Each year, the local U.M.C. hosts an Easter egg hunt, pictures with the Easter bunny, games for the kids, and a light lunch. Although the boys are on the top end of the age range (they wouldn't get their pic with the bunny this year), we enjoy taking the family to this community event!
Kaitlynn looking for eggs (windy day, messy hair!)...



Getting ready for a sugar high...this is better than trick-or-treat!

Kaitlynn and Allison were "lucky" enough to win two of the baskets!

Aaron wanted his pic with Kaitlynn and her basket...

Kaitlynn with the bunny (Alli was scared to death!)...

Fun With Friends...

15 years ago (hardly seems possible!), I began my college days at God's Bible School. Two of my friends, Chenoa Bristow and Stephenie Clemens, were also entering as freshmen, and we were excited to be embarking on that journey together. It didn't take long for me to meet my new dorm neighbor...Angie Tallman. We hit it off right away. That first year was packed full studying, learning, and growing. We have had enormous amounts of fun and good times along the way, and those friendships have remained strong through the last 15 years. Now we have a combined total of 16 kiddos (Stephenie's little girl is due in August)! It's not as easy to get together as it used to be, but we make it a priority to keep the connection strong. I'm thankful for friends!

Dan, Angie, and their 4 boys ministered at our church in a week of revival services recently. God has blessed them with a beautiful and very talented family! It was fun to be able to visit again (especially since we missed our winter get-together this year), and we look forward to doing it again very soon!



Becoming little "men" all too quickly!



The kids had so much fun in the treehouse!

Meanwhile Back At The Ranch...

...Stephanie, Kaitlynn, and Allison have been in survival mode. There will be no pics this post, as you would not want to view the scenes of the last couple of days! Monday evening, Kaitlynn came immediately from school, crawled into Greg's lap, and said the dreaded words, "Daddy, I don't feel good." He told her to go to bed, and she promptly obeyed and fell fast asleep. Since then she has struggled with fever and diarrhea. Last evening, Allison wasn't acting quite right. She had finished her antibiotic for the ear infection, but this seemed different. At 7:30 this morning, she awoke with a nice surprise for me to clean up. Fever and diarrhea. What a combo.
There is no feeling so helpless as to be holding the hand of one daughter who is sitting on the toilet sobbing because "it hurts" while the other is holding my skirt crying the most pitiful "MOMMMMMMMYYYYYYY!" you have ever heard. Why was she crying? Because "it hurts". You can imagine. Because I haven't yet grown a third arm, I can only take care of one thing at a time, and although daddy is very helpful and sympathetic, mommy's touch is a little more "tender"...and tenderness is a necessity right now! :)
I am bummed because my dear friend Angie, along with her family, are the evangelists at our church's revival this week. I have yet to make it. :( Maybe we'll have some time for girl chat this weekend. Lord knows I'm gonna need it by then!
In other news, I was clearing the table after dinner this evening, when I realized that I hadn't heard from Allison in a couple of minutes. The other three were busy doing various things, so I went looking. The first thing that scared me was that someone had left the front door open. Allison knows how to get out, and she loves being out, so I am really harping on the door being shut all the way. I headed down the hall to my bedroom, and found the door closed and locked. Hmmm. I couldn't hear any noise on the other side of the door, so after consulting with daddy (who was in the shower), I went outside to try to look through the window. About that time, Ryan was able to unlock the door (leave it to the 9-year-old), and found Allison with an open bottle of Robitussin. Some was in the floor, and by the smell of her mouth, she had a taste. I have no idea how to measure her "taste" since I don't know how much was in the bottle to begin with, but I have long ago given up rushing to the ER over every little thing. My philosophy is, "If it doesn't kill her, she'll be fine."
So...how's your week?

Check beneath the "Growing Up" post for pics of Kaitlynn's birthday...

Growing Up!

Allison loves to carry around big baby dolls. She rocks and feeds them, and will make a great mommy someday! :)

The other day we asked Kaitlynn to share her french fries with Allison, hoping to tide her over until we could get her some "real" food at home. When I looked back to check on her, Kaitlynn had given her a little more than a fry!

Messes are a constant part of my day anymore. Now that Allison is able to reach items on a table, she has access to a whole new world! This is the yogurt mess that I faced the other day...

Where is time going? I simply cannot believe that it is almost April 2009, and we are well into the 4th quarter of the school year. Each day brings me new blog material, but doesn't always provide me with the extra time necessary for making it happen!

There has been a lot of sickness in my world since convention. Several of my students missed most or all classes last week. One went into the ER last night and was diagnosed with pneumonia. Others have had various forms of viruses, the flu, and head colds. So far, I have eek ed by with a nagging cough and sinus headache. I had to take Allison into the dr a couple of days ago. She has double ear infection, but is recovering nicely with the help of an antibiotic.

Allison is 16 months now, and such a little doll these days! She weighed in at 25 lbs. this week, and has 6 teeth. Her communication skills are amazing. "Mama" and "dada" have now become "mommy" and "daddy", and sometimes even "mom" and "dad" (sniff, sniff). Her command words include "up", "down", "hold me", "go", and "snack". She occasionally uses "please", "thank you", and "excuse me". Yesterday I was taking her to bed, and she was saying "night night". When I laid her down, I said, "Night, night, Alli." She responded, "Night, night. I yuv you." Talk about melting a mama's heart! I love it when they say those words without a prompt!

She loves her brothers and sister, and trails around after them like a little puppy. She calls herself "Alli", although she can say "Allison" if she feels like it. She mostly refers to her brothers as "boys" (wonder where she hears that?), and Kaitlynn is "Kate". It is cute to hear her running around the house looking for "Kate". I wish I had kept a list of all her funny sayings and doings to date, but like any typical, busy mom, I have failed to do it. Enjoy the pics of her!