Summit Lake Easter Egg Hunt

Looking out the window of the community clubhouse, contemplating where they may find "the golden egg."

In the 4 and 5 year old division eggs were abundant!!! G could not take a step without running into an egg. She cracks me up with her frantic hunting.

Dom searched and searched for that golden egg, but alas it was not meant to be...his division did not have very many eggs-very weird- and since he was so focused on finding the golden egg he would walk past the regular old eggs oblivious. I have to blame this on his father...Vinny hyped up the golden egg thing BIG before going. Poor Dom was so disappointed in himself when he did not find it:(

As you can see, G did not miss hardly any egg snatching opportunities:)

As soon as she saw Dom's sad, almost empty basket, she started transferring her eggs into his basket. She was very sad that Dom had not found the golden egg...but only because he was sad. She has incredible empathy...as does Dom.These two melt my heart.

Quotable Kids...

At dinner last night we were talking about choosing a wife/husband and the kids were asking about my old boyfriends...I explained they were not the kind of people I wanted to spend my whole life with and when I met Daddy he was funny, happy, loves family, honest, hard worker, would do anything for me etc. and that is why I chose him.
I proceeded to tell Dom that the girl he picks to marry needs to...(my list may have been a bit extended:) and he replied with:

"Ok, I'll ask her."(if she is those things) in a matter of fact way, and with the most serious look on his face.
If only it were so easy!!!
Love this boy! He is so sincere and earnest.

Easter Sunday

The Easter bunny did bring them baskets!!
Gianna quote, (out of nowhere): " I think the Easter bunny is a good speller."

Dom just can't be close enough to Nick.

G loved organizing and laying out her loot!! Of course then, Dom had to do it too!

Gracefully munching on some chocolate!

The cousins at church, after listening to Grandma sing.

Nick's Quote: "That pastor was actually funny at times."

We went to visit Grandma June after church. The kids just love her and visiting with her!

Gianna loved the full length mirrors at Grandma June's place.

The SUNNY day before Easter!

Dom was excited to get his birthday present from Dan and Jody...awesome Cougar gear and baseball stuff!!

The big boys had fun playing a game of 2 on 2 basketball after working at cleaning up the lake front all afternoon.

Of course a family gathering would not be complete unless Vinny were organizing some kind of competition!!

Dad and his boys

Enjoying the WARM SUN on the deck at the lake! Life is better at the lake!

Us girls had to jump in the pic with the boys!

My dad said the only thing that would have made the day perfect and better would have been to have Jared, Toni and the boys with us too...so true!!

having fun with Grandma and Grandpa

Jody and I lived the life on the deck, in the sun, drinking wine while the kids played, men worked, and my mom would join us during breaks from cooking!

Gianna loves entertaining Payton with silly faces, dances, and voices!

Dom loves Baby P!

love this girl!!

Girls Night in Sequim!!

I am so thankful that 3 of my best childhood girlfriends drove up for a night of talking, laughing, eating, and drinking. A couple of us have known each other since kindergarten, but we have all been best friends since our freshman year of high school...there are 4 others of us that couldn't make it for the night, but we are always so taken aback when we count the years of friendship and how strong our ties are, no matter the locations we are in.

It was so fun getting together little treat cups for the girls...herb seeds, fave candy, nail polish. I could hardly wait for their arrival Friday night! My wonderful husband loaded up the kids and went to Oly to start Easter weekend so the girls and I could have the house to ourselves!! I hopped a ride the next EARLY morning with the girls back to Olympia...worked out great!

Katie and Jenni

Maris and me

Mikey, Mike, Michael....Marissa's newest addition to our family- #4! Just weeks old, Maris is such a trooper for coming up for a such a quick, late night trip-when I know she is at a time where sleep is coveted. Jenni brought her few-week-old baby too-Andrew- and we hardly heard a peep from either little guy! The boys knew their mommies needed girl time!

The two beautiful mommas

Gianna's after-prayer thought....

at prayer time...

"when I am mad and fwust-a-wated, my heart is closed. when I am happy, my heart is open. I want my heart to be open Mommy." - Gianna Lyn, age 4

this girl just melts our hearts and makes us CUWAZEEEEYYY!!!!

Gianna...

When Gianna got up and saw the new curtain she exclaimed, " Oh my word Mom that is so adorable! I love it!" Then, since our friend Kim has a curtain under her sink, G asked- "Mom are you trying to copy Kimmie?" Well yes-you have to copy the good ideas!!

Sprucing up the kitchen...per orders of Vinny!

For people who can't sew, but aspire to, there is glue out there that acts as "sewing." That is what I used on this curtain for under our kitchen sink. I found the fabric at Wal-Mart on clearance and it worked perfectly. I first checked out curtains, tablecloths, and shower curtains...but nothing was what I had in mind. Vinny has had an on-going fight with the cabinet doors that refuse to hang correctly, and so he had finally had enough and asked me to make a curtain instead of doors....end result here.

Singing at church for Palm Sunday

Dom was so excited to get all dressed up and wear a "tie" (that he found at a garage sale yesterday and really isn't a tie, but a belt...but he doesn't know that:)) for singing at church for Palm Sunday.

He spotted us right away in the crowd (do you think me with my big camera snapping zillions of pictures was a give-away?) and would smile at us and wave. He melts our hearts!

See the belt? It is our nemesis! He is obsessed with having a tight belt-he has even started wearing a belt with his sports pants...???He thinks they will fall down or something. He is constantly fiddling with the belt, and getting frustrated with the belt, and we told him not to touch the belt when he was up there singing...and guess what? He did not!! YEAH Dom!