Easter Sunday 2014

 ...Look who visited the Grahams!  He sure was good to these little babes...and they were SOO excited about their baskets full of goodies!!

Bubblegum baseball bat!

Ariel Sunglasses and Hello Kitty Stickers

 After some early morning candy indulgence, we got ready and took a few pictures in the yard.  This year, Easter was an absolutely beautiful day with perfect temperatures! 

Love this!!

Always posin'

So sweet.  He's a little more shy but eventually you can get a big smile out of him!

Dad and Joanne were here for Easter Sunday this year!  We enjoyed their visit so much!

The Graham fam!

Me, Dad, Anna, and my "little bro" Ed!  So glad he was here, too!

Love this one!

 We went to church after all our outdoor pictures for the 11:00 service.  The service was absolutely beautiful and very touching.  I'm so glad that we were all well this year and able to attend. 
After church, we went to Chateau Elan for their famous Easter brunch.  One word-YUMMY!

I think Dalton ate about 5 plates of just bacon and sausage.  It should come as no surprise that he then complained the whole way home about how bad his belly hurt!  My, such a reversal from 2 or 3 years ago when he wouldn't eat a bite of ANYTHING!

Ready to do some damage!

Anna is sitting on Joanne's lap here to hide...from the Easter bunny, of whom she was VERY terrified of!

Special one to me...not too often will he take a picture like this with me anymore!  Love this sweet angel.

 After we came home, we got changed and had a big Easter Egg hunt in our yard...even the neighbors came over for it!  It was SO much fun and I think the highlight of the children's day.  Also, a good way for me to work off a little bit of all that overeating I did at brunch!

Happy Easter everyone!!!  He is risen!!

Easter Fun

 Picture overload on this post, but pictures say 1000 words!! 
The weekend prior to Easter, our neighborhood had a big egg hunt.  We had so much fun, it was our first Easter in the new house and the egg hunt did not disappoint!  However-similar to her mom, Anna has an animal aversion-although, not to real animals...hers is to people dressed up as animals!  And the 6 foot Easter Bunny in attendance at this event was certainly NOT an exception!  Poor baby didn't even pick up any eggs she was so scared...:(

Even after we left the hunt she was asking "Is the Easter bunny going to drive to my house."   So pitiful.

Dalton and his buddy Spencer

This is the closest thing I could get to a smile from her.  Traumatized!

 Hey, look, a petting zoo!  Just what we needed ;)

At least the  candy made her happy!

Sweet sweet girl!!  She found this bouncy ride and refused to get off.  It was FAR away from the Bunny!

Fun bouncy house!

Cheese!

This one never stops!

 Later that weekend, we decided to dye our eggs.  This is always one of my favorite traditions with our children...probably because I loved it so much myself growing up!

So excited!

Hard at work!

We had such a blast preparing for Easter this year!  Our new house is finally starting to feel like home...we have now had our "firsts" of all of the holidays! 
Happy Easter everyone!  I will be back soon with all of our Easter Sunday pics!

Spring Break 2014

Fun times!  They didn't know Mommy was about to lose it.

 What a great spring break we had this year!  Dalton went to Carrington for camp for 3 days, and then on Wednesday the kids and I headed to NC.  We had a wonderful time spending 4 days with Mom, Diane, Dad, and Joanne. 
On Thursday and in keeping with our recent animal-loving theme, I came up with the bright idea to go visit Lazy 5 Ranch, a rather well known drive through petting zoo of sorts, located in Mooresville.  My sister, who knows me quite well, discouraged this idea.  She warned me..."Jenny, you better be prepared.  Those animals walk right up to your car."  I should have seen the warning signs when Mom, who was scheduled to work that day, decided to work from her phone to accompany us, "just in case you need me."  Well....in an effort to fully disclose what happened to me that fateful day, I present to you the following photograph:

#trainwreck

 Yes, I am screaming and sobbing in this picture.  Please see below for further explanation.

 Despite the warnings, somehow I didn't understand that the animals literally bombarded your car and tried to climb in it.  It was all a little too much, ensuing in one of the biggest nervous breakdowns I have had in my adult life.   9 months pregnant and in grad school?  Nothing on Lazy 5 Ranch.

 Fortunately, the kids loved it.  And, that is really all that matters!  (I can tell myself that now). 

Even I have to admit, these little baby pigs really were super cute!!

 All of that said, it really was such a fun day and adventure.  The children loved it (D a little more than A, who is probably going to be more like her Mama!), and Mom and Diane and I had some of the best laughs we have probably ever had!

The weather was fantastic while in NC!  One afternoon, we went to Tanglewood and let the kids play.  They loved it!

Whee!

Mimi is a great swing pusher!

Hi sweetface!

That's a sweet one, too!

Sadly, I didn't get any pictures at Diane's or with Dad and Joanne, but we had a wonderful time there and with them too.  Overall it was a great and much needed break!!