Easter Activities

Zoe and Sophie started talking about Easter coming about two weeks before it arrived this year. Our neighbor Matthew putting out his blow up Easter Bunny helped the excitement, as well as reading and talking about it at home and at preschool. Every time we left the house Sophie would be extremely disappointed that the Easter Bunny was not up. On the rare occasion that we were leaving the house after dark and he was up she would get so excited.

It was fun watching them get excited about bunnies and eggs this year, but it is very important to us that they understand the real reason for Easter. Zoe surprised me one morning when we were talking about Easter and she (without prompt) told me ...
"Jesus was on the cross, then his friends put him in a cave, and then he came back to life and we celebrate him."

Zoe and Sophia were out from preschool on Good Friday. We spent part of the morning at the doctor with Sophie because she had an ear infection, and then spent the rest of the morning with our friends Tasha, Jaimin, and Serena decorating eggs. This was the first time all three of us had decorated eggs. Linda (John's mom) kept Katie at home so I could have some time with the two older girls. Zoe and Sophie had a good time and did a great job with their eggs. After their exhausting efforts to decorate eggs they children relaxed on the couch watching Hop.


On Easter after church John's mom and sister's family came over to celebrate with us. We had a fabulous dinner followed by a chocolate brownie Easter Bunny and eggs in a nest. We played some cards while the kids played and then had an Easter egg hunt in the back yard. We hid some of the eggs so well we couldn't remember where they all were. Marissa eventually found all of them. It was a great day with family relaxing and remembering the sacrifice Jesus made so that we can live.

To view all our Easter pictures click here. 

Zoe turns 4!

This year Zoe started talking about her birthday back in December when some of her friends where turning 4. Last year was fun because she started understanding her birthday, but this year was even better because she was able to help plan her birthday. She decided on a Tangled theme and picked the big Disney princess castle bounce house instead of the other choice of Toy Story. Daddy is coming around to the idea of Princess stuff around our house. She has started to get into dress up and reading stories about some of the Disney princesses in the last several months. 

She helped make her invite list this year which is why we had 13 children. She decided who from preschool and church she wanted to invite. She is very excited about her friends these days and unfortunately has started to distinguish between her friends and Sophie's friends.

The pinata was a big hit again. Zoe helped me stuff it full of candy and prizes a few days before the party and then made sure to tell me to put it up where Sophie can't get into it. She knows her sister well. By the time we got to presents she was a little overwhelmed I think. She had so much fun. After all her friends left she had fun playing with her older cousins on both sides of the family. She played the Wii with my brothers boys until bedtime and was sad she had to say goodbye and goodnight but took now time to fall asleep (in moms bed). Successful and fun day sums it up!

On her actual birthday she started out the day at preschool and taking cupcakes to share with her class. When I picked her up she was beaming and wanted me to notice her birthday crown her teacher had given her. She was so cute with it on. After nap she helped me decorate her cupcakes with family for dinner. Then we headed to Peter Piper Pizza to meet Papa, Nana, Mimi and grandma for dinner and a some games. 

Looking back over the last year I am in awe of how much she has not only physically grown but emotionally and intellectually grown. She can recognize hers and sisters names, recognize some other words, write her name and several other letters, recognizes all her letters and know the sounds, can count to at least 25 on her own, can express her feeling and starting to articulate some of her feelings, and has grown out of all her clothes. 

To view all the pictures of her birthday festivities click here.