The Things That Come Into This House

African Violets for Easter from my MIL
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The Lego Police Station from my mom for Xavian's birthday
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8 Red baby chicks (Technically in the garage in Alco's old kennel for a couple weeks until it warms up some more)
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There's Nothing Better Than Some Good Friends...

What's better than good friends?
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Nothing.
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Except maybe spending a school vacation day together with weather nice enough to kick the kids outside.
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With tea.
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And knitting.
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And birthday cake.
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The kids enjoyed a brief stint in the house while eating cake and coloring:
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We three moms decided to knit and visit. As seen pictured here. Except Chaffee took pictures and thus enjoyed not getting her picture taken. Again. I'm getting wise to you Chaffee!
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My Baby Boy Turned 7 Today

Well, he's 7. Seven. Somewhere between a blink and a sneeze, my oldest son has grown. I don't remember when exactly that he got so tall. Or so smart. I look at him and wonder how we, 2 clueless people, have managed to raise that tiny baby into this child. He is so much his own person. So preciously sweet, and at the same time, so much a boy.
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:::sniff:::
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I remember holding him that first time and thinking, "wow! I'm a mom!" I couldn't be a mom without him. He changed my life so much. I've better because of him. He really, truely, is my 'bright gift of God'. He is a treasure beyond worth, and for him, I am forever grateful.
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I love you, Xavian! Happy birthday!
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Xavian wanted an Amtrak Train cake, so here's what I came up with:
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He loved it! Yay!
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Like any child, Xavian loves opening presents on his birthday. He got quite the stack!

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I only managed to get one or 2 good shts of him actually opening gifts, because he jumped around so much!

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Happy Easter!

Happy Easter!
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May God bless you and your's, as we celebrate His resurrection and our chance for a new beginning.
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Here's some pics of our family's Easter celebration!
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Xavian, Saxton, and Korra:
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The Easter egg hunt!
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The kids had a blast digging thru their baskets the Easter bunny filled

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Saxton saw his Easter basket and crawled right over to inspect

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He immeadiately spotted the Peeps!

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He tried on the sunglasses the bunny brought

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And then he ate the head right off a Peep!

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And, just because there's rarely pictures of me, especially during holidays, here's a shot J took of me in my Easter dress:

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Gee, wonder where the youngest 2 get their blonde hair?

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Xavian's First Slumber Party = SUCCESS!

How can my baby be 7 today? I'll not force you to look at pictures of tiny and new Xavian. Though I want to. I really, really want to, but I'll be nice. Because then you would have to hear me cry like a 2 year old who's lost their lovie.
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Xavian had 2 friends over for the night to celebrate his birthday. His very first slumber party!
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The boys were really, really excited to be here, and all sorts of boy thing took place.
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Legos: check
Hotwheels: check
Build fort at 12:30am: check
Pizza: check
Eat 2 dozen cupcakes: check
Drink 2 litter of root beer: check
Play video games: check
Watch 2 movies: check
Wrestle: check
Play Twister, Battle Ship, & Hungry Hungry Hippos: check
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The boys:
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(Picture ^^THAT^^ in 10 years... Got that thought? I'm scared)
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Singing Happy Birthday:
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Xavian with his balloons Memaw had delivered:
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We surveyed the diningroom carnage the next morning, er, at noon:
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Says J: I now know why my parents didn't do parties. Can you believe Xavian had to be told to pass out at 3am?

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One friend went home at 1:30am to sleep in his own bed, the other was picked up at 8am. And then I returned to my warm little bed and passed out.

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Today is Xavian's family party. More pictures to come from that!

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Our Easter Eggs Are Awsome! (As Always)

We dyed Easter eggs after dinner tonight with some dye I bought on clearance last year. Wow! The colors are bright! These have to be some of the brightest eggs I have ever dyed!
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The kids waiting for Daddy so we could start:
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Let the dyeing begin!
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J drawing on an egg prior to dying it:
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We gave Saxton an egg for him to dye. He got really excited!
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He knew the eggs are for eating, so first he tasted the egg:
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I held the cup so he could put his egg in, but he tried to drink the dye! I finally got him to drop the egg in, only to have him get mad because he had no egg. So we gave him another and he banged it on the table until it busted open, and then he ate the insides. Little stinker!
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I had wrote his name on the egg we did get him to put into the dye, but he really didn't want to take a pic with his egg. Oh well!
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Our egg dyeing process included more than just egg dye! Besides the wax crayon, we also had glitter sponge paints. Boy I wish we had these when I was a kid!
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Korra showing off a work of egg art in process:
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Xavian putting his creative genious at work while plotting, er, planning his next egg:
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And finally, our masterpieces!
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Can you find the watermelon? The planet Earth? The dinosaur egg? The 'ugly' egg?
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Another Night of Swimming Lessons

Have I mentioned how much Xavian and Korra enjoy swimming lessons?
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Xavian Jumping off the diving board:
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Korra fresh out of the water and wrapped in her towel:
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J is on vacation right now, so he went with us tonight to see the kids swim. "DAAAAAAD!!! Watch me swim!" was the phrase of the evening.

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Korra's Class Easter Party

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I have been very lucky this year to be able to volunteer with Korra's class at school. Mostly snack mom, but I have also helped with art projects, field trips, and class parties. The children in her class are so much fun!

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Here's some pictures from the party today:

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Not pictured is the Easter egg dyeing. All the K-4 classes rotated rooms, and our room was egg dyeing. Another mom & I helped 138 kiddos dye eggs. That, is a lot of eggs!

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Saxton came too. He played in the classroom sandbox

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Another Night of Swim Lessons!

Xavian and Korra are loving swim lessons! They both adore their instructors (members of the high school swim team) and the instructors are such patient girls. Especially Xavian's-she has 5 little boys!
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Korra hams it up while waiting her turn to practice floating
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Korra floats!
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Xavian and his instructor take a turn with a kick board practicing underwater kicks
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Who is that under the water? Is he, is he holding his breath?!
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Whew! It's Xavian! He was holding his breath!
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I think I look forward to swim lessons as much as the kids. I love watching them learn to love the water! And it gives me about 1.5 hours of uninterupted knitting time. =P

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