Easter 2013

The most important celebration all year...EASTER!

We began with a Maundy Thursday service will all the Christ the Victor Churches.

I was taking photos for the ministry during the service. During a prayer time, I looked over to see Nate in Tina's lap behind us. She later told me that he walked over and said "What are you doing?" loudly so she scooped him up and kept him quiet during the prayer. It takes a village!

Here is a video from our Maundy Thursday service. We are a little rough around the edges, but our commitment is firm!

On Saturday we had our second annual Christ the Victor Churches Easter egg hunt and hot dog roast. We hid 750 eggs and divided the kids into three age groups. It worked well!

The set-up crew. Nate telling Josh what to do with his big stick.

Ben went behind the adults that were hiding eggs to make sure they were closed properly and well hidden!

 

Patiently waiting to get this party started!

Over 100 people and kids from our churches showed up for the fun.

Egg hunting buddies, Ben and Judah. It was reported back to me that they shared the eggs they found between them!

When your parents are working, sometimes you just grab the hand of a friendly adult and go! At different times I saw both of my boys wandering around with friends and having a great time. They are growing up too fast. 

His new thing - all fingers in the mouth at once. Ick.

Ryan grilled 180 hot dogs and they went fast!

Comparing hot dogs after the big egg hunt.

 We also had a pinata. Nate's swing isn't very refined yet. He tapped it.

 Ben, however, had a serious swing!

My creepy photo of the pinata. 

 We are having a gorgeous Easter Sunday. The boys had a lunch picnic outside! 

Ben's Party

Happy 4th Birthday Benjamin!

 

 

 

 

 Ben has been planning this party all year - roasting hot dogs were a must!

 

 

 Singing Happy Birthday to him.

 'Decorate your own cupcake' was a hit!

 Sweet Nate couldn't get a way into the table for a cupcake.

 

 Opening presents.

 Ryan had a long week!

 Mama-D, Aunt Can Can and Cousin Abby joined us for the week of Ben's birthday. We went swimming at the Y twice and did some science experiments. 

 

Benjamin turned 4!

My dear Benjamin,

I remember so vividly the day you were born. We had not even lived in Wichita for a full year yet, everything and everyone still felt so new. I was excited and nervous, but confident! My mom and sister drove through the night to come meet you at the birth care center. I wasn't asleep anyway! I just stared at you or held you all through the night while your daddy slept on a sheet-less, broken couch bed.

These past four years have been an absolute pleasure! Being your mama is one of the greatest privileges in my life. You are a complete joy. You remind me so much of myself that it drives me crazy. You are strong willed, stubborn and always know what is best (or at least better than what I chose for you). But you are also extremely kind, always caring for others. You (usually) stop to help your brother when he falls or grab the hand of the littlest kid when you are all running and playing together.

Since you were very little your dad and I have thought you were super smart. You are so very interested in letters and words and how reading works. You ask "why" all the time and you actually remember the answers I give and call me on it if I give a half-hearted answer, usually from the back of the van which is when your mind seems to go into overdrive! You just got new shoes that you think make you run faster and jump higher and you have been showing everyone we meet. Hearing you say The Lords Prayer or a prayer of your own over dinner melts my heart. You know the stories in your Bible just by the picture on the first page. You know almost all the words to our "critter" stories we read at night (Mercer Mayer).

You are shy, but confident. Tender, but definitely willing to put up a fight. Willing to lead, but happy to follow along with others. You are an amazing son and I can't wait to see how you continue to grow!
All my love,
Mom

Click to enlarge to read.

His freckles are so sweet!

 

Carter blues.

 His laugh! It's absolutely infectious.

 Aaaaa-chooooo.

 

Super strong.

 

Quite a good baseball player!

And a few of little man, Nate.

Lately

After both of my posts about snow, we went out to play in it a few more times and I got a couple more cute pics and a video I forgot to post.
Ben sang this song completely on his own when we were getting ready to go play in the snow. I convinced him to do an encore performance for the camera!

Snow fun with my boys! Even with all the snow, Daddy still had to work, so the boys and I played together a lot.

 Snowman after dinner. The boys weren't very interested but Ryan graciously helped me fulfill a childhood dream to make a big snowman. 

The only downside of walking to work. Ryan got caught in a blizzard and he wants the world to know that the snow was blowing right into his face.

My Sanity Projects!

I love getting the chance to entertain and decorate and bake for groups. Our interim president and his wife were in town for a few days and I got to bake for a ladies' dinner. So fun!

 

 The ladies

 We stumbled upon Home Depot's kids time and the boys LOVED it. It is only once a month but we will try to remember this.

 With Nate's sensitive skin the boys rarely get bubbles, but they are just so cute in the bubbles.

 

 We took Ben to Toys R Us with some birthday money. He chose to get some swim goggles for him and his brother. Hilarious! Come on warm weather!

 And power tools! These are a huge hit.

Ben is very much into legos right now. He likes the little kits and for his birthday chose a Lightening McQueen lego kit. Nate was super tired when we got home with these and was not in the mood to share. Oh, the life of being the younger brother. It's tough.

Yes, I know a good mother would have never videoed this fit, but I had to. And we are still laughing about it. Thankfully, this was a result of how tired he was and not something we have to deal with regularly...or it wouldn't be near as funny.