A great Saturday~

We had a great Saturday at home! It has been a while since we all were at home and did not have a list of things to do! With my national boards packed up and shipped and Craig finished with basketball we were ready to spend a day with the kids doing just... whatever!! We slept in... big time which was nice and then headed to the paint store to pick out paint for our kitchen. We then ran through McDonalds drive thru and took it to the Mt. Laurel Park. Katie and Ben played HARD! Daddy did too.. he was quite tired. We headed home for Ben to take a nap. Katie spent the afternoon at a friends house and then came home to hunt for lizards. An idea she got from her cousin, Carloine, who loves to catch creepy crawlies! Here are a few pictures from our great, low-key day!

Our Soccer and Ballet Girl

soccer girl and........................................................dancing queen!!

Katie and her friend Olivia started soccer on Monday. Katie had played when she was three and we decided to put her back in during a short spring season for some good exercise and fun. It is a great little team. They have devotions with each practice and are not real competative... and the best part Brandi, Olivia's mom and I have an excuse to get together and talk!!! Her are some pics from their first practice. (it was freezing outside!)

talking things over before practice begins!

Running for the goal... she looks so tall to me!!

listening to coach!

Ok... so I am so not the ballet mom... this Thursday Katie has pictures in full bun and makeup!!! I am not good with that type of thing... so tonight I decided to practice the whole bun thing. It turned out ok as long as you do not look at the back!! and there were no tears from either mom or child!! yeah! Don't worry, I have another mom that can definately do a good bun for me in case I stress out too much on Thursday... Ben loved Katie in her dance tutu and had to try some dance positions as well!!! (daddy was not too fond of that!)

Happy Easter

Even though it was 37 degrees outside this morning we managed a couple of pictures amongst the madness and my bad mood. Yes, on Easter I was in a yucky mood. Craig had to work the NCAA tournament and I was off to church by myself. I was just sad that our family would not be together on such a special day. I really did not want to go to church and see all the happy families taking pictures and being together. So... I sat through Sunday School holding back the tears trying to think of a way to entertain the children this afternoon. I sat through church with a scowl on my face and a hardness in my heart... I just did not want to go home and have to fight the kids off the candy etc. at the end of the service, Shae, a girl in my sunday school class who, let me remind you is a stay at home mother of 4 children!!!!, invited the kids and I over for dinner that she is cooking. (I can not remember the last time I cooked!) I was so taken aback and gladly accepted. She said that she had prayed for someone to come along to invite to their house since she is making so much food. Little does she know how much I needed that invitation. I could have sat down and just bawled... BUT I DID NOT!!! hee hee.. God indeed answered a prayer that I did not actually voice but He knew my heart... He knows my needs and provides in such awesome ways!! It is the little things that we often take for granted: an invitation to eat at someones's home, a hug, a smile... So... although we are without Craig, it has turned out to be a pretty ok day... Craig and I are truely blessed... more than we will ever know, I am sure! Here are some pictures of my most precious blessings!!

Our Day at the Zoo

Ben was invited to a birthday party at the zoo. I realized while we were there that this was his first trip to the zoo. He absolutely loved it. Katie loved touching the turtle and the snake!!

touching the turtle!

the crew: Helen Catherine, Ben, Eli and the birthday boy: Hudson... How cute are they????

Katie, Helen Catherine and Ben checking out the giraffes!

the carousel!

Playhouse Disney

While Craig was sitting through a tornado in Atlanta, I was with the kids at the Playhouse Disney show here in Birmingham, no idea what Craig was going through!!! Nonetheless, the kids had a great time!!! It was so cute and made us really get the Disney bug!!! We are so ready to make the trip!

Ben doing his "white boy" dance and Katie getting down to Mickey Mouse Clubhouse!

Katie and Ben with their purchases... that put me back at least 50 bucks!! Yikes

Ben at the end of the show, sad to see his "friends" go!

Katie's Field trip to Tuscaloosa

I was able to go with Katie to the Children's hands on museum in Tuscasloosa today. It was so cute. The children were able to dress up and pretend in alot of different ways. It was perfect for five year olds! Katie had so much fun with her buddy Olivia and all of her other friends from Primrose!

Katie and Olivia dressed up!

Katie and Connor with her fake eyelashes and his fake mustashe!!

Say "AHHH!"

taking a call at the pretend hospital!

Easter Egg Hunt

Sunday was our annual Easter egg hunt at our church. Katie and Ben had a great time. Ben was very happy with the 4 eggs he found and of course Katie got AS MANY as she could hold in her basket! (mostly for the candy inside). After the hunt, Miss Patty Cake came and sang. She is a Christian Singer for preschoolers.

How sweet!

Happy with his 4 eggs!

checking out all of the candy!

Miss Patty Cake and Katie

My baby is growing up!!!

Katie had a huge event in her life today!!! She lost her first baby tooth. I got a call from Primrose this morning and when I answered it a little voice on the other end says" Mama, I lost my tooth". I almost cried, really!!! I was at home working on national boards but I knew that this event would happen only once in her life so I worked a few more hours and surprised her by picking her up early and meeting Craig for lunch! She was so excited and exclaimed "It didn't even hurt!" (she has been stressing over the pain part for a while now)

Here is a picture of our BIG girl!