts), happy girls, camel rides, falling in love with monkeys, and of course the carousel.

Once we hit our limit we headed home, stopping first at La Grande Orange for a pizza picnic outside. We can’t take Ella there and leave without gelato, so next it was a stop into The Grateful Spoon next door for dessert. I left to grab a drink and when I returned, the girls were prancing around the shop, sharing spoonfuls of Ella’s chocolate gelato. I’m thinking it was the sweetest thing they’ve done yet. And Poppy thought it was the best thing in the universe.

We came home for baths and books and bedtime, and then a little Mommy and Daddy time with our own tub of gelato to-go.

It was the best afternoon. I am a planner by nature. I need to have things scheduled out to think clearly. But Friday was a taste of something different, when I let the day lead itself, and we landed in the best family date I can remember. Here’s what it looked like:

xoxo

tags: A Photo An Hour, Family Dates
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My Heart Is in There Somewhere…

April 13th, 2012

(more photos from Easter Sunday)

These people, they have my heart…

Have a happy weekend!

xoxo

tags: Easter
I thought this was a party...LET’S DANCE!

Easter Fest

April 10th, 2012

On Easter Eve, Ella Faye and I baked and decorated chocolate bunny cupcakes. She delicately built each little face and sneakily ate a few pink noses for good measure. I love baking with this girl. She always seems to find a way to get each ingredient onto her tongue.

After, we laid out a nice spread for the Easter Bunny. He needed a carrot, “a-course” and a bunny! cupcake! and a glass of water. And then my girl worked her little hands in careful, so intentional strokes to spell his name. And her daddy and I melted.

And the bunny paid his visit.

When morning came we inspected our baskets, ate and dressed in our normal hurried Sunday morning fashion, and headed to Easter Mass. My mom took Poppy into her arms at the start of mass, and – it was an Easter miracle. That baby slept a good half hour, which meant we all got to stay in the pew, sit side by side, and actually listen to the readings. Of course once she did wake up, she let that bottled up feist bubble over as I walked her down the aisle to communion. Hair pulling, fist in my mouth shoving, clawing at my cheeks, flailing to break free feist. I’m sure we were a sight. And it wouldn’t be complete without her squint-eye (practically a wink) and sideways grin once we’re back in our pew. She looks at me as though it were a skit we planned all along, and we’ve most definitely just pulled off the spectacle we were hoping for.

After lunch and naps we headed across the street to my parents’ house for egg coloring, egg hunting, dinner, and general fun outside in the gorgeous weather. I’d say Yaya and Papa did better than the Easter Bunny. A bubble machine. A bubble machine, and the girls went wild.

It was a sweet day spent together as a family. There has been a heavy weight surrounding our pack recently, brought on by medical issues and overwhelmingness. Easter Sunday and time together was what we needed. I’m ever grateful for my parents and our relationship. I was blessed with them. And every day I know the blessing of this man and these little souls I share my life with. All of them and my faith in Him is all I need.

I hope your Easter weekend was beautiful.

xoxo

tags: Easter, Springtime, The Holidays
I thought this was a party...LET’S DANCE!

At the Easter Egg Hunt

April 9th, 2012

On Saturday we took the girls to the annual Easter egg hunt at our church. I am so thankful to be a part of that community – I grew up a part of this church and am thrilled that our girls will grow and learn in that same rich environment.

We had a blast. Poppy went on her first Easter egg hunt and decided she only needed just the one pink egg to fill her basket. Ella gathered a nice collection out on the field, which grew considerably when a boy from one of our favorite families came by and donated half his basket to her. He did the same thing last year and his sweetness got me again.

There were photos with the Easter Bunny and a trip to the balloon animal station for bunny balloons. Ella was entirely smitten with her puffed-out green bunny, but the thing about balloons, you see…once we got home, he was only a pair of legs and shriveled up head with big eyes. So we had a talk about how balloons don’t like to stick around for too long, always disappearing or floating away, so we have to enjoy them while we can…

It was a great morning and kickoff to our Easter weekend. Everything is so much fun with little people around. I’m so grateful to relive these exciting occasions through my girls.

Here are a few captures of the egg hunt along with some Instagrams from the morning: