Fancy Ally

I started packing for Hawaii today and Ally found my sun hat and wore it most of the afternoon. I never really envisioned myself as a hat lover but the sunspots on my face would scream out in complete defiance if I were as fancy free as I once was. The fact that I used to lay out with baby oil and iodine doesn't really help matters much either. Seriously, what in the world was I thinking??? The amount of sun I used to get should somehow be illegal! I baked myself to a crisp so many times that it's just sick. Anyway, my poor kids get slathered down with SPF 50 if there's even a chance we'll be outside very long. Hopefully Ally will just wear a sun hat for fashion and not necessity.

Please start your prayers for our safety, my flight anxiety, and the overall well-being of Ryan and Ally. They are soooo excited to get to spend time with their grandparents that it makes it a lot easier to leave them for 7 whole days. Mark and I will miss them terribly!!!!

Spring Field Trip

Awww I just love bluebonnets! At least I got Ryan's picture taken with them this year. It was not for lack of trying to get miss priss' photo. Let's just say they were not her favorite thing.

I really enjoyed Ryan's field trip to the Carleen Bright Arboretum. Mark and I had our wedding reception there almost 10 years ago, so it brings back very fond memories. Each time I visit I cannot believe how my life has changed for the better since I was 23:-). On this particular visit, Ryan's class had to locate several items on the grounds and then circle that item on their sheet. It was really fun, we even walked the nature trail. I'm not sure what this face was about but here's the worksheet.

Ryan's class minus Katie, Clara and Sarah

This year has flown by! I cannot begin to thank his sweet teacher, Lynn Dunlap, enough for such a fantastic year.

Mark's Fake Bday!

Happy Birthday to You, Happy Birthday to you. Happy Birthday Dear Mark , Happy Birthday to you!

We celebrated Mark's fake birthday while the whole family was in town for Easter. We wanted to have a early party with all the kids and it was really fun. The birthday hats were a huge hit:-). Sweet Ally loves a party, just like her momma!

Ryan chose to wear his hat a little differently than the rest of us. I'm sure that doesn't really shock you by now!

My mouth is watering just looking at this delicious cookie cake. I'm so glad we have this picture to document the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Candle that my mother has had for at least 15 years! Classic Honey.

So maybe a bun and a birthday hat wasn't the greatest plan. Oh well.

Wyatt

Stacey

We got a real treat later that night. We had a night out at One-Thirty-Five Prime. It was Josh's actual birthday so GP treated all of us to a birthday dinner. Thanks so much dad!

We will be celebrating Mark's actual birthday (April 30th) in MAUI, HAWAII!!! Can you tell I'm excited! We leave this Saturday for a fun filled week of relaxing of the beach. The kids are staying here with my parents and Mark's parents. It is such a blessing for us to know that our kids will be having a blast with their grandparents while we are away.

Trampoline Time

So F-U-N!!! Thank you Honey and GP for the new Trampoline Mat! I have very fond memories of this trampoline growing up and it is so great that our kids get to enjoy it too.

Wyatt's 2!

My sweet little Wyatt turned 2 last Sunday and we got to have his birthday party right here in Waco, which was pretty awesome! My sister Caryn did a fantastic job with his "peeps" party. Please go visit her blog for some really great pics. Here's the whole Purdy fam (minus Josh) enjoying the fun! Note the GIANT Bunny. It started to deflate soon after this picture so the kids decided it would make the perfect punching bag. Pretty funny seeing all the kids in their cute spring clothes hitting the tar out of this huge bunny!

Happy Birthday Wyatt!

The grown up food. If you have not tried Secret Chef's Chicken Salad you are missing out. It is soooo yummy!

The kid's lunches

Ally hunting some serious eggs. She had so much fun:-).

Honey and Ally

GP and Lila

A group shot on the new trampoline

Ryan's eggs. There was no limit this time and he cleaned house!

AnnMarie was super excited that there was candy in those eggs.

Peep cupcakes for Wyatt and all his "peeps"

The sisters again:-). It was a really fun day!

Preschool Party

We have had such a fun year of preschool parties. One or two moms are in charge of each party and then everyone is assigned an item to bring. It is a really smooth system and the students LOVE every minute of it. Ryan was very adventurous at this party. He tried a Jell-o jiggler and guess what...he liked it.:) He is an extremely picky eater and we are constantly urging him to try new foods. I told his teacher, Mrs. Dunlap, that I would be calling her around dinnertime so that she could stop by and gently encourage our son to try something new!

An egg hunt with five year-olds is quite different than a 2 year-old hunt. They had found all of their numbered eggs in about 2 minutes. It was a mad dash, but everyone got 12 eggs. I just love a fair hunt.

Ryan can spot an Easter egg from a mile away!

So Fun! I am so thankful that I got to spend some time with my favorite little guy.

Easter

I sure hope you all had a wonderful Easter. We had such a wonderful week celebrating with our family. I look forward to Easter ever year and this year was no exception. I love the spring colors, parties, and Easter baskets but most importantly I love remembering the cross and resurrection. It is hard to even imagine the sacrifice that Jesus made for us. I always tear up just thinking about the physical pain and mental anguish he endured. I am then filled with joy that he conquered death. Can I get a Hallelujah?!!!! There is nothing more significant. He rose again so that I might have life. He knows my name and the number of hairs on my head. Awesome.

This week we were busy. We had an egg hunt at school, celebrated my nephew's Wyatt's 2nd birthday, celebrated Uncle Josh's real birthday and Mark's fake birthday, jumped on GP and Honey's new trampoline, and honored Easter...whew! All of these events deserve their own post and will get one :-). I just decided to post pictures from Easter first and then backtrack. Here are some pictures from yesterday.

Some Easter basket fun at Honey and GP's

The Wood fam

The cutest coordinating cousins ever!

Take 2

Sisters. I LOVE my sisters:).

We had many conversations with Ryan about the meaning of Easter and why it is so important. His questions are so innocent and thought provoking and he is really starting to get it. However, it is possible that we had one too many conversations about Easter...
Me: "What is Easter?"
Ryan: "Jesus dying on the cross." "I mean the day that he came back to life."
Me: "Why is that important?"
Ryan: "He went to heaven so that we can be alive with God."
Me: "How can we be alive with God?"
Ryan: "When we die in heaven."
Me: "Anyone can go to heaven"
Ryan: (Annoyed) Mom!!! you already know that's not right! You have to believe in Jesus first!

Gotta Love my boy:)!

What a beautiful day

I just LOVE this spring weather. We had such a fun day today playing with our cousins and our sweet friends. Caryn and Kacey are both in town for the next few days, and I couldn't be happier. I just adore them and their precious children and it's really nice to hang out with no agenda. Here's a picture of the tough guys (Ryan, Stacey, Landry and Charley).

Lila Lou got some lovin' from Ollie the Octopus. This really brought back memories of baby Ryan and baby Ally playing with this treasured toy. It honestly seems like yesterday!

Aunt Cary having a little tea party with Wyatt and Ally. Note the gorgeous yellow bow placed in her hair. (She really likes to dress the part).

Whose kids are those climbing on the window seal? Oh yeah they're mine. Ryan would have never ever gotten away with this as an only child.

I just have to tell you a little story about my Ally. We went to Rosa's tonight for dinner and in the middle of eating fajitas this precious girl leaned over and gave me a huge hug. She had an enormous mouth full of tortilla, and I could tell she was trying to tell me something as she was hugging me. I couldn't hear her clearly at first, so I asked her repeat herself. I smiled the biggest smile when I heard what she said. She leaned in again and said, "You're my best friend":-)!!!! I mean it honestly does not get any more beautiful than that. I have no idea where she heard that phrase but I am so glad that today I am her best friend. Ally sometimes you make me want to shout with J-O-Y!

Let's Go Tigers!

Meet the Tigers. We have 9 players on our tball team and they have been learning a LOT from former college players Coach Weaver and Coach Wood:-). It is really fun to watch how improved Ryan is this year. (Can anyone see the tallest player on the team?)

Check out that swing!

Of course his biggest fan made a brief appearance. She is far too busy to actually stop and watch any of practice!

Who's that precious bunny? It's sweet Brinley. Her little smile just melts my heart.

Here's Jennifer, Jake and Baby girl Weaver (due July 5th). We are VERY excited about this little one's arrival.

Ryan had a big fan club for practice. Grandpa, Aunt Kacey, Lila and GP also came to watch. We are just having the best time hanging out with them this week.

Ry-Ry we love watching you out on the field and we can't wait for the games to begin. Let's Play Ball!