march insta update

(1) I could watch her sleep for days  (2) Excited for lunch  (3) Cupcake deliciousness!

(4) I've got a cookie!  (5) Surprise flurries this afternoon!  (6) So excited for Lexie's early birthday cake!

(7) (Early) birthday girl and her cake!  (8) Doing some (early) birthday shopping!  (9) Lunch time!

(1) Best. Surprise. Ever.  (2) Sweet matching cousins  (3) Best friends out for a drive  (4) We drove to SC to see the Peachoid!

(5) Southern girl with her Sundrop slushie  (6) Hot fudge sundae  (7) So sad to say goodbye :(  (8) We voted!

(9) Lunch with the birthday girl  (10) Stuck around for Ben's lunch, too  (11) Ellie wanted to stay with Ben's class  (12) Pizza and movie night

(1) Birthday girl and her birthday waffle  (2)  Ellie loves her Legos- especially these two that she named Ellie and Hannah

(3) First day of Spring free ice!  (4) Cheesy roll-ups for the birthday girl

(5) Happy birthday to the EIGHT year old!  (6) Birthday surprise from her BFF  (7) Spring ball begins....  (8) Spring has sprung!

(9) Season pass preview night and our first stop was dinner  (10) Ready to shoot some plants... Or zombies...

(11) Midnight visitor for "guggles" and "cookie doughs"  (12) Dyeing Easter eggs

(1) Some"bunny" stopped at our house!  (2) Easter breakfast  (3) Breakfast before Carowinds

(4) Headed into the sky  (5) They were so excited to find out that Carowinds has a Panda Express  (6) Such a fun day

(7) Donuts for breakfast and custard for dessert!  (8) Fun day at the zoo with all these crazy kids!  (9) Perfect dinner after a long day at the zoo

trip to the nc zoo

We met our friends from Fort Bragg at the NC Zoo for a fun morning.

The highlight of the day for the little girls was painting with water.

What could be better than water, chalk and paintbrushes?

All of the kids!!

When we became friends (almost SIX years ago?!), Lexie was Ellie's age and Luke was just a baby!  They sure have grown (and new ones have been added)!!

Such silly kids!!  Ellie followed Juliana around and called her Hannah the whole time.  They're only four months apart but Juliana is much bigger than Ellie (much like Hannah would be if they were closer in age!).  After five hours exploring the zoo and a picnic lunch, it was time to say goodbye.

carowinds

Our first stop on the way to Carowinds was Dunkin Donuts for some breakfast.  We don't have donuts very often so when we do, the kids are super excited!

Little sweeties waiting while the big sweeties went on the Intimidator.

Carousel fun!  There aren't many rides that Ellie is tall enough to go on so we make sure to do the carousel at least once every time we go!

Fun on the balloon ride!

Ellie wanted to go on the airplane ride but I don't think she realized she would have to ride all by herself.  She was okay while Jacob strapped her in, but once he walked away, she was SCREAMING. Luckily, the ride started quickly and she was a happy camper again.

All of the boys braved the Windseeker and loved it-- Lexie was just a smidge too short!!

We went up the SkyTower this time and had a great view from above-- you can even see the Charlotte skyline!

Ride photos :)

happy easter!

We let Ellie dye Easter eggs with the big kids this year.  Putting the egg in a whisk worked great!

Easter egg girls :)

The big kids liked using the whisks, too!

On Easter morning, every one slept in and we made our way downstairs at about eight.  Jacob and I always go down first to get breakfast in the oven and the coffee going and that way, we can take pictures of all the kids coming down the stairs.

Easter basket fun!

The sunglasses and chocolate were the hit of Ellie's Easter basket!

The big kids let Ellie look for eggs by herself for the first few minutes and once she got the hang of it, they joined in.

So excited to find eggies!!!

Egg hunters :)

Once all of the eggs were found, Ellie tried taking them out of other people's baskets.

Little candy lover.

Sweet matching sisters.

lexie's 8th birthday

We celebrated Lexie's EIGHTH birthday a few weeks early so that Grandma could participate in the fun.  Lexie was so excited that we had a few flurries and she could say that it snowed "on" her birthday.  Jacob made tacos for dinner and we had the most amazing cake from Suarez Bakery for dessert.

Lexie opened her presents from Grandma and Grandpa and we saved the rest of her gifts to open on her real birthday.

Ben got her a surprise (lollipop) and said she could have it if she gave him a hug.

Happy birthday, Lexie!!

Cake deliciousness!!

The girls (me, Grandma, Lexie and Ellie) made a special trip to the mall so that Lexie could use her American Girl gift cards and we could spend the day shopping.  Since none of the Truly Me dolls looked like her, she decided to get the historical doll that looked the closest: Rebecca.

We celebrated Lexie's birthday again ON her actual birthday.

Make a wish, sweet girl!

hannah and auntie janne's trip!

I got the best surprise ever when my sister, Janne, and Hannah showed up all the way from Arizona to meet us for dinner at McAlister's (and hang out with us for a week)!  Apparently they, along with Grandma (who was already in town visiting) and Jacob, orchestrated this plan months ago-- and they were all able to keep the secret!!  The first thing the girls did when we got back to the house was change into matching jammies.

Ellie absolutely ADORES Hannah and follows her around like a second mother.  When they sit next to each other, Ellie tries to help hold Hannah up even though Hannah can easily do it on her own and is as big as Ellie (despite their 363 day age difference).

The littlest girls had so much fun playing football in the backyard.

Run, Hannah, Run!!!

Trying to get a good picture with such cooperation from these two proved difficult.

Ellie loves "her" Hannah

Fun in the backyard

Ellie is always on the go!

More matching jammies-- and cooperation (or lack thereof)!

We introduced Auntie Janne and Hannah to Viva Chicken and Publix!

On their last day in town, we drove down to South Carolina to see the Peachoid- a peach shaped water tower.

Silly girls at the Peachoid

Such a smiley girl :)

The little girls and Grandma

Before taking Grandma, Auntie Janne and Hannah to the airport, we went to Toast for breakfast and walked around the streets of Davidson.