Easter Sunday ~ 2009

This Easter was not much different than the previous few years, but we did enjoy it! We started our morning by giving the kids their baskets, which was a hit. We try not to go over-board on candy because we know they will get a ton from Mamaw's house. We bought Kallee some Polly Pocket type dolls, Keegan got some limited edition race cars and cologne he has been asking for and Talon got some new sun glasses. After we were done with the baskets, we ate breakfast and got ready for church. We had a very, full house at church and almost 60 kids in Jr. Church. I sure wish we had gotten 60 kids, then we could have turned Bro. Gene into a "human smore", YUMMY! We were a few short, so no human smore this time around, HA! After church we headed to Mamaw's house and had a great dinner with Jerry's Aunt Jackie and her family. The kids rushed us as fast as they could through dinner, so we could get to the annual Easter Egg Hunt. Once again, none of the 7 kids; Talon, Keegan, Kalllee, Courtney, Lane, Cameron and Karrisa, went home empty handed. After the hunt was over, they all set up their "stores" and the candy tradin' began. They are allowed to look up and down the table and can trade whatever they wish from their pile. This kind of started when Keegan would end up with a bunch of candy he couldn't eat, due to his peanut allergy and it has stuck. Aunt Elizabeth got in on the action this year and traded from her stash, HA! All in all, we had another beautiful Easter to celebrate our Savior's Resurrection! We were able to get our naps in and then my Dad/Papa stopped in for a few days to visit us.

Our Family!

Kallee & Keegan waiting to open their eyes for their Easter Basket surprise!

I found these cute little Disney Princess "Polly's" at Aldis, they are so cute!

I don't usually do a basket for Jerry, but this year I found several items that he would like so...

My kiddos: Talon, Keegan & Kallee
Kallee lookin' all pretty in her Easter outfit! This year I just "recycled" her dress, I had Mamaw make the blue bolero (thanks so Cindy for the FREE material and thread :), and then I went and bought the flower that is on the front of it, at Wal-Mart for $2.97 : ) She wore this dress for Christmas last year (witht the red velvet and white fur bolero Mamaw made) plus several other times. The hat was given to me with the dress, the gloves were from last year and the purse was one that I bought when I was prego with Talon, HA! I loved it so much, that I kept it until I got myself a girl to use it.

My handsome little Keegan
My handsome big Talon, he is almost as tall as me, ugh!

Gettin' ready to eat!

The cousins eating dinner together
Cousins: Karrisa, Kallee & Courtney
Kallee was the first kid out the door and she got the eggs in the front yard, all to herself : )

Daddy and Mamaw help Kallee find her eggs
Talon still not too old for candy, HA!
Come on Keeg, find those eggs : )
Lane gettin' as many as he can : )

The kids trying to find those last few eggs
Kallee all smiles after the Easter Egg Hunt was done
Kallee "selling" Aunt Bis-bis some of her candy
Our poor kids didn't hardly get any candy this year, HA! HA!

Papa with the kids on Sunday evening before heading to church

Lafayette's Passion Play - 2009

I decided again this year to take the boys, to the Passion Play in Lafayette, that is performed at The Long Center, by the First Baptist Church. They loved it so much last year, I thought it would be a great thing to take them to again. It was a very good performance, but it was different than last years. We did enjoy this one, but enjoyed last years play, much better. It was kind of hard for the boys to follow as it "took place" in 1947 and was about a man named Jed. He was a very successful business man and and was big in the world of politics, yet he performed every year in the local Passion Play. When his place in politics no longer needed him and with his company headed in the wrong direction financially, he needed help. His friend, which was also the "director" for this local Passion Play, told him he needed to turn his life over to Christ and Christ would take care of everything! Jed prayed and received Christ into his life and it totally transformed his life. The play would go back and forth from what Jed was going through in his life (during the "performance" he was in) to the actual performance itself. Anyways, it was good, but we enjoyed last years a lot more! --After the play we headed for ice cream and made a stop at Wal-Mart. It was a great way to end our evening : ) Thanks boys for going on a date with your old Ma tonight, HA!

The Triumphal Entry

Jesus talking to the little children

The Miracles of Jesus; touching the blind and healing the sick

The Last Supper
The Crucifixion

The Resurrection

Annual Easter Egg Coloring @ Mamaw's - 2009

Every year Mamaw (Betty) has the kids over to color Easter eggs. This is an exciting event for the kids, no matter how old some of them are getting to be : ) Today after our Good Friday service, we headed to Mamaw's house for some lunch and then we got started on coloring eggs. Thanks Mamaw for making this such a special event for our kids every year, we/they really appreciate it!

Preparing the colors

Kallee was very proud of her first egg that she colored

Lane coloring eggs

Courtney coloring her eggs

Keegan showing off his eggs

Talon creating a magnificent egg, LOL

Mamaw helping the kids

Sunday Dinner Desserts 4/5

Pepsi-Cola Cake

Bring to Boil:

2 sticks Margarine

1 cup Pepsi (or) Coke (I have tried Diet/Caffeine Free and it works)

3 tsp. Cocoa

Mix Together:

2 cups Flour

2 cups Sugar

2 Eggs

1 tsp. Baking Soda

1 tsp. Vanilla

1/2 tsp. Salt

1/2 cup Buttermilk (or) Sour Cream

*Pour boiled mixture over these mixed ingredients and mix well.

Bake:

For 35-40 minutes @ 350 degrees or until cake is set.

Frosting:

3 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar

1 stick Margarine, melted
6 tsp. Pepsi (or) Coke

3 tsp. Cocoa

1 cup Chopped Nuts, optional

1 tsp. Vanilla

*Bring to a boil and pour over warm cake.

NOTE: This is NOT a fat-free cake by any means, but it is SOOO yummy! I received it from a former pastor's wife, Sis. Melody Williams, when I was a a kid. It tastes a lot like Cracker Barrel's "Coca-Cola Cake". Enjoy!

Pray for Our Friends -- The Gurnee's

We have just learned a short while ago, our friends from PA have lost a family member. Jerry first met Byron and Julie on "myholiness" and then we later met them in person a few years ago at the Marriage Matters Retreat in OH. As soon as we met them in person, we hit it off! They are some great friends who love their family, their friends and their church people! Julie's brother-in-law, Stephen Mayhle, was one of the 3 officers killed this morning in the "Pittsburg Stand-off"! I don't want to go into any more details, but I know Shandra, Stephen's wife, needs all of us to pray for her and their 2 small daughters! Please take a moment to pray for them, as they will need God's comfort during this time and the hard days ahead.

Tree Trimmin'

Yesterday morning we woke up to some loud trucks running out front of our house. This isn't anything unusual at our place, since we have tractors and semis going in and out the drive all day long, but...Usually the sound occurs for a few minutes and then they are in the drive or down the road. I waited a minute before jumping out of bed to see why the loud trucks weren't moving on and, we found there were 3 large tree trimmin' trucks and a small truck all parked out front. I have noticed for several weeks they have been here and there all along my way when I headed into town, but didn't think anything about it. Evidently our higher limbs were interfering with the power lines and they decided to trim them back. If they truly were in the way all winter long, now I know the reason for us loosing our power several times a month during this winter, ugh! Anyways, Kallee and I enjoyed watching them from our bedroom window trim back the branches. It was neat to see them in action, they did a great job!