Grillin' and Chillin'

Our little family has been to a couple of cookouts this Spring, but tonight we grilled burgers and hot dogs out in our own backyard for the first time this season.

Turkey Burgers and Turkey Dogs

The kids had a lot of fun playing while the food was cooking.  Evan practiced shooting baskets.  Jason and I have been in planning mode over the backyard.  We want to make a way for the kids to practice dribbling and shooting.  We have some great ideas.

Evan shoots!

Up it goes!

It was good!

Addi and Payton played in the dirt/sand.  I think we need to add a sandbox to our list of backyard improvements.

Addi

Messy Hands McGee also known as Payton.

Karsyn decided to water the flowers.

Gardening girl.

We bought Karsyn a few new summer clothes today - they are a size 4T!!!!!

It was so nice to slow down and spend the evening outside on such a beautiful day.  Life has been  a little A LOT stressful lately.  We've been in the process of God working something pretty amazing out for our family. Although, it wasn't clear to me in the beginning, I see God's hand moving.  Please say a prayer for us and I hope to report some very good news really soon.

Happy Easter {2014}

This Easter, the kiddos and I got up bright and early.  We got ready for church and then Papa and Nana came to pick us up to go to Missouri.  Grandma Shirley and Grandpa James followed us.  Unfortunately, Jason had to work, so he was unable to go.  Papa got us to Aunt Ashley's house a little earlier than expected, so the kiddos got to play for a little bit before we left for church.  Karsyn had fun playing Jessi's drum set.

Karsyn

Church service was great!  Chad and Ashley's church had an Evangelist preaching and he was really good.  At one point, he asked the question if anyone had ever locked their keys in their car.  We all started cracking up, because Evan accidentally locked us out of the house this morning.  We knew Daddy would be home before us, so no worries. =)  After church, we had a super yummy cookout at Chad and Ashley's house.  While the burgers were cooking, I was trying to snap pictures of all 5 kiddos while they were still in their Easter clothes.  This, yes friends THIS, is the best picture that I could take.

Karsyn, Evan, Addi, Payton, Koko, Jessi, and Latte

I don't know, maybe this one is better.  Maybe????

Karsyn, Evan, Addi, Payton, Koko, Jessi, & Latte

After we took pictures and ate, it was time for an egg hunt!  Some of Ashley's super sweet neighbor kids joined in on the fun.

Sweet Karsyn egg hunts like a champ!

Evan and Jessi found eggs up high!

Addi finding eggs.

Uncle Chad made sure no one got in the street.

More egg hunting fun!

Payton and Jessi dressed in matching outfits after church.  I'm rubbing off on Jessi.

Evan and Karsyn

One last check for eggs!

After the egg hunt, I made one last desperate attempt to get a picture of the kiddos.  I think this is the best picture of the day.

Jessi, Payton, Addi, Karsyn, and Evan

Then, Aunt Ashley and Uncle Chad handed all of the kiddos jumbo pixie sticks.  Yikes!

Candy Time!!!

Evan, Payton & Jessi

Karsyn & Addi

After the Egg-stravaganza, it was time to head home.  When we got in the car, Karsyn started coughing a lot!  Just as we entered the great state of Oklahoma, Karsyn got sick.  We stopped and Nana bought her a new outfit and we got her and the SUV all cleaned out.  After that stop, she got sick 3 more times.  Payton was sitting right next to Karsyn, but instead of being grossed out, Payton took amazing care of Karsyn.  She wiped her nose.  She propped her head up.  She even helped me clean up her throw up.  If that's not love, I just don't know what is. =)  Hopefully, Karsyn will be feeling better soon.  I'm glad that we got to enjoy such a wonderful Easter before she got sick.  Thanks so much to our family!

Easter 2010

If you scroll below, you can see where I've done an Easter Flashback post.  If you don't scroll, let's go for a stroll down memory lane to Easter 2010.  It was our first Easter as a family of 5.  Our first celebration was at Evan and Payton's school on Good Friday.  Evan's class had an Easter Egg Hunt.  Payton, Jessi, Addi and myself all got to join in on the fun.

Evan and his buddy.

Jessi

Payton enjoying a cookie that she decorated.

Baby Addi

Hunting eggs at school was way too much fun!  We celebrated Easter 2010 with a very heavy heart.  I've wrote a little bit about that here.  We went to church and it was so nice to be with our family and friends.  After church we took a few pictures.

Daddy & Evan

We tried very hard to get a family picture....ugh!!  Notice Evan is no where to be found.  Yikes!

Billy, Kary, Natalie, Emily, and Stephen

Nana and Papa

Addi and Papa have a long history of being silly together.  She just laughed and laughed at her papa.

Ashley, Chad, and Jessi

On the way out, I attempted to get a picture of the girls in the dandelions.  This is the best pic of many. =)

After church, we had lunch with our family.  We finally got a family picture where we were all in and and we were all looking in the same direction.

Our little family

Grandma Shirley and Grandpa James had lunch with us too!

After lunch, we hunted eggs in our backyard.

Evan and Payton were off!

Addi had her own little egg hunt. 

Evan found a lot of eggs!

Addi got a little bored.  I think Addi's sweet baby face looks just the same her first Easter as it does now.

Payton found the most eggs!

After our egg hunt, Evan climbed the tree!

Easter 2010 is one I'll never forget.  It had some very tough moments, but also some that were very blessed.

Flashbacks of Easter

It's always been my great intention to get some of our pre-blogging life onto the blog.  I don't think that I'll ever be able to get everything on here, but here's a few flashbacks of Easter Sunday in the past.

2005 - Evan's First Easter

Evan and Daddy

My love for matching outfits started Easter 2005.  Evan and Daddy are just the cutest!  It was our first and only Easter as a family of three.  I was 29 weeks along with Payton.

Mommy (Payton)

Here's a Mommy and Evan right before church.

Evan and Mommy

Papa Floyd gave Evan an Easter basket after church.  Evan LOVED it!

Easter 2006 - Payton's First Easter

These are all the pictures I could find for Payton's first Easter,   I know there are way more out there, I'll update this post when I find them.  Here's my two little cuties ready for church.

Evan & Payton

Like most Easter's we hunted for eggs at Grandma's house.  Evan was the only one big enough to hunt for eggs.  He did a great job!

Easter 2007 and 2008 will be added when I find the pictures.  Here's a look at Easter 2009.  It was our last Easter as a family of 4.  Payton was our big three year-old.  I still can't believe that she had enough hair for me to put in rollers. She looked so cute with curls.

Evan was just a few days shy from his 5th birthday.  He was just way too cute.

I'm only including this picture so that you can see our little family at the time.  I was just a few short weeks away from having Addi.  My hair, my dress, great goodness!  What was I thinking?  Okay, okay...now I kind of remember what I was thinking.  I was really sick when I was pregnant with Addi.  My tummy was growing, but I was losing weight every where else.  I mean, I lost A LOT of weight.  Being that sick, I didn't have a whole lot of strength either.  I remember trying this dress on and it actually fit.  So, I bought it. 

Moving on.  Here's a few pictures of the kiddos and their cousins after church.

Stephen, Natalie, and Emily

Evan and Jessi

Payton, Jessi, Natalie, Evan, Stephen, and Emily

After church, we went home and hunted eggs.

Payton and Evan were ready!

And they are off.....

I love this picture of Daddy and his prized egg collectors!

And that almost brings the blog up to date on Easter!