Springtime Pagan Traditions

I really couldn't even called this post "Easter" because the following pictures have nothing to do with what I consider the true Easter holiday.
Nevertheless, we did have a marvelous time with such nonsense as egg dying, egg hunting, egg eating and the like. The kids got an immense kick out of coloring the eggs as you can see from the photos. Mom was a little lame this year and tried to steer clear of sugar by filling the plastic eggs with yogurt covered raisins...but I think the kids got enough treats when all was said and done. Eric's mom also sent a package for them which is always very exciting to open. They looked so cute in their new little church clothes.One of my favorite parts of the real Easter is singing Easter hymns. They bring the spirit of the resurrection so strongly to my heart. This is one of my favorite "Easter" scriptures:
Corinthians 15:55-57
55 O ^adeath, where is thy sting? O ^bgrave, where is thy victory?

56 The sting of ^adeath is sin; and the ^bstrength of sin is the law.

57 But ^athanks be to God, which giveth us the ^bvictory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

That's what I call Easter.

Reluctant Princess

Before church:

After church:

My friend gave Libby this beautiful white Easter dress. Since my daughter is two and acts like it, I knew putting it on her was going to be an ordeal. But with Eric holding her and me wrestling it over her head, we finally got the princess dress on. She screamed bloody murder the 30 minutes to church.
BUT...after three hours we came home and Libby had come to grips with the gown. I even saw her smoothing the tulle and walking with a little spring in her step.
And I say that is what good parenting is all about: forcing your kid to do stuff they don't wanna.
(I may not have had this philosophy as a teenager...)

Late Twenties

I have arrived at my late twenties: I turned twenty six this Wednesday. I wasn't as grief stricken as I thought I was going to be. I think I've realized they keep coming whether I like it or not. Anyway, Eric and I spent a delightful evening at a fancy little restaurant here in Durham, and Eric sent me to the mall for whatever I wanted. (I think I might have overdone it). I came back with:

New Fingernails

New Toenails

New Eyebrows

Happy Birthday to Me!

Oh! The Craving!

What I am craving:

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with Tomato Soup
and

Hashbrowns

Oh, yum!

Ethan at Four

Hard Up For Humor?

As the weather in NC has gotten warmer, the kids are always begging to play outside. We don't have a real back yard, but that doesn't stop Ethan and Libby from running around like the own the place. I try to get a few things done in the house while I watch them out the sliding glass doors in our living room. I cracked up when I saw them doing the following, now one of their favorite games.

Unfortunately in this movie, the car did not catch him, but I hear all kinds of shrieks of terror and giggles as they get run over by the thing and then come tromping mud in the house. (Also, I hope you enjoyed my brother Stephen's singing to some kind of Mexican band...)