Easter Weekend

Spring (and allergies) are here!

As I sit here with Evie Grace typing, 

she is sneezing in agreement with my last sentence!

Evie Grace and Ruthie

Aww, they are holding hands.

Evie Grace and I share a nice, reflective evening walk on Good Friday.

Trying on Evie-Grace's new "Easter" hair accessories.

Simon helps Evie Grace enjoy her new book that Nana brought her.

We went on a family walk to the park and around the neighborhood on Saturday.

Matt brought along his newest copy of "Wired" magazine and enjoyed 'stolen' moments with it.  He was literally reading it as we walked until he realized the correlation between feeling nauseous and his walking while reading habit.

Evie Grace had a diaper change at the park, so I took advantage of the photo-op!

I just realized this picture posted twice.  Hmmm...

Our ancestors probably never imagined tending to green beans while sitting in front of a computer! 

 A good chance to edit my blog and catch up on some blog-reading.

Easter Morning!  Easter Morning!  

What a happy, what a happy day!

This is the day that the angels said, 

"The stone's been rolled away!"

(an Easter song mom always sang for us on Easter Sunday morning)

Mom:  Simon, what are you thankful for?

Simon:  I am thankful for my cat.

(we don't have a cat)

I love my almost-bald daughter's profile as she looks at her big brother!

Okay, so I know why Easter baskets are given on Sunday morning.  To bribe the child into dressing into the out-of-normal dress-wear.  

Pretty much every piece of clothing was a jelly bean bribe.  

The green sweater = a green jelly bean.  

Two blue loafers = two blue peanut m&ms, etc...

Normally, I don't resort to bribes, but it was in an effort to regain peace on this special Sunday mornign!

What a blessed Resurrection Sunday!

My Easter began with a phone call from Afghanistan's capital city from the dearest of dear friends. 

A nice half-hour chat, courtesy of Skype :)

Another BIG Easter blessing was getting to see Scotty at church!

We haven't seen Scotty since fall of 2005!

We posed after church for these Easter pictures.  I had forgotten to let Evie Grace wear her headband and/or bonnet to church, so we HAD to get some pictures with those precious girly items.

Notice Simon's sword :)

A quote included in a card last Thanksgiving from Kellie that I have come to love...

"It was God's goal in all his dealings with Job to be merciful and fit him for a greater blessing."  -- John Piper

I love how Simon is sitting on his car garage.

LOOK at Evie's animated smile!

Mom gave Simon an Easter gift-bag.  It had a bible verse written on it, and Mom was led to believe for a second that Simon could read.

Here's the story:  Mom started to read the verse printed on the bag...

Mom:  "Let everything that has breath--

Simon:  "Praise the Lord."

Mom:  Oh my, he can read!  Did you hear that?  Look, he finished the sentence!

Amy:  It's a song he likes to sing... :)

Simon is enjoying a spring visit from his Nana.

In the spring and summer, I wear skirts a lot.  Well, needless to say I haven't worn them in several months.  I wore a new white skirt the other day that was very twirly, and Simon had several funny assumptions.  One funny assumption (maybe the white shirt on white skirt) was that I was an angel.

Simon:  Are you an angel?

Another funny thought was that I was a princess.  He talked about that some, and then later I asked him to do something, and he said, "I will in just a minute, princess."  The twirly skirt also made him think we should dance.  So, we did.  Then he held up his hand over his head, together, and said, "Jump on these, mommy."  Apparently he has seen some very sophisticated dancing somewhere and thought we should try some moves :)

Precious.

Look at how she is clasping her sweet hand together!

We need to find her some tights that fit!

It looks like she isn't too happy with them, either!

Actually, she had the sweetest disposition all day!  

And it was a long one for her, too!

Trying out new poses...

The last picture coming up is my favorite Easter snapshot!

Oh, another fun memory, bookended my Easter.  It began with a lovely phone call from a friend in Afghanistan and ended with a lovely walk and smorgasboard dinner with three friends here!  Terri, Heather, and Rachael came by and enjoyed maybe the oddest dinner ever.  Rachael was taken with hummus, Heather with pink salad, and Terri with butternut squash :)

AND, HERE IS THE PICTURE AND LITTLE GIRL THAT ARE AS CUTE AS A BUTTON!

March 14th and 15th 2008

I am SO EXCITED about Easter.  It is my FAVORITE "holiday."

"In Christ Alone my hope is found

He is my light, my strength, my song;

This cornerstone, this solid ground,

Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.

What heights of love, what depths of peace,

When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!

My comforter, my all in all --

Here in the love of Christ I stand.

"In Christ alone, who took on flesh,

Fullness of God in helpless babe!

This gift of love and righteousness

Scorned by the ones He came to save.

Till on that cross as Jesus died,

The wrath of God was satisfied;

For ev'ry sin on him was laid--

Here in the death of Christ I live."

"There in the ground his body lay,

Light of the World by darkness slain;

Then bursting forth, in glorious day,

Up from the grave he rose again!

And as He stands in victory,

Sin's curse has lost its grip on me;

For I am His and He is mine,

Bought with the precious blood of  Christ."

"No guilt in life, no fear in death--

This is the pow'r of Christ in me;

From life's first cry to final breath,

Jesus commands my destiny.

No pow'r of hell, no scheme of man,

Can ever pluck me from His hand;

Till He returns of calls me home-

Here in the pow'r of Christ, I'll stand."

from In Christ Alone by Keith Getty and Stuart Townsend

Evie rolled over on Friday March 14th!

Simon (as you can kind of see in the mirror) was excited!

Well, on the day of Evie's 4 month well baby it was an adventure!

I went somewhere with both of my children (doesn't happen much).

It started to sleet/snow, and I walked into Chick-fil-A to meet

a friend and her three kiddos in the sleet!

I thought it was funny that the one day I leave with both kids it sleets and is a little more difficult than it would normally be!

Ashton (a highschool senior) and Simon.

Simon and I had fun on Saturday.  We trekked to downtown Dallas, found a parking meter spot, and walked to Reunion Arena 

for a quick David Crowder concert!

Tania and Evie.

Scott and Tania on their way to a wedding.

Tania caught the bouquet :)

Timmy and Simon.

Here is an interesting conversation that really happened.

Auntie Amy:  Timmy, did you know I have a little girl?  

Simon has a baby sister!

Timmy:  Yeah, I know.  Her name is ... I forgot.  Let's go see her.

Auntie Amy:  Um, she's asleep.

Simon:  I have a new cousin.  His name is Blaize.

Timmy:  I have a good man (or friend, I couldn't quite understand what he said.)  His name is Simon.

later...

Auntie Amy:  Here is Evie-Grace.  Isn't she pretty?

Timmy:  I have a baby sister.  Her name is Hosea.

Simon:  I have two sisters.  Evie and Evie-Grace.

Later that night, after Timmy had been in bed for awhile, I walk into the room to check on him.

Timmy:  Auntie Amy, am I awake?

This was an interesting re-enactment of David and Goliath.  

Simon as Goliath did fall the first time.  

The second time was re-interpreted and Goliath chased David up into the playhouse with his sword.

Family Snapshots

Simon sharing grapes with Pops.

At church that day Simon shared his snack with his friend James.  He gave James an almond.  James put it back in Simon's snack-cup and said, "Actually I don't like almonds...I prefer cashews!"  Too cute!  I think James is maybe 6 or 7 years old

Dr.Who!  

(I just realized that would be an inexpensive costume to pull together for a party!)

Matt and our pediatrician bonded at Evie's well-baby exam.  

Simon was watching Dr.Who on Matt's ipod.  Dr.Who (The old ones, especially) has a rather targeted audience of fans and apparently our pediatrician is belongs to the fan club.  (not literally, I don't know if there is a club.)

Evie laughing at Benjamin's antics!

Funny story:  Matt installed a new door in our room last week.  Simon's bedroom door doesn't close properly.  This week, Simon came to me and said, "Mamma, I want another door.  At the man's store.  Let's call daddy and tell him."  So, we did.  Matt got a good laugh, and agrees with Simon that they should go to Home Depot and get him a new door.

Girls night out for Michelle's birthday!

It was fun to include my daughter in the gathering!

Sleepyhead Simon!

We woke him up one morning for our fun breakfast of homemade cinnamon rolls.

He didn't know what to think-where was the usual promise of oatmeal?

Simon:  What's rolls?

walks into kitchen

Simon:  Oh, they're like cookies.

Don't you LOVE his bed hair?

HAPPY EARLY ST.PATRICK'S DAY

I just noticed that not only is Evie wearing her bib, but Matt's t-shirt says, "O'hurley" and has a shamrock (that you can't see in the pix)

Friends we wish we could see more!

Carrie's face is decorated for ... Leap Day!

nananananananana BATMAN!

sidenote:  Simon has taken to pronouncing Georgia, "Joja"  Wow, could you get more southern?  I that "Jawjuh" was bad, but "JOJA."

Simon:  See that?  China, India, Laos.  It's like a world, I think.

(the design that his sippy cup (shaken) made on his bed resembled a world map)

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls, a joint project by Matt and I.

Have to admit, they are prettier than they were yummy.

Not going to try those again.  IKEA's rolls are too yummy to bother.

I took this picture to show the dichotomy of our menu the day that we had cinnamon rolls for breakfast!

Well, I made an important discovery last week.  

Target sells grapefruit spoons!  

I had been trying to get to Bed,  Bath, and Beyond or another similar place, but, hey, I can walk to Target so I will keep patronizing the store, hoping that they never relocate.

The other day Matt was working outside on some project.  

Simon was outside with him and then came in...

Mom:  Do you want anything?

Simon:  I NEED my saw.  I NEED my tools.  I'm WORKING.

Mom:  Say cheese (trying to take a picture and giving him his toy saw)

Simon:  Mom, don't touch my saw; it's danger.

A nighttime snow shot.

Simon and I were looking at pictures of the family "snowman" that was built.

Simon informed me that it was not a snowman, but a snowfriend.  

These were similar to comments that he made to my mom's teacher coworkers (who are ready to sign him up for gifted classes, by the way!)

Mom commented that he is very politically correct.

I love how little 12.5 lb Evie is a whole human being and only 12.5 lbs!

Amazing.

Evie had her 4 month well-baby exam last week.  She weighs 12.5 pounds and is 25 1/2 inches long.  Her height is almost in the 90% and her weight is in the 25 %.

She didn't cry AT ALL with her shots!

I was impressed.

Simon gave Evie ALL of these toys to play with!

These succession of pictures show a little bonding gone awry.

Happy siblings.

Hmmm...Evie looks interested in Simon's water.

Still happy.

Evie drools or spits up or sneezes on Simon...end of bonding time.

This bib was given to me last March by dear friend Cheryl :)

I was in the throes of morning sickness,

 and she wanted to remind me of the "pot of gold" at the end of the rainbow. 

 So, for a few weeks, the bib was my focal point of hope!  

(I put it on our refrigerator!)

We took Simon took Simon to see the VeggieTales movie last week at the $ theatre!

Matt fell asleep, and I was tempted but considered the fact that one parent should be awake, you know, in case of kidnapping!

Funny story:  Matt is super into MY cast-iron skillets that I received for Christmas.  He has an article cut-out from Cook's Illustrated about how to care for cast iron and tediously follows the correct procedure EVERYTIME they are used.  

The other day I asked Matt to show me how to clean the skillet.  

He said, "Here, let me do it."  Um, okay.

Our friend Chrissy commented that some men have their lawns...Matt has the cast-iron skillets.  True.  But Matt also has the lawn.  I remember his meticulous nature concerning weeds last season.  I have a distinct memory of him literally jumping out of the car when we arrived home to RUN to the front yard and pluck out a weed that he'd seen when we drove past our yard!