Easter 2015

Friday we spent the day together as a family.  Jared and I woke up early and drank coffee together while the rain pounded the window panes and plalyed Splendor (a newly purchased game).  I made creamed eggs (saving some eggs for dying), blueberry cream cheese danishes, and empty tombs for breakfast.  We played more games of Splendor (in my family growing up, it didn't feel like a holiday unless there were games played) after I put Lila down for her nap.  When she refused to sleep, I heated up some leftover pizza for a quick lunch, and we headed to Cooks Creek Park to swing, slide, and feed the ducks.  The forecast didn't look good, but we decided to chance it anyhow.

When we got home, Lila took a long nap and it worked out in our favor.  She was decently behaved that evening when we went to church for the Good Friday service.

Saturday morning we returned to church for an egg hunt!  It happened so fast, I didn't get a good picture.  Lila had a very hard time putting the eggs and candy in the basket and going for more.  She wanted to eat it immediately :).  At one point, she saw a Reese's cup, said "chocolate!" and put the twizzler and smarties back down on the floor to free her hands up for chocolate!  She knows what is good!
We were fortunate to discover another egg on Sunday morning that had been missed.  Lila was thrilled!!

Making new friends and enjoying a snack while guarding and admiring the precious baskets.
Apparently, the bigger the basket, the more candy you end up with :).  

Borrowed bunny ears

  

These are the empty tombs that we made.  We filled crescent roll dough with marshmallows (Jesus) rolled in butter and cinnamon sugar.  After baking, Jesus disappears.  He's Alive!!  Lila seemed to understand somewhat :).  I think this will become a tradition.  A tasty lesson.

Saturday afternoon egg dying.  She wanted to wear her bowtie "like Papa."  

We dyed a total of 5 eggs with food coloring, boiling water, vinegar and crayons.  It seemed that the water was too hot, and actually melted the crayon.  I probably won't buy another egg dye kit.  Love how brilliant the colors came out!  Here Lila is pointing to her favorite egg.

My mom's family got together Saturday evening for a potluck supper and games in the gym.  Lila had a wonderful time getting to know Mama's cousins kids.  I wish I would've taken a picture of her with 2nd cousin, Emily.  They played together and Lila kept saying "goodbye Emily" long after Emily was gone.  I love how she is learning to enjoy other children!  

Christ is Risen!  Christ is Risen Indeed!
We talked about this on the way to church.  She got pretty good at making the response and remembering the indeed.
This was one of the most perfectly timed sunrise services I have experienced!  It was gorgeous.  And the moon that we admired on the way to church was lovely too.  What an amazing creator and savior we serve!

She decided that the blue one was her favorite egg.  She hated to put it down to find the others :).

Waiting for Papa to hide the eggs, learning to pronounce forsythia.

That's a hidey egg!

A sweet Easter gift from her Sunday School teacher.

This egg was my and Jared's favorite :).  The white is from rubber bands.  All of the eggs look like this (or worse).  I did let her dissect one in the yard after we finished finding them numerous times.

Baby Love is a new store in the mall that we visited recently.  They have a preschool lesson time, and this split pea chick and the clothespin egg and chick were two of the activities that morning.  I made the egg carton flower lights with melted crayons during naptime last week.

Flowers from the sunrise service breakfast

I believe I mentioned in my last post that one of Lila's favorite songs right now is "Holy, Holy, Holy"
She exclaims often these days, "God Almighty!"  from the song.
Today I heard her singing, and when I focused on the words, I heard her sing "blessed Trinity", which are the last two words of the first verse.  It is amazing what she picks up without being taught!

We also learned that Lila will eat all of her food, if she has an incentive (chocolate or popsicles).

Going on a special trip

We're going on a special trip, special trip, special trip
We're going to Lynchburg on our special trip
We're going to listen to the orchestra, orchestra, orchestra
We're going to listen to the orchestra on our special trip
We're going with Evie, Ceci and Ada
We're going on a special trip with Evie, Ceci and Ada

(sung to the tune of Going around the Mulberry Bush)

You wouldn't know from the pictures that I took that...
 A. we were in Lynchburg at a school
B. that we went with 3 awesome violinists who placed well in Junior Regional Orchestra
C. that it was an orchestra event

My pictures are not a good representation at all.  But here they are all the same.  Jared took some nice pictures of the girls with Lila and hopefully some with instruments on his phone that perhaps he can add later :).  We had a great trip.  We were thrilled that another local orchestra teacher was there with his wife and 14 month old son.  Lila and Cedric enjoyed getting to know one another.  The event lasted from noon Friday-4pm Saturday.  Most of that time we were at the school listening to the orchestras practice, running around hallways, slamming lockers, eating meals, climbing steps and risers, opening and closing seats, etc... We stayed at a lovely Hampton Inn and got to spend time at the pool and got some halfway decent naps in.

One of Lila's favorite things about the pool room, was yelling "I'm naked!!" And listen to the sound of it filling the room :).
She also loved the splashing and kicking her feet to swim.

cuties

Making new friends - Julieanne and Cedric Ross

I love you!

Those words came out of Lila's mouth unprompted yesterday, and were followed by a hug!  Wow.

It was a momentous Sunday for Lila.

After church, we were talking to some nice ladies.  One of them told Lila to be good for mama this week.  Lila responds, "listen to Mama!"  I was thrilled that she knew what the kind woman was talking about -- she has an idea about what it means to be good :).

She was prolonging the singing part of devotions to delay going to bed.  While praying, she said, "sing another song."  We gave in.  Which song would you like to sing?  "How bout"...pause to think..."Star of Bethlehem?"  Jared and I were blown away.  She is not familiar with this song.  We had sung it just after reading the Bible story about the wisemen following the star, but she was flipping through the Bible and we didn't really think she was listening!

When I went to take her to the potty one last time before bed, I was amazed to discover that the diaper was dry!  And she had gone on the potty each time I had given her the opportunity to throughout the day.  Time to purchase those 18 month training pants and undies!!

In the mood, I guess

Time passes by.  My last post was over a year ago.  So much for capturing all of Lila's first year on a blog :). She can tell you now that she is one and a half!  And she talks all the time.  Her imagination is taking off.  Today she pretended to eat rice from the Amelia Bedelia book and said, "oh, don't eat Amelia Bedelia!" 

Current Favorite books

Chrysanthemum

First 100 Animals

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Trains

Amelia Bedelia

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

I know my Shapes

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish

Poke-a-dot books

Jesus Storybook Bible

Foods 

(she tries everything, but eats small portions - these are the foods she thinks to request)

fruit snacks

melon

blueberries

pasta

cake

chips

peanut butter

eggs

meat

Activities

Feeding bread to the ducks/swans/geese

reading books

spending time outside

blowing bubbles

coloring in the coloring book

running on ramps

climbing chairs/stairs

going to Grandmom and Grandaddy's

bubble baths

dancing to music

watching Masha and the Bear

washing things with a rag

playing with baby

Playing piano with cousin Annaliese

Several of my family got together at Ihop for breakfast while Candice was in town.  I love this of mom and Leem.

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Valentine's Day

Lila's first sled ride.
We had her propped up in the sled with toys so that we could shovel the lane together :).

Grandma's valentine came in the mail!

Papa's favorite pie

snow angel!

shrimp supper

festive leggings

Five Months

Lila meets some of Mama's childhood friends (L to R, Jordan, Angela, Sydney)

Sitting with support from the Bumbo while Mama puts a puzzle together on a snow day.

Sunday afternoon cuteness

crooked smile

At Red Lobster celebrating Mama's 29th birthday!

Sitting up at the table in the highchair from Grandmom and Granddaddy.  She makes eating sounds with her mouth and looks forward to her first bite of real food -- Mama's waiting to feed me at 6 months.

Watching and listening to Papa sing at church.

Grandmom, Aunt Anita, Atticus and Ada come from breakfast.  Watch out, Lila!

I love this little sweatshirt on Lila!  We spend a lot of time in sweatshirts this winter!  It's been a cold, snowy one!

This is Lila and her friend Lincoln at church, waiting in line at a fellowship meal.