Sweet Berry Farm 3

We didn't let a little rain ruin our trip. We all had a great time! We were able to take our time and not worry about the heat or the crowds.

I would encourage you to make the best of your situations each day and teach your children the hidden surprises that can be found even on a rainy day!

Sweet Berry Farm...in the rain!!!

This weekend we had planed to go and pick strawberries at the Sweet Berry Farm in Marble Falls. We had a great time in the fall and we wanted to have fun there in the spring as well. One minor detail, it rained!!! We decided to make the best of it since we drove over an hour to get there. We asked the kids if they didn't mine playing in the rain and we thought it might actually be fun. Once we got our box and walked over to the strawberry patch and quickly figured out that best idea was to take our shoes off and get a foot massage in the soft mud. After the shock of the cold water wore off we began to have fun in the water! We picked a lot of berries and made a wonderful memory with the girls.

Easter at home!

We usually go out of town and have Easter with my parents and grandmother, but this year we decided for many reasons to stay home. It turned out to be great! Our city had a huge egg hunt and carnival for all the kids in our area during the week. It was a lot of fun for the kids. They got to play games, ride a train, hug the Easter bunny, hunt for eggs, and came home with lots of candy.

For the first time, my girls colored eggs. Cami and I love boiled eggs! We also had our first Easter egg hunt at our house on Saturday. We hid the real eggs along with 51 plastic eggs...one with a special cross inside! Chad and I hid them really well and the girls did great finding them. After we opened them all...the girls (along with Chad's parents) decided to hide them for Chad and I to find. That was so much fun! Talk about being a kid again. And can you guess who won...ME! We were two "almost 30 year olds" running around outside snatching up eggs! I'm sure it was an awesome sight!

Later that night, we went to Chad's cousin's house for an Easter dinner with family. They live out in the country and have horses, donkeys, cats, and dogs for the kids to adore. After dinner, the girls wanted to feed the donkeys...well...we thought it was a good idea at the time. They were both so excited...especially my Carigan. She loves, loves, loves animals. She hurried through her dinner just so she could spend time watching their little dogs. Anyway, Cousin Carrie showed the girls the safe way to feed them, but even so...Carigan ended up getting bit, poor thing. It was very painful and she cried and cried! The next morning, she told Chad that she will never feed a donkey again!

Sunday at church, Camille finally lost her wiggly front tooth after service! She was eating a chocolate cupcake when she got my attention and showed me her hanging tooth in the midst of all the cake in her mouth. Thank God my friend Erin (a dental hygienist and trusted friend) was there to pulled it out for her (she loves Erin). Now my big girl is all talking so funny and looks adorable. She says, "I can't believe I have a hole in my smile." Her other tooth is going to come out any day as well. She is growing up so fast.

Easter was a lot of fun and full of great memories to look back on. Even though we do a lot of the traditional stuff, we never lose sight of the true meaning of Easter. Jesus dying for our sins because of His love for us. God giving His Son because of His love for us. Love is huge at Easter time. I think it naturally brings families together when they understand the true meaning of why we celebrate during this time. I hope you too had a great time with family and have fun memories to look back on.

Sea World

Carigan did not want to be close to Furry Shamu!!!

I could have stayed here all day petting and feeding these sweet dolphins!!!

We are waiting to watch out first show...the Sea Lions - The best show there!!!

We ended up in the splash zone unaware, but praise God we didn't get one drop on us...cold day!

Here is the link of all our pictures and two videos from our Sea World Trip! Check them out!http://picasaweb.google.com/chadandcrystal/SeaWorld?authkey=Gv1sRgCODVrJ7Xkbm6Qg

Family Life

I was talking with our Pastor, Jennifer Hollar, the other day on the phone and I mentioned how I feel somewhat guilty that I don't have Carigan in any kind of classes like we did with Camille when she was that age. With Camille starting school this year, I already spend about 40 min in the jeep four times a week. It has been a huge adjustment for our family, yet I have a feeling that I will look back at this time in my life and think I had it made. Anyways, I don't want Carigan to be disappointed later down the road when she finds out that bigger sister got to do so many different things and she didn't. I know we will eventually have her in something, but I still was feeling the "Guilty Mom Syndrome". I don't want to be a mom running my children around on crazy schedules!!! We would all be miserable!!! But, I do want to give them opportunities to find their niche.

Jennifer said something to me that will change my perspective forever. She has 4 children and has a much tougher task than I do. She told me that her children don't know crazy schedules either, but what they do know is Family Life.

A light bulb went off! What a beautiful and simple statement! That is what we have and my children know so well....Family Life!!! My kids know Saturday mornings with Daddy's pancakes, they know Dad getting home around 4pm everyday during the week, they know obstacle courses in the living room, movie nights with Mom and Dad, girls day out with me, and they know a huge playroom up stairs that they can play in anytime. Family Life...I never thought of it as an experience before, but it so is! What great memories they will have growing up. I never will feel guilty again! It made me so grateful for what we have as a family. Thanks Jen!!!