Happy Easter

We had a really nice Easter, although we so missed being with Martin's family. We'll get to see them soon for Mat and Mary Claire's wedding, so we are looking forward to that (our first long road trip with the kids - wish us luck!!!). This Easter was the start of my reign as the Stewart/Brown family hostess for holiday celebrations. I learned a lot, including:

• it's not as hard to make a good pie crust from scratch as you would think
• it's much harder to get a cake to come cleanly out of a mold shaped like a lamb
• when making whip topping from heavy whipping cream, mixing it faster and longer doesn't make it lighter and creamier; it makes it butter
• shoving all the potato peels into the disposal at once = a late night shopping trip for Drano
• HEB is closed on Easter Sunday (which I think is great); Wal-Mart isn't 
• in spite of what Mom said, it is possible to make chocolate pie filling too thick

Even though we made four pie fillings and three cakes in order to serve a cake and two pies, I would say the meal was a success. We had: smoked turkey, black forest ham, broccoli, rice, cheese casserole, zucchini tomato casserole, corn casserole, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green beans, fruit salad, home-made rolls, chocolate cream pie, banana cream pie, and lamb cake. I think I gained at least three pounds...  :(

The Easter bunny brought baskets with little surprises for the kids. You can see below Kiley's reaction to getting her own pink brush (from the dollar store :). The big kids helped hide eggs, and then hunted them with Kiley and two of our good friends who came over and played for awhile while we cooked. Also, below is a picture of my beautiful girls taken at Sydney's recent poetry performance, and one of Jake and Kiley hunting eggs.

The sweetest thank you yet

Today kiley and I went to the park. Tonight while I was putting her down to bed, while she was hugging me and kissing me good night she said papa thank you for taking me to the park. She is sooooooo sweet.

Papa and the girls at the mall

We had a blast! We went to the jumpy tents, rode the train and the carousel, and at the end of the evening we got a picture to remember the good times. :)

Jumping jumping jumping jumping (to the tune of where is thumbkin)

On the Train

Round and round we goooo...

Syd and I mimicked what Kiley was doing. It was a fun photo shoot.

Hippity Hoppity

This is a craft that was intended for our Crowded House but it didn't quite take off. That didn't matter for Kiley. She wanted them for school on Monday (4/11/2011). The picture is a little blurry but I think you get the idea. :)

She absolutely loved them!

Little painter and her masterpiece

We try to visit the farmer's market for veggies and fruits each weekend. This is Kiley painting a tile at one of the craft booths set up for kiddos.

A pretty flower

Sydney's Poetry Reading

Sydney worked very hard on her poems over the past few weeks. This was her at her reading in class today and even though it's a little dark you can see her little sister eager to be just like her by sitting on the floor.

Wheee!!!!!

You know it's getting close to summer when....

Kiley and Papa playing with phones

Kiley and I were having a ball playing with phones. In between calls she got herself a little dizzy....

Kiley-speak

We're coming down the stairs in the morning and Kiley says to her puppy, "you are so stinkin' cute!"

Kiley was sings in her so cute little voice "Twinkle twinkle little star how I wonder what you are", puppy. "up above the world so high...."

"Mamaaaa/Papaaaa, wherrrrree arrrrre youuuuuu." We answer, "Kileeeeyyyy, werrrrrreee rightttttt herrrrrrre."

"I need snuggles.", in a sad pouty voice.

"Up the hill papa. Up the hill."

"Wanna go inside?" as she nods her head up and down and smiles. Usually this means she wants to go outside.

"...But the sun's not sleeping yet."

Kiley at the Kiddie Acres