Party of Five: April 2010

Carrington helps me put the laundry in the front load machines. She really likes this task and who am I to stop her. Proverbs 22:6 says it best, "train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." I like to think if I train her now, as a teen she will do her own laundry. Yes, I'm taking the verse out of context but it suits my hope. Back to the reason I'm sharing this funny moment. I wanted Aaron to see Carrington helping me with the laundry, so here's what happens...
Me - (yelling from the laundry room so that Aaron could hear me in the kitchen) "Aaron, come here so you can see this."
Aaron - (no response)
Me - (a little louder this time) "Aaron, come here."
Carrington - (as loud as she can) "Haron"!!!
Aaron - (not missing a beat) that's Dada to you, missy!
Guess the next time I need Aaron, I'll make sure Carrington yells for him. For the record, this is the first time Carrington has tried to say his name. It was just precious and hysterical all at the same time! An 'A' was replaced with an 'H' but she made up for it in emphasizing that he needed to get in the laundry room, immediately. I love that she is mimicking now but we are definitely going to have to watch what we say!!

I told Aaron that I couldn't remember a better Easter Weekend! The weather was God sent, we spent time with family and friends, Carrington was a joy to be with, our church had a very moving service, and did I mention...the weather was amazing!!! We spent more time outside playing than we did inside. I have never had a problem with allergies but after being in the pollen 8 hours a day from Wednesday to Sunday, I lost my voice from the excessive amount of pollen that was lodged in the back of my throat. Aaron thought that was pretty cool! He could say whatever he wanted, my mouth would move to shout something back but no words would come out (haha)!

I picked up my cousins on Thursday afternoon so they could spend a couple days in Wilmington with us. The key to keeping a 13, 7, and 1 year old from driving each other/us (me and Aaron) crazy...stay very, very busy!! And boy did we!

Easter egg waffles on Friday morning. The plate, bowl and cup have Peter CottonTail on them.

Youngin's watching toons together

I adore this picture! I can't even begin to tell you how much this child loves M's. When she gets hurt it's the first thing we give to help her feel better. I'm sure she fakes one or two falls each day just to get her "M-uprofene", as Aaron calls it.

Playing in the pool with Hayden (our neighbor)

Peek-a-boo Kelly

After spending several hours playing in the pool the girls came inside to help make Easter cookies for the homeless folks in downtown Wilmington. The girls literally did all the work. The only help I provided was taking the cookies in and out of the oven.

Mixing cookie batter

Getting in the mix of things

Look mama, I can stir the batter too!

Covered up! I wish I had a picture but at one point there was a lot of flour on the table and little sugarbean and her counter part, Kelly belly were running their hands in circles all over the table and throwing flour in the air. The table was covered, the chair was covered, and the floor was covered in flour - it was straight out of an episode of 'I Love Lucy'. They were quickly cleaned up and escorted out of the kitchen!

Looking pretty while cutting out egg shaped cookies. Notice the laptop in the background? Well, later you will see her on the cellphone while dying eggs. A teenager's source of communication can never leave one's side - cardinal rule of being a teen!

I was not kidding when I said we stayed busy. In one day we played outside in the pool, made 60 cookies, dyed 12 eggs and managed to keep a smile on our face! Next up... and egg-tastic mess!

Do you see the mischievous grins on their faces, especially the little one? I wish I had seen it when I was taking the picture. Warning - the mess you are about to see is way out of my comfort zone but the memories and laughs made it all worth it!

12 colors of disaster or pure fun, however you look at it!

Here it starts...enjoy!

Do you see the hint of food coloring on her lip?

Daddy jumps in because she starts repeatedly dropping her egg in the cup - think 300 pound man doing a cannonball into the pool. That was the splash that would come out of the cup.

Look mama!!

Katy - "um, like yeah, we are dyin' eggs but I wish I was on facebook instead."

I thought I would take a turn in the color wheel of mess.

Hmmm, wonder what this tastes like!

I warned ya...it got ugly, green gobblin ugly, real quick like! Call me if you want to know how to get dye off your kids hands and out of their mouth. It requires the use of Dawn dish soap. But hey, the way I look at it, it will not be the first time she gets her mouth washed out with soap (to the grandparents, and DSS - totally kidding!)

We lost a couple in the egg diving competition that Carrington was putting on!

Now, to my speed! The speed of laid back, sittin' by the water, beer drinking, good times! We met Melissa and Granny in Southport, at our spot (Provision Co), for an pre-Easter lunch and to return 2 rugrats.

Campman Babes

Like mother, like daughter!

All Smiles!

Let me tell ya a little story about a Granny that never comes empty handed. I guarantee ya, if The Hershey company decides to stop making M&M's, Granny will find someone who still has a bag or ten! Let me tell ya another story about a Granny who gave Carrington an entirely different jar of M's the day before. Remember the "adorable" picture posted earlier with Carrington holding her M's. Well, later on that day we all went inside. I was in the kitchen with the older girls and Carrington disappeared. I always know she is up to something when she gets quiet. I walked into the den and there she was, sitting on the carpet, with the lid off the M's, shoving them in before she got "busted". Again, I wish I had taken a picture because her face was a pastel color of M&M dye.

The purple container is Kelly's and yes, Carrington will steal your M's and refuses to share hers. Kelly was not to fond of sharing either and hence the reason Granny is playing referee.

Several generations of strong, good looking women. We are missing two, Meredith and the newest peanut in her belly (we all know it's going to be a girl)!

Here comes Peter Cottontail, hopping down the bunny trail...Bringing his basket of goodies on Sunday morning!

Peter was so sweet to leave a basket for mama and dada!

Oh boy, oh boy, look what he left Carrington...Pink golf clubs, sidewalk chalk, bubbles, a beach ball, animal crackers and you guessed it, a bag of M&M's!!!

Eyes of amazement!