Easter

We spent Easter with Ryan's family up at his parent's place.  

Kate and Olivia happily checking out their Easter baskets.

For some reason, my pictures kept uploading out of order and I didn't have the patience to fix them. : )

Kate hanging out with Grandpa wearing Ava's clown nose

Two worn out little girls by the end of the day

Kate showing off her new elephant nose

Olivia and her mouse nose

Then it was time for the Easter egg hunt.  Kate and Olivia were well practiced from the hunt with Aunt Amy and went on a full rampage around the house.  They were quite pleased with themselves. : )

Olivia finding some eggs for her basket

Ava showing some of her finds

Kate wasn't having any fun. : ) 

We celebrated Grandpa Mel's birthday

Ava helping him open his cards and presents

the rest of the crew : )

Girls in sweet dresses . . .

We didn't grab pictures of the girls on easter morning - between both mommy and daddy having to be at church early for sunrise services, we were just aiming for dressed and to church. : )

So we grabbed some quick photos the next sunday of the girls . . .they weren't thrilled, but you have to have a picture of easter dresses - right?!  Bribery of fruit snacks on the way to church isn't overkill, is it? : )

3 girls in spring dresses  . . .makes mommy happy (especially with the cooler days of lately)

Me and my girls

Cousins Visit

Right after we got home from florida, my sister Amy and her family came to visit.  Only a sister would be sweet enough to put up with her stressed out, in the middle of moving, little sister.  It was a little crazy (can we say showings 3 out of the 4 nights they were here?) but if anything, it was just great to live life by my sister for a bit and watch our kids enjoy each other.  

I will admit, though, that I'm looking forward to them coming back this summer when we get to relax and just hang out together!  The crazy schedule meant very few pictures . . .but here's just a few I did grab.

Ava and Sophie were quite the pair.  Ava loved being able to spend time with her big cousin!

 Silly girls.

Amy had brought easter eggs for the kids to have an easter egg hunt and it was a hit.

All set and ready to go!!

Looking

Ava with her loot : )

March Numbers

If I post March numbers before we get our april numbers, they're not late, right?!? : )

We were thankful to see smaller numbers again last month.

Our Girl Number:  91

Boy Number: 71

We're hopeful to see new numbers again with our april update.  Thanks for your continued prayers!

Florida - Part Three

After we left my grandpa's, we drove down to spend the night with Grandma Great in Ft. Meyer's.  Grandma had Easter baskets waiting for the girls . . .always an ice breaker!!! : ) The girls were thrilled with all their fun goodies she had for them.

Kate and Olivia quickly latched on to Papa Mel - I joked to Grandma that if we stayed all week they would claim him from her for good!

Kate wearing her bunny ears

A quick group shot minus Daddy

Then it was to the pool - Ava and Daddy showing off

She can fly!!! : )

Kate and her crush Papa Mel

Our family

One of the girls' favorite things to do is to ride around on the golf carts.  Grandpa and Grandma were so sweet to drive them around and around and around.

Grandma Great, Kate and Ava

Ava driving = one happy girl

Then we headed out for a delicious dinner at Bahama Breeze.  We had to wait and little bit and Grandma Great kept the girls entertained outside.

Me and my love

Then I'd say the spoiling was complete for the night when we headed back for ice cream : )

The morning we left there was just enough time for one more ride on the golf cart with Daddy

Then it was a late breakfast before we headed off to drive home.

Thanks for making our last day in Florida such a fun one Grandma Great! : )

Florida - Part Two

Kate and Olivia playing .. .. "parking" their "cars"

Taking turns

Ava was super excited all week for daddy to come and for them to go fishing.

The day finally came . . .and no fish were biting.  It's all about the company, right!?

Mom and Dad had to leave a day early and so for our last night on Siesta Key, we had to take our family for dinner at Phillippe Creek.

Daddy and Ava holding up their mussels

No visit is complete without some fun

"Cheese"

Then to keep enjoying more siesta "last" memories, we headed to Big Olaf's for some ice cream

After ice cream and some souvenir shopping, we spent the rest of a beautiful night just relaxing outside at a local coffee shop off the beaten path.  The girls had some fun with the camera. : )

Olivia

Mommy and Kate

Olivia and Kate

Mommy checking her email : )

They had a local musician inside playing the guitar and singing and the girls loved just hanging out and listening.  When we got ready to leave, Ryan gave Olivia a dollar to put in her tip jar.  Instead, Olivia happily walked straight up to her and handed her the dollar. : )

Then we had just enough time to head home for a few rounds of Uno

Ava happily displaying the dolphin necklace she picked out for her souvenir

Our last morning, Ava tried one last time for a fish to no avail. : )

We poked around Gpa's orange trees and found a few that were good. . .and some more that were just fun for the girls to pick.

Mommy and Kate

Kate showing Daddy her oranges

Then Ava had to pick some

And Olivia too

Me and my girls at one of my favorite places - love that they loved it so much too

Ava took one of Mommy and Daddy

Then she wanted one by the dolphins - we posed a few times until she thought it was just right : )

A little memory of two incredibly special people

We still made time for some last oreos at Papa Ben's house

There's not another pool like it. : )

Kate "practicing" her piano

Ava and Daddy taking a turn around the driveway

And then it was time to pack up.  I think one of my saddest moments was the night before when we were cleaning up and getting ready to leave.  Ava saw me throw away some play dough that had been thoroughly played with and quite dried out that week and quickly protested, "Mom, you can't throw it out.  We need it next time we come to Papa Ben's house!"  I love how much my little girl loved their place too.

But I'm so thankful for the time we had there, the memories with Gpa and Gma and that I was able to share even just a little bit with my girls too these last few years and that Ryan could grow it love it too.  Here's praying the next family can be even half as blessed by their home as our family has been.