The Bunny

Have I mentioned how much I love our yard! It's been so fun to watch what's showing up this spring.

 We see bunnies from time to time. I finally caught one on camera! :-)

Azaleas

The cats have been catching lizards and earthworms. :-)

a rose, already!

Spring Photo Shoot

I took the girls out early this week for a spring photo shoot in our backyard. Easter cards are on their way with some of my favorite shots. :-)

Our Learning Room

We converted our quest room into a learning room for the girls a couple of months ago.

We're using the Montessori method for preschool and kindergarten, so there are a lot of hands on tools in their learning room.

It's one of the brightest rooms in the house and we painted the walls a sunny yellow. 

The girls both love this room. Emma's not old enough for most of the materials, but she already understands the stacking tower (starting with the largest and building up to the smallest cube) and the sorting cylinders (different depths and diameters).

Ella loves to work on puzzles, sandpaper letters (tracing and learning sounds), three dimensional shapes, metal insets (line drawing practice and shape recognition), and color tablets amongst other things. 

We kept the exercise machine and our bookcases in this room.  

It's been a great learning room already and we'll evolve it as the girls move through grade levels.

Little Cherub

Ella had dressed up as a fairy earlier this evening and then Emma decided she wanted to dress up too. She was only wearing a diaper, so we were calling her a little cupid or cherub. :-)

Hair Clips

Inspired by Joy's barrettes, I thought I'd try my hand at making a few for the girls. Here are my first barrettes. Definitely need to practice, but it helps a lot to have Joy's barrettes to examine.

Crazy Glaze

Here's what I painted at Crazy Glaze on our Mom's Night Out last week.

I painted them to match the spoon rest Ella and I painted on our first "Mommy and Big Girl" outing after Emma was born. :-)

Easter Surprises from Gramma and Papa

Gramma and Papa sent Easter surprises in the mail. Ella loves getting packages!

 Bug collecting kit!

 A cute unicorn purse!

 Ella found Tinker Bell bandaids inside the unicorn purse!

A candy necklace! The girls have never had candy necklaces before and loved them!

 Emma, unpacking her box

 Emma loved the candy necklace!!!

Thank you, Gramma and Papa for the Easter surprises!!!

Mama's Birthday

I had a wonderful birthday. Sead got up extra early so he could slip out to the store for flowers and quietly sneak back into the house through the back door to place them on our dining table so I would discover them when I woke a little later. :-) 

It was a beautiful day today and the girls and I even got to enjoy a short thunderstorm this morning. We had dinner at a Mexican restaurant I've been wanting to check out (Moe's) and cream soda floats at home for dessert.

 My parents sent several gifts. These are the Twilight movies. Can't wait to watch them and that means Sead has to watch them too, of course! ;-)

Sead found this awesome tripod for my camera and he pre-ordered my college professor's (Gregg Frazer) book that will be released at the end of May (The Religious Beliefs of America's Founders: Reason, Revelation, Revolution).

 My mom sent this beautiful dragonfly box! I love it!

 This one is priceless!!! My parents framed this baby picture of me being held on a pillow by my dad. It's in such a beautiful frame and I'm so happy to have this photo to put on our mantle. Ella was very excited to see Mama as a baby. Thanks so much, Mom and Dad! I love all the gifts you sent!

 Of course, every day is a great day when you have such adorable girls and such a sweet husband to spend it with!!!