4 Sets of Guests and One Here Now!

We've had a busy couple of weeks with four different sets of company and another one here now! It's been great for us to have the extra company and love for Hannah and the extra naps ;)

Our very good friends Jim and Diane from Germany!

We miss them dearly already!

Grandpa & Grandma (hub's side) to celebrate the plethora of April birthdays...

Hannah's bday cake-

Blowing out the candles-

Banana cake with cream cheese frosting-same as last year...

Princess hat from cousin Mr. Intensity

Family photo which we don't take often enough-

Grandpa and Grandma

Flying so fast in her princess outfit that has wings!

My parents and sister came next... wish this photo has turned out more clear. It would have been a great one!

One night at church after her milkshake spilled all over her, through the carseat, and down into the seat of the car.... She's happy though. Naked is best for her ;)

Her first caterpillar that, I am sad to say, didn't make it after she was done with him-

OMA!

ELMO!

I think this picture is so funny because of our expressions. We were on our way to the Aquarium for sisters bday.

The fish!

A fabulous picture of an octopus courtesy of my Dad.

Papaw!

Next, was hubs twin bro, wife, and baby boy.

Swinging at the park.

So fun.

No, my husband did not grow a beard. This is his other, other half.

Out to eat...

Cheese!

For their (the twin's) birthday, they attended the ATL tea party and stood right next to Hannity while he did his show. ATL is the CNN capital OF THE WORLD and even though there were 15,000 people there (which they falsely reported numbers the next day), they didn't bother to even show up. Boo on CNN.

At the zoo with the gorillas!

Last photo together before they left.

Grandpa & Grandma are back now through the weekend... Yay!

Where Did The Time Go, Mamma?

This morning at breakfast, out of nowhere, Hannah came around the corner and said, "Where'd time go Mamma?" After trying to decipher if she was saying "tiger", "tie", or "time" she insisted upon "time" and said again, "Where'd time go Mamma?"

"I don't know Hannah! You're so big now. I don't know where it went!"

She said, "Yeah, I know! Go find it!"

Where did that come from? Where did she even hear talk about time like that? So funny.

Hot Cross Buns and Easter Cookies

Here is a recipe for Hot Cross Buns (here is a how to video) and Resurrection Easter Cookies (along with a Bible lesson) if you feel so inclined to be festive for celebrating Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday.

Hot Cross Buns have a tradition of being eaten on Good Friday (today) because of the cross which symbolizes the crucifixion of Jesus. The buns themselves may have been around since the Greco-Roman days, but the actual name associated with Good Friday didn't come around until about 1733.

The Easter Cookies are fun because when you break them open, they are hollow inside symbolizing the empty tomb. It's a great visual for kids to see that Jesus is not still dead but has come back to life and is living with the Father now. May we know God's love for us as we reflect this weekend on Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection!

My Favorite Pics Over This Past Year

I started this post about a week ago and never finished the uploads! I was reminiscing before her birthday and picked out my favorite pictures of Hannah this past year. Enjoy!

**Click on any image to see it enlarged.

She loves my high heels.

Oh, the joys and freedom of America!

Kisses to Aunt Ash.

Mrs. Stacy took this for us.

Helping us rake the leaves...

Sad day. She had to go to the ER over Christmas because she was super duper sick.

She loves sunglasses...

Just getting her reading time in...

"I'm a big sister!"

Daddy holding her like a baby at her request.

On her 1st birthday before her party.

Enjoying fun at LeAndra's house.

Her first tea party.

A stroll with Daddy.

On the catwalk...

In Rome...

Gotta have a belly button.

Princess with earplugs and a face mask on to sleep.

Sunblock. Hahah!

Hannah is 2!

Hannah turned 2 on Wednesday. Oh, how I wished I had it together to celebrate like we did last year! As a mom, I have felt so horribe that nothing was planned and things have been even late and worse (or good however you look at it) she has no idea which means I get away with it! I didn't even wrap her presents until today (a day after her birthday) nor did I take ONE picture of her opening them! And, we aren't making a cake until Saturday. To make me feel a little less terrible, I did feel really horrible at the start of the week and we wanted to wait to really celebrate when Grandma and Grandpa arrived which was today. To be honest, I haven't had the energy to do much of anything at all.

But, God probably showed me most just how much He loves Hannah by providing in my slack. She had a great-action packed day without any prior planning at all.

Over breakfast, I asked hubs what I thought we should do that day. He said go to the Aquarium. I agreed. I didn't know if I was going to make it. If I had been any more greasy and had to take a shower (which drains me of energy) I wouldn't have gone. But we made it (we have season passes) and stayed until after lunch. I thought it was cute that these two were interacting together.

When we got home, Hannah wanted to swing. About an hour later, 2 packages from Oma and Papaw arrived... WRAPPED. She got to open gifts. God's provision for us through them! Thank you Oma and Papaw!

One of the gifts included this costume ;)

After that, a friend from our Sunday school class brought a meal to us and said she had a couple extra hours to spare that I could put her to work doing anything I needed done. I wanted to cry and asked her to play with Hannah. She has desperately needed the extra TLC and it was so special that it was on her birthday. I was SO EMBARRASSED for her to see my house in the way it was when she came over (for the first time) and used the spare time to clean what I could to make room for Grandma and Grandpa to come today. It literally looked like a bomb had gone off. Had she not been so gracious, she might have turned around and left!

After a very quick supper, great-husband-of-mine took Hannah to church with him so she could play with the "boys and girls" as she reefers to them. Then, he drove back home, dropped her off, and drove back to church for band practice. She was pooped from the day and went right to sleep. I spent the hour to myself eating supper and watching the latest episode of 24. Then, I conked out right after I put Hannah down since I didn't get a nap that day and hubs doesn't get home until late.

Grandma and Grandpa are here now giving so much love throughout the weekend for which I am so grateful!

I felt really humbled that God loves us so much to provide and cover even the smallest details. Plus, I know he was celebrating and rejoicing over His very own creation too!

Happy be-lated Birthday, Hannah GEM!

Your, Mom, a sinner saved and covered by grace :)