Thursday, April 28, 2011

EASTER!!!

I love easter, not only is it a fun time for our little ones, but it is a time for us to remember the Savior and his resurrection. I love my Savior and I am so grateful for his sacrifice for my family and I, and for all mankind!

Our easter started this last thursday the 21st. World Gym was having an Easter party with egg hunts, prizes, face painting, and bread from Great Harvest. So I thought it would be fun since Ashlyn is getting older and might enjoy it as much as we do. So Gabe and I went and he was not the most willing participant. When we got there the parking lot was PACKED and the lines inside were long and Gabe kind of just wanted to go home. But I insisted because I wanted to see Ashlyn's beautiful face painted like a little bunny.

WORLD'S GYM EASTER PARTY


So we decided to do the face painting first since that was the shortest line.


Gabe and I had to laugh because she did not look as amused as we were! But she sat perfectly still!

In defense of her long face...she was a tired little girl!

After face painting, the easter egg hunt line was significantly shorter, so we got right in there within 10 min. The rules were simple, go in and find 5 eggs. Some had candy and some had gift certificates like free dairy queen ice cream cone, and some had squares of paper with a number. Those ones were clearly the best because you could redeem them for a bigger prize at the front desk.
Ashlyn was clearly more interested in the toys than finding the eggs. We had to help her out a little!

Once we showed her what was in the egg, it got a lot more interesting for her.

After Ashlyn found all her eggs, she wanted to go down the slide. As you can tell she likes to do things her own way:) So Gabe took her up and what he found up there made him a giddy little boy! I had a hard time dragging him out there after that!

He brought out about 4 little squares and 6 free ice cream cone gift cards from dairy queen. I didn't know what he had until I was turning in Ashlyn's one square for a free Sammy's milkshake! I said "Gabe, didn't you hear the rules?" He said, "yeah but all the kids wanted the candy and not the paper", so at the top of the slide he found all those papers. According to him they would have gone to waste so of course he was helping them out:) With his squares he got a $10 gift card to Sammy's, a taffy rope, a small fry from McDonalds and basically everything you see in the picture below, with the addition of some candy. Lets just say, Gabe hit the Jackpot. I'm just glad we had fun because we were going leave when we saw how busy it was.

EASTER MORNING....

Gabe and I were really excited for Ashlyn's first Easter that she could actually hunt for the eggs and enjoy the candy. So we put together a basket of gifts and some eggs with jelly beans.

Once she realized what was in the eggs she didn't want to keep looking, she wanted to first eat all the jelly beans.





Of course Gabe had to hunt for eggs as well!

Here is Gabe replacing the recess in Ashlyn's basket with his loofa sponge, RUDE!!!

I think it's a little early for candy for a little 19 month old girl!

Aren't these sunglasses so cute on little Ashlyn. They fit her so well! To bad she won't keep them on for very long:(

Then we had a special pancake breakfast made by Gabe. We found out about this homeade recipe made with whole wheat and oats. I was skeptical because I usually don't like homeade pancakes, but these are amazing, even Gabe likes them!

What a cute little girl! This cute little easter dress was from my mom. It wasn't intended on being an eater dress, but it sure worked as one. We got so many compliments on it!

EASTER DINNER
We invited a couple over who have been gone for the last few months. We are so glad they are back. For dinner I made roast beef, potatoes, carrots, and lion house rolls. Steve and Rebecca brought Ceasar salad. MMMM! None of us could stop eating it was all delicious!







EASTER DESSERT
After dinner we went to Steve and Rebecca's for dessert with all of our friends. We are so lucky to have so many great friends here!





Kelly, Dallin, Justin and Lisa


Jessie, Rebecca, Lisa, and Kelly

These girls are such good friends, but when they get together they turn into little terrors. The noise level goes up dramatically, and screaming and fighting, it's all so much sometimes! They are sure fun little girls though!

What a great Easter and a great weekend. It was crazy busy though and I ate lots of delicious food. So needless to say I'm a little scared to go to my weigh in at my Dr.'s appointment on Tuesday...YIKES, that could be scary:)

Tropical Baby Shower!

This last Saturday, the 23rd was a crazy, busy day. Starting at 10 Lisa and I went to Ashley, my cousin's baby shower. Then at 11:15 we left to go to mine. My girlfriends threw me a cute tropical themed baby shower, and what a great party it was. There was a lot of people that came, despite the fact that it was easter weekend. We chatted, drank strawberry daqueries (virgin that is:)), played a couple games, and then opened presents. I got a lot of cute little clothes, diapers, baby bath stuff, a book of mother's secrets, from Lisa, which I'm excited to read, etc.

Look how colorful and fresh this food is!

This cute little island cake was made by our good friend, and amazing baker, Jane! It was a strawberry jello cake with a lite whip cream frosting. Oh so good! Even better when I took the cupcake and rolled it in the brown sugar topping of the cake:) Can you tell I'm pregnant, anything to make what I eat more fattening!!!


What a handsome little nephew I have. This is cute little Sterling just hanging out with the girls!

This wonderful party was put on by these three girls, Kelly, Rebecca, and Jessie!

We played this fun memory game where when you matched the 2 words you would get the corresponding candy that went with it. For example, Epidural went with the lifesaver candy! It was a good game, probably one of my favorite baby shower games. We did another one where you put on your paper A-Z and then have to fill them in with baby/ delivery related terms. Guess who, with her pregnancy brain, tied for the winning spot??? That's right, me. Lisa and I tied and both won yet some more candy...love that!!!

Below are some of the cute outfits I got...








After the party some of us girls just stayed and hung out for the day, while our husbands went golfing. This picture is so funny because usually I don't let Ashlyn eat out of the bowl, she has to wait for me to give her some... for this reason above! She started out taking one at a time and carefully placing it in her mouth. Then it was a couple at a time...then it was a biggest loser application shot:) It was so funny, she was eating this popcorn handfuls at a time. I swear she ate probably about 3/4 of this bag of popcorn. What a cute girl she is!!!

It was a fun day today, and I'm so thankful for my friends throwing me this shower and for all the people who came.