Easter Sunday-2014

We woke up the next morning and found that the Easter Bunny had left Eli some yummy treats while we were sleeping. Eli was most excited about the five jellybean and money filled golden eggs and the newest Pete the Cat book. He told me he wanted the book when his school had their book fair and me being the bad mom forgot to send money for him to get it. Luckily, the Easter Bunny knew he wanted it and left it for him ;) Whew! The Easter Bunny also brought him a new toothbrush, flossers, body wash, a chocolate bunny, and lots of candy. Eli was very happy :) 

After a yummy breakfast of cinnamon rolls shaped like bunnies, we all got ready for church. Eli has been coming to big church with us for about a month now and I'm very proud of how well he behaves there. The first couple of times was a real test in patience for us, but we persisted and now Eli does great. I love that we can worship as a family now :) I also love that it prompts conversations for us to have about the Bible and about Jesus. Eli is so full of questions right now, so I loved that I was able to explain what was going on in the Easter drama our choir presented. Eli was also able to follow the Easter story along in his Bible. 

When we got home for church, Josh and Eli knew that I was going to want the obligatory Easter picture of us in our pretty clothes. Lucky for me, they also both knew to suck it up and just do it right so it could be over quickly :) I was so happy with our pictures. I love both of my boys so much! I also have to say "Thank You" to Josh's Aunt Lisa. She mailed Eli this shirt and it worked perfectly with the color scheme I envisioned for our Easter clothes. Thanks!

When pictures were over, we headed to Josh's Mamaw's house for Easter lunch. We had ham, potato salad, sweet potatoes, beans, and so much more. The food was all so delicious! After our bellies were full, Eli and Addi were ready to go hunt Easter Eggs. Jordan and I went to hide them and then these two cuties were more than ready to find them. 

GraceAnn wasn't able to find any eggs this year, but she will be ready next year for sure!

It was so nice to spend time with family outside in the beautiful weather. It was such a perfect day!

We had such a fabulous Easter and the rest of the week was going to be even better because it was finally time for my SPRING BREAK! Hip, hip, hooray!!!

Dyeing Easter Eggs-2014

As soon as I got back from The Color Run and I had de-colored myself (haha), it was time to slip into Easter mode. We were going to be with Josh's family this year, so the next day we were all going to get together at his Mamaw's house for Easter lunch. I quickly cooked my two food contributions to the lunch...The Pioneer Woman's "The Best Chocolate Sheet Cake" and her "Perfect Potato Salad". You really need to click on those links and make those recipes the first chance you get..especially that cake! It's one of my top 3 favorite cakes and I don't even like cake! 

While those two things were cooking, I quickly boiled a dozen eggs. When they had cooled down, it was time to start the dyeing process :) Eli couldn't wait!

Josh's mom, Sue, happened to come over while we were getting everything ready and when I looked up to take a picture of them Sue and Eli already had their hands like this. I made Josh put his up too and then my picture was complete...so glad they put up with me and my obsessive picture taking. 

Eli had such a fun time dyeing Easter eggs and before we knew it, they were all colored and ready for  the next day. Josh was already dreaming of the deviled eggs he was going to be able to make with all these dyed Easter eggs!

Once the eggs were complete, Eli got ready for bed and then we finished up the last of the eggs in his pack of Resurrection Eggs. We started on Palm Sunday and did one or two eggs every night. This has been one of our traditions now for three years and it's one of my favorite things we do. I love that it really drives home the truth of Easter and how we celebrate Jesus rising from the dead all the while doing it on a kid's level. At the end, Eli was able to retell the story in his own words and it was so special to hear :) I love that it's helping to build such a strong foundation for him. After we finished the eggs and read the Bible, it was prayers and then lights out. We were going to have a big day celebrating Jesus' resurrection on Sunday and we couldn't wait! 

The Color Run-2014

Saturday morning I woke up bright and early so that I could meet a group of my friends to go run The Color Run. I had been wanting to do the Color Run for about a year, so I was so happy to finally be doing it! We were all coming from different directions, but we made plans to meet up so we could be together during the run and also so everyone could get their gear I had picked up for them. This was a picture I took Friday night before the run. All this color made me feel very happy about my upcoming run! 

We all made it to the meeting spot, put on our matching shirts, donned our Color Run headbands and sunglasses, and put our Color Run tattoos on each other. We were ready to go! We walked to the starting gate and took some pictures while we waited until it was our turn to start. 

This was the rainbow you ran through at the end of the race. 

While we were waiting, I found these nifty little photo tubes where you could stick your face in one end and a friend went to the other end to take the picture. The result ended up looking like you were in a kaleidoscope. Pretty cool effect :)

Me :)

My friend, Josh

We took a few "before" pictures so we could compare them to our "after" pictures at the end. We knew we were going to get very messy! 

The girls before the race.

Kaci, me, Angela, Diane, and Brandi

Me and Diane

Getting closer to the starting line! 

There were so many people participating in the Color Run that they had to do a wave start. They would let so many people go at one time and then they'd wait about 5 minutes or so and let another group go. Once it was our turn, we all took off! Now the Color Run is advertised as a "fun run", meaning you're not timed, and you don't get a medal. In fact, most of the people that do the Color Run walk or walk/run. They tell you it's a 5K, but it's only about 2.7 miles in all. Also, there are TONS of families that participate. I loved seeing all the kids running with the moms and dads. It really is such a fun event for the whole family. I'm actually thinking about taking Eli next year in fact Well, apparently only a few of us in my group knew it was a fun run. Haha! After the first color station, I lost most of my friends. Apparently, they thought there was a prize at the end or something and they took off at top speed...pretty much sprinting! Well, I don't sprint. I mean, I do, but not for a fun run :) I kept chugging along at my go-to speed, which is usually around a 10:00-10:30 min/per mile and stopped to take pictures at some of the Color Stations. Around the pink station, I ran into Angela again and we ran the rest of the way together. We met up with everyone who finished ahead of us at the finish and then waited for the rest of our group to cross the finish line. It was fun, but I didn't get nearly as much color as I had expected to at the color stations. At some of the color stations, you had to wait in line for someone to dump color on you. I didn't really feel like standing around and waiting for someone to dump something on me, so most of the time I just ran through the middle and as a result didn't get much color. That all changed though at the after party, which was, in my opinion, the most fun part of the entire race! 

This was us right after we crossed the finish. See? Not much color on me or Angela..yet!

Once you cross the finish line, volunteers hand you water, a BeKind granola bar (those things are SO GOOD!) and color packets. They have a huge concert for all the runners who have finished the race. About every 10 minutes, they have a huge color release party. They do this big countdown and then everyone at the same time opens their color packet and releases it into the air all over everyone. It's wild, it's crazy, and it's so much fun! Our group participated in two of these color releases and we all got covered! It was definitely the best part of the entire event to me. 

Look at how much fun this is!!

Now THIS is how you should look after participating at the Color Run!

The girls after The Color Run :)

Our entire running group. 

We had a blast together...even if over half of these crazy nuts 

ran like they were in contention for a gold medal :)

We all came home exhausted and very dirty. It took me about 45 minutes to scrub all the color off my body, but I finally looked normal again. Once I washed all my Color Run gear with the Shout Color Catchers they so strategically placed in our running gear packs, I let Eli borrow my headband. He might be running with me next time, so it's time he start training :) Here's hoping my 10:00 min. per mile pace won't be too slow for him :)

Dyeing Easter Eggs with Grammy and Pop

After the mall, Tinsley had to go home to take a nap. I had some errands I needed to run while we were in town, so I knew Eli would probably nap in the car. We agreed to all meet back at mom and dad's house to eat supper and dye Easter eggs. 

Once everyone got to their house, my dad started grilling and we went outside with the kids to play and run in the yard. Tinsley LOVES to swing, so we started there. 

After a yummy supper of grilled chicken, steak, baked beans, and more, it was time to dye Easter eggs. Tinsley and Eli were ready!

The whole gang :)

Our beautiful eggs created with love by Eli and Tinsley.

Tinsley got to spend the night with us, so after Josh and Andrea left, we put the two kiddos in the tub to splash around. They had a blast! 

They started dumping water on each other's heads and they both kept giggling hysterically!

After their baths, we had to dry Tinsley's hair and brush teeth. Then it was lights out for both of them and for us, too! I had to get up early the next morning for The Color Run. It had been such a fun day and now it was time to get some shut eye!