Happy Easter!

We are so grateful for the sacrifice of our Savior Jesus Christ, and for this beautiful day to remember that He lives. Easter is a bright reminder for our family to try a little harder and to love one another unconditionally. Here's to another year of growing and learning!

From our family to yours, we hope you have a beautiful Easter Sunday!

*snap* I love you!

If you pulled out the most recent picture you have of me--a picture you took yourself--how recent would it be? What does that say about our relationship?

If you pulled out the 10 most recent pictures you have of me (each from a different date), how far back would you have to go to collect all 10?

What does that say about our relationship?

If you have kids, do you make a habit of keeping current pictures of each of them? (I hope you do! Otherwise you deserve a smack! I'm more than happy to oblige.)

Here's an important question:
Do you make the effort to take pictures with your own camera, pressing the button with your own finger, or do you expect/demand that your kids provide the pictures for you?

Pictures are important, but the act of taking pictures also says a lot about the way you feel about the people in your life.

Every time that shutter snaps under the minimal pressure required by your own little finger, imagine it saying, "I love you!" to the person(s) in your viewfinder(1).

*snap* I love you! *snap* I love you! *snap* I love you!

Pictures help us to remember events; birthdays, outings, vacations, visits. They help us to remember people as they were at different points in their lives. They help us to remember how we were at different points in our own lives! Personally, I'd prefer to erase the convex bangs time of my life, but posterity will appreciate those handful of pictures of me looking like a total moron.

Make the effort. And for goodness' sake, parents, don't over-photograph one kid while leaving the rest to wonder why you love that child more! If pictures speak volumes, then volumes of pictures scream "I'm the favorite! You were found on the doorstep!"

*snap* I love you!

(1)This post does not apply to stalkers, creepos and/or hippos.

Yet another use for her crayons

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Delilah Loves Mikey

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Distracted Art.

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Kinectimals is a hit!

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First Camellia!

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What I'm reading.

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Buying garbage bags and stamps?

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Brushing teeth and living free.

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Holding chicks can be tiring.

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Curly post-nap cuteness.

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Painting for Leo. I love Sky.

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Even when she's still, she's moving.

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Progress!

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Stories with Uncle Nick

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Bye Bye Tree

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Finished Bench! Yay!

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Look Who We Found!

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Lunch with Uncle Nick!

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Halfway done with half of the room.

Half half. Half. That doesn't sound like a real word anymore.

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Hostess with the Mostest.

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First time in undies, so she ran to show the chicks.

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Throwback Thursday! The bangs.

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Coming together!

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Brown butter Snickerdoodles! Yum!

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Chick pile!

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Homemade play dough fun!

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Our apricot tree smells amazing!

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Makeup bomber strikes again!

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Joan!

Look who Harp and I ran into today! Joan!



Mikey and I worked with Joan at the UPS Store (Mail Boxes, Etc.) where we packed, shipped and fell in love. Presh.

Joan always accused us of canoodling* in the back. We haven't seen her since at least 2005, possibly longer, and she is turning 80 next month and moving away in May. Harper and I (read: I) just felt like a donut today and thought we'd try a new shop. While we were chowing down, Joan sauntered in! Joan just felt like a donut today, too, and claims these are the best in town.

As Dr. Horrible would say, "What a crazy random happenstance!"

As Joan said, "It's serendipity."

I call it donut magic. Donuts make everything better, and bring old friends together.

*We weren't canoodling in the back.

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Donut date!

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Secret Messages

We're installing the box frames for the coffers. Mike is leaving secret love messages.

Sneaky, sneaky!

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We Love Our Chicks: Week 1

I think I'll have to do a weekly "We Love Our Chicks" post with cute pictures of chick-holders. Mostly Sky and Harper. Probably not weekly, though, because I started this post last week and forgot all about it. That's not a great start.

This is a common sight. Kids sitting on chairs staring at chicks.

Also, chicks sitting on kids.

And chicks attacking kids. (Notice the three chicks on Harp. They love her!)

Delilah wants a cracker? Bwack! (I kind of look like a pirate, too - am I missing teeth? What the?)

Heather and Ross meeting the chicks! Heather has volunteered for chicken tending duties if we are out of town. Woohoo!

"My Precious..." (Harper is great at freaking people out)

I'm posting this now before it never happens, even though there is no picture of Mike. Mike holds the chicks, he does! He really likes them!

Party train!

How great is it that my kids can play with the daughters of friends I went to homecoming with? Crazy. And adorable. Look at them, just LOOK at them!

(Not that one in the background. I have no idea who that kid is.)

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Lines are on the ceiling

I know. You have no idea what's going on in this picture, but it's going to look great!

Let the coffering commence!

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A visit from Zach today! Seven years is a long time!

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No Name. Go.

This little Ameraucana will lay green/blue eggs and will grow up to look like the Bearded Lady of Chickendom! Mike wants to name her Oncey, like the Once-ler from The Lorax. Sky wants her to have a princess name. We all agree that she is adorable.

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Lost cat?

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For @myriah55!

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February Skyisms

Lots of Baltimore talk last month! I wish I could record everything Sky says and play it for you all. And I wish I'd written more of her Skyisms down during February. Sky is awesome.

2.4
Sky: "What are you watching, Mom?"
Me: "Seinfeld!"
Sky: "Again?! Why?"
Me: "Because it's hilarious!"
Sky: "Umm..."
Me: "I'll make you watch it when you're older. Then you'll love it."
Sky: "Okay. Maybe when I'm 21."
...

Sky: "I found this movie! I thought it was lost forever! Look!"
Me: "Oh, Rio! Do you want to watch it?"
Sky: "Nope."
Me: "Really? Why not?"
Sky: "Because you want to watch all the Seinfelds."
Me: "No, we can watch Rio now."
Sky (walking away): "No, thanks. You can keep watching."

2.5
Sky: "...and the farmer probably lives in Baltimore!"
Me: "Baltimore!  Where is Baltimore, Sky? "
Sky: "I don't know! It's very far away. It's in another country. We can't even get there, because it's so far away!"
Me: "Ha!"
Sky: "But the mailman can. He can stay up for a very long time."

2.22

Me: "Sky, look! There's snow on Mt. Diablo!"

Sky: "{GASP!}So that's RENO?!"

2.25

Sky: "I love you as far as Baltimore!"

Me: "Wow! You really like Baltimore, huh?"

Sky: "Yep."

Me: "Do you know where Baltimore is?"

Sky: "Nope."

Me: "Where did you learn about Baltimore?"

Sky: "I just know about it and I like what it's called."

2.26

Sky: "We love our chicks. More than anything in the world."

Me: "You do?"

Sky: "More than butterflies. More than LADYBUGS!"

Me: "That is so great!"

Sky: "But not more than chicks. We love all chicks the most."

2.27
Sky: "No! You stop that, RIGHT NOW. That's it. I'm telling Mom! And I'm not waiting even one minute!"
Sky (walking, walking, walking): "Mom."
Me: "What's wrong?"
Sky: "Duck is stepping on all the other chicks and not listening at all."

2.28
Sky: "{blah blah blah} Baltimore."
Me: "Are you talking about Baltimore again?"
Sky: "Yep."
Me: "Do you want to go to Baltimore?"
Sky: "I don't know. I'm not sure where it is."

These cords don't bother Mike

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