Rainy Day

I love rain. But I really love her.

Mother's Day

We had fun celebrating Mother's Day! My parents had been staying in Lubbock for two weeks after Dad had surgery, so we actually got to spend it with my mom! Nana wasn't able to come up this weekend because of the rain in Iraan. And of course, we are always missing Kyle's mom. Wish so much she could be here, too.

We went to church and cooked lunch afterwards at Brandi's house. We had burgers and lots yummy sides with it. Kyle even bought me a red velvet cake-it's one of my favs!

When I woke up on Sunday morning, the kids had breakfast ready. I had a bagel and strawberries & blueberries. It was very yummy. They were really excited to serve me breakfast. I opened the most precious handmade cards and notes from them. They are priceless. I have a picture with Kyle but I don't like the way I look in it. And since it's a Mother's Day post, I reserve the right to leave out the pics I don't like. Sorry, Babe-you looked really cute in the pic, though.

Brandi and Campbell-Kyle picked out a cute flower pot for her and the kids took her a card. Brandi got me a cool necklace that has all my kids names on it in different colored rectangles. Super cute. Mom got me a really neat set of colored knives that match great with my Fiestaware. I looovvve to get kitchen stuff.

Finley picked out these flowers for me. I also got a Flaunt bag, some new cannisters, and I might have even received a gift card to the Wood House Day Spa. It is a marvelous little place. Yes, I felt like it was Christmas! Kyle really goes all out on Mother's Day. He and the kids make a really big deal! They are always so excited and run around like everything is a big secret the day before. He even took all the kids with him to the grocery store. Brave man.

The kiddos at the kiddie table.

This is what we gave Cita for her Mother's Day gift.

I got the idea off of Pinterest and made the entire thing myself-even the rosettes! I painted the big square and sanded it. It was an extra piece from some shelves I am working on for Slade's room. The photo frame I sprayed white and put velcro on the back so she can pull it of and change out her photos. I've never made rosettes before-took some practice. The cream and red ones are made from burlap. I didn't know burlap came in colors. I was really proud of my craft, if you can't tell! I can't wait to make myself a couple of frames!

Thank you to my sweet family for making my day special!!! Being a mom is the best blessing!!!

Mother's Day Tea

I was invited to the best Mother's Day Tea ever! 

This chick had a very special day planned for me. Her class hosted a tea for the moms. It was perfect!

The tables were decorated so pretty. There was a frame with our photo, a handmade placemat, my favorite candy (Twix), chocolate covered strawberries, and a gift. It was a hand painted plate that Finley made me when she went on a Dad's only fieldtrip to an art place. It has been the best kept secret for months!

The kids even helped make the white chocolate bowls that the strawberries sat in!

Finley and Mom

 We had a fight the night before about what she was going to wear. I won(this time). The thought of her teenage years is scaring me. I just block it out. When she's fifteen, I will just think back to when she made me the sweetest Mother's Day plate and smile.

Finley served me cucumber sandwiches, cookies, and yummy tea. 

It was most excellent! I've never felt so honored!!!

One of those days

Sometimes, you just have a rough day..............When I found this on my camera as I was loading photos onto my iphoto, I just couldn't pass it up! I love this pic! I have no idea what he was eating. Looks suspiciously like ketchup?

Life in Progress.......

Pardon this terrible iphone photo.........Anyways, we've been trying some new hair-do's around here. Finley & I liked this double bun twist thingy-it looks especially cute on her when she goes to dance! I found the little flowers here in town for about $2 per flower! I think I should go back and buy every color! And speaking of dance, I attended a 2 hour dance meeting on Friday night getting ready for the big recital in June!  Her recital will be held at a different venue for the first time in over 30 years of the Dance Gallery, so it all will be new. And this being my third recital, I was just getting the hang of it! Ha! I just love her recitals and can't wait for the best rendition of Barnyard Boogie that has ever been performed!!!

And can I just say that we have been busy bees around here, hence the sporadic blog posts! My dad had a hip replacement last Monday here in Lubbock. He's doing great and my parents are staying with my sister till the end of next week. That has been a special treat for the kids, having them around. We've had teacher luncheons, field trips, basketball parties, meetings, errands, and just about everything else in between going on! I've painted my living room-it's a work in progress. One of my friends had a new baby that was in NICU for two weeks, but is finally home! Yay! Welcome, Baby Ellis! I actually got to see three movies in the last two weeks, one being a date night with Kyle! Which is very rare! And I could go on and on! Just gotta love May! And best of all, the Lord blessed us with some rain last weekend! I've never been so happy to see my back porch fill up! Please send more, without the hail next time, though!!! Although we will take moisture in any form!!! I hope everyone has a happy week!!!

Finley's Cupcakes

These are some really cute Easter basket cupcakes that Finley made for her class. She decorated them all by herself! I only smeared on the green icing for her! She worked hard!

Easter Sunday

I'm trying to post my Easter pics and blogspot has decided to use a new format. While I was adding my photos, it just decided to put them in random order-not at all how I loaded them. Is anyone else having trouble? Can you tell me what the secret is to loading photos? Help! Now to the pics, here we go in no particular order...........

 We went to Brandi's house to dye eggs. Gunnar needed to slide.

                                                         He was really sleepy, too.

Gunnar was particularly messy while dying his eggs. He wanted to throw them in the dye.

 I'm really sad when I say that Slade just wasn't into eggs this year. I guess he's growing up. He came and dropped in a couple of eggs and that was that. He didn't hunt eggs, but helped Gunnar. They didn't do anything at school as far as hunting. I just can't believe that my first born is 9. Sighhhhhhhhhhh

 Finley, on the other hand, was engrossed in all things Easter.

 I liked the orange eggs.

 Gunnar liked to break the eggs.

 Finley came up with this pretty turquoise color. I'm not sure what she did.

Finley felt the need to boss her cousin around while dying eggs. She has control issues.........

There was also some tire swinging going on in the backyard. P.S. Gunnar hates to swing-it scares him.

 And on Easter Sunday, we hunted our eggs. Miles acted like he knew exactly what he was doing.

 Here's big brother helping little brother. Sniff, sniff.

 "I'm too cool to hunt eggs so I will just hold Gunnar's basket."

Sweet Miles

 Possibly the Egg Champion......

 Campbell on the hunt

 Gunnar on the hunt

 Bossy Pants on the hunt

 I took stuff to make Peep smores for the kids' dessert. They were darn good even when you just warm the chocolate in the microwave. You notice the random photo order-we've gone from the middle of the egg hunt to smores..........

 Our baby that aged us 10 years because he never slept, but we love him.

 Campbell posing......

 Finley is enjoying her Peep smore. Can you see that Brandi covered the kids table in butcher paper so they drew all over it.

 Kids at lunch

 Finley, Miles Cooper, Slade, Gunnar, & Campbell

 The Smarty Pants kids

 The Smarty Pants Bunch

Wow! Easter bunny came, too. And yes, Slade wasn't into this either. He would just soon have had a lighter to catch sticks on fire. He's going through a pyro phase.

Beeler brunettes

 Gunnar discovers that some of the eggs contain chocolate.......

So he sat at the table for the rest of the time, eating foil and chocolate candies. Chocolate is the way to his heart........

You will never know how much I love those curls........

 Still eating...........I'm pretty certain Hershey Kisses foil travels right through the digestive system. Just in case anyone was wondering.

 Really, can another egg fit into her basket? I had forgotten how much real eggs smell.......

And, the best photo of the egg hunters I could get. We had a blessed Easter.