Easter 2011

Easter was pretty simple this year. Saturday we had a small easter egg hunt outside with Kalin and Porter. It was fun to have our backyard to be able to do that. Then we colored eggs - Porter didn't feel well, that's why he looks so grumpy in the picture! That night Porter complained of a stomach ache and later threw up all over my bed...he and Alan stayed home from church. Sunday night was Kalins turn, throwing up a few times during the night. Morning came, early morning (2 am) and Alan started (every hour almost all the next day). He couldn't eat or even keep any water down, didn't get out of bed because his body hurt, it was awful - I wanted to help but couldn't do anything. Tuesday he started to feel better when I started to feel sick that night. My back hurt so much I slept with the heating pad and the next day I just felt awful. No throwing up for me, thank you, but I still felt terrible and nausious. Well, enough of that, I probably could have just said that we were all sick for Easter! :) At least the kids did enjoy some candy and a few things from the Easter bunny. Chris and Alan also gave them Easter baskets (those pre-packaged ones in the picture). They were both so tickled!!

Atlanta Temple Open House

Friday, April 22, we took our neighbors to the newly remodeled Atlanta, GA Temple open house. The temple has been closed for almost two years. In that time we had to travel to Alabama, 3 hours away, if we wanted to visit the temple. All I will say, is that we now have a renewed desire to attend the temple more frequently. It has been missed! What a blessing to be able take our friends and share with them our beliefs.

Christine Gower and Cecily Smith at Mellow Mushroom (the yummiest pizza place ever!) for lunch after the temple.

Cecily is a sweet, talented, and wonderful lady. She has been the best neighbor. Cecily moved here the spring after we moved in and lives alone, so it has been fun for us all to be neighborly and become close to her. The kids love going over to paint and explore her home. She is from Jamaica, but moved here from New Jersey.

Below is Chris with her husband Alan. Chris and Alan are from England (Canvey Island) and they have a 2nd home next door to us. Chris has a sister that lives here with her family so she has been visiting Georgia for years. We love having them as neighbors and really enjoy their friendship. Chris is like another mom and I think the world of her!

Porter became pretty attached to Alan and just loved being his little buddy. Of course he was quite the trouble maker!
After we ate pizza we went over to Cecily's home to have "hot cross buns" with cheese (a Jamaican tradition). It was Good Friday and we learned all sorts of things that others do as tradition on this day. What a fun day!

What are KIDS for, right?

I'm trainging them early! I even pay Kalin if she puts lotion on my feet and gives me a massage! Is that terrible? They seem to like doing it, so why not! :)

I liked being THIRTY

Turning 30 wasn't a big deal. I enjoy getting older, probably because I know I get to experience life and things are always changing. Even so, I have struggled a little more being 31. Don't know why!? Maybe I'm feeling old, or 31 just sounds old!

Alan and Kalin baked me a cake and then Porter joined in to help decorate it! Can you see the "31" in there? It's beautiful and it totally made my day! Alan stayed home from work, we went to lunch together at Panera Bread and then went shopping for me! Yay!

Kalin and Porter helping me blow out the candles! You know, since I'm so old!

Some of my friends went to dinner with me that week at Panera. It was sweet of them to support me and hang out. Those who made it were Lisa Parberry, Stephanie Saponas, and Heather Harmon.

Yipee!! A NEW Backyard!

We have the most wonderful backyard! Its nice to let the kids and dog out to play and be able to go inside to get a few things done. It was quite the chunk of money, but well worth it!

Oh, Ellie!

Our dog is now 6 months! It seems to have gone by really fast and the worst of it is over. Thank you, thank you, thank you Ellie for growing up and for going potty OUTSIDE (at least most of the time anyway)! Ellie is a lot of fun. She has given us something to look forward to when we wake up in the morning and when we come home from being out. Yes, it may feel like a burden at times, but she is worth it. She is part of the family now - no getting rid of her! Ellie will sit when told (if she isn't too distracted), stay at least a short while, shake, and "leave it". She isn't perfect at any one of these, but she (WE) are trying!

Ellie, letting me know she needs a drink of water.

It's pretty cute how Ellie will jump up on Porters back, until you realize what she is doing... What?! I thought only males did that! Alan told me she does it because she wants to dominate or be in charge of Porter. This makes it a bit difficult because Ellie has a hard time responding to the kids when they want to train her. To her they are other puppies and she just wants to bite and play.

And I thought my kids were messy! I don't think Ellies face ever leaves the ground! She loves to dig her face in the dirt, grass, mud, anything she can get her little nose into. What a JOY she is!!!

This is a clean Ellie! She gets so fluffy and soft, I almost want to give her a bath every day!

It all started with a picture of Alan and I....Next, the kids wanted to join and then Ellie...But being a part of the picture wasn't enough, Ellie just couldn't resist walking on top of everyone to give kisses, even in my mouth! Ellie and me posing for Kalin to take a picture.