Easter 2013

 March went by way too fast for me.  I am 57 days away from my due date! I can't decide if thats too short or too long... or just perfect.

 We had a low key Easter. Church in the morning.  Out to a special lunch (baby #3 wanted a cheeseburger), and then home for naps and egg hunts.  Ari and Ashlyn loved hunting in the yard for eggs and they obviously enjoyed all the sugar that followed.

Ashlyn caught on really quick once she realized that the eggs had jelly beans in them.  She was so excited every time she found an egg.

 The girls have been fun but challenging lately.  They bicker and get feisty and scream at one another; yet play nice, giggle and love each other. This is a hard place to be right now, pregnant and parenting the constant-need-for-attention days.  What were we thinking? (or not thinking?!)

I know the time flies and that we'll miss the early years but some days, I lose my temper, my sanity and my mind... and Dan comes home to chaos, stress, irritability and two (actually three) feisty ladies.  It is tough not to collapse at 8 when they go to bed!

But moments like these when they kiss each other or put their Easter baskets on their heads that we're reminded that they are a gift and a blessing and so much fun!! (And their closeness and timing is perfect)

Part 2 Florida Trip

Cousins (FL part 1)

The girls and I just returned from a trip to Florida to see family.  My mom drove us down last Sunday and though we had some glitches along the way, the trip was great.  

Florida was cold this time!  It was breezy and sunny but brisk and called for hats and sweatshirts the first few days.  We had a lot of fun with Ella and Aunt Shell and even got to see Great Grammy Claire and her dogs (who Ashlyn LOVED 'woof woofs').  

We played at the park, the beach, the pool and the tub!  

 There were moments of toddler selfishness and Ashlyn's defensive bullying but overall, the girls played well together.  We enjoyed our time playing outside and the girls are slowly recovering!  They go through what I like to call "Grandparent Detox" which consists of the word "NO" being said to them over and over.  Those grandparents are so nice in all their "Yes" :):) Hehehe. We need a day or two to remind them who's boss!

Winter Weather is Wacky

One week ago Sunday, we enjoyed a warm sunny Sunday afternoon.

Less than a week later, we were in a bookstore when it started snowing fast and hard with those big, wet snowflakes that stick!  Hooray!! As much as I disliked cold Indiana winters, I was hoping for one big North Carolina snow for the girls to see and play in.  Well, Nature delivered and it was beautiful. 

We drove home in chaotic blinding snow (we were only a few miles away!) and immediately bundled up to play.  Ashlyn had skipped her naptime so she was a tad grumpy and wearing too big shoes that fell off and made her feet "Ewww Wet" did not help. She waddled around for a few minutes but then came in a watched from the window. Pantless, of course. 

Dan was a turbo and over-achieving snowman builder (in a good way!) and made an enormous snowman with Ari. The middle was so big he couldn't make it up the hill.  Ari loved it.

Ari put the carrot in the midsection and then took a bite out of it! 

 

The next day was sunny and the snow didn't last more than 24 hours but Dan and Ari made the most of it and attempted sledding down the big hill.  (Sadly, I had to work)  

It was a good family weekend!