EASTER!

We had a visit from the Easter bunny...

And had some basket fun...

Took some pictures after church...

The kids with Honey and Boppa

Cale and Boppa

Took some more pictures...

...and hid some eggs!He has risen INDEED!! Happy Easter!

Ella Enchanted

Ella, Cale and I met my mom the other day at the Cracker Barrel or as Ella likes to call it "Cracker Bells" for lunch. I didn't tell Ella that Honey would be there so she was ecstatic and super surprised when she saw her walk out the door. We had a great lunch and only wish the visit had been longer. But, like a grandmother, she didn't leave us without some prizes and fun stuff to do when we got home! She bought Ella a bunch of princess dresses and I'm pretty sure we haven't worn regular clothes since then. Ella's FAVORITE thing is to dress up and these costumes have been constant entertainment for her...and us:) Plus, the playroom now looks like the changing room at Disney world, but at least she is good about keeping it all in one place. Here are a few pics from the fashion show we had when we got home...





Jasmine: I have since taken up the pants so she doesn't have to walk around holding them up anymore. The belly is my favorite part!!

Belle: I did NOT tell her to stand like this. She did it all on her own. All I said was "smile."

Snow White

Cinderella

Cale didn't get any dress-up clothes, but he did come home with some pretty dapper looking things himself. They were much needed since he grows out of things faster than I can buy them. And, Ella is adamant that when he is big enough that he gets a prince costume to play in. I asked her if it would be all right if he maybe wanted to be a pirate or something instead. She said that was fine, he could get a pirate and a prince costume. Matt said he could "dress-up" in camo...I didn't see that one coming:)

Here comes the sun!

It was BEAUTIFUL today! Cale is a little under the weather, but the fresh air and sunshine did him good. He was as cool as a cucumber in the stroller while Ella jumped, played on the swingset, picked flowers, chased squirrels, etc. It was such a nice break from the three funerals in less than five months and cloudy, rainy weather that have filled our days recently. Looking forward to much more of this...





Show me your teeth! "AHHHHH"

Tired, again.

And after it all, I'm just plain pooped!

This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalm 118:24

Mimmy

This is Mimmy. My great-grandmother. Ella and Cale's great-great-grandmother. Yesterday, at the ripe, young age of 97 the Lord called Hazel Johnson Rudolph home to be with Him. She now joins my Nana, her daughter, in heaven. And though it hurts to lose yet another grandparent within four months of each other I can't help but think of what a reunion that must have been. It's hard dealing with such life changes. I keep hearing, "she's in a better place," "she's better off now," "she was ready to go." And while I'm sure of all those things and know for certain they are all true statements that's not really the problem. I guess for most of us when someone passes it's not about them at all...it's about us. It's about us living life without them, moving on without them, making memories that they won't be in and having children and major life events that they'll no longer "physically" be a part of. And that is where it is difficult-it's so final. The past four months have been slightly depressing and bleek. In four months, I lost half of my grandparents. This is not a pity party, but if you want to come you can. These are just my thoughts, a way of dealing with loss and the pain of losing someone. But, I guess that is the great thing about Jesus. Because of Him, it's not over, greater things are yet to come. And when faith is small, when MY faith is small, He is still great.



She was such a special woman. FULL of life and energy. She loved her family and loved the Lord. Oh yeah, and she LOVED hats and fur and all things fancy. She was the woman at the front of the church with a different hat each week (and for every occasion) that would inevitably block the view of those behind her. She lived a long and fulfilled life, she was an inspiration to all of us.


So, though I know with my whole heart and soul, that she was ready, I will still miss her. I'm thankful she knew Ella and blessed she was still here to meet Cale. I'm thankful for the time I had with her, the things I learned and the memories I'll cherish. I guess this is part of growing up or being a grown-up. I have to say, it's not much fun. But, then I look at my children and know that this is just part of life. We have to grow, people have to go and new ones come. The Lord gave me Cale three months before my grandmother died. What great timing He has. "You give and take away. My heart will choose to say, Blessed be Your name." God is faithful.

The sweetest sound...

This precious face looked at me directly in the eyes today and said, "Mmmum." I C-RIED! It was the sweetest sound. I forgot how special that moment really is.

In LOVE with my daddy...

Matt and I had a date the other night. My mom was in town so we took full advantage of the baby sitter and had a nice dinner out together. My mom said Ella was a huge help while we were gone, telling her what to do and where things were (as if she didn't know) and following her around making sure Cale was taken care of. What a sweet big sister! When we got home Cale was so excited to see us that you would have thought we had been gone for a couple days instead of a couple hours. It melted my heart to see him squeal and have fits on my face with both hands. Then, they spent some time sitting with daddy...

"Hey, daddy!" Which he says repetitively now, "da da da, da da da." Ella said mama first...I can't say I was surprised by this turn of events.


He cut his first two teeth, pretty much at the same time. He has been a drool MACHINE, as you can see. He's working on some more now, what a blessing we don't remember being babies...it's a rough life!

BUT, regardless of his troubles, this is the face he graces us with most of the day- first thing in the morning, when he wakes up from a nap, anytime he looks at you, etc. People always get so excited when we go somewhere and they talk to him and he smiles back. I don't have the heart to tell them that he does it all the time and that's just his personality:)

These two are quite the pair-best friends already. He loves, LOVES his daddy and I'm pretty sure the feeling is mutual.

Update...in pictures

In my momma's shoes...

In my daddy's shoes...(Yes, those were Matt's shoes when he was a baby.)

Peek-a-boo

My mom bought this costume for Cale (eventually). Ella LOVES it, he just loves her!

It's pretty hysterical!