~~Tiny Dancer~~

Our first recital has come and gone. As parents we were amazed and at a loss for words. Nothing could have prepared me to see my sweet Miss Mary up on stage all bedecked out in a sequined triple layer tulle pink and purple tutu. Add to it the bows and extra sweetness of a sassy little blonde girl and you have a proud Mama in tears. I just love this little girly of mine. We like to say that she "Sparkles"! And sparkle is what she did this weekend. Enjoy!!!

And the rain storms stopped for a short moment to catch a few pictures outside!!

                              A proud Mama with her little dancer.....out celebrating!!



It's Raining, It's Pouring....

No, seriously, it has been raining and it has been pouring.....

for nearly 2 months!  Don't get us wrong, it's better than snow, but we are

ready for some sunshine!  Here is just a peek at what the kids

have been up to for the last couple of weeks!

Rain, Rain,

...Go Away....

...Come Again....

......Another Day!  

Or maybe stay for a month or two....it sure is fun to be a kid in raingear with big SPLASHY puddles!!!



Easter Blessings

I just love that we all got to spend Easter together as a family!  I have worked many Easters and have had the kids come visit me at the hospital in their gear.  I loved getting the kids all dressed up and ready and the fact that we all coordinated our Easter outfits!   Somehow, I just can't stop having everyone match....I thought this year I would let it go and just go with it but no,  I did manage to get everyone to have something to coordinate.  Silly, yes.  But I love it nonetheless!    Thanks to our trusty ladder and camera timer, we got another great family portrait (the neighbors think I am crazy, of this I am certain!  There is nothing more stressful to me than getting that great family picture!  Nothing like bribery and an occasional raised voice to get kids to smile.)  I credit this wonderful picture to Divine Intervention....it was Easter, how else do you get 5 people looking and smiling?!?!?  

~Our Three Beautiful Blessings~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

LONG before the above pictures were taken....... 

If you don't know us, you don't know that we can manage to do an inside Easter egg hunt and an outside one all before the late time of 0730.  Yes, it's true, baskets, 2 egg hunts, and cartoons all before 0730.  Sorry to my neighbors if you were awakened from a great dream by my little cherubs' squeals of delight....but the egg hunt could not wait!

Baby's first egg hunt!!!

Experienced Egg Hunters.........

Hope you all had a Happy Easter!!

Florida 2011

Better late than never, here are some of the beautiful pictures I managed to capture while we vacationed in Florida this year....

These first images I absolutely treasure.  I had planned to get some beachy pics of the kids and for once

I was not disappointed!!!!  I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

My sweet kids....

Our family tradition......

Footprints in the sand!

(This is the first time we have a set of our complete family!)

A lovely family portrait on the beach

Our sweet little Tess.....

Tired after a long morning.

Beach Baby!!! 

 

 

                                                                                                Mommy and her baby girl!

Missy Mary......

Cale......

                                                                                   Body Surfing!!!

                                                        Cale managed to fit some fishing in while on vacation!

We are so lucky to get to visit with Grandma and Grandpa Otto!  We bring a lot of chaos with us but are so grateful that they let us stay with them and that we get to spend some great time together while on vacation! 

This year we had an amazing vacation all together.  Over two weeks spent in sunny Florida!   Each day was fantastic and wonderful, the weather could not have been better!  The kids were able to swim every day and loved it!  We sent a week with Grandma and Grandpa Otto in Tampa, FL and then spent another week on North Captiva Island.  Beautiful time spent with both sides of our families.  The kids went to bed exhausted every night with sunkissed cheeks and woke in the morning to doughnuts! (Thanks Grandpa!)  Endless good times, I have over 700 pictures from the trip and love seeing all the fun we had.  Until the next trip to sunny Florida............