Easter and Spring Break

So the girls and I went to New York for a few days during spring break it was great to see some of our family even if we were there for only a few days. It's hard because I really wanted to see so many more people, which is why we spend almost a whole week in the summer and usually 4 days around Christmas, so that I can get to see everyone while we are there. Unfortunately this time around I was only there for 2 days, a short trip to do alone, just me. Michael had to work and is saving his vacation for our vacation and delivery of our little baby boy (still can't help but smile at that one). So pregnant, and tired I went to New York. The girls are usually pretty good when we go, but this time they were having a bit of hard time, don't get me wrong they love visiting their relatives and playing with cousins, they really get spoiled while we are there, but they were definitely out of sorts. They don't sleep well or eat well and they really miss their Dad. They just don't like it when we are all apart. Even with all the fun we have, we miss having him around. So we were glad when we went home, although we already miss our family. The girls like going in the summer because they get to go to the pool and be out at the parks and play and this time it was just too cold to do any thing but visit people in their homes. Below are some pictures from our trip. The last couple of weeks they kept asking if we were going to Mima and Papa's for Easter and I said I think so and then they wanted to know how the Easter Bunny would find them there (what a racket) and I told them maybe the Easter bunny wouldn't bring them any thing because we know what the true meaning of Easter really was, so we had been doing Resurrection Eggs with them until Easter Day. On Easter day we drove from Mima and Papa's house to Grammie's house, 5 hours away. The kids were great in the car ride both ways, the rest stops were definitely a little dicey and I can tell you this I won't be traveling to New York by myself with 4 kids until all my kids can walk, speak clearly and follow directions. I digress.. We got to Grammie's shortly after lunch and did an Easter egg hunt and finished our Resurrection eggs, the girls really liked doing them and wanted to keep doing them, even though we did the last one on Easter. They had a lot of questions and surprisingly knew a lot of the stories already, it really touched my heart. Their souls are so pure at this point. Their love untarnished. Of course the Easter Bunny still brought them a few things, but they kept the true meaning in their hearts and that to us was the most important thing.

The last of the Resurrection eggs with Michael.

Easter Egg Hunt at Grammies

The dog kept smelling the chocolate in the plastic covered eggs.

Some Easter Pics

This was our Easter Bunny!

Easter pics at Mima's house

As you can see Madison was not too happy, she was in no mood to take pictures.

Playing the piano with Papa.

An absentee Madison for meltdown reasons.

Spring Break (American Girl Store)

For those of you who have never heard of the American Girl Doll store it's quite a marketing ploy. They have these dolls they sell at a premium and then market all the clothes, accessories and items any girl could possibly want. The girls grandparents have each bought them things to go with the dolls, first it was the Bitty Babies now it's the big girl dolls. They are cute but I swear you can get a very similar doll for a fraction of the price at Target without the marketing. They of course have a catalogue so that each girl can choose the type of dolls they want, they have era dolls from different periods through out history, they have the Bitty Babies and of course the Just Like Me dolls, which you can choose and pick, everything, from hair color, eye color, skin color to hair texture to make the doll look exactly like you. Now while my girls were not interested in a doll that looked similar to them they were interested in picking a doll that had what they wanted, hair color, skin color etc. Grammie was all to happy to provide for Christmas. We have since purchased them some accessories and Mima also bought them some clothes this time around when we went to the store. Now the store is quite an experience.

This is the store directory, as you can see it 4 floors, with the main floor being the Just Like You doll floor. Not only do they say it's a Just Like You because you can pick it out but you can also purchase clothing that matches your doll. I kid you not, there are girls walking through the store matching their dolls clothing. There is a hair salon, theater (where you can catch a fashion show), restaurant where you can have your doll sit in a high chair at the table with you, and of course the Bitty Baby level.

This is Jordan's Doll with her new outfit. It comes with a bathing suit, pants, a top, hat, sun glasses and flip flops. Quite a bargain really.

And of course Madison loved the Bitty Baby stroller we were hard press to leave the store, leaving the stroller behind, she was not too happy about it. One of the many disappointments in life.

More Spring Break Pics

With Abuelita! My 87 year old grandmother, she just adores them.

An Elmo impersonator on the street who does this for money.

14 Month Old

Now and

then.

Hard to believe my little girls is 14 months old, the time has just flown on by, I am amazed at how her little brain works. She is so much fun, everyone just adores her. Jordan and Kaleigh are really into getting her to play with them, like chase and hide and go seek, she loves it and they think it's the greatest. I just love it, it touches my heart in so many ways. To think in just
another few months she won't be the baby anymore.... well she'll always be my baby.