Easter day

My mom was in town for Easter and it was really nice, even more so with Steven being gone. We went to church that morning, came home and put the little one down for a nap, had a couple friends over, ate some yummy food and did a couple easter egg hunts for Ellie (inside and outside). Watching her find the eggs, put them in the basket and then continue to play with them has been adorable. It was a great blessed day. 

Holidays are so much more fun with kids and this holiday is especially more meaningful. And I'm not talking about the easter eggs and candy, etc. Those are certainly yummy and we get more of that stuff now that we have a kid. BUT, I'm talking about what this holiday is representing. The amazing love of a Father that was shown to us. I really look forward to teaching Ellie what Easter truly means!

"All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance - an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay." - 1 Peter 1:3-4

^^ the bunnies she got were a hit; they got lots of loves

^^ I love this face!

^^ she wasn't too sure about the hunt outside (it was a little chilly)

^^ she wanted to hold her bunny while she had her milk. So sweet!

^^ much more into it the second time outside

^^ I was pretty proud of this egg shaped fruit pizza, inspired from Pinterest. 

And it was very yummy!! More please!!

^^ all tuckered out from a long day of playing!

March photo favorites

This was a loooong month! Steven was gone 16 days. Yes, that's right, 16 WHOLE DAYS people! Him and three other youth leaders took some of their senior guys on a trip to Australia. They had a blast (which I'm grateful for) while I was living the life of a single parent. Thankfully my mom came to town for a week to help out and hang out! Plus, I have some great friends whom I got together with several times. AND, Ellie is such a sweet, well behaved and pretty predictable girl, so that made (and makes) life so much easier!
But, of course life wasn't the same with my husband being gone. These next several days we will be filled with some good family time, that's for sure!

And as I mentioned in my last post, I'll be doing this monthly post of photo favorites. Just in case you needed a smile today here are some from our sweet girl!

^^ she looked so grown up that day 

and then when she grabbed and held her toy phone like that, oh my gosh!!!

^^ got her sunglass, bracelet and mirror...she's ready to go! ha

^^ we are very grateful for these two ladies!

^^ just shopping like a teenager already!

^^ if you can't tell, Ellie had some fun with Grammy

^^ FIRST time in a swing (got a video for her daddy!)! She enjoyed it!

^^ very grainy I know, but I had to capture this sleeping babe! 

^^ this totally made me get choked up. They love each other so much!

^^ SOOOOO happy to be reunited! 

February photo favorites

I think I'll be doing a monthly post like this...photos from the previous month; sharing moments of our family and of course just some cute ones of our girl! A bit of these have been shared on social media, but I know some family who don't have things like that and instead of trying to remember who I texted these pics to and forgetting some people along the way, I figured I would put them on here! A lot are grainy and/or blurry because I'm not the worlds best photographer and an iPhone isn't the best camera to begin with, BUT it's the most convenient one to grab.
So here are some February favorites...

^^our little Valentine!

^^Valentine's date, just the two of us! 

^^Ellie LOVES books

^^these were taken after we had been at the doctors office for her 12 month well check. She was (is) in the 47th percentile for weight, the best she has ever been in since the day she was born! It was a very happy day (hence the hands up for "yay!!")!!

^^she gets smothered in kisses quite often ; )

^^ you can't really tell, but there are TWO teeth poking through on the bottom there! They sprouted a couple days before her first birthday and have been making way well! 

^^mealtime messes-blueberries