Happy Easter 2014

We hope you and yours had a wonderful Easter celebrating our Risen King! It was a gorgeous, sunny spring day, perfect for hunting eggs and blowing bubbles in the backyard. Here are some highlights...

 Easter morning and the girls ran down the stairs with Daddy to find their Easter baskets...

This year they got backyard themed baskets: Watering cans, badminton game, Frisbee, sandals and the Frozen movie (well almost all of it was themed :) not to mention a chocolate bunny!

Madison enjoyed going through her basket, although she really wanted to dip into the candy before breakfast. LOL

We let our Easter Bunnies take a nibble before church...

This was the first Easter service at our church, Stone Hill Church of Princeton in the new building. This was our second year attending service here, and we absolutely love our church home. They had a sweet egg hunt in the nursery's playground for the little's. 

Ready to hunt some eggs!

 Madison couldn't have cared less about the eggs, she wanted to play and go down the slide!

After church our dear friends the Vickermans' came over for Easter lunch with their daughter, Lila (middle).

I opted to get a Honey Baked Ham for the ease of it, and made scalloped potatoes, green beans and rolls to go with it. I also made a decadent Carrot Cake with buttermilk glaze and cream cheese frosting. One word: YUM!

 After lunch we blew bubbles in the backyard...

 Precious big girl...

 Taking a ride in the jeep.. look out folks, these drivers need some practice!

 Later in the day Jarrett watered some areas on our grass where he sprinkled some seed. Madison, who cannot stay out of the water had to run through it...

 "Mommy, I all wet and COLD!"

 Lindsay helping Daddy water the grass...

Here's my Carrot Cake... I had to send the remainder of this baby with Jarrett to work on Monday. I would've eaten the entire thing myself. No joke.

Wishing you a Happy and Blessed Easter. May Christ's love and hope fill you heart the whole year through! 

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead... 1 Peter 1:3

Cali Trip 2014

The girls and I had a fun-filled spring break vacation to California to visit our family! It was Gigi's 74th birthday, and we were so happy to get to spend it with her and see Grammie, Nonna and Grandpa to boot! Here are a few highlights of our visit:

"Higher Higher!"

Auntie Annie hung out with us during our visit and the girls just couldn't get enough of her attention ;) We had lovely chats and caught up on some sister time!

 Picked an orange off the tree in Grammie's backyard. Girls ate it and said, "Kinda sweet, but really sour!"

We ate dinner one night at Bill Lee's in Bakersfield, a Chinese restaurant that is practically a family tradition. Both sides of our family (J's and ours) would go to either Rice Bowl or Bill Lee's, which are strangely on the same street and climb into a big, cozy, dark booth and eat the best Chow Mein or Pork Fried Rice ever. As a little girl, one of the fondest memories I had was eating out with my grandparents and drinking the tea they served in little tea cups. Tea party... how cool! We cooled it down with ice cubes and of course, it was drowned with sugar. We got to share the memory this trip with my little girls...

 They loved it ;)

We had a lovely dinner at Black Angus for Gigi's birthday, and feasted on Champagne Cake (her favorite) and strawberry ice cream at her house afterwards. Madison and Lindsay got to meet Gigi's newest baby, a tiny white poodle named "Baby". Madison adored her!

Happy Birthday Gigi!! 

Madison decided Grandpa Joe was her best buddy, and she stuck to him like glue ;)

Lindsay colored a card for Gigi, and gave her a full explanation of her artwork...

Present time! We got Gigi a garden themed gift this year, and it had lots of fun things for puttering in the garden like a hat, knee pad and garden flags!

We love you Gigi!! So happy we got to spend your birthday with you!

The girls swam in the little pool in Grammie's backyard, which was a big change from the 40 degree weather we left back in NJ.

Someone thought bathing suits were optional... Skinny Dipping!

Movie Star! Lulu picked out these sun glasses and said, "These glasses have sparkles like Nonna's!!"

My little fairy princess... Aren't those roses fabulous?!

The second half of the trip we spent with Carol aka Nonna and Grandpa Jerry! The girls remembered from last year that Grandpa liked Frosted Flakes. One a couple of months ago in the grocery store, they saw them and had to get them. When we found out we were going to Bakersfield , Lindsay said, "When we see Grandpa, let's eat Frosted Flakes together!!"

Madison's cracking herself up. 

The girls got to spend some quality time with cousin Katarina playing in the backyard at Nonna's. The girls ate Popsicles and had a bath! 

Playing outside... hooray for no mosquitoes!

Having a snack outside on the porch at Nonna's...

Nonna took the girls to CALM (California Animal Living Museum) a small zoo with animals indigenous to Kern County. They had a choo choo train the girl rode, a park (see Lulu below) and tons of animals like snakes, bears and mountain lions.

We had dinner at Benji's with Nonna and Grandpa, and it was super delicious! The girls loved Basque food, especially the french bread and soup with beans. The girls were sad to leave California, and told me as soon as we were back in NJ that they wanted to go back, except they wanted Daddy to come with them. They sure did missed their Daddy, and I missed him too! It was a wonderful trip with the most beautiful weather, and we are so, so grateful to spend time with our family :) Love you!!

Swim Lessons!

This past Saturday morning was Lindsay and Madison's very first swim lesson at the YWCA! We did a combined class on Saturday mornings at 8:30 am (yep, we are already awake) where a parent and Madison get in the pool, and Lindsay is at the other end with the instructors. Jarrett came to watch and take pictures (it's his turn next week in the pool!)... I hope to get a video too!

Lindsay was a little nervous at first, and sat on the edge with the other kids. Thankfully, her instructors were super friendly and coaxed her out into the water. I let her swim in the hotel pool a few weeks back when we crashed J's conference in Baltimore, so she felt more confident than last summer ;)

Madison is our little water bug. She could not wait to get into the water. All the other kids were clinging to their parents and crying when so much as a toe touched the water... not our Maddie! Our little daredevil would have dived in if I let her ;)

Lindsay did so well listening to the instructor (I didn't catch her name, but next week I will!) and following directions.

Madison "Reach and Pull and Kick, Kick, Kick!"

Lindsay was so excited to wear her bathing suit that Papa got her at Target for her birthday. I am such a Mom... I was so delighted that she picked out the most modest one ;)

Lulu practicing kicking

Floating on her back

They had these really cool floating blocks that they tied onto the kid backs to help them float and practice kicking. Lindsay said afterwards in a very matter-of-fact voice, "Mama, they were our sugar cubes."

Madison practiced pool safety (which she desperately needs!) of getting in and out of the pool by swimming to the side. They sang songs and practiced climbing in the water and out.

Lindsay just hammin' it up, playing with her suit. The little girl behind her was like, "Cool!"

"Look at me Daddy! I swimmin'!!"

The goofy look on her face says it all.. Go Lulu Go!

LOVING Swim lessons.. it is such a confidence booster for her!

The girls wrapped up in their cozy monogrammed towels they got at Christmas. Thank you Miss Paula, they will get used every week!!

I love seeing how they progress each week as their confidence grows and their skills improve. Most importantly, they are moving and having a blast! I am so proud of you girls!