Potato Stamping!

I am a craft lover. So, on my first Tuesday to not have to work in about 18 months, I was excited to do a fun craft with Ella. And it was successful!

First start with a couple of potatoes

Wash them, cut them in half and dry them off

Draw a shape you want to stamp with

Let Mommy cut it out!

Start Stamping!

We found that painting on the paint worked better than dipping into paint

Plus then you can get a little creative :-)

We will definitely do this again! Super fun and easy!

Flower Farm!

We went to buy flowers to plant recently at a local nursery and it ended up being so beautiful I couldn't stop taking pictures! It was like a playground for Ella too-she was in flower heaven! I love having a little girly-girl!

Photo Class-Assignment #5

I loved this photo assignment!

Proud Mama

Last week we were heading to the park and Ella asked if she could make her own sandwich to take. I was pleased with her initiative and started working on packing the rest of our lunches. I was sure it would only be seconds until she couldn't reach something, couldn't spread something, or just got distracted and wanted me to do it. But, she shocked me! She diligently got out everything she needed (including a wooden "knife" because, in her words "this is the right kind for kids mom, it can't hurt you"), expertly put the whole sandwich together as if she'd been doing it her whole life, and then with not a word from me the whole time, put everything away (including putting the knife in the dishwasher!). I was in Mommy heaven marveling at how resourceful she'd been to reach things, find things, and make it work. I was also literally in tears because she actually can do it without me! I'm sure this is the first of many things where this bittersweetness of my baby growing up will hit me like ton of bricks. As cheesy as it is that I took pictures of her first solo sandwich-making experience, I wouldn't give them up for the world.








At the park later that day-look closely and you'll see the sandwich is in her hand :-)

He is Risen!

Easter Sunday was blessed! Church was wonderful. I can't get away from the idea that Easter is immensely significant. It's the pinnacle of our faith and I believe, the most important Holy-Day of the year. I can't decide if it's good that it gets less "hype" than other holidays (so it doesn't become even more commercialized) or if it should, at least within the Church, get more attention. Either way, it's up to me to really celebrate what God's done for me and I'm blessed to have done so! It was great to spend the morning in our home church with people we love and a place where I consistently meet with God. So thankful for that place and my Lord-the one who could take on sin for me and did. Amazing.

After church we go to spend a little time with Chris' side of the fam for a classic Easter dinner, an egg hunt, and of course pics of the cousins all dressed up :-)












When we headed home I gave Chris and Ella their Easter Baskets...


...and they were soon too into the candy to even look at the camera!


I don't blame them :-) I'm about to go get some of the leftovers right now...

Easter/Passover Part 1

Easter weekend was FULL for us. One of the challenging parts about living near both of our families is that holidays are BUSY! However, it was a blessed weekend!

On Saturday we made food for a Passover Seder with my side of the family, dyed eggs, went to an Easter service at my parents church, then had the "Seder" (they're very reformed Jews...so we only do a few parts of a genuine Seder) at my grandmother's. Whew!


Ella was good at rolling out the Matzo Balls!


And she was very proud when we were done!


Next, on to egg dying when Aunt Marissa arrived


This time Ella chose to make Glitter Eggs which turned out to be MESSSSSSY


"Ta da!"


For some reason, this is the only pic I have from my grandmother's house but this pretty much summarizes it-eating, chatting, Ella playing with salt :-)

Easter Sunday still to come...

Science Center!

Last week 4 adults and 6 kids piled into a 15 passenger van and spent the day at the Science Center! Ella had never been and we all had a great time.


T and Ella beat me in tug of war (not when I was taking the picture-there were many battles-I think it was T's favorite part of the day!)


Sayer had a blast in the baby play place (it was cool and quiet in there while the preschool area was CHAOS!)


The water table is one of my favorites and Ella's too :-)


T got to lie on a bed of nails! ( I also tried it out but Ella was terrified!)


Jen never fails to crack me up


Digging up dinosaur bones (really!)


C in the Dinosaur area saying "Hello Dinosaur! Hello Dinosaur!"

Fun day!