warning: long blog!!!!

we had an amazing time this easter weekend. fun, fun, fun! it began with grammie and poppy comin' in for a visit! with the exception of grammie being sick friday, they both enjoyed playing with the kiddos all weekend long!! allie began the easter festivities by decorating eggs for the first time. she loved dropping them in the dye... i think only one of them did not crack... HA!

just after lunch the kids went hunting eggs in the front yard. lance, his parents, and i were cracking up at the kids.... they didn't want to put eggs in their baskets... they would just grab an egg, open it, eat everything in it, and then go to the next one. and i can't even tell you how disappointing the hard boiled ones were!

later on saturday we went to the zoo... (check back later for a zoo blog)!
Sunday morning we all went to church together and of course there had to be a photo moment. we were just grateful that it wasn't 40 degrees like they projected.

we did all the typical traditions... egg decorating, egg hunting, easter baskets, new sunday attire... but none of those things come close to the true purpose of this holiday. we hope that even in all the easter fluff you were able to reflect on Christ's death, burial, and resurrection. without that... we would have no hope!

moment to brag

if you'll all just spare me one minute... i need to brag on my amazing husband. he truly pulled all the stops for my thirtieth and made me feel soo special.

he started with watching the kids all weekend so that i could hang out with my girlfriends. then, on monday morning, he had flowers on the breakfast table and a full blown breakfast. we're talking bacon, eggs, hash browns, and biscuits! that night he came home with a date night bucket filled with candy, popcorn, cokes, and a movie. so after the kids went to bed, we snuggled on the couch and enjoyed a good movie. that was followed by a massage. the next night we went to the taste of tyler and enjoyed a sampling of foods from several restaurants in tyler. it was fun to break away from the typical date night and do something different. after leaving there, he gave me some cash and said he'd like to go shopping with me! WOW! i had fun looking for good deals to make my money go far and he kept me laughing the whole night.

it really was a special birthday and he truly is the BEST man ever! i'm just so proud to be his wife and needed to share that this morning....

thanks for letting me brag!

thirty and loving it!

well, today is the day... yep, i turned thirty! i have to say that it has had a great start! many people have told me that my thirties will be my best years... so far, so good!

this past weekend i had a chance to escape to pine cove's crier creek in columbus, texas. my friend, steph, and i decided that we would celebrate turning thirty in style. and with that, girl's weekend was born. the two of us, along with jenny, darcie, and kristen drove from tyler together. meeting us there were more friends... carrie, julie, ashley, brooke, and lisa.

i've included some pics for everyone to enjoy, but just incase it isn't obvious... yes, the entire weekend revolved around food! HA!

i do want to say thank you to the friends that came to help me celebrate! i had the best time staying up late, sleeping in, soakin' in the sun, and talking till we just couldn't any more. God has blessed me with some tremendous friends, old and new... i'm grateful for each of you!

happy hearts...literally

all of our prayers are being answered thanks to the great grace of God. my friend, jodie, is now home with her whole family. baby tommy is doing wonderful. And my brother updated me last night that baby jackie is in a regular hospital room with nothing but a little oxygen being administered. she just needs to learn to eat well again and they will be home soon! thanks for the continued prayers... you are all so good to go before the Father for these little ones!

spiked hair and basketball

we have a boy in the house...

enough said!

b'ville

last weekend we escaped to bartlesville for a visit with grammie and poppy. the kids had a blast and, of course, grammie and poppy loved every minute. some highlights include:

1. allie tasting tobasco sauce during lunch one day
2. caleb hiding one of grammie's puzzle pieces that would later be found in our luggage after returning home
3. a visit with some great friends, the hays and robbins.
4. taking the kids to the park

a visit with adam

ole uncle adam visited us two weeks ago. the kids enjoyed crawling all over him and he might of thought it was ok. david penuel and his family came on sat as well, but the camera was missing in action then... sorry. we had fun playing at the park and eating at mercados with everyone.