Easter at Zizzy and Poppys

On Saturday night, we went to my parents to celebrate Easter.  It had been a yucky day.  Liz kept the boys that morning so I could take Larkin and make sure she wasn’t contagious.  Her eyes had started draining and so had her ears.  We found out that she had ear infections in BOTH ears and that she was having major allergies from being outside so much on Friday.  Dr. Slusher assured us that she wasn’t contagious and that we could be around Reid and Jake.  So, Larkin started an antibiotic, ear drops, and new allergy medicine.  I left green clinic and went to my parents.  My kids opened their easter gifts from my parents.  it was tad smaller than Christmas but definitely put the Easter bunny to shame.  The boys got bat bags (because T is starting tee ball), rain jackets, boots, flip flops, books, candy, and I am sure lots of other things but I can’t think right now.  Larkin got a new swimsuit, a new outfit, puzzle, books,  flip flops, and something else but, again, I can’t think.  Let’s just say that they are SPOILED rotten.  We hung out at my parents…cooked some goodies for supper.  We ate some lunch.  Then, I loaded the kids up to go home for a nap.  We got up from naps and headed back to my parents.  We didn’t even dress up.  It had been a rainy, rainy day so we just stayed in our comfy clothes.  We hunted eggs and ate pizza AND, are you ready for this, WE VISITED…I don’t know the last time I have gotten together with my family and been able to visit.  It seems like it is always so busy and chaotic that we don’t have time.  But, we sat around, ate pizza, and talked…and watched the kids play.  I’m telling you, it was PERFECT!!!!!

oh…and Liz hid eggs for the kids.  AND, she had baskets.  We didn’t really have to take our baskets anywhere because Liz and mamaw have baskets at their houses for them!Campbell was so funny because as soon as we walked outside he saw Lance’s truck and boat/trailer and said “I want THAT truck and trailer for Christmas”…he said it just like he was asking for a spiderman figurine…NO clue what he’s asking for.  HAAA!Trigger snuck some chocolate..SHOCKER!Campbell talked Uncle Lance into taking him outside to see his boat.We also dyed eggs.I kept laughing because there were twice as many adults…it took that many to man the three that were dying eggs.the wisk is THE best idea EVER…thank you, pinterest!Larkin dyed her first egg.  All was great when she had control….then I tried to prevent her from flinging the wisk up in the air and spraying zizzy and poppys ceiling with the dye.  Yeah…that didn’t go over so well.  SOrry, baby girl!When it was time to go, we loaded everyone up…in the rain.  I went to get in the car and there was a pink box in my seat.  It was wedding cake cupcakes from social bites….my absolute favorite!  I had commented on social bites pic on fb that I sure wish I had some.  My sweet, thoughtful daddy saw that I had commented and ran downtown to get me some and surprise me.  Wasn’t that the sweetest thing ever!?!?!  And they were sooooo GOOD!

Easter at Mamaws

This was THE most laid back that it has ever been at Mamaws.  I have to be honest, it is usually VERY chaotic..there are 13 great grandchildren…most are VERY young.  It’s WILD.  The weather was nice so we stayed outside almost the entire evening.  The kids always have fun playing together.  I know it’s quite unusual that we still get together with our first cousins and their children for almost every holiday.  But I am thankful that my papaw instilled the importance of family time and making it a priority for all of us to be together as often as we can.  It is HARD…I won’t lie…it’s very hard to plan time for all of us to get together.  But, we make it work!  Mamaw is so sweet.  She had four different sections for the kids to hunt eggs.  The babies started first.  Larkin, Abigail, and Jake are in this category.  They were all three born within four months of each other.  Larkin is the oldest, then Abigail, and then Jake.  The next group was Campbell, Reid, Andrew, and Caroline.  Andrew is the oldest at 3.5, then caroline is a couple months younger than andrew.  Campbell is 6 months younger than Andrew.  These four were all born within a year of each other.  Reid, Campbell, Andrew, and CarolineThen, it was the big boys turn.  The big boys are Trigger, Josiah, and Brannon.  They were all born within 4 months of each other.  Trigger is the oldest.  Then Brannon and then Josiah.Brannon, Josiah, and TriggerI didn’t get a picture of the big girls hunting eggs.  But the big girls are Abby, Meredith, and Sydney. 

We did get a great group shot of the great grandkids with mamaw.  WOW.  That is a lot of children!  And the crazy part is that that’s just from five of the seven grandchildren.  Two of the grandchildren haven’t even started having children.  Here’s the five of us…again.AND, my mamaw and Trigger.  Mamaw got each of the great grandchildren a couple of toys for Easter.  They were so excited!  We are so thankful to have a grandmother like her.  She has spent her life taking care of others…such a servant.  I hope I can be like her!

Temple Egg Hunt

Okay..I was briefly having a little pity party.  I am over it (almost) now and I am moving on.  And, of course, because of my little pity party, I haven’t blogged in a couple of days…and, SIGH, I am behind.  Our Easter weekend was the best that I can remember in a VERY long time.  Every event was laid back and relaxed and pretty much stress free.  I will start with the Temple Egg Hunt.  We go to this every year (minus last year when we were seriously ill with flu and rsv).  The kids LOVE it.  The Neals always host it and it is wonderful!  My shallow self loves holidays because I like planning my kids attire for all the events…shallow, right?  Well, I am just being honest.  Usually I stress over this and have to have the perfect outfit for each child for every event and make them semi coordinating.  However, I felt like I just didn’t do that this weekend…guess what?  they still looked cute…or I thought so.  In fact, I don’t think I bought anything for this weekend…even Easter Sunday.  My boys all dressed in matching blue/white seersucker pants/shorts and pink shirt.  We just happened to already have all of this.  T’s is from last year and still fits.  Campbell’s was triggers.  And matt, because I am sure you are all on pins and needles about his attire, has had these clothes FOREVER. 

The first thing we had to do was to play on the jumpy.

My friend, Kristen, and I tried to get our girls together for a picture but none of them were having anything to do with posing.  Kristen’s twins are a couple of months older than Larkin…and look how much taller they are.  Of course, this might have something to do with their gorgeous, tall momma.  We went on the hayride.  The camera lens that I had on only took close up pictures.  **do you see that hair on campbell…breaking my heart right now as I look at this picture…it’s been cut.**Uncle Gabe, Nolan, and Trigger…I LOVE nolan’s expression.And then it was time to hunt eggs.Campbell and Larkin were in the same hunting category so I had a hard time getting pictures of them both.  Matt showed Larkin how to find the eggs and put them in her basket…she went to town.  I was impressed.ohhhh…that beautiful hair….Then it was Trigger’s turn.  He was slightly excited.My loves…The five of us…The woodard/hogan boysThe hogan/woodard (Hallie, Nolan, Campbell, Trigger, and Larkin) childrenMy boys…You shouldve seen Campbell when we left there.  He was COVERED in chocolate.  That boy LOVES him some chocolate!As we were leaving, Georgia (triggers friend from school) came running up “trigga…trigga…”.  Without hesitation, Trigger leaned over and gave her the biggest hug.  I didn’t get my camera out fast enough but look at t’s face as he is pulling away from the hug.  He loves georgia.  And who wouldn’t…she is so sweet..just like her momma (that just happens to have been one of my sister’s best friends in high school…I actually used to drive Joanna to school every morning…WHAT were her parents thinking?!?)This might be my favorite picture of all of Easter.  LOOK at those two.  So sweet.

We left the egg hunt and went home…which was really sad because we usually all go eat at sundown but we had to get home for naps….because our next easter stop was that night for an egg hunt at my grandmothers.  Naps were a necessity!