Easter at Nana's

Aunt Nannette is great to always have get together's at their house. We did our Easter dinner a week later this year, which the girls absolutely LOVED since it only extended their holiday another week. Always fun, it was filled with egg hunts, easter baskets and YUMMY food.

Pictures of the Annual Egg breaking! Ella used my egg and got all the way to the finals! Then Artyom beat her...

All the kids got swim goggles in their Easter Baskets and decided it would be a GREAT idea to wear them most of the night. So funny!!

Our girls- getting so grown up posing with the Easter baskets they got from Nana and Papou.

EGGS-tra Easter fun

We were SUPER lucky to get to go to a FEW egg hunts this Easter year. Ill blog about the work Easter egg hunt first. CompHealth (my great company) had an egg hunt at Wheeler Farm, which was great fun! They always go ALL out with treats, music, fun and even the Easter Bunny- which Sofia would not go near...:) They had hot chocolate, juice, donuts and then the hunt began. It was literally a free for all with the eggs in different age groups. I went with Ella and Artyom took Sofia to her age group. It was hilarious! Ella was a bit overwhelmed at first and did not know quite how to handle it. But soon she was going NUTS gathering the eggs. I had a great "Mom moment" when it was all said and done, there was a boy that looked a little upset as he did not have as many as the other kids. Ella walked right over and asked him what was wrong. When he told her she didnt miss a beat and started giving him eggs out of her basket. I was able to catch a pic of her doing it and I was SO proud of my little Miss!

 

I need to let it go...not grow

I just need to let myself let her have her short hair. Ella looks SO cute with it and it really does shape her face better.

We went back and forth with Ella over a few weeks on whether or not she was going to let her hair grow or cut it short. She kept on saying long, and I think it was because "Sister" had her hair long. But once we cut it, I remembered how much I love her with an A-line cut and was SO glad we did it.

She's such a cutie and that hair style just fits her to a "T"!

 

It's all about family!

I am so grateful for my family. Not only my siblings, but the many extended family members I have. I'm in a great time of my life where memories of us as kids come up as we see OUR kids playing together. It's hard to believe sometimes that WE are now the parents.

 

One of my Demars cousins, Damon was making his way back to Des Moines, IA for his residency program in Internal Medicine and so as they always do, Uncle Kent and Aunt Betty had an impromptu BBQ at their house. My girls LOVE to go there and play with Kenzie and Cameron and they were thrilled to have other cousins to play with. Most of the time was spent outside on the zipline and playing on the fort. I had to laugh when Sofia said as Tyler was about to go on the zipline- Mom, All the adults are doing it. You need to! Adults. Wow. Yep. WE are the adults now.

 

I was able to get a quick pic of the cousins and spouses as well as some of the kids. What a great night. I simply ADORE my family.

He's back home

Artyom was able to go home again (twice in 10 months!) for a neice's wedding. We were bummed that we could not all make the trek over the ocean, but we knew it was important to his family that he be there. The girls missed him and even though I did my best to help them get through it, they were SO excited to pick him up. Sofia was just crawling out of her skin waiting to get the first glimpse of him on the escalator. When she did? She busted through the waiting area and was on him in a second.

These were the signs that the girls made. Ella would not let go of hers- even when Artyom was hugging her. She was GROUNDED.

I LOVE seeing Sofia just running towards Artyom. I wish I could have seen Sofia's face but looking at Artyom's makes me feel like I kinda did...And cute Miss Ella. STILL holding that sign till he sees it.

I waited back and let the girls have their moment with their Dad. I was so teary eyed, Im surprised the pics even turned out. But man. It was just so sweet to witness.

Welcome Home Artyom- you were MISSED!