handsful

We took a quick trip home to NC last weekend for Easter. We had a great time, despite the COLD weather. We woke up to a light dusting of snow on the ground on Saturday…the most snow we’ve seen in 3 years! As usual, we packed a lot of fun into a couple of days…we saw all 3 sets of grandparents; annual Easter egg hunt at Gram and Pa-Paul’s; a visit to my friend’s chocolate store (www.thechocolatebean.com), Easter Sunday at Grace Church, and lunch at Dad and Kathy’s with ALL the family! Here are a few pictures…

Gram and Pa-Paul’s 10 grandkids…reading for some egg hunting!

Can I help you, Dad?

Samara and Abbey

Handsome kid

Marley and Ethan, hunting hard

Ready for church!

Apparently inspiration for craft projects? Thought I’d share a couple of projects I just finished. Here is a frame for Lainey’s room I made. I had this idea to have a mat cut with 6 same-size holes for this 8×20 frame. Went to the store, they did the calculations and measurements…mat will cost $43. Uh…no. So, I bought thick, acid-free paper and letter stickers instead and came up with this. I love it! The ribbon matches ribbon that accents the white curtains in the room .

This one was done with solder wire, thin colored wire, and beads. I saw this craft in a Family Fun magazine and just had to try it. It was fun! It’s hanging on the glass doors of the nursery (yes, we’re planning on getting curtains to cover the windows…this room used to be an office!)

So, if you drop by unannounced and see dishes in the sink and dust on the furniture…you’ll know how I’ve been spending my time .

In the last 2 days, both of my boys have busted their lips! Yesterday, Payton was opening a metal gate at the playground at our church and it jumped back on him (how, I’m not sure) and got him right on the bottom lip. Not too much blood or swelling, but it’s a little bruised today.

Today, the boys were playing basketball with a neighbor in our driveway and apparently the ball caught Ethan right on the top lip! EJ bled A LOT and it took us a second to find where he was bleeding from. Even after putting ice on it, his lip was HUGE tonight! He had grits and applesauce for supper, because it hurt him to chew. Poor kid. I’m praying that the swelling goes down more tonight. I thought I’d spare you pictures this time. Just imagine a very badly botched Botox injection on one side of a lip!

The theme for March’s gift was “Clothes” and Lainey got some really great ones! An adorable 2 piece skort/top, cute PJs, and the prettiest white sweater! Honestly, these are clothes I would have picked out myself, and they’re all in size 24 months…a safe guess for clothes that either will fit her when we receive her or that she can grow into! Oh, and she always spoils my kids with candy. They REALLY love you! And, chocolate for me? You DO know me. Thank you, SP!

Randy and I were surprised when the kids decided to try the pool yesterday! It’s been in the low 80′s for the last couple of days, so they figured the water was just right. They said it was ”a little cold” (which, to me, would have been frigid…I prefer my pool water just slightly colder than bath water). But, as you can see, they had a blast. Payton and Marley even went back in a few hours later!

Happy Spring and bring on Summer! Here are a few more photos of the day…

Ethan chooses a strange place to warm up

Payton, the creature from the bottom of the pool!

Happy water girl!

Jack stays dry, as usual

Remember the kid a while back who fell into the basketball bin and gashed his head in two places? This is that same kid today, after “catching” a baseball in the left eye. He had his glasses on, which caused the cuts. Amazingly, the lens just popped out and didn’t break! No need for stitches, glue, or staples this time!

Life with 4 (going on 5!) kids is just never boring.