The 8 Game

I was inspired by one of my best friends Candice's blog.

8 Things I am Looking Forward To...

1.  going to Memphis this weekend

2.  the beach in a month

3.  seeing Ava go from toddlerhood to a little girl

4.  potty training Ava (NOT!)

5.  seeing Emma beginning to grasp who God is and His incredible love for us through His Son Jesus Christ

6.  warm sunshine days

7.  getting my hair did :)

8.  the girls' new swingset

8 Things I Did Yesterday...

1.  took the girls to the park

2.  took the girls to get a treat at McDonalds

3.  taught clogging lessons

4.  went to a VBS director's training meeting (I've been asked to be the preschool director this year for VBS.  SCARY!)

5.  went to Starbucks with a friend

6. watched the DOVE awards

7.  got home just in time to put the girls to bed...not sure if it was a good thing or a bad thing:)

8.  began to go into vacation planning mode

8 Things I Wish I Could Do...

1.  plan a vacation for Jason and I touring the North Eastern cities (Boston, New York, Philadelphia)

2.  have more date nights with Jason

3.  buy a new really expensive purse

4.  be a cake decorator... my talents just do not lie in this area

5.  have a full time maid

6.  have more time with friends

7.  sing

8.  go on a shopping spree

8 Shows I Love...

1.  The Biggest Loser

2.  The Office

3.  Brothers and Sisters

4.  One Tree Hill (I'm a little embarrassed about this one)

5.  Jon and Kate Plus 8 (however, Kate is really started to annoy me.  She just looks miserable!)

6.  The Real Housewives of NYC

7.  The Hills (another one I am embarrassed about)

8.  Burn Notice

a ladybug birthday party

This year for Ava's 2nd birthday, we decided on a Ladybug themed birthday party.  We had such a good time with family and friends.  

cupcakes a la Kelly:)

We have no pictures of Ava blowing her candles out.  This is how she remained as people sang to her.  Oh, and Emma had a serious meltdown while we sang "Happy Birthday".  She thought she was going to sing, just her, to Ava.  So we then listened to Emma solo to Ava.

Maybe red icing wasn't such good choice?

Ava loves this baby that the Pair family got her.  It crawls and Ava is so confused by it.  When the baby tries to crawl away, Ava sprawls out on it trying to hold it down.  She thinks it is trying to run away from  her!

the final easter post: a real live bunny!

easter egg hunt #3: the dean's house

After a delicious lunch, the girls had their final easter egg hunt of the season.

The girls busting out of the door to hunt easter eggs.


Could Ava look any more bored?

These pictures of Nora are so cute!

easter day: easter baskets and easter pics

After church on easter, we headed to the Dean's house for lunch.  Since my children rarely see their father on sunday mornings, we always do our easter baskets after church.  We were pretty low key with their baskets since Ava's birthday is less than week later from easter this year.  The easter bunny brought them candy, a book, watercolors and stickers.

Easter family pics...

We actually got some family photos!

easter egg hunt #2: mount vernon

On Saturday we pulled a double header with the veteran's park egg hunt in the morning and then the mount vernon egg hunt in the afternoon.  Ms. Billie, the lady who does our cake decorating class, owns mount vernon.  It is a beautiful place to have weddings or receptions.

Although the girl's had no nap, we decided to brave it and head out there.  We were so glad we did!  This easter egg hunt was much more our style.  Even Ava was able to get more than one egg this time!

This little exchange between Macie and Ava was too cute.  They kept giving each other this egg.

Oh, wait.  Maybe that's just wishful thinking.  Now I remember.  They kept saying. "It's mine.  No it's mine."

I think Emma is super excited about the egg hunt.  Either that or she is high in candy from the first egg hunt that morning.

The easter bunny.  He was a cool bunny.  He came riding in on a motorcycle.

Ava loves baby Nora.  She kept rubbing her head.

These are a few pics of the cute creative food Ms.Billie had.

A picture of all the buds.

easter egg hunt #1: veteran's park

Saturday morning we headed out to Veteran's Park to check out the community-wide egg hunt.  It was really chilly that morning especially with the wind blowing off of the lake.  The girls had to wear their heavier jackets that morning.

30 minutes prior to the egg hunt, they had us all gather in a baseball field with promises that it was to begin any minute. Because expecting 2 to 5 year olds to be patient for that long really is feasible.  I was just waiting to hear, "Mommy, I need to go potty!"  Thank goodness that didn't happen!  The girls had fun on their first official mass easter egg hunt.  

Waiting to start.  It looks like a crime scene...

When the egg hunt first began, it was mass hysteria.  Emma was a tad bit frightened.

She got over it pretty fast.

Ava slinging her basket over her shoulder like a purse.

Ava only got one egg during the whole hunt.  I had to stand over it an guard it from other kids and parents so that Ava could get it.

The prized possession, her one blue egg.

daddy date night

Last Thursday night while I was at my cake decorating class, Jason and the girls had a daddy date night.  Seeing how both of my girls are daddy's girls, they relish having daddy all to themselves.

The night started off with a trip to the new park that just got put in by where we live.  Of course, Ava was a fixture on the swings as usual.

(I promise they just put in a new playground.  This swing is hanging from a tree to the side of the playground.  Of course the girls were interested in it.)

After the park, daddy and his girls grabbed a quick bite at home and ran out to play at the mall.  The Easter bunny was taking a break for his picture duties and was attempting to stretch his legs before getting mauled by children. Emma loves the Easter bunny!

Ava always cracks me up by the crazy faces she makes...