Easter

We spent Easter Eve at the farm (my parents' house) playing games with family and friends.  Molly played the piano for the first time.  So cute.  She started out on her own and later joined her talented grandma.  Sunday was chilly, but Molly had fun meeting new friends at her Grandpa and Grandma's church.  Then, we pulled a surprise Easter lunch invasion.  My grandparents live about an hour and 20 minutes from my folks' house, and only a few of our large family were planning to spend the day at their house.  They thought we were going out for pizza.  We knew we had to surprise them or Grandma would try to cook something, and Grandpa would try to stop her. So, I prepared a salad, purchased a ham (that Aaron and Dad heated before/during church), and bought rolls.  Mom made a couple more salads and dessert.  We loaded up, drove to my grandparents, and walked in with Easter lunch.   Grandpa said a couple of times, "This sure beats pizza!"

Playing the piano with Grandma

Our newest favorite photo of Miss Molly (above)

Easter outfit with Easter bunny and shrieking with delight at Grandpa's dogs

Surprise Easter Lunch Invasion

4 Generations...a year later

April 2010

April 2011

Yo, Go Thunder!

I suppose it is okay to tell you all that some Thunder players bank with Bank of America.

And, I suppose it is okay to tell you that they bank at Aaron's banking center.

And, I suppose it is okay to tell you that Kendrick Perkins is one of them.

And, I suppose it is okay to post Aaron's picture with Kendrick.

Aaron was a bit embarrassed to ask him, but when you are from Colorado and the Thunder are playing the Nuggets in the playoffs and you've never been a Nuggets fan, you gotta do what you gotta do to torment the family in Colorado.  Plus Aaron has told me many times how genuinely kind Kendrick is so he was more than happy to pose with Aj.  He loves the Oklahoma fans (Aaron included).
FYI, Mr. Perkins says the Nuggets don't stand a chance.
It was fun to finally get a photo of Aaron with a celebrity.  He has worked with many especially when he was in Premier banking (which he isn't allowed to disclose any names...).

Spring Weekend Fun

God gave us a tremendous gift this past Saturday.  A warm, not hot/not cold, spring day with pretty much no wind.  The fact that it was a Saturday and Aaron could enjoy it was BIG!  We ended up in Brick Town walking along the canal.  It is amazing how much more I enjoy life in Oklahoma when there is no wind.

Sunday we went to my grandparents' house.  Molly (and Aaron) met another of her great-great aunts (Aunt Peggy from California and her husband, Ron) as well as Lucy, my mom's cousin, and we had an Easter egg hunt for the little kiddos.  Oh my.  I had no idea how much fun it would be as Molly's mommy!  It brought back tons of memories of Easter egg hunts from when I was little.

(She wasn't in the mood to pose with Turner and Kline.  It didn't help that when I tried to put her in Turner's lap that the whole bench about collapsed backwards.  All three of them weren't sure what to think, then.)

 I love the background of this one with all the adults watching.

 Grandma and her sisters

  Molly with Grandma's dolls - I think at least two of them belonged to my great-grandma.

Oh Glorious Day

The grave could conceal Him no longer!

Then He arose, over death He had conquered!

One day He's coming!

Oh glorious day!!!

Sweet Little Girl

 These were taken 4.5.11, and she already looks so different.  She now has the two middle teeth, and it has changed her smile.

Oh, how she loves Fletcher.  If she's upset (even if we aren't home), Aaron will ask, "Where's Fletcher?" or  tell her that we're on our way home to see Fletcher, and she will calm down.  Fletch is so good to her.

She's ONEderful!

4.6.11

I don't know how it happened, but April 6, 2011 came in the blink of an eye.

One year ago today, we found out that our little baby was a SHE.

One year ago today, God delivered a little girl into the world, and we have never been the same.

I've never seen so many miracles in one day as He performed the day of her birth.

Our hearts are forever changed, forever fuller, and forever happier.

The love she shows us brings us to tears.

Her laughter, her tears, her smiles, her sweet sounds, her breath, her playful personality, 

her joy, her curiosity...HER...She's amazing.

Her favorite place in the world is resting against my chest.  Maybe that is because every single beat of my heart is thanking God for her and telling her that I love her.  

She must know that.  She must hear it.

Happy Birthday, little Molly.

4.6.11

Rainbow Jubilee

We celebrated Molly's first year on Sunday.

Invitations:

Sweet gifts:

The Jubilee:

The birthday girl:

Her cake:

She might have gotten a taste of frosting...but our little

sweetie didn't dig into her little rainbow cake.

The big cake:

She has mastered the straw and will drink anything through it.

So at least she got a drink of her birthday punch.

The inspiration for the Rainbow Jubliee theme:

When my parents moved a couple of years ago, I snagged this from mom's stash of fabric that she was giving away. The selvedge said "1977" on it...the year I was born. So, even though my mom has no memory of purchasing it or for what it was originally intended, I turned it into a table decoration for the party and now it can be used as a baby blanket.

The backside has cute rainbow fabric, too.

Other Jubilee items to note: My left eye was oddly crazy-swollen until moments before the jubilee began...which meant no make-up for me. I made the cakes and the cake bunting topper, all the ceiling decorations, the heart rainbow blanket, used miscellaneous crystal pieces that were wedding gifts, inherited from our grandparents, or collected through the years, and my mom made the delicious punch. Molly's adorably precious outfit was from my mom and dad, and Molly received amazing gifts that she plays with constantly. My favorite thing she is doing now is carrying a gift bag and filling it with all the tea set pieces. Then she takes it everywhere she goes. I find saucers and cups and plates and lids everywhere...and I love it. The teapot made an appearance in all the family photos to help the birthday girl be still long enough for a photo.

We sure missed those of you who couldn't come!