Just a day in the Yard

A Happy Easter

HAPPY EASTER!!!!

 I'm feeling exceptionally on top of things, posting Easter stuff on the actual day of Easter! (which probably just means that I should be asleep instead of staying up blogging...lol)

Easter is a special time here at our house. Mostly because of this boy right here. :)

Braden loves Easter. LOVES Easter. Everything about it. He loves it more than Christmas and spends most of the year asking me if it is Easter time again yet. I was so excited when I could finally say Yes it is!!!! While Easter has always been wonderful for me, it is even more wonderful because it is such an anticipated and exciting thing for Braden. 

Kind of helps me remember, "Do I anticipate and look forward to the Savior's most loving, kind moments, when He truly gave all of himself in order to make me whole again in every way?" Oh, I'm so grateful for sweet little children who help point me to what is most important in my own life. 

 So, of course we had a few Egg Hunts...and Braden LOVED them! We died some eggs, one of Braden's favorite things, and we made some coconut nests (Braden's holding one in the top picture). Braden has been hiding things all month long in his little plastic eggs and loving it! :)

 Cam also enjoyed his first Easter Sunday! :) He will be a year old in less than a month and I can't believe my little baby is just so grown up. He has us all wrapped around his finger and we all just can't help but love him to death. He's just too cute. I suppose I am a tiny bit biased though...

(Got to love the wispy hair. :) It won't sit down for anything - though I don't really take much time to try usually. He gets it from Justin.)

I didn't get one picture of Braden in his shirt and tie before he changed, which is too bad because he was so cute. 

Today was a perfect Easter Sunday in so many ways. It was beautiful, 70 degrees and not a cloud in the sky, and so nice to just sit outside and enjoy this beautiful spring and remember who created it all for us. 

The day was filled with many tender mercies for me, all filling me with peace - even amidst craziness. :) I am so blessed and watched over by my Savior. This particular time in my life right now helps me better trust and understand that He loves me - He loves me more than I can imagine. And He truly delights in every way to bless me and bring me goodness. He knows my heart, He knows my needs, wants and desires. And He lifts me up and carries me when I can no longer carry myself. The thought that He has felt everything I feel, and more to a much, much greater extent fills my heart with gratitude and love. That He, my truest Friend, would do that to save me, to reach to me when I struggle and be able to say, "I know. I know just how it feels. Lean on me, put your head on my shoulder and let me your joy and comfort." He loves us more than we can know. He has conquered all, is mighty to save, and there is nothing we can feel or experience that He cannot help with. There is no place - emotionally, mentally, physically or spiritually - that He cannot reach to save us, if we will but turn to Him and let Him. How grateful I am for Him, and how grateful I am for this day, to remember His joy and his mighty saving grace. 

A Happy and Blessed Easter to all of you, with all of my love. :) 

Birthday at the Botanical Gardens

Braden's good little friend, Cade, had a birthday and we got to celebrate with him at the Botanical Gardens! It was extra fun, because we got to watch the airplanes, the water was on in the kids area, AND the tram ("train" in Braden's eyes!) was running! Yay for spring!!!! 

It was a great day! :)

Just look at these three...they are just so fun and great friends! :)

I absolutely love this action pose of them all getting sprayed in the face!!

Cam, of course, wasn't one to be left out of the fun...he had a blast finding the water to play with!

Our "train" ride

Wedding photos

Amy got these wedding photos to me from my brother Brian and new sis Amy's wedding back in November. I just had to post them because they make me so happy. I love my family. When they are so far away, pictures like these melt my heart and make me feel a little closer to them. :)

Oh I just love them!!!! :)

First day of Soccer!!!!

Braden started soccer on Saturday!!!

 He thought it was so fun and we had a great time watching him, and the 50 other 3 yr olds, playing games like red-light, green light, with their soccer balls. At this age they don't actually play any kind of competitive games, they just have fun practices that help them build skills and have a good time with a soccer ball. It was a bit chaotic and crazy this first time, but fun nonetheless and I'm sure will only get more fun. :)

 At the very end they had the parents make this cool victory tunnel for the kids to run through and get cheered on. It was so fun and I stood there at the end of it with the camera just waiting for Braden to come through so I could get a great, fun picture....so I waited, and waited, and finally all the kids had come through and the tunnel was being disbanded...but still no Braden. So I went to look around for him and this is what I found-

He was just over at the net, practicing shooting goals and then kicking them out of the net so he could do it again - completely oblivious to the tunnel of joy happening on the field! Haha! I laughed so hard and thought, "Well, I guess if he'd rather kick the ball than run through a victory tunnel he must be in the right sport! lol

Cameron's is getting bigger, cutting teeth, and for the most part just enjoying life. He waves hi and bye, says ma-ma when he cries (but will not say it at any other time!), says da-da all the time - or at least all the time when he is happy...go figure! Haha! It suprises me how much he understands things we say to him. One day Braden was hiding under the blanket and Cam was close to him, but facing the other direction and I said, "Oh no, Cam! Where did Braden go? Where's Braden?" And he smiled, turned to the big bump under the blanket and started pulling on it to get him out. Fun moments with these two little boys. :) 

They are typically either laughing and having a great time together, or both yelling at each other - arguing in their brotherly language of a 10 month old and a 3 yr old! I'm sure that's probably how it will be most of their lives! But hopefully the love will always win out in the end...at least eventually! 

And this is Braden's loving pretend play. One day he got the teddy bear, sat in the rocking chair with Cam's blanket, read him a story, rocked him and sang to him, and then put him to bed in the crib. It was so precious. We all had to be so quiet, because bear was sleeping. Such fun times with little kiddos!

Random Pictures

 An amazing concert by the Virginia Symphony Orchestra and the Bay Youth Symphony (which our friend's son, Juston Goldade, is in). So glad we got to go!

 We got a tiny bit of snow and Justin and Braden made a little miniature snowman - it was about 12in tall and very cute!

 First time with spaghetti...it was most definitely a big hit!

 Valentines day cookie decorating with our friend Cade! Thanks Rachel and Cade!

 Box sledding on a little hill at the Botanical Gardens, while watching the airplanes take off a the airport next door.