Birthday for Four Please

So April is a big birthday month for the Moon family...
well, actually for the Holland family.

Each year, Chris' sister, Erin and her husband, Burke, spend April celebrating four birthdays:

Erin's, and their three sons' (Bryn, Caed, and Drew)

Erin and Bryn

I always thought April would be a cool month to born in.
A diamond is WAY better to have as a birthstone than a garnet! Plus, it's warmer and SO SO pretty.

Caed

So in true Holland fashion, a birthday for four was planned.

Now, growing up, I had some pretty amazing birthdays - thanks to my amazing parents. Erin and Burke are no different when it comes to throwing an amazing party.

Last year, the birthday for four was celebrated at the local "Fun and Party Zone," complete with jump jump, inflatable slides and obstacle course.

This year, the party was at the Hollands' home.

Here are some highlights:

1) SpongeBob Pinata

2) Pinata Puppeteer, Burke

3) Pinata Bouncer, Chris

4) Birthday Cake for the boys and Erin, aka E-Rhymz

Chris and I bought the boys an outdoor water sprinkler.
Fellow party guests, Sara and Jeff, bought them the same one.

Despite our best efforts, there was an injury.
Chris was whacked in the hand by an eager party-goer anxious for SpongeBob's loot.

I think he handled it rather well, though.

Friends were made. Laughter was shared. Ah...yes, a good party, indeed!

P.S. How adorable is this he?!?

Drew

Family, Four-Wheelers, and Frontline

Shawn and Callie

Yes, I'm still alive -despite the extended non-activity on my blog recently.

I'm Back!!

I saw a bumper sticker on my way to work this morning that read, "Family is the most important."

Hmmm... very true. And my family is the best. I know, I'm kinda biased.

The last two weekends have been spent with cousins, second-cousins, siblings, brother- and sister-in-law, and nephews.

April 10th was Mule Day in Columbia.
A fun, family-friendly weekend showcasing those fabulously sterile animals we call mules.

I don't exactly know the history of mule day, but it's gotta be good. And for that one weekend, all of Columbia, TN has mule fever. Hundreds of thousands come to watch the "Liar's Contest," the "Mule Pull" competition, and of course, the Mule Day Parade, complete with Mule Day Queen.

It's a great weekend for Columbia, but it was an especially great weekend for me because the Laurie and her family were in town.

Remember Laurie?

Laurie, without trying to get too complicated, is my second cousin... I think.

Anyway, Laurie and her husband, Shawn, and her three beautiful children came to visit. (Not sure what they are to me... third cousins? Or second cousins once removed? Aaaah!)

Lea, Me, and Callie

All I know is, they're great. Chris and I skipped the Mule Day festivities to spend the afternoon with them at my parents'.

We played Mexican Train Dominoes and then...

we decided to ride.

Tah-Dah!

Chris rode with Callie. I rode with Lea.

Now, these little bikes are very deceiving. I won't go into too much detail about the adventure we had, but let's just say, after about an hour or so, we decided to call it quits.

I could feel the ticks crawling on me anyway...

Upon our return to the house, I dismissed the idea of bathing in Frontline. Instead the girls and I decided to bake cookies!

Me: "Ok, Lea, here are the dry ingredients... flour, sugar..."
Me: "Oh Callie, you start crackin' those eggs, girl. I'll soften this butter. Perfect! Let's pre-heat the oven... wait."
Mom: "OH MAN! I forgot to tell you. My oven doesn't work."

WWWHHHHHYYYY???


Me: "Ok, well here's a bowl of sugar and some flour for later then. Girls, let's find a no-bake cookie recipe, shall we?"

Despite the pictures, the chocolate something-or-other recipe we tried tasted pretty good. Then again, I suppose anything with butter, sugar, and chocolate would be tasty...

Thus concluded the festivites of the day. Like I said, it was an awesome visit.

*Pictures from the birthday party and other Moon-like activities to come!*

Easter and a Question

I can't believe Easter has come and gone.

Already?!

I'm so mixed up right now on my dates. Today, as I filled out my work schedule, I dated everything March. Wow... March. A whole month off.

Um... what happened to that month anyway?

Anyway, I love Easter. Truly one of my favorite times of the year.

And this Easter was so perfect. The weather changed from dull, cold, and dreary to sunny and warm just as Easter arrived.

But here's the thing. I've got a story and question.
So be honest with me now...

I love to talk to my friend, Bailey, at church.
Bailey is a bright, happy seven year old.

Always smiling, she loves to tell me about the weekly goings-on in her life, including her upcoming birthday, her latest missing tooth and how it came out, and how she and her older sister got along that week.

But Easter Sunday, she was telling me about all the candy she got from the Easter bunny and the Easter Egg Hunt held the day before.

Bailey: "My basket was so full!" Her eyes were as wide as saucers.
Me: "Did you get any Reese's Peanut Butter Eggs?"
B: "No."
M: "Oh, those are my favorite."

I was excited for her. Yay for candy. Yay for Bailey.
BUT I was also excited for me.

It's true. I still get an Easter basket.

BEHOLD:
THE EASTER BASKETS!
Look at them all. So happy and full. Just waiting to be opened by me, my siblings, our significant others, Aunt Mary Ann, and yes, even my dad.


Mine is the one on the right.

Wanna know what I got?
White Cheddar Popcorn Sprinkles
White Cheddar Popcorn (now eaten by the way)
Green "Floor Dusting" Slippers
Sour Patch Kids, Bottle Caps, Wintermint Lifesavers

AND

yes, my friends, Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Eggs
(Cue: Heavenly Choir of Angels Singing "Ah Ah!")

Oh right. So the question:

Is that sad?

I'm still a kid at heart. I still get excited about presents: birthday, Christmas, and Easter. Is it sad that I dread the day when my kids will instead be getting these presents instead of me?

You know, I hear parents say all the time how they just love Christmas because of their kids' expressions and excitement on their faces as they open their gifts.

Well, I imagine MY face looks something like that.
I get excited. I have happy, surprised expressions.

Just wondering...

Truly though, presents or not, Easter is incredible.
The most important day of the Christian faith.

And God is so good. It is true that the best present is Christ.

We serve a living God, and the blessings He gives me everyday are so undeserved.

He was even thinking of me when He created the Reese's Peanut Butter Egg man.

*Stay tuned for my post on Mule Day activities and visit with my beautiful cousin, Laurie and her family.*

Me, Laurie, and my sister, Stephanie

An April Fool's Activities

Today was a glorious day. A sunny, work-ending-at-noon, not a cloud in the sky day.

I celebrated in many ways.

1) I spent time with friends here.

And got one of these:

Actually, this one was Kadi's.
I split one that was white cake, buttercream frosting dyed green for Easter, with a little bunny on top.

And then Aunt Martha dropped half of it on the floor.

This photo was actually taken seconds before it fell. Note the red fingernails ID'ing the culprit.

No biggie. The other half was just as delicious!


So continuing with the sunny, working-ending-at-noon day celebration:

2) I set up my hammock.

Heaven in a net, I say.

One book + one blanket + Katie in a hammock = Heaven

Then Chris came home, grabbed a pillow, and sprawled out on the grass below to enjoy the day with me.
We talked and talked and talked until we fell asleep.

View from the hammock

Celebration of the day ended with:
3) A walk around our neighborhood with Sadie.

We let her loose to dive into the creek that runs near our house.
Now, she was in heaven.

HOWEVER

Wet Dog + My Carpet = "Quarantine Time"

Ah, yes, quarantine time. A practice Sadie loathes.

Quarantine time basically includes Sadie, alone in our garage until she dries, etc. etc. etc.

After about ten minutes of quarantine, I decide to check on the patient to see if she is fit to come inside.

Here's what I found:

Apparently Chris forgot to roll up his car window.