A Picture With Peter

Today we got a picture with the Easter bunny... For the fridge of course.

Here's the funny thing. Grace has NO idea there is such a thing as an Easter bunny. We have done little baskets in the past on Easter morning, but never said anything about a bunny coming etc... I don't want to be a party pooper or a stick in the mud. I love a good celebration as much as anyone. But telling your kid a bunny comes and leaves a basket of goodies for them for Easter just seems wrong on so many levels to me. First off, why would I purposefully lie to my child? Second, why would I give any attention on a holiday that is supposed to be about Christ to a made up bunny? Third, (and most convicting to me) why would I want to make a holiday that is supposed to be all about celebrating the resurrection of Jesus all about my children? I want my kids to enjoy the holiday and all. I don't mind dying and hiding eggs and talking about spring and new life and all the wonderful things that the season brings. I really enjoy those things actually, but I definitely don't want to take any attention away from the real reason for the celebration. The resurrection is reason enough to celebrate! There is no need to take anything away from that or cloud the issue for our kids by hyping a false bunny and giving a bunch of gifts and candy to children.

Soooo.... Grace doesn't really know about the Easter bunny. I think she knows that at Easter and during spring there are images of bunnies around, but she will not be expecting a bunny or basket of candy on Easter. I don't think she remembers past years. If we get the kids something it will be a nice surprise and we will frame it as an example of giving as the Lord gave to us at Easter... But that still seems a little silly to me and we will have to wait and see.

Sooooo.... Grace thought she was running into Peter Rabbit. She doesn't know about the Easter bunny, but she does know all about Peter, Benjamin, Flopsy, Mopsy, Cotton Tail, Jemima, Nutkin and all the other little creatures from Beatrix Potter. She was more than pleased to have her picture taken and shake his hand. It was super cute! I really like seeing it on the fridge when I walk by!

Walking the Maggie Dog

Motherhood Is Application

A great article found HERE. You can tell Rachel Jankovic is not looking back on how she might should have done things. She's in the thick of having wee ones and she's honest about that and the struggles that come with it. I really like that about her writing. It's just very encouraging. If you haven't picked up a copy of "Loving the Little Years" (a short book also by Jankovic) you should read it. It's super short, super easy and super encouraging! That's all for now.

Today Grace Said:

We were driving back to Louisiana and were passed by 2 motorcycles (I don't drive more than 5 over the limit and I'm ok with it). Jack saw them and hollered (cause he seems to holler most things these days) "BITE!"... which means bike... which means motorcycle. Grace looked up and saw that the guys had bandanas on their heads (I wanted to put do-rag, but I'm not sure if that is the correct description or if people even use that term anymore?!?).

So she said:
Yeah! And that one is a pirate! (cause apparently all pirates wear do-rags) Wait! There are two pirates! Two pirates, mom! Look! I bet they are friends. I bet that one pirate there is friends with that other pirate on that other motorcycle there. See, Jack, it's two pirates riding motorcycles together. Wow! That's kinda neat, huh?!?

I just said yes and tried to keep a straight face. :-)

A Morning At Lake Fort Smith

This morning Paw Paw and the kids and I went up to Lake Fort Smith. It was just about the most perfect weather ever, and we had a wonderful time! We had a picnic lunch, played on the playground, looked at the boats, and went on a "hike". It was really more of a long walk downhill through the woods, but it was perfect for a 3 year old and 18 month old. Here are a lot of pictures...

My dad just got in from Colorado last night. He had a terrible flight and a bad cold and I know he was exhausted. But he still wanted to hang out with his grandkiddos. That is one thing I really really love about my dad. It didn't matter how exhausted or busy he was at the end of a long day, he always wanted to spend time with me and talk with me. It didn't have to be any big deal thing either, just a nice dinner or talk before bed. I don't think I appreciated that quite so much until I had kids and realized just how exhausted a person could be at the end of the day and how easy it is to want to get them to bed so you can have a little down time. I really have been blessed with wonderful parents who have always always shown me love, always spent time with me, always supported me, always encouraged me and always listened to me. We all have always really enjoyed each others company (even through jr. High years for the most part). I'm so thankful that my kids are getting to have these two folks for grandparents! I hope one day they realize how blessed they are... I have a feeling they will. :-)

The April Issue of Southern Living

The April issue of Southern Living came today. Apparently the writers wanted to make me homesick because it felt like every other page was about some place I love and can't be.

First up: a page devoted entirely to the Kentucky Derby festival. This was one of my absolute favorite seasons to live in Louisville. The entire town is celebratory and spring is finally arriving. There are different events almost every day for the two weeks prior to the derby. Derby day is something else. I don't remember what we did for our first derby. Our second year we went to Boomboz Pizza on the old Bardstown Road. I was pregnant and it was seriously so good. Our third year Jennifer and Derek came in and we went to the Derby! Such fun fun memories were made while we lived in Louisville! I would definitely move back in a split second if we could figure out how to make it work.

Second: South Carolina low country. If we had stayed in Georgia last summer we were going to take a vacation to Edisto beach and Charleston. I had everything researched. I knew where we were going to stay (state park cabins!). I knew what we were going to do each day etc... But I guess it wasn't meant to be. I'll keep on dreaming and one day we will go back there... And perhaps meet up with the Hancock family in Charleston so Grace and Samuel can have a long overdue playdate!



Third: Georgia's Antebellum Trail. My dear dear Milledgeville. I know that a lot of people probably want to leave the small town for the city, but I am a small town girl. Milly was just my size. It felt so much like home. I loved that we lived downtown and could walk anywhere we wanted. I loved that we ran into people we knew all over town. We lived right around the corner from the Inn listed in the magazine. And we passed Lockerly all the time. And we would walk down North Liberty Street to the church and admire all of the beautiful homes. My heart aches if I think about it too much.



Fourth: Louisville again. This time local restaurants were featured. I worked one block down from where this picture was taken and ate lunch there for a work thing one time. It really was very very good. Also mentioned was the Blue Dog Bakery and Cafe. This is where mom and I met for lunch after I got off of work for the last time before having Grace. Oh my, what special memories that town holds. It's where Jonathan and I grew so much as a couple and met some great Christians who influenced us in so many ways. It's where we bought our first house and had our first child. It had four seasons and public parks galore! And it also had wonderful grocery stores and restaurants just like the article said. I will forever be grateful for my time there.



And I'll keep telling myself that north Louisiana isn't so bad, and I'll believe it for the most part. Now we are close to family. And that's worth a lot in my book. Because not only is our family great, but my dad is also a fabulous cook. He's been making a version of this cake for as long as I can remember. Except he adds blueberries and raspberries to the strawberries. And it's very nice to not have to travel for two days to get some.

A Conversation About Butterflies

G: Look out the window, Paw Paw, there's butterflies!

P: Flutter-byes?

G: No! Butterflies!

P: What kind of fly? A butter-fly? Or a milk-fly? Grace, I don't think that butter can fly... Or milk for that matter.

G: No! No! No! A Butterfly! Say it like this... Butter...

P: Butter

G: Fly

P: Fly

G: Yeah! See! You said it! Butterfly!

P: Yeah! Butterfly!

Today Grace Said:

Boy, I sure do have some major snot issues today!

And she does. She has a cold, or allergies, or something that is making her nose stuffy and runny at the same time. I kind of like the way she put it though.

Dessert

Puddle Jumping

It's Come Full Circle

This was Mary Allison's. I'm guessing she got it in 1988 or 1989. She was probably 3 years old or so.

She got it when we were little kids living in Fayetteville and our parents got us all season passes to Silver Dollar City.


Grace is now 3 1/2. It's definitely come full circle.

Jack's Joke

This is Jack's favorite (and only) joke to tell.

J: knock knock

Me: who's there?

J: (leaning his head all the way back and speaking very slowly and deeply) Paw Paw.

Of course we all laugh every time he tells it... And he tells it quite a lot. And a joke that good should be told quite often! ;-)

Spring Break 2012!

The kiddos and I are on the road again. This time we travelled ALONE to Arkansas for Nana's spring break. Paw Paw is on spring break too, but he is in Colorado at a conference for work. I honestly can't believe I got up the courage to travel by myself with the kids for the 5+ hours it takes to get here. I know people do this all the time, but I am not one of those brave mommies. It all actually went so smoothy I couldn't believe it. We got Jack a big boy car seat and turned him around (just for this trip... Even though he's 18 months he only just weighs a bit over 20lbs, and the AAP recommends keeping your kid rear facing till 2 anyway) and we splurged and got the absolute cheapest dual DVD player we could find! It worked like a charm! We made it in record time, leaving at 8, arriving at 2:15, and stopping only once for lunch! AND Grace wore panties the whole time! Hooray!!! We were so glad to see Nana when we arrived! The kids immediately went to nap time after wardrobe changes and are still sleeping at almost 5:30. As soon as they passed out I ate a huge peanut butter sandwich, drank a glass of ice cold whole milk and zonked out on the couch for a bit myself. I was beyond exhausted. I don't really know why. I guess it's just been a crazy busy stressful few weeks and I was just trying to make it here till I pooped out. Ha! It's so good to be here! I am looking forward to our rainy days of board games and home cookin! More pics to come soon!

Just Because...

I always want to remember how much I like going on walks with these two kiddos.

Little Lessons: Letter P

This week we learned all about the letter P.

Grace Practiced Perfecting her Ps...

She mixed red and white to make...


Pink Paint!


She Painted Pink Polka Dots.


And one very large polka dot.


She also learned how to microwave Popcorn.


I am pretty sure we ate three bags this week.


Reading and munching on our snack.


We also drew Portraits. Grace drew a self portrait and I drew a portrait of her as well.



We were going to have a Picnic at a Park but opted to eat at Jason's Deli and fly kites and walk at the museum with Max and Angie instead.


We had a Popsicle Picnic later on after bike riding.


We also learned all about Praising the Lord! We learned some Bible verses that tell us how to praise the Lord. And we also practiced by singing some songs and talked about things that make God worthy of our praise.

We also learned about St. Patrick and even went to a fun St. Patricks Day party and all wore green. I can't believe I forgot to take a picture!

It was a fun but busy week.