Easter 2011

So, I thought I'd get a jump on the Easter post since we are headed out of town next week.  We did Easter with my mom today (Saturday).  We ate food, dyed Easter eggs, and painted eggs that were blown out (the yolks, that is).  It was a fun day.  Oh, and there were Easter egg hunts too.  The weather was gorgeous and it was a fun day.  Not everyone could make it so it was a small crowd but still a good day.

The Easter egg hunt... there was a lot of this going on (digging in the grass/flowers for eggs)

Pink was her first color of choice (of course)

Not sure why the face... but, Quentin prefers this face over a smile lately.  I don't know, he's 11, we just go with it.

The master egg dyer, Alexandra.

The whole crew dying eggs

Our little girl...

Elaina wore an old shirt of my moms.  I just thought she looked cute in it, so hence the picture

Then it was outside to paint the eggs.  Elaina really liked this and got into it this year

Quentin and Alexandra painting their eggs

Even Erik got in on the action

A shot of all the finished eggs...

The last egg was just rolled around in all the colors for a tie dyed look

Mom, Kate, and Alexandra.  Kate exaggerated the head tilt as a tribute to my mom and all her sisters.  They are head tilters from way back.  You don't see a picture of them anywhere where their head is not 90 degrees in 1 direction or the other

Kate made the most adorable cupcakes.  Look like flowers with the dum dum suckers.....

random fun around the house....

Just a couple of shots of what goes on on a typical week night at the Stringfellow household

Elaina likes to help wash dishes - who am I to say no.

This is the way I feel after I wash dishes too :)

She does this quite often on her trampoline

All the blood rushing to her head has got to hurt...  Remember doing that when you were a kid and not even noticing.  If I were to do that now, I'd pass out.

Bowling

My nephew Quentin celebrated a birthday at the end of March - his 11th to be precise.  To celebrate, my dad came up on a Sunday afternoon and my sister, Abby, and her family came into town to celebrate too.  At first I was not sure how bowling would go with a 3 year old but it turned out to be a lot of fun.  Having other kids there certainly helped.  Fun was had by all.  We will for sure go again.  Here are shots to capture the day.....

Sadie prepping for her first big roll (is that the technical name for what you when you bowl??  I don't know)

Celia (aka - CeCe)

Check out this action shot....  don't know how we got this but it cracks me up

This was actually her first "roll," "bowl" (whatever we are calling it)  A funny - about halfway through the game, Elaina and I were about to push her ball down the lane.  She said "I want to kick it."  Before that statement registered in my brain, she stood up and proceeded to kick the ball down the lane.  It looked like it hurt but she thought she was big stuff kicking it.  She didn't try it again.

Sadie, Alexandra, and Elaina.  How gorgeous is Alexandra??  Just sayin...

Kate with Sadie

Celia squeezing Elaina (so sweet)

Sisters - Sadie and Celia

Elaina with Aunt Abby

For some reason the kids got on their stomachs to watch the ball go down the lane

For some reason my dad felt compelled to join in... :)

Another cute pose - again, Celia is squeezing Elaina.  E does not look as happy this time. :)

Elaina crawled up in her uncle Doug's lap.  I looked over to see her sitting there.  So sweet.  Uncle Doug, my bro-in-law, is such a cool person.  All the kids love him - including Elaina

Don't ask....  cause I don't know.

Now on to some bowling technique....  you be the judge on the best form

Abby??

Quentin??

Erik???

Brenda???

I could not get pictures of anyone else's form.  My camera is hit or miss on those types of shots being a digital "non-fancy" one.

And finally a pic of my dad (Pappaw) with all the grandkids.  Not a bad shot really

Picking Flowers

A few Sunday's ago, Erik and I ventured out with Elaina to a local track so that Erik and I could run some laps while Elaina rode her new Barbie Jeep and some bicycle around the track with us.  It was a good idea in theory but......

It was a beautiful spring day, we were ready to get some much needed exercise and she was not into us leaving her by herself to ride around the track.  So, we ended up alternating turns playing with her while the other one ran some laps. 

Although it did not turn out like we had liked, I still got some quality time with her.  And, by quality time, I mean we picked flowers - or weeds that blossomed into some pretty flowers.  I don't know if it was the fact that it was such a beautiful spring day but as I squatted down picking those weeds, I mean flowers, it took me back to a feeling I had when I was a little girl.  Squatting down with my little one really was a sentimental moment for me.  She was so excited to be picking these flowers and I remember feeling the same way when I was little.  For all she knew, these flowers were the cream of the crop and nicer then any flower she could get at any store.  She was so proud of her bouquet that she picked for me and her daddy.  It just made me realize that we should all see life as our children do everyday.  Life would be so much sweeter.  Those "weeds" as we would call them were the most beautiful flowers in the world to her.  I think children see everything in life that way - they don't care how cute or stylish a person's hair or clothes looks, or how much something costs.  They just see things for the natural beauty that God gave them - just like those weeds.   

These pics were taken from my phone as I did not have my camera.  I wasn't expecting to have an "Ah-Ha" moment that day but I did so out came the camera phone.....

Those flowers are gone - she was so upset when she walked out into the garage where she left them to see them dead.  She said "uh oh, daddy.  They are dead. I'm sorry." like it was her fault.  So, precious.  I told her we could pick some more some day soon and I can't wait until we do :)

Doughnut Meatballs

Funny story....

On the way to get my rental car on Sunday we stopped by Dunkin Donuts for a quick treat. We pulled through the drive through and we asked Elaina what she wanted.  She paused for a minute.  I said, "do you want a pink doughnut?" because that is what she normally wants.  She then said:

"Yeah, and some of those meatballs"

After a brief puzzled look at Erik, we realized she was talking about those Dunkin Dounut munchkins (doughnut holes).  Needless to say, we had a big laugh.

So, we ordered some up - they will forever be called "doughnut meatballs" in our house

Here is a recent pic of Elaina taken by a friend at small group a few weeks ago....

A stroll down memory lane.... part 2

The next set of pics I ran into as I was organizing pictures on our new computer..... Elaina's dedication.  I don't know why we never posted about this.  This was a big day for us - our family was there to celebrate this day with us.  My mom shot these pictures.  It was January 20, 2008, she was 6 months old.  I particularly love this picture - I love the way she's looking at Pastor Chris.

The other 2 pictures are more of the same....  This was a good day marking our dedication to raising Elaina up in a Christian, Godly home. 

Warm weather in January???

Yes, we did have warmish weather last Saturday and Sunday.  Sunday was even warmer then Saturday but both days were spectacular.  It got me wishing for spring again but alas, the cold is back again.  Spring will be here soon though. 

To get out of the house, we packed up a picnic lunch and headed to Concord Park for a few hours.  It was awesome.  It was a bit breezy but when the wind was not blowing, it was perfect.  Here are some shots of the fun.

We found a great spot in the sun near the water where we ate.  It was so great.  Here is Elaina and Erik with a pinic pose/cheese.

.....and one with momma.  She's squeezing me so hard my glasses are crooked.