Easter Passover.

We started our Easter weekend out nice and boring with some hula hooping. Doesn't everyone do this?! Here's Dutch giving it a go:

I have to give the win to Leah. She's excels at both dancing and hula hooping in this family.

 

This picture makes me laugh. Meet, my husband, who could only hoop if he fist-pumped the air or stuck them out in front of him, bent, resembling a dinosaur.

Deanie tried her best, but couldn't quite keep it up. She got an A for effort.

I couldn't do it either. No hips to keep it up? Beats me. I tried many many times.

Cutest hula hooper award goes to this blondie.

Once Eli tried out his new golf set, the boys had to show off their skills too.

Eli would much rather push the wagon himself these days than ride inside of it.

Saturday morning, we had our annual egg hunt at my best friend Corinne's house.



Christa's precious girl, Adriana.

Eli and Aiden are forced to be best friends for life, simply b/c I grew up being best friends with his mama.

We took this same picture last year, and it's fun to see our babies growing up. All the mamas have known each other forever, starting in elementary school.

Ashley, Luke, Avery Jane, Cash, Noah missing, Me, Eli, Corinne, Ava, Olivia missing, Katie, Aiden, Christa, Adriana

Anthony and Kelci skyped to "watch Eli open his gift". See all of us squeezed into the corner picture? They had a little good news to share with us. If you know them, go ask them what their good news is!!! ;)

My handsome boy in the same Easter outfit from last year. He looks so sweet in his blue and green!

Leah and Dutch in their Easter best.

Eli LOVES his Deanie.

He would run out from the willows, freeze, clench his fists, and say, "cheeeeeeeese!"

Such a little ham.

My dad came to church and lunch with us. I think he's looking GREAT after his cancer treatment. He's still undergoing a little chemo and hormone therapy, so feel free to say a little prayer for those treatments to work. We were so glad he joined us for Easter.

Deanie has to hold her own egg hunts for Eli, and he pretty much runs the show around there.

He won the golden egg this year with one whole dollar in it, but we told him hopefully next year he'll have some more competition.

Holidays are so much more fun with babies around. Eli's a little young, but we really trying to instill in him that Easter, which is really Passover, is a celebration of the very reason we exist, the resurrection of our Savior.

(Bunnies and candy are fun, but they in no way compare to the gift of the the resurrection, and the promise of a Savior who's coming back. As parents, it's our job to teach our children the true meaning of these holidays. In many ways, our society has totally distorted the gift these holidays bestow, and I know there's a balance to be found. I can't wait to have more meaningful conversations with my children about the special meaning Easter and Christmas hold for our families.)

Embrace the Camera.

Here we are: Embracing the Camera with andersonfamilycrew.blogspot.com on this cloudy Thursday. This was from Easter weekend in Franklin, and looking at this picture, I don't really think Eli looks like me at all. Seriously. The fair skin and lighter hair, yes, but face- no! His daddy's wider jawline, nose shape, almond shaped eyes, and big ole' mouth. He definitely has my eye color, browline, and maybe my ears? Ha!

Get in the picture with your family- make memories! Your babies will love seeing you in pictures with them when they get older, no matter what you think you look like!

Two Years Young.

(If you are not a grandparent, you probably won't care about this post, but I have to have it for memory sake!)

Eli Matthew,

You are two years old!! You are so much fun, and you teach your daddy and I something new everyday. I can't even believe we have a full-blown toddler in our house, and you amaze us by how quickly you learn new things lately. We kept your birthday low-key this year. Your Tizze was in town, and she and I snuck out before you even got up to get you some birthday donuts and fill the living room with 75 balloons. You loved the early morning surprise!

We would have snuck them into your room after you went to bed, but you are always in bed with us by 3 a.m. these days, so we knew that wouldn't work out. :)

You ran through them yelling "worms!" which is how you say balloons, and throwing them all over the room. Next, we started your day off with a sprinkle covered donut, one little candle, and a rousing rendition of Happy Birthday.

After two bites of your sprinkle donut, you changed your mind and wanted a plain ole' chocolate one.

Next, we got dressed and headed out to the zoo! You loved seeing all the animals, but your favorites were the meerkats. You and Tizzie watched them run around for a good ten minutes, while laughed and yelled.

You loved the petting zoo, and thought it was great that Tom Turkey had to be put in time-out. He was nipping at all the young kids trying to pet him. You can relate to time-out. :)

When we got home, you had a skype date with Deanie and Papa and they sang Happy Birthday to you again.

After your favorite dinner of pizza, we sang one more time, and you blew out the candles on your cake. You couldn't even keep your bottom in the seat you were so excited about blowing out your candles. You kept saying, "oh wow" over and over again!

You got a little too close to the candles here and singed some of your bangs off. Daddy helped you after that.

Mama and Daddy got you a Tickle Me Elmo, some books, and a motorized train.

Tizzie got you a water table, some bath paints, and a magnetic fishing puzzle. You LOVE your water table and play with it for hours outside.

Here you are throwing your first two year old tantrum. You were so frustrated that you couldn't figure out the puzzle!

Here you are at Deanie and Papa's the next weekend enjoying their gift of a golf set.

You decided you'd rather throw the balls then hit them.

You are still working on showing how many fingers is TWO.

Deanie and Papa also got you a garden set so you can help Deanie till her garden in the summer.

We skyped with Anthony and Kelci while you opened your guitar/keyboard/drum. You are so lucky to have so many people love you!

Eli, you are such a JOY in our lives. You are fun, silly, smart, affectionate, determined, and you have such a sweet heart. You want to try to do everything yourself now, and when you can't, you'll ask "help pease, mama". You love to have your "ouchies" kissed and love offering kisses when we get ouchies too. You still love to be held and kissed.

Your vocabulary has really picked up in just the last few months. You have a HUGE vocabulary now, and you will try to say most everything we do. You love saying "excuse me" to anything you need to walk by-- "cuse me table, cuse me mama, cuse me clothes, cuse me toaster". You also love to say "oh wooooow" if you see some candy or treats. You can recognize a few letters when you see them- A, B, E, and O. You have picked up "oh dosh" (gosh) from Mickey Mouse, and I am trying to break that habit right away. You have also turned your "yes"'s into "ya"'s, so we are now working in "yes ma'am" and "yes sir". You know the names of all our immediate family members and love naming them in pictures (Mama, Dada, Pop-pop, Grandbob, Tizzie, John, Sam, Papa, Nene (Deanie), Anhany (Anthony), Keci (kelci), Eah, (leah), and our personal favorite, Dutch (Luke).

You also love to say "Ove You!" for Love you, and we love to hear it!

You are still a poor eater, and you would think I would be used to it after two years, but I still try to get you to eat more every day! You have some favorites- pizza, beans, black olives, salami, steak, and breakfast from Cracker Barrel. :) You don't go to the doctor until June, but I'm pretty sure you haven't gained very much at all--maybe 23 pounds and 34 inches? We'll see. You can still wear a lot of your shorts and jon-jons from last year! You even wore the very same Easter outfit again this year!

You have been having some trouble sleeping, and we think you just want to be where your mama and daddy are. We are doing our best to keep a balance of starting you out in your own bed, and bring you to ours when you wake up upset in the early morning hours. We keep remindind ourselves that you will only be this little once, and one day, we'll be wishing you were joining us in our bed!

Some nights you'll make it from 9- 5 or so, and come to bed for the next three hours, which works pretty nice for us! Some nights, not so much. :)

Eli, we are so PROUD of you and your heart. You are a good listener, your are respectful, you try hard to do your best at things, and you love your family! You show concern for everyone, and every bug and bird you see. You even show concern if there is a fight on the t.v.! I love your sweet heart, and I love how you listen to mama even when all the other kiddos at your gym class are playing, and I make you stay on the red mat and listen to the teacher. I love that you love to dance--you have the best moves! I love that you love nothing more than when we sit on the floor with you and wrestle or just line up cars. You love to help me in the kitchen, and I love having you help!

We pray you always keep your sweet spirit, and your determination. We thank God EVERY day for you, and thank God for everything you are teaching us about Him through you! We love you sweet boy!