Our Easter Weekend 2015

Ya'll I can't believe that Easter has already come and gone!!  It is crazy how much quicker this year is going than last year!  I am pretty sure that Ellie had a blast this weekend. We haven't really talked too much about the Easter Bunny but we did do some practice egg hunts last week so she was familiar with the concept for Saturday.

We celebrate Easter on Saturday with Thomas family.  They have a tradition of making noodles (basically a homemade chicken noodle soup) that spans more than 4 generations!  In addition to the noodles we also have an egg hunt and this year it was just for the kiddos: Ellie and her two cousins.  It was so fun to spend time with family and celebrate the resurrection of our savior.  Ellie always has so much fun with her cousins and she does a pretty good job at keeping up with all their energy - we can also count on her sleeping pretty well that night!!

I think our practice egg hunts during the week really helped because girlfriend was a pro at finding her eggs and putting them in the basket.  I can tell that holidays are just going to get better and better with this little girl and we are so blessed to have her in our lives!

One thing that really helped her was carrying the basket around (or daddy carrying it for her!)  She loved putting the eggs in, then dumping them out, then putting them back in, rinse and repeat.  After the egg hunt the girls got their baskets from Nanny and Papa.  I don't think Ellie has ever seen that much candy before! and lucky for us she doesn't like it so we get to eat it all!!!

I absolutely loved Ellie's dress.  I got it back in July on a super clearance with extra % off at gymboree outlet and have been waiting ever since for her to wear it!!  We might get lucky and it fits next year (fingers crossed)

Then on Easter Sunday we got up, Ellie got her Easter basket and then we had a delicious breakfast of hashbrowns, recruiting eggs, and bacon.  We had a lazy morning with a few episodes of Daniel Tiger and then since the weather was so beautiful we went to a park!!

Those bunny ears!! and she loved the sheep.

I adore this feather headband, the colors just scream spring!!

First stop were the swings, Ellie loves to go HIGH and Fast!! squealing and giggling almost the whole time.

Then it was to the jungle gym.  I loved this one because there were hardly any open spots on the higher levels where Ellie could "walk off", always makes me so nervous - who designs playgrounds anyways?  But this one it pretty much toddler safe.

Showing off her climbing skills.

First time down a tunnel slide - didn't phase her one bit!!

Such a fun spinning wheel! she loved it.

After the playground we went to the botanical greenhouse in the park.  Of course the first thing she did when we walked it was pick a flower! oops....

Then she found the pond and tried to jump in!

After the park we went to my favorite grocery store Metropolitan Market and got some ingredients for dinner.  We had Lamb shoulder, asparagus with a garlic aioli, and a pea and quinoa salad.  It was so good!!  Total Martha Stewart recipe success.

How was your Easter?

♥ Ashley

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Toddler Art

You guys, I do not like messes.  Let me just put that out there.  I always try to stay as clean as possible so I know if I ever found myself in the Hunger Games, I would probably lose right away because its not a clean environment...hence why I don't really do the whole camping thing.

Anyways...during this year in MOPs I have been encouraged to get out of my comfort zone.  So I started back in February with a little painting project with Ellie for Valentines Day  I was so hesitant because I knew of the mess that it could create.  We were successful and I adore the finished product.  I was so happy that I thought I would do another one for St. Patrick's Day, of course I loved this one as well because it was for my birthday after all!!  

With two of these projects under my belt I was ready for another one for Easter.  I got us all set up (not as crazy with the saran wrap this time and helped guide Ellie in her painting.  We just use the regular acrylic craft paint from Michaels and the canvas' that always seem to be on sale.  Due to my neat freak'ness I dip the brush in the paint for her and then let her go at the canvas.  To get a fairly even covering I do turn the canvas after so many colors (otherwise it all ends up in the same spot!) and then once its dry I paint the holiday shape over her masterpiece.  It was difficult to choose a shape, ultimately I went with a sheep because they are Ellie's favorite animals right now.

What sorts of art projects do you do with your kiddos?

♥ Ashley

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Hey Good Friday

I can't believe that its Easter weekend!  It always throws me through such a loop when Easter is so early in the month.  If I had things my way I would have Easter be like Thanksgiving, always on the 2nd Sunday of April.  We have been living this week up and are so enjoying the Springtime weather, time change, and hints of what is to come!!

:ONE:

We did the big ol' switcharoo this weekend. I was really hoping we could wait until at least her 2nd birthday, but she had other plans.  She does really well with just me in the car, but when we drive around as a family Ellie can be a little whiny, she loves herself some Dada!!  So far things have been going great and I love being able to see her sweet face when I turn around to look at her!!

::TWO::

I have had so much fun putting together Luella's Easter basket this year.  I know these were always so fun when I was growing up.  We try to not go too crazy on things like this so I focus on getting her little things that she would probably get anyways.  I think that as the years go on I will get more creative and build a better basket.  Not that there are any competitions or anything!!  The basket is actually one of the one's my mom used for us kids, no PBK over here. In this year's basket we are reusing the bunny ears from last year (because they are sooo cute), a handful of books (Bunny Rabbit Show, and a couple of Minnie Mouse spring themed books from a collection I found at TJMaxx), some bunny bubbles and bubble blower (also from last year at the Dollar Tree) a light up chick, some Easter stickers from the dollar spot at Target, and a pretty cool maze puzzle with buses, firetrucks, and police cars. The final item is the cutest little black sheep from Jellycat, seriously adorable!!  Here is what last year was like!!

:::THREE::

I just love spring time and how fresh the season makes me feel.  I really do get the urge to do a lot of cleaning and to get outside more - gardening is my passion!!  But I also don't pass up a chance to decorate our home for the holidays.  So I thought that I would share some of our Easter/Spring decor around the house.  I finally got into the box of my moms Easter decorations I got from my parent's house after she passed away, and I absolutely love having her decor out - it's almost like she is still here with us!

I love our hutch and how it changes every year! It has been such a fun thing to decorate for each season.  I am thinking about painting it a new color, the black just seems a little harsh now....

My beloved buffet from my parents house.  I love the combination of my decor and my moms.  That owl vase though is one of my favorite vintage finds and the purple tulips from our visit to the tulip fields last week look gorgeous in it. 

No holiday is complete without chalkboards...

My mom's funny little bunny village...what a great find. 

And of course one of my every season trees, all the eggs please!

A fun little spring chick

my Minted cake stand looks great with the super cool Easter hat I found from my mom's stash

Our mantle is still rocking the "black" shamrock from my birthday and the blocks that started my obsession!!

That goat and those bunnies though!

here is a close up of another one of the Easter hats (oh and a newborn photo of Ellie!!)

Another every season tree dec'd out with all of my mom's ornaments!

another chalkboard design

Adding some spring into our kitchen

I am so in love with our chalkboard pantry doors.  By far one of the best DIY's I have done, it is so much fun to change up for the holidays and seasons.  I am in love with this little bunny, I wish I could keep him up for forever!!

Then into Ellie's room for a few touches of spring

Easter bunny trolls from back in the day, and a cute little sheep

a bunny garland from Target

and some more beautiful tulips from our visit to the fields!!

::::FOUR::::

We had so much fun at the Tulip festival.  I love taking out my big girl camera and making sure that we get a family photo now!! It may not be the best but I love us anyways!!  It is a fun family tradition and if you are wanting some other great Spring Date ideas click on over to this blog for all the deets!!

:::::FIVE:::::

And in bathroom update news...we found some mirrors!! They were only $29 each at TJMaxx!! I can't wait to get them up this weekend!  I think that all we have left then are the floors and lighting and then it will be reveal time!!!  Of course if we are going to talk priorities, I would have to say that the floors are on the top of my list...the old yellowing laminate has got to go.  Not to mention its peeling up and away from the walls, seams, and around the shower!!

And in case you missed it:
Monday I shared our menu this week and gave a recap of the weekend
Tuesday I shared our favorite Toddler Items for 18-21 months

♥ Ashley

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