Easter Sunday 2011

It was kind of sad to have Easter Sunday without Sean and Katie. I felt very torn this holiday. I really wanted to be with Katie at her tournament, but also knew I needed to be home with the others for what is the most important holiday of the year. In the end, I was very happy that I stayed home. We started our Sunday morning with a quick look over of our Easter Bunny treats and then went to Mass in Celebration. Oma and Pawpy came to Windermere on Friday and Susan and David joined us for Easter Dinner!! Loved the pineapple/egg decoration that Oma did around the ham!! So thankful for the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ .... what an awesome gift to all of us!!

Easter Activities

Let's Hunt!!

Our budding Easter Egg Artists!

6 Dozen Eggs ... Bottom left corner are Julia's. She was very patient and let her eggs soak a long time. Best colors by far ... her patience paid off!

The Gambles came over on Saturday before Easter to dye Easter Eggs, hunt for eggs, swim and have a Mexican fiesta!! We had an incredible day and before we knew it, it was after 7pm. Sean and Katie were in Kansas City at a volleyball tourney and Andrew stayed in his man cave!! Loved sharing this day with Kristin and her kids ... Troy has just gotten home the day before from China so he spent the day resting!! Loved, loved, loved Kristin's dessert!!

Julia's Easter Party

William getting in on the fun!

Easter bunny craft!! Right up Julia's alley!

I think she is the tallest in the class (even over the boys!)

A tentative hunter!

Julia had an Easter party and egg hunt at her school. Josh's mom coordinated the entire party and did a great job!! We started with a kindergarten wide egg hunt and then followed up with a party in the classroom. Julia, of course, was tentative during the hunt so she didn't get as many eggs as the others. It did not bother her and one of her friends shared some of his extras!! William was at the party and even got in on the cupcake decorating activity (smart boy, picking that activity).

Big Birthday Celebration in Chi-Town

So lucky to be able to spend a long weekend in April with my mom and my sisters, Meredith and Melinda. We love getting together with all of our families, but it was refreshing to just be the four girls!!! We were celebrating my 4oth and Melinda's 30th and Meredith's 34th!

Mom and Melinda drove from Indiana, picked me up first and then Meredith. We hung out, ate out, did some shopping, went to Second City, Ed Debevics and just laughed, laughed, laughed!! Definitely we are not going to wait to long before we do another girls' weekend. Maybe Vegas next time girls??

Ready for a night out on the town

Cheers to no kids!

First night in the city - yummy dinner at the Purple Pig!!

Melinda remembered to bring the wine

Sisterly love

Fun with mom!

WPS Softball ... Undefeated, Baby!!!

Wow .. what an incredible season for the Lady Laker softball team. We were undefeated and pretty much crushed every team! Katie pitched amazing and I think she had 3 or 4 no hitters and bunches of strikeouts!! I don't have a lot of pictures from the season because I was not able to go to many of her games. This is the first year that we really had to divide and conquer and since Sean is an assistant coach, I always had to go with Andrew or Matthew. Very proud of how Katie was able to balance softball, club volleyball and the Dear Edwina play while delivering another year of straight A+ report cards. She really is quite a focused and determined young lady!

Turning 40 ...

Didn't think much of my birthday because Buddy and I had celebrated earlier in October, but my sweet friend, Kristin, coordinated a nice birthday dinner at Blue Zoo. So happy to be surrounded by interesting, insightful, strong family women. These are women that I have a real connection with (not just the hey, how's it going, let's do lunch and then it never happens!). These are the women that I would call if I needed parenting advice, help with a recipe, a ride for one of the kids, a political discussion or debate or just a good laugh or cry!! Such a nice evening with yummy, yummy food!!!

Sean and the kids SPOILED me with a brand new lens for my camera. It is my dream lens ... now I just have to figure out how to use it!! Going to some photography classes this summer to figure it all out. Never in my wildest dreams did I think on my birthday morning I would open that lens!! Thanks lovely family!!