Easter Weekend

The weather improved just in time for Easter. Something I am truly thankful for after these last few weeks of winter! Nate was off school on Friday, so the three of us spent copious amounts of time outside while Scott worked his last day of an 8 day shift. 

On Saturday morning, Scott and the kids dyed Easter eggs. Lila loved it - this was her first year to really care about the dyeing. 

Nate is a pro at the eggs and got quite fancy with the 2-tones.

The finished product. 

The sun actually shines in Missouri. Who knew? I love it coming thru our windows.

My sweet boy before the Egg Hunt. He was worried because the older kids tend to be very competitive. He and Scott talked strategy before it started and he did just fine:)

My sweet hooligans before church today.  The interim pastor at Grace United Methodist is the pastor that was at Missouri United Methodist when I was in college in CoMo. It is neat to hear him preach again!

Nate tries so hard to get the shot. And Lila just does whatever she wants to do!

My blue eyed babies! X2

 Nate took this and I have to say he did a great job!

They love each other sometimes. Not so often lately though:)

Nate knows it makes me crazy when Lila won't do what I want her to do for pictures. So he always offers me extra of him. It's worth it:)

We were all glad to have Scott here this weekend!

I love them so much!

I forgot to take off my sunglasses!

Our egg hunt took place in the afternoon because it was wet this morning. Little Miss and her sunglasses. Oh my.

 

Our Easter weekend was fabulous and we haven't even eaten our dinner yet! From egg dyeing to egg hunts, to lunch at the Post, to a surprise dinner with Hamil, Sarah, Thane, Cathie, Bob, and Ryan to fun Easter baskets, to playing outside, it was all fabulous! Happy Easter to you and yours!

Stomach Bugs & Pre-Snow Activities

After our run-in with the dreaded stomach bug last weekend, I marveled at how no one else seemed to catch it as bad as Lila. Lila had even managed to give the bug to my Mom and Hamil and I remained amazed that no one else had fallen hard at our house. Famous last words, right? 

On Wednesday afternoon, I did not feel good at all. I was very cold and my body just hurt all over. I didn't feel sick to my stomach, I just felt bad. The bug didn't really cross my mind because I thought we were out of the woods on that one. 

I didn't know what was wrong with me, but since Scott was home, I decided to go lie down. I got in bed around 6 and did not get out. At one point, I told Scott that I thought I needed to go on that no processed foods diet, maybe that would make me feel better. He looked at me like I was crazy and said mmmmmK. 

I didn't eat dinner because I just wasn't hungry. I managed to go to sleep for a few hours and then it hit me. 

IT. Yes, IT. The Stomach Bug of 2013 hit me like a ton of bricks. It was so not fun. I can't remember when I've been that sick. If you've been lucky enough to avoid it this year, do everything in your power to avoid it. That's my PSA for today. 

Looking back, I'm not sure how I managed to take care of Lila on Friday. But we made it. The 3 of us even made it to the Magic House on Saturday with Megan and her niece. The tricky part about the bug is that even when you feel better, eating is tricky. So small tasks feel like you are running a marathon. Enough about being sick. You can see it made quite an impression on me:) On to some pictures!

I know this picture is blurry, but I love it:)

The girls, doing puzzles.

The Magic House is actually good for both the kids ages. But it was hard to help Nate while trying to make sure Lila wasn't running off. It will be good to go back with Scott so that we can both take a kid.

There is an outside construction area that both kids loved! Lila especially loved the accessory.

And Nate loved the tractor...

until Lila had to join him:)

On Saturday afternoon, we walked to our park.Where Nate hung upside down.

This was obviously before a foot of snow showed up on the ground! Maybe we will not have snow on the ground some day soon. All in all, it was a good weekend and everyone is on the mend. Let's hope it warms up outside before the next ailment comes our way!

A Whole Foot

I have other notables to share but until I get those thoughts together, here's a picture of what we're cursing enjoying today. A foot of snow fell on March 24th. A whole foot. 

Besides the snow, the other thought consuming me is the muddy mess the Easter Egg Hunt will be this weekend! With a warm-up in our future (thank goodness!), we are surely in for some mud. Yippee!

Ode to Meatloaf

Every year when we get our quarter of a cow, I start thinking of new and ingenious ways to use all.that.beef. One exciting thought is meatloaf. I like meatloaf and no one in my family objects to it, so it seems like a natural choice. Except it isn't. I don't make it because it takes a long time to make (at least in my world) and a long time to bake (I think in everyone's world). And then there are always the massive leftovers, which don't seem to get eaten. So me and meatloaf...we haven't exactly been workin it out. 

So why is this post about meatloaf, you ask? Well, my friends, I have conquered the meatloaf. With a little help from my friends at Taste of Home. I saw this recipe in my April/May issue and knew I had to try it immediately. It's evidently not a new idea. But it's new to me, so that's all that matters:) 

BBQ Mini Meatloaf (www.tasteofhome.com) 

www.tasteofhome.com

They are the bomb! It took me all of 10 minutes to make the minis and all of 20 minutes to bake them! A 30 minute meal. Call me Rachel Ray. 

Recipe: 

1 lb ground beef

6 oz of breadcrumbs, panko, or whatever you choose to hold it together

2 tblsp bbq sauce

4 oz cheddar cheese shredded 

Scoop 1/3 cup into muffin pans. Bake at 375 for 18-22 minutes. 

Okay, so the original recipe is a little different (but not much). It's here.

I think next time I'll add a little more bbq sauce and maybe not use Italian breadcrumbs (that's all I had). But it was still scrumptious! I found myself eating the leftovers from the kid's plates. So that should tell you how delicious this is! 

Enjoy! 

Nashville & Room 922

Y'all, the last few days have been a whirlwind. I left early last Wednesday morning for a trip to Nashville. I had some work to do there and Scott, Nate & Lila were joining me on Friday along with the Boyle-Odom clan. I was hoping to get some rest in that hotel room after putting in some long days at the office, but no such luck. By Friday morning, I was really ready to see my family and have a relaxing weekend. 

After being reunited with Mimi, Paka, Aunt Amanda, Noah, Gavin & Levi, the girls (me, Mary & Amanda + Levi) headed to one of my favorite places in the world. The Puffy Muffin. It holds many special memories of my dear friend Audra and I having lunch and planning for our children's future:) If you've never been and are in Nashville, you should go. The Pimento Cheese is to die for, and places a very close second behind my Nana's / my Mom's recipe. Little Levi at lunch with the ladies. He is a dream of a baby. 

On Friday afternoon, we found this great park behind Cool Springs Mall. Who knew? Aspen Grove Park is lovely and has a great walking trail and creek. I wish I would have known about it when we lived there.

The Ninja Turtles. They play so well together and are sad when they have to part. Warms my heart and tugs at it all at the same time.

It was a lovely day and we all took off our shoes (even me) and waded in the water. This was after I spotted 2 snakes a little ways up the trail. So yes, I was on the lookout.

It was a beautiful creek and the water was so shiny in the sunlight.

Back at the playground, we had some more Ninja Turtle action...

And some girl cuteness. More about this sweet baby in a minute. 

Levi immediately went in for the hug when Scott picked them both up! So sweet!

On the way back from lunch on Friday, I talked to Scott and he informed me that Lila had gotten sick on the way to pickup lunch for the boys. We thought it was a fluke. She seemed to feel fine the rest of the day and evening. But then, on Saturday morning, while Scott was running mind you, the Stomach Bug of 2013 hit her. Lord have mercy, I don't wish it on anyone.

I don't know if I was having sympathy pains, a mild virus, or just being plain run down from my week's adventures, but I felt terrible too. So Lila and I saw a lot of room 922 at the Embassy Suites in Cool Springs. Great way to spend the weekend with your family:(

After 32 changes of clothes and 15 baths, she is finally better and back to school today. And Nate is complaining of stomach pains. Ay-yi-yi. I thought we were immune to this?

Dining Out With Children

Before Scott started his new job, dining out with my children was not at the top of my list of things I enjoy doing. But when Saturday afternoon drags on, it's good to have an outing planned. So the 3 of us have been going to eat Mexican on the Saturday nights that Scott works. It seems a little crazy for me. Me who likes things buttoned up and doesn't deal well with the unpredictable. Especially in public settings. 

But the kids are getting older and well, I'm adjusting. Just slightly. 

This past Saturday night was especially fun. And no one turned on any electronic equipment the whole time we were there. It was awesome. 

I love the outfit Lila has on. Sadly, this will be the last time she could wear it. By the end of dinner, she was saying, "Mom, my tummy hurts right here." And pointing to her waist band, where it was almost cutting her in half, but I just had to have her wear it just one-more-time.

When Lila & Nate aren't fighting (normal, right?), Nate is such a huge help with her. I love that she has him to look up to because he's growing up and maturing more every day.

On Sunday, we also tried something I never thought I would do. We went to Yankee Candle. The 3 of us. Lots of breakable stuff in there my friends. But I had a coupon and I thought it would be a fun activity to go smell candles and let them each pick one. They loved it! And everyone behaved just perfectly and the check out person even made a comment about how good they were. My angels at Bread Co after the ever so nice candle shop visit. Ignore the food in Nate's mouth. Thanks.

Sorry if my 3 readers are getting tired of hearing about how we are coping - I'm sort of ready for it to be the norm too. It will be soon. But it is such a change for us that I feel the need to talk up our successes!

Spring - Please Come and Stay

Thankfully, we were finally able to partake in some spring-like weather this weekend. I say that like it's been a really long winter, but it really hasn't. Only the last few weeks have been rough. I don't think the groundhog was right this year. Is he ever?

Nate started his spring break on Friday, so we were able to all go to the park. The kids (and me) loved being outside. It was so nice to be out without a coat. The coats get old about mid-February. Lila is ever so uncooperative for photo ops but Nate tied her down for me. She loved it. Not.

On Saturday, the weather was even better so we sat outside for quite some time just soaking it in. Nate climbed in the bushes....

while Lila tried to push and ride at the same time.

Then she needed some Elmo love, as always. Nate looked upset last night and when I asked him what was wrong, he said, "Mom, I think Lila is really getting carried away." To which I replied, "with what?" ELMO, he says. So funny.  I reminded him that I also knew a little boy who once had an extreme love of Elmo.

On the weekends that Scott works, I find myself hearing about Legos non-stop. Spiderman, Superman, Batman, Star Wars. You name it. I get told it. Told it, as in he doesn't really want me to answer and gets frustrated with me when I try to finish a story or description he's trying to tell me.  I'm sure it will be useful information one day:)

After a while, Nate went back in and Lila and I sat outside and talked, sang songs, and recorded videos. It was a blast.

We are getting better at the weekends without Scott around. It is an adjustment, but one for the better. He loves his job and gets to do something extremely fulfilling every day. For that, we are very thankful.

I've also mandated that when we are all getting frustrated with each other (mainly me), we just turn on Call Me Maybe. We all feel better then.

Looking Back on March

I don't have any pictures from our weekend. Mostly because the kids spent Saturday/Sunday with my parents in Charleston. So, I decided to go back and look at the first week of March in years past. Here's what we were doing then...

March 2009 - getting ready to go to Mexico by snorkeling in the house. Nice that Nate was already wearing shorts in March. 

March 2010 - Playing with Jane Ellis and George on a warmer March day (although most March days are warmer than today as it sleets outside)

Love this:)

March 2011 - With Mimi & Paka at Legoland in Chicago. If I remember, it was sleeting worse then. So I guess March isn't always non-winter weather.

Lila is so teeny!

March 2012 - Lila the Gymnast. She was a mess then and she's a mess now!

 Happy March! I hear there is warmer weather on our horizon. As in this weekend. Thank goodness!