easter weekend 2009

Our family is still trying to figure out the new normal since the death of my parents, so my sister and I decided we would celebrate Easter away from home this year.  We spent the weekend at a lakehouse on Kentucky Lake.  It was FABULOUS!  We had an amazing time, and it was nice to simply be away.

Here’s our weekend in pictures:

Playdoh with Aunt Selena (aka Aunt Nena).  She is so much fun!

Decorating w/ Desitin during a moment of unsupervision

The previous action called for a bath

We had a nice lunch at Patti’s Restaurant in Grand Rivers.  This place will always hold a special place in my heart.  It was the last place my parents went before they were killed.  It’s such a fitting place for them, and I can imagine they had an amazing time being there… and being together. 

This is the look we get a lot from Nadia.

Much better!

Meeting the Easter Bunny.  Liam loved him!

The Easter egg hunt back at the lakehouse

Cousin Stacy helps Nadia find eggs

*More Easter pictures to come from our second celebration with cousins back home

nadia and the playhouse

4.5.09  I am lovin’ this weather!  (Not the rain we’ve been experiencing… but the sunshine we had when this pix was taken.  Yes, I’m still playing “catch up” with my posts.)  Nadia is finally getting to enjoy the playhouse I used to play in when I was a kid.  We moved it into our backyard back in November, but the kids are just now getting to experience the same fun I had!

third wheel

4.5.09  This is another one of Liam’s springtime obsessions… his tricycle.  It amazes me how much a child develops over a year.  Last year Liam couldn’t reach the peddles.  This year, he hopped on and took off!

just like cory

4.5.09  Liam takes after his cousin Cory.  He is in love with Soccer!  And I’m not being biased when I say the boy has skills.  He can move the ball down the field better than I can!

Unless daddy starts tickling him!

st. patty’s day pit party

 

3.21.09  Our Franklin Crew has made it a tradition to get together for St. Patrick’s Day.  It all started with Kim’s obsession with the color green.  When she was pregnant with Maeve, we threw her a shower on St. Patty’s Day and we all wore “I *shamrock* Ireland” shirts.  It snowballed from there… and each year, we’ve dusted off those same shirts for the occasion.  This is officially the second time Kim has worn her shamrock shirt on St. Patty’s Day pregnant!!!  I wonder if she’ll make a tradition of that??!!  Look for her to comment on this post to find out. 

go big red!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.19.09  My little Hilltoppers cheering on their favorite team during March Madness.  Congrats Toppers for making it into the NCAA Tourney again!

fun on the farm

3.15.09  Liam and Nadia love to go to their Nana and Papaw’s house.  There’s so much fun to be had… like getting pulled in a wagon by their cousins, helping Papaw feed the cows, and riding the 4-wheeler.  And did I mention the fantastic food we get to consume while we’re there??!!  Yum!

4 little 4-wheelers

March 2009 – My sweet husband gave me the night off and took the kids to our friend’s house to play.  I got these pictures from Keenan and Carmen’s mom the next day.  It looks like they had fun… and I’m not surprised!  Thanks Keenan and Carmen for letting Liam and Nadia come to play!  We love you!

curious george

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.10.09  We decided to take advantage of a “Curious George Exploration” at our downtown public library.  The kids enjoyed storytime and then got to take part in a science experiment.  This particular demonstration was using sand and soil… but Liam ignored the rules and decided to have fun mixing the two together!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Liam also wanted to experiment how soil tasted, but I drew the line there!  At the end of the night, they had a prize drawing… and what do you know??!!!  They drew Liam’s name!  He won a Curious George book!!

wku girl’s weekend

2.27.09 – 3.1.09  While I was a student at WKU, I was in a Bible study lead by Janie Mullis Farwell.  In the 10 years since I graduated from college (wow, has it really been that long?)… most of the girls in our group have moved to other places, including Janie, who’s back in her home state of North Carolina.  We’d been wanting to plan a reunion girl’s weekend for a while now, and this was our year!  It was so great to catch up with these girls.  We stayed up all night talking, literally.  We basically sat in a big circle, and we each took a turn sharing about our lives over the past 10 years.  We took breaks just to shower and eat!!!  We laughed at some of the joys we’ve each encountered… and cried hearing each others struggles.  We prayed specifically over each girl after she shared her story.  It was such a powerful weekend, and I’m so thankful to have a group of girls that I can pour my heart out to, and who love me just the same afterwards.  Thanks, Janie, for spearheading this weekend… and Heather’s family, for opening up their beautiful lakehouse to us.  This weekend certainly revived my spirit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Heather, my college roommate and maid of honor in my wedding

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Heather, Janie + Darla

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Janie’s Girls”:  (excuse the pix.  this is what we all look like with no sleep, makeup, or primping!)

(Front row) Shelley Reitmeyer Shepherd, Crystal Bates Hagan, Amy Wilson Betts, Janie Mullis Farwell, Daphne Ragland Coomer

(Back row) Darla Johnson Oglesby, Laura Spencer Baker, Jennifer Gray Miller, Heather Lashlee Snyder, Heather Leppert Spencer, Amy Spencer Yates, Jenny Rone