Our family had a fun Easter morning. Avery would tell you that the best part, was that she woke up at 5 am, 'cause she just couldn't sleep.... She then woke up Livvie, and us, by 5:30 am. Not very fun when you didn't go to sleep till 1 am...thanks hubby for letting me nap! :)

This is the best picture I got of the girls together.....I said, "Okay, Avery...put your arm around Liv and smile." This is what I got!


After church, we came home to eat some lunch, and look at our fun Easter baskets! Liv is into all sorts of things right now, so it was a lot of fun to pick out her gifts! The best gift, by far, was the pink princess ball....she LOVED it!


We also bought her a cute little summer hat! She loves to put hats on, so this was right up her alley! How cute is she??? :)


I can tell I'm gonna get some cute summer pics out of this hat!


Avery got an "educational" basket this year. Some level 2 reading books (which are too easy for her, now) and a fun color by number set. I hid clues to her Easter basket around the house, so she really enjoyed going on her own little "hunt".


As you can see, within 5 minutes of getting her new ball, Liv tried to be naughty and figure out a way to stand on it.....seriously....the girl is nuts! :) (but I LOVE her to pieces!!!)


This is the best Mommy-Livvie picture from today!
(**MOM...I didn't wear the pink sweater. The plain white shirt was too plain, and the white dressy shirt didn't look right. At the last minute, I pulled this out from the back of the closet...**)


Me and Avery...she had to do her color by number kit RIGHT AWAY!


And again, not the tidiest house by any means, but there you have it....
Our Easter!

We're up at Daddy's parents house right now in A-town, and we're having lots of family fun! It was our first trip in the van, and it was SOOOO nice having all that room! Never will I go back to traveling in that little car of ours!!!

to, again, be the "conservative, not very fun mom".

My kids, do not, and will not....ever....celebrate/believe in/go see the Easter Bunny/Santa.

Someday, we might give in, and let them wear a cute little outfit on the day that happens to fall on Halloween. That's one that we might, one day over the rainbow, give in to.

BUT, the birth of Christ, and celebrating His resurrection....that is something we will NEVER compromise with our family. No Santa and No Easter Bunny....PERIOD....

No, we do not believe that we are taking the fun out of celebrations. We have a wonderful Christmas, full of love, presents, and family. Also, we have a wonderful Easter...filled with love, Easter baskets, and family! They are not "missing out" on anything...

Avery is fully aware of what Santa Clause and the Easter Bunny are....make-believe.

She is also fully aware of many other, more important things...
the birth of Christ,
Jesus' 12 disciples,
miracles of Jesus,
What transpired Easter week,
Attributes of God - incomprehensible, omnipresent, glorious, all-knowing, creator, eternal, YHWH, wise, almighty, sovereign, attentive, faithful, unchanging, never-tiring, jealous, righteous, patient, merciful..... (yes, she knows all of those!)

Yes, she is a Pastor's kid. Yes, she does hear her fair share of the bible.

For some reason, I would rather teach my child about our Creator, her Savior, than read to her "Here comes Peter Cottontail"....


A Glorious RESURRECTION Day, to you all!

One of the songs Avery sings....
"Have you heard the news today....the giant stone has rolled away
Jesus lives! We can too! Have you heard the news!"

Last night I went to get groceries, alone, with my new van/grocery getter.

I have to admit, I felt really cool....being high up off the ground, not being in a tiny 4 door with it's share of dings and scratches...

Then came as I was walking to my van, after getting groceries. See, I was REALLY looking forward to putting the bags in the back hatch, ya know, being a cool "grocery getter" and all.

I walk up to my van, which is still really clean and shiny. I park my cart behind the van, and then I realize....hmmmm...I have NO idea how to pop the trunk! I looked by the steering wheel for a pull thing....didn't find it right away....I walk to the back, and try to figure the thing out....nope, I couldn't.

My embarrassment level was now a little high (but was laughing at the same time), so I just decided to open up the sliding door, and put the groceries in there.

I have the owners manual in the house, and I plan on studying it today.... :)

I'm so silly.....

P.S. How cool is it, when you go through the drive thru lane, that you're high enough so you don't have to reach up to pay and get your food? Just another reason I'm glad we have a new van! :)

yes, I'm fully aware of the clothes that are all over my dining room table...it was laundry day...

when I think she's sleeping in her crib...
yes....that's her bottom all right!

We added a new member to our family today....Internets....meet Bluebell, our new van...She's new, to us. She's a 2003 Dodge Caravan Sport, and we love her...

The girls' seats are already installed, and ready for our Easter trip on Sunday!

She's a little darker than this photo shows. She's "midnight blue"...the flash makes her look like she's royal blue...BUT, she's not!

We're excited to get to know her! Mom is OVER THE MOON!!!!! :)

In the last couple of months, Liv has eaten the following items

*blue playdough
*a flower bead
*puppy poop

I'm curious....what is the strangest thing your child has digested? Please tell me I'm not alone!

Here is "Bella", in all her glory!
Enjoy...be sure to listen close to the end,
where Avery tells you all what Livvie ate today...

She's just soooo very cute! We thought my mom decided on a name, but nope...nothing yet! Mom has a long list of "maybes", but nothing has really felt right to her yet. Here are her final names (that I also like:)) Ellie, Macy, Molly, Bella, Emma, and PG and I like Chloe. Feel free to plead your case for what name YOU like....my mother needs all the help she can get! :)

Puppy loves to snuggle.....I mean LOVES to snuggle. She is so soft, and has that puppy smell! Avery and Livvie have LOVED having her around. The puppy loves to sit with Avery as she sings her songs and reads her books. Earlier today, the puppy was chasing Livvie around downstairs and her little giggle was heard all through the house!

She must like us, because she sure is giving us lots of kisses!!!!!

Get ready to fall in love, Dad....this one sure is something special! :)

My mom arrived tonight with the puppy, and boy is she precious!

She has been the most mellow dog! She's been cuddling with all of us non stop, and is just the cutest thing ever!

Poor thing still doesn't have a name yet. My mom really likes the name "Mesa", since it reminds her of a Christmas we spend with her parents in Mesa, Arizona. I really like that name, so we could call her "Macy". Mom has lots of other ideas, so we'll see what happens.

You better believe I'll be putting some pictures up, as soon as I get them! :)

She's just sooooooo darn cute!

Dear old mustard yellow ugliest fridge I have ever owned - fridge,




I'm so sorry to say that we no longer are able to use your services anymore. I think the 30 years that you worked for the owners of this home have done you in.



You have been a good fridge...despite being a really ugly color, and sticking out like a sore thumb in our kitchen.


My children have grown to love you, and even my oldest child was so sad to see you go today. She loves the color yellow, and just didn't like the idea of a replacement for you. I know how she feels. I mean, where else can you get a fridge with a "mustard fade to yellow" color? Yes, dear fridge...you were one of a kind...

I do wonder, however, how old you really are. There wasn't a date on your backside, but it sure looks like you were alive before I was born. Good ol' faithful!

We said goodbye to you as the Lowe's men loaded you up in their big truck to take you to a new "home". We hope you enjoy what's waiting for you there....


As for us, we are going to try really hard to enjoy our new fridge. She's a little darker than you, and a little more 'heavy-set', but I have a feeling she will grow on us.


New big black fridge....welcome to our home. You cost a pretty penny (for us, anyhow) and you better make us proud! Someday soon, you will have a new counter top that matches you, and some new fun colors on the walls that surround you.


Until then, I hope you enjoy your new home. I have a little girl that is trying hard to love you, and already another one that wants to rip your doors open...

Liv's first pigtails...just want to eat her up!

Avery, my little rock star....here she's dressed in her Hannah Montana wig!

Oh, and our parents will like to hear this....we bought a fridge...yup, we did it. We're so sad to say goodbye to our beautiful mustard yellow one...(sarcastic, much?)

Daddy's parents came down to visit us on Sunday! It was another short visit (too short), but we were all really excited to see each other! Here's a few pics from the day! :)

Momma smoochin' on her girlies

Livvie and Libby....Liv really liked the puppies! She chased Brody around and giggled at him!

Nana givin' some love to Livvie!!!

Avery read Nana this book...yup, my Avery is a VERY good reader, if I do say so myself!

Thanks for coming to visit Nana and Bapa!

(no, those are not my 3 chins...FYI)

Meet the newest member of our extended family! She is a Shi-Poo (Shi-tzu/Poodle) and my mom and dad are going to be getting her on Saturday! Isn't she precious????

BUT....she is nameless, and she needs a name! Here are my Mom's ideas,
Maddie
Gracie
Asia
Neesha
Stella
Belle
Bree
and, we like Molly....

but if you have any other name ideas, let me have 'em! Their other dog's name is Sophie, so something that goes with that, I would guess!!!

You can oohhh and aawww all ya want...she's adorable! AND, she'll be coming to our house this weekend!!! FUN times!!!

And, in other news....as I was home this morning, feeling like my gut was going to explode, my dear husband was watching Livvie, while taking out the garbage and doing other things as I lay on my death bed (yes....exaggerating a tad) Anyhow, my little Livvie decided to take a pen to my new, brand new, laptop computer. Yup...hubby got most of it washed off, but I tell ya...that girl of mine better get with it soon! :)

I felt the need to change things up on my blog....AGAIN! If I'm like this HERE, imagine what my hubby has to put up with at our house! HA HA!!!!

Who knows when I'll get the chance to finish making my own bloggie fantabulous, but here's a start... :)

20 hand slaps, 3 bottom "reminders", and 4 timeouts...

and still.....still.....Livvie is doing the SAME thing we are trying to teach her NOT to do.

She thinks she's the cutest thing (well, she is) when she goes over to my chair at my desk, pulls it out, and climbs up on top. She then proceeds to play around with the mouse, and everything she can grab before she is caught.

It's like she has "naughty radar"

The second she sees that I leave the room, her sneaky little self runs over to the chair...again and again.....

urgh....

I hate hand slaps, I hate bottom "reminders", and I hate timeouts...

Miss Livvie has not learned her lesson after 2 days of the "reminders" we keep giving her...

Let's hope tomorrow is a tad better.....

SERIOUSLY? The ONE snack/breakfast item that Avery will eat, and you go and put MILK in it now? THE NERVE!!!!! Do you even KNOW how crazy my child is with new foods? You don't even know how many YEARS it took for me to be able to convince her to eat THESE animal crackers. NOW, you're telling me you added some sort of MILK ingredient, and now she CAN'T have them? URGH!!!!!!!!!!

You have some nerve, Keebler...you little elves you....

I've got MAJOR beef with all y'all .....I'm very VERY ticked about this...

Thank you to my friend "Mel"... (MCKMama as some of you call her)

I've been meaning to thank her for a while now....

She really is quite a great gal, ya know.

Not only is she an amazing mother, but she is an amazing photographer, writer, blogger, wife, and friend (of course)

The reason I thank her, you ask?

Well, "Mel" is the one who convinced me to start blogging last January. I had never really heard of a blog before, but she did it, so why shouldn't I?

I tell ya, what a difference a year makes.

Thank you Jennifer for introducing this new world to me. Because of you, I am doing something that I NEVER thought possible....while staying home and being a mommy....

I am SO blessed to have this fun blog design business...I am so thankful for everyone who I meet and all the emails that flood my inbox. Everyone has such a unique style and story, and it is such a privilege to design their "special place" on the web.....

The waiting list continues to grow, I continue to get more and more creative, and I continually think of "Mel", and wonder what I would be doing without her telling me to start blogging...

So...thanks again, "Mel"...

My camera is pretty sweet, also...


DON'T FORGET TO WATCH SUPERNANNY TONIGHT
...to see my bloggie buddy Kadi and her 7 children...
It's on ABC at 8/9c

Just so ya know Mike....I'd have voted for you...any my hubby would have too!

I'm a poor excuse for a house-wife. I'm probably a poor excuse for a lot of things, but this is one area where I particularly excel at sucking....

The girls snacks are still on the counter and not in the cupboard 2 days after grocery shopping...



I won't even begin to show you the sink, or the toilets....you can thank me later...

The shoes are all just thrown around in our shoe pile...



I haven't made my bed in who knows how long...probably since we last had a babysitter...

The girls room is constantly messy...I'm the only one who cleans it up, so that tells you how often it's tidy...

There is a never ending pile of laundry that doesn't get washed. My husband has begun to do the laundry because he's tired of not having clean shirts to wear...

And the living room constantly is littered with toys from the girls...

There, you have it. I'm not a neat freak...we live like messy college students...still

Whew....glad I got that off my chest...

Now, if you're sick and tired of me NOT posting here, which I have to say that I also am, please go check out my design blog, Once Upon A Blog, and click on the "Blogs I have Designed". You'll see why I'm not over here as often, because I happen to be there all-of-the-time...

...I have been doing a lot of this........

While the girlies have been doing a lot of this.....

And, Avery has a mean case of the crabbies/grumpies/moodiness/ugly attitude.....

My sweet girl was too cute this morning...
She managed to do a face plant at church, hence the rug burn on her head.

I know I'll look back one day and wonder how her little feet fit into such cute shoes

And how adorable her little behind looks as she prances off...

Lately this little girl has been melting my heart...

While THIS one.....

Is causing a lot of headaches...Here she is in her new Hannah Montana shirt! Future rock star? I think so! :) You should hear her sing...