Spring is in the Air...

...as well as birthday and Easter celebrations. Here are some pictures from our recent festivities:

My baby turned 4. FOUR! I can't believe it...

Party at preschool and at home. He was so happy.

Lee enjoying cake at his cousin, Ren's (on right) 2nd birthday.

My first baby turned 8. EIGHT!!!!! I am in shock.

Jessalyn's crafty birthday party (we painted frames, made headbands and bracelets)

Cake #2

The week after her birthday Jessalyn got braces...she is so excited!

Lee's preschool Easter Egg Hunt

Lee and Me (a rare occasion to get a pic of us together!)

Snack time after the egg hunt at church

Easter Day

We dyed and created "Monster Eggs!"

These chick cupcakes are my favorite. My sister-in-law, Christy, is so talented.

Egg Hunt at MawMaw & Brick's. Lee found one of his own eggs!

Pony tail monster egg was my favorite.

Lee counting his eggs.

Russ and Jess count their eggs.

Samantha and Jessalyn

Kaitlyn and Lee played a lot of basketball.

It was his favorite part of the day.

Kaitlyn and Lee

Happy Springtime, everyone! :)

Many, many pictures

Well, life has been quite hectic the last few months and my blog has suffered for it. So here are some pictures highlighting our recent life. I'll post house photos is a separate post since there are so many of those.

Valentines Jessalyn made for her classmates. No two are alike.

Jessalyn was the lead (the Queen of Hearts) in her class' Valentine's performance

First girl scout camp. It was c-o-l-d!!!

Spring break vacation to Disney!

Epcot (this is only some of us...there were 15 of us in all that went on the trip)

Lee especially loved the characters.

Easter portrait

Jessalyn's seventh (!) birthday

The cake (my first non-round or rectangular cake)

Birthday horse ride (the highlight of her birthday)

Lee's third (!) birthday

Lee writes his name all. the. time.

Piano recital

Dance recital (Jess with her dance teacher, Mrs. Teresa)

I have to agree with the shirt...for both of them! :)

Opening Gifts

The Best Pizza Party EVER!

I don't think there has ever been a birthday as anticipated as much as Jessalyn's sixth one. She was grinning ear-to-ear every day of the week and counting each one down. She made me promise not to cry and swore to always, always be my baby. In reply to one of my pretend cries one day: "Mama, I'm still your baby. Besides, I'm not huge like you." Hmmm. Somehow I think she meant that nicer than the way it sounded.

Jessalyn helping Russ with his chef's hat.

We decided to have it at her very favorite restaurant, which appealed to me since (1): I didn't have to worry about bad weather (we have a huge yard, but a small house, so there's no rain plan for a backyard party) and (2): someone else cleans up!

Jessalyn and Emily posing at the "pin the pepperoni on the pizza" board.

But I just couldn't have a plain 'ole pizza party (although that would have been just fine), so I asked the owner if the kids could make their own pizzas. And he said, "yes!" So I got busy making invitations and planning aprons, chef hats and games.

Chef Lee and Chef Connor

Jessalyn was so excited to have her friends there with her and insisted on helping everyone with their aprons and hats. We had half of the restaurant to ourselves and were situated close to the kitchen, which made it convenient for the kids to make their pizzas.

While group number one made pizzas, group number two colored pizza pages at the table and vice versa. While the pizzas were cooking, the children played "pin the pepperoni on the pizzza!"

Pizza was served, followed by cake and ice cream and then Jessalyn opened presents. The pace of the party was great and everyone seemed to really enjoy themselves. I was so proud of Jessalyn as she opened her gifts...she made each gift-giver feel so special and she was very gracious. I've had several parents tell me how sweet it was that she was so excited (and that the excitement was contagious), and that she really did make everyone feel so good. She's always had a gift that way.

Noah & Jessalyn (and a surprise delivery of six roses from Donna and Captain Ken!)

It was a wonderful, happy, happy day. And I didn't even cry.

My Week In Review

or: Why I'm so tired and behind on my blog. (warning: photo-heavy post ahead!)

This is all about last week, but could just as easily be this week since we haven't seemed to have slowed down too much.

SUNDAY & MONDAY

No photos on these days, but I was busy making aprons and chef hats for Saturday's make-your-own-pizza birthday party. I also went to the house to help Tom install ceiling boards.

TUESDAY

Went to Jessalyn's school to have lunch with her and read to her class. She was thrilled, thrilled, thrilled to have me there. It's nice to be adored so much! :)

After school I helped Tom prime the 12 foot ceiling he had just finished installing. A pain in my neck. Literally. Tuesday night I made cupcakes for Jessalyn's school party the next day.

WEDNESDAY

Birthday celebration at school. Jessalyn had such an awesome week. Turning six is FUN!

After a fun-filled afternoon, the children and I were off to AWANA, our weekly Wednesday night church activity where I am Jessalyn's class leader.

THURSDAY

Back to Jessalyn's school for the third time in one week to hide Easter eggs and help with her class Easter party.

"Batter-up!" We enjoyed watching Jessalyn at her t-ball game (after her piano lesson).

She even got to be pitcher!

Monkey boy LOVES t-ball games!

FRIDAY

No school because of Good Friday. Perfect opportunity for Jessalyn to help with final party preparations by making our "pin the pepperoni on the pizza" game board.

Lee also wanted to participate. Every time I cut out an olive or a pepper, he'd request a "suh-ka!" (aka "circle"). He ended up with quite a collection. I finished making chef hats and baked Jessalyn's cake while Tom took her out to the movies for a birthday treat.

SATURDAY

Church egg hunt. Apparently Lee was the only one who did not understand the urgency of finding eggs. He also was not interested in relinquishing his cookie for a measly plastic egg. He did, however, enjoy me pointing out eggs to him and holding his basket for him to deposit them into.

Me with my little egg hunters (Lee still clutching cookie).

After a full morning and a nice afternoon nap (for Lee), we were off to the pizza place for turning-six festivities. More on that to come in a later post. It was the best. party. ever!

EASTER SUNDAY
 

All dressed up for church (including "Peter Rabbit" which the Easter Bunny had delivered). Then changed into grubby clothes for getting messy.

After church (and another egg hunt), Tom helped Jessalyn dye eggs.

 

Then we were off to MawMaw and Brick's for Easter lunch, family portraits, and our very last egg hunt for this Easter.

Now, are you as tired as I am?