There Goes Peter Cottontail

Easter has come and gone - we had so much fun! Easter has always been one of my favorite holidays, especially when I was a kid. And now that I have kids it is all coming back to me how much fun it is. Coloring the eggs, the excitment of the Easter Bunny coming, the egg hunt outside and spending time with family. I know that there is more meaning to Easter and the girls will learn all of that in the coming years, but for now it is all about the made up stuff :-) It is amazing how everything in life is just so much more enjoyable when you have kids, everyone told me so, but until you actually experience it - there is no comparison. Alyssa was so excited to see what was in her Easter basket and she had so much fun looking for the eggs in the house - ever since she has been saying "find eggs Mommy" - I hope we found them all already!!! And Briella just smiled and laughed watching her big sister run around, I can't wait until next year when they are both running around and the year after that when they are tackling each other to get to the eggs and fighting over the Easter baskets :-)

The loot

Easter morning

At the Eastman's

Good times

Beautiful Bella at the Barton's

Us

Sweet Alyssa

Random memories

There are certain memories of your childhood that stick with you. I drive down the river road every day after I pick up the girls from my mom's house. Since the weather has turned warmer, the river road has gotten pretty busy - another sign of spring. Today as I drove past the Minnehaha Falls, a childhood memory washed over me. I was in 5th grade and we were on a field trip to the falls. We were all climbing the steep dirt walls down by the creek. When I was running down one of them I couldn't stop and fell into the creek. It must have been this same time of the year as I remember wearing a light jacket and jeans and the water was freezing upon contact. The current was fast, I assume due to the high water from the melted snow - I was swept away. All my years of swimming lessons were lost in that moment, I panicked. I remember gasping for air as the creek kept dragging me under. A man that just happened to be on a walk saw me struggling, he ran ahead of me to the next bridge and put his hand out for me when I reached him - thankfully I was able to hold on. As I think back on that day, I don't know if I ever said Thank You to that man, I wish I could do so now.

Fast forward many years (I wont say how many) my sweet niece Taylor was knee boarding at Duck Lake, I was driving the boat, she fell and was stuck on the knee board - the knee board kept dragging her under the water. I got the boat back to her as fast as I could and when I asked her if she was OK she said no --- I saw that same look of panic in her eyes that I had on that field trip in 5th grade. I believe I was 4 or 5 months pregnant with Alyssa when this happened to Taylor, I didn't think twice, I jumped in the lake to help Taylor.

I am here for my girls now if they ever fall or get hurt. I don't want them to ever feel the way I felt as I was being washed down the creek. But I won't always be with them everyday and I know there will come a time when they feel helpless, I just hope there is someone there to help and comfort them, because they are the most precious things in my life.

Spring has Sprung

We have ventured out of our hibernation and finally got outside and out to visit family and friends. It feels good and is a welcome sign of what is to come this summer. Bella has turned into a menace with her crawling achievements!!! She is everywhere and anywhere she can get. She is now pulling herself to stand up - so her world has opened up to so many new things. Alyssa is her same ole crazy self. She loves being outside and I love seeing her so happy!!! Her vocabulary has blossomed so much in the last couple of months, I have to say I most enjoy when she tells me "No talking mommy" when I am having a conversation with someone or another favorite is "I need a snack" or "I need to go outside" since when does she need anything???

Miss Bella

Miss Alyssa

This could be trouble!!!

Time for a nap Kaelyn

Let us out!!!