Happy Easter

Happy Easter to our family and friends! Abby's morning started out with a simple Easter basket: some plastic eggs, a new book, and a few packets of Annie's gummy bunnies. 

I found a cute idea on Pinterest for cinnamon roll bunnies. Mine didn't turn out quite like the picture (does it ever?) so I'll work on making the ears longer next year. I only had 5 cinnamon rolls to work with instead of 8, so I was short dough for the ears. Easter cats, perhaps?!

Abby didn't mind, though. Yum!

After church I asked Robert to try to get a good picture of his girls. Goodness, I am pale!

Abby wouldn't smile for the camera so I tried to get her to laugh by tossing her into the air. 

But she is heavy!

When did Abby's arms and legs get so long?

My new favorite picture!

Later this evening we had our friends Ronnie & Josie and their daughter Leahna over for dinner. Robert decided to be brave and try something new so he made Aarti Sequeira's Spicy Sticky Lamb Chops. We served the lamb over a minted pea puree alongside crispy coriander potatoes. Nice work, Robert!

Need a new Easter dessert? Nigella's Easter Egg Nest Cake will not disappoint. I've made this at least half a dozen times and it always gets rave reviews. The soft and gooey chocolate base is smothered with a velvety chocolate cream which then gets topped with my favorite Easter candy: Cadbury mini eggs. Yum!

Leahna and Abby interacted and played with each more than any other past visit. Toddlers are so much fun!

 

Thanks Ronnie & Josie for being our family away from home! We love sharing holiday meals with you.

Easter egg hunt + petting zoo

Three blog posts in three days -- what's gotten into me?!

We attended an Easter egg hunt at our church today, complete with a small petting zoo. Abby enjoyed touching the soft sheep. 

She let out an excited squeal when she saw the huge tortoise.

Gentle, gentle with the bunnies, Abby!

 

I wish we had some pictures of her with the chickens. She kept trying to feed them leaves and I was afraid she was going to get pecked! After a few craft activities and a short story, they let the kids loose to find Easter eggs.

On a mission.

Curls!

By the way, today is Abby's half birthday -- she's exactly a year and a half, can you believe it?

Kiara's Birthday

We spent the afternoon celebrating Abby's friend Kiara's 1st birthday. Look at this cutie!

The whole party was themed around Kiara's love of music. She was in my most recent Music & More class and I had fun seeing for myself how much she enjoys dancing to music and playing instruments.

Tutu fluff!

I love this photo of Kiara with her mom, Cherisse. Two very special ladies.

Madi is another friend from our mom's group. Look at those big, gorgeous blue eyes!

Madi + mum & dad.

Gabi + mommy & daddy.

I didn't get pictures with several other friends who were there -- I will try to catch them next time. I also didn't get any pictures of Robert and Abby! I think it will be fun for Abby to see pictures of her very first friends someday. I'm so thankful for these ladies and all of their support and encouragement over the past year.

Happy birthday, sweet Kiara!

arts & crafts & nature

We've had beautiful weather this week so Abigail and I have been outside enjoying the fresh air the past few mornings. 

Abby played with chalk yesterday. I found some really cute chalk holders in the dollar bin at Target a few weeks ago. They're supposed to be for her Easter basket but I wasn't patient enough to wait. :) I always draw kitties and bunnies for Abby and it makes her giggle when I start adding the whiskers. 

What's more fun than chalk? Picking up sticks, rocks and acorns and putting them in a bucket. Here's our silly little goober with her rock collection.

Acorn hunting. It's serious business.

Delivering the treasures to mommy.

This morning, I decided to bring out her watercolor paints for the first time.

She made sure I saw the planes in the sky.

Silly, happy girl!

It's a masterpiece, no? (Mommy is slightly stressed about the colors mixing...ha!)

We went back inside for some fun with Play-Doh. All of these great colors and what's my daughter's favorite? Black. She always goes for the black first. Strange, right?

Aunt Bethany gave her the Play-Doh and these great cookie cutters.

Black flowers -- lovely!

Abby likes to wear the cookie cutters as bracelets.

I LOVE my little fashionista!