Easter 2012

We have had a great Easter!

All three girls wore matching dresses today and I loved it! Little Madelynn is growing up so fast and fits right in with her big sisters.

L-R

Allison, Madelynn, Alyssa

The Easter bunny must have known that I was busy packing away toys and useless junk because he was very practical this year. Instead of Easter baskets, their candy came inside of new activity trays. We won't actually use them for 'activities' as much as we use them for lunch and snacks when we decide to eat anywhere other than the table.

Instead of a ton of candy, the Easter bunny brought coloring books, bubbles and a baseball mitt for each of the girls. 

We started off our day with lunch at my parent's house with all of my siblings. It was nice to have (almost) all of us together with our own children. My parents have 7 grandchildren with the 8th on the way. 

My mom's best friend, Lu, along with her family, were nice enough to prepare a whole meal for us and deliver it. How lucky were we? My mom is still very sore from her SUCCESSFUL surgery the other day and was able to stay in bed until the food arrived and still had enough energy to eat and visit with us for a few hours. It was such a blessing to have her family do that for us. Thank you, Lu!

The kids had an Easter egg hunt and then we headed across town to spend a few hours with my husbands family. His parents were out of town, but there were plenty of aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents to make up for it. I just need to tell ya'll how amazing this group of people are. I always feel so welcome and accepted around them, even though my husband is rarely with me and the girls and I had a blast today. Johnathon's aunt Kathy really knows how to do Easter and the girls came home with so many toys, you would have thought it was their birthday. :)

The girls received a few packages from Johnathon this week. He sent them a box of mixed candy and ALL of the Disney princess barbies. They were pretty excited and instantly starting calling claim to the barbies that they wanted. Having three girls sure is fun!

I brought the girls home this afternoon to they all fell asleep almost instantly. I made a video of pictures for Johnathon and then got busy packing. I have three weeks to be out of my apartment.

*freaking out*

I get my storage unit tomorrow and will start moving my stuff into it. I have quite a bit in my garage already, but there is still a long way to go.

It is currently under 70 days until we see Johnathon. (He transfers out before the ship pulls in so I am in no way violating OPSEC!) I'm not nervous to see him, that will be amazing, but I am nervous about the transition of becoming a family again. It's important to me that those lines are not blurred for the girls. I want them to always know the rules, right from wrong, and what is expected...regardless of whether or not they are Navy brats. I know it will be a big adjustment for them.

The girls got to help my dad plant a cherry tree today. He loves doing things like that with the kids and making those memories. I can only hope that my girls enjoy their time with him as my sisters and I did with our grandpa in his wood shop.

Here is my mom four days post surgery. Isn't she fabulous?!

Look at that hair! It's coming in so thick and curly, everyone assumes she just got a perm. I like to say, "Nope, just chemo!" :)

We are obviously waiting for the pathology to come back on her lymph nodes, but just for fun, we had ice cream cake! Since day one of my mother-in-law being diagnosed (the twins were 3 years old) we have referred to it as 'boobie cancer'. I never imagined we would still be talking about it with my own mother all of this time later. Let's pray no one else gets diagnosed this calendar year. I could use a break from it for awhile!

  My nephew, Johnathan, has been losing teeth left and right. Isn't he adorable?

My mom travels to Morton tomorrow to get her graft unclotted (yes, one minor set back after surgery) so I ask for your continued prayer over her. This is a procedure that is typically routine and takes less than an hour, but should it be unsuccessful, she will have a catheter placed and that is something that she does not want.

xoxo