READY . . . SET . . . HUNT 2012

We love Easter with our college kids. They just make the day so much better. We were so blessed to have some of them that could not go home (and one who came straight from her home) join us for lunch and hunt at Gran and Grandad's.

Claire, Seevers, Carter, Emily, LB and Amber are ready to hunt!

Guys' team . . .

Girls' team - yes, they outnumbered the boys badly.

 The hunt got a bit vicious!  This is the start . . . rule - you had to stay with your kid!

LB did not feel the need to stay with her crew.

 The girls were off and ready to go . . .

They were seen doing this (without their kid)

which led to this . . .

While the boys did this . . .

which led to this . . .

 We decided to make it a tad bit even, so

poor Claire (declared just a basic handicap)

and Amber (who was in a dress which handicapped her) were kicked

off the girls' team.

It's ok, girls. I love you!

 The All-Star Egg Hunt began!

You will notice the guys are a tad bit more aggressive this time.

The final results?

Aggressiveness payed off.

Boys won.

Series tied 1-1.

Until next year . . . .

Easter 2012

The kids and I left Nashville BRIGHT and early Sunday morning to get back in time for Bible class (that I had to teach).  When we got home, the Easter bunny had stopped by for a visit.  The kids enjoyed looking through their baskets.

Of course, we had to have pictures!!

Can't wait till lunch and the egg hunt!

Easter 2011

Happy Easter!

Easter Lunch and Hunt

The thing I love best about Easter is lunch and the big egg hunt afterwards. This picutre is why we come home after Lads to Leaders on Saturday . . . . .

Charlie, Matt, Hunter, Carter, Phillip, Melissa, Tyler, Laura Beth, Riley, Alex and Ashley

Half of these kids in the picture live at least 8 hours away from home and because of Makin' Music and baseball they were unable to go home. They all stayed for lunch and then a few stayed for the hunt. Makin' Music retreat had worn the rest of them out!!!! The baseball boys stayed for the hunt and hunt we did!

No, Matt and Charlie are not grilling - they are looking for eggs (and NOT staying with their partner!)


Hunter and Carter count their eggs.

Charlie, Laura Beth and Seevers count their eggs.

We had 2 hunts and 2 ties - what are the odds!

Easter Morning

I love Easter morning! We came back from Lads to Leaders Saturday night so we could be home on Easter. I just love it! The kids look so big this year. It makes me sad in a way but also happy at what we have to look forward to in the upcoming years.

a rare picture of me and the kids!

I love these 3 people with all my heart!

A Hunting We Will Go

We love Easter and we especially love Easter with college kids. They make the day ten times more fun! This year we were blessed to have 7 college kids come over for our Easter dinner and egg hunt after church services. I don't know who had more fun - our two or our seven. It got pretty vicious. We had to establish the rule "You must stay with your basket," so all the teams would stay together. Laura Beth was even kidnapped by Carter's teammates to keep her team from finding more eggs. We all laughed and enjoyed seeing everyone have so much fun.

Laura Beth's Easter egg team consisted of David Lee and Tyler Pate. They were pretty hard core and won the second Easter egg hunt.
Carter's Easter egg team consisted of Riley Pate and Phillip McDoniel. They won the first hunt quite handly.

Thanks, Melissa, Phillip, Sandy, David, Riley, Heather and Tyler!

We enjoyed having you so much!

Easter Best

We woke up after a late night of coming in from Lads to Leaders to a beautiful Easter morning. The kids got dressed in their Easter best and were ready for the day full of activities ahead of us. I think Carter had reached his limit of pictures taken by Momma. He was not as cooperative as he usually he, but he still looked so cute, I mean, handsome.
After church, I had to snap some pictures of them in their Easter best hunting eggs.
I love these pictures.

Easter

Carter on Easter morning
Not feeling very well
Laura Beth and Miley with the dresses I smocked and Gran Willis finished.

Laura Beth

With Easter coming earlier this year, our fears of cold weather coming on Easter were proven true. After having beautiful weather for most of the week, a cold front moved in on Saturday and we put on our winter coats over our Easter clothes. On a good note, thanks to Gran Willis, Laura Beth's dress that I had smocked was finished in time for Easter morning. Isn't it great to have family members with such talents!!! It takes a village!!! Because of the cold weather, we did Easter pictures inside. The kids were good sports, to an extent, and let me take pictures of them all dressed up. Laura Beth was pleased as punch to take Miley to church to "show her off" in their matching dresses. Then, of course, she was more than willing to take pictures. Carter, bless his heart, did not want his picture taken (as you can tell). He has really been suffering with his allergies for the past week and he was having a terrible time with them Easter morning. My son, who usually is picking out his church clothes (always a suit) on Thursday and is always ready to go to the Lord's house every day, did not want to wear his new navy blaser and tie and did not want to go to church. We knew he did not feel well!!! After a wonderful church service, we headed home to house filled with family, honorary family and college kids who were away from home. We bundled up and had 2 egg hunts outside after which we declared it was time to come inside!!! What a blessed day we had!!

Dying Easter Eggs

Laura Beth shows off her first dyed egg.
Damon helps Carter with his eggs.

Carter loves his blue egg!!

She's turning green!!!!

Carter working so hard on his eggs.

Carter decorating his eggs.

Laura Beth working hard on stamping her eggs.

What kind of mother am I? We have never dyed Easter eggs with my kids for one reason or another. For many years, we found ourselves at Lads to Leaders convention over Easter. Then, other times we would be knee deep in Makin Music preparations, but this year none of that was upon us and we took the time to dye eggs this year. I am glad that we did wait because the kids really enjoyed themselves - watching the colors change and decorating them. Laura Beth asked if they would hide the eggs tomorrow. We told her we could, but we would need to find them because they would begin to stink. Therefore, I think she has decided NOT to hide her dyed eggs. I used too big of glasses for the dye, so the egg dippers did not work very well for the kids. They liked putting their hands into the dye!!! Carter declared that Laura Beth was turning into the Wicked Witch of the West!!! Needless to say, we all had a great time and are ready for all the Easter happenings tomorrow will bring.