Spring Break & Easter 2016
Spring break really brought us so much fun, we went on bike rides, played at the park, went to a movie (Zootopia), Brian and the boys had a "boys night out" and got super handsome haircuts, we played with friends, went to Petland (they LOVE the pet store!) and had Carter's little friend from school and church over. We even went to the Bow Habitat Fish Hatchery. We have been wanting to go for a long time and my sister invited us this past week to go with her and her boys and my mom. It was so much fun and if you haven't gone yet, you should!
There is so many interactive things for the kids to do, and they have HUGE fish tanks that all the children LOVED! And to top it off, the kids were running around laughing and playing together and they had so much fun.
I didn't even bother bringing in the stroller for Penny.. she is now at the stage of never wanting to sit in the stroller, shopping cart or anything else restricting. She likes to GO GO GO and that is just what we let her do! She's a "wild child" and definitely fits in with her brothers and boy cousins!
It is so fun watching these 5 cuties grow up together.
At the end of our time at the Fish Hatchery, we paid an extra $2 to help feed the fish. We got to feed 22,000 fish and the kids were in HEAVEN! The tour guide gave each of the kids and adults a little bowl of fish food and let me tell you.. when you throw the food in.. the fish go INSANE! It is very fun to watch.
(typical of Penny.. she really hates pictures and especially when its just her and these crazy boys!) 
It was a huge success and we will totally go again. I am pretty certain the best part for Bentley was just running around!
Thursday night was busy. Coming up on the Easter weekend and knowing that it was going to be a busy weekend, I thought I would take the evening to set up for Easter because Brian was out visiting with Grandma Reed. She has the most beautiful soul in the world, that... I am positive of. So while he was out, I got ready!
First was the easter baskets...
Then it was filling the eggs with Candy and chocolate for the easter bunny to hide!
Next, I made a fun little game for some SUPER hyperactive boys .. Carter and Bentley LOVED this game!!! Energy levels were high and it was so fun!
I just made a few little papers that had little fun instructions on them, put them inside a plastic egg and as the boys opened the eggs.. they had to do what the paper said. No reward, just us cheering them on and they were all over it!
This past week I also sewed Carter and Bentley little TV blankets. Carter's is the Angry Birds and Bentley's is Lightening McQueen.. Heaven knows Penny has a million blankets but was in desperate need of a spring jacket so that is what we did for her!
Brian and I decided this year to do easter early. We decided that because we have always done it on the Sunday morning. The Easter bunny comes, the kids get a sugar high and then we hope and expect them to be good at church AND family dinner.. all the way to bedtime. It never works out the way we hope so this year we did it on Good Friday, and it was PERFECT!
Friday morning, We painted easter eggs. Really the kids each painted one, which was perfect! One was probably just right because they were excited about their one egg, took the time and felt accomplished and proud when they were done.
(Left: Bentley's, Middle: Penny's, Right: Carter's) Mom and Dad Reed came over for dinner and the fun little easter activities. Once dinner was over, we cleared the table and then sat back down to talk about the real reason we have easter. We talked with the kids about how the candy and the chocolate and the easter bunny is so much fun, but how that was not the real reason we celebrate easter. We explained to them that the Saviour died for us on the cross and was resurrected. That Jesus Christ died so that we may live. I read a cute little children's easter book and we shared with them one of my favourite scripture verses. John 3:16
I was so impressed by the children and their desire to know and to learn. Our kids DO NOT SIT through anything. Most days, Dinner is even a bite at a time as they run laps around our kitchen island. But when we talked about the Saviour, they sat and they listened and they learned. It was amazing!
Then we heard a knock! The kids checked the front door.. no one was there.. so they ran and checked the back door.. still, no one there. So they ran upstairs and to their sweet little excited eyes.. the Easter Bunny had come!!!!
He was very sneaky at hiding from the children! Instead of giving each kid a colour, each kid got to find 10 easter eggs.. the colour didn't matter BUT.. they HAD to work as a team! First filling Penny's basket with 10 eggs.. then the next 10 eggs were Bentley's and the last 10 eggs belonged to Carter. It was so cute watching them get so excited and working together to find them all!
The sugar high was a real thing. A real insane and QUICK kind of thing! Within 10 minutes they all had their chubby little cheeks FULL of candy and chocolate (just more reason why doing this Sunday before church seemed so scary.. this was so relieving!).
So while they were on their sugar high, we pulled out the egg game and started to play it!
Carter and Bentley took turns until all the eggs were gone. Ninja kicks, summersaults, jumping jacks, pencil rolls, bunny hops.. the list goes on and these boys did them all with HUGE smiles the entire time!
As for Penny Girl... she was a little preoccupied..
Hahaha! Silly baby!
We finished off the evening with the cake (not that the boys or Penny needed ANY more sweets).
Thank you so much to Mom and Dad Reed for sharing this fun time with our little family. We always love having you over!
Today, Easter Sunday, was good too! Much more relaxed since the Easter Bunny came Friday. We went to church, how I love the true meaning behind Easter. I love our Saviour and that he died for us so that we could live again. After church, we went to my parents house for dinner. Mom always makes such a wonderful dinner. Her and my dad put so much thought into it and really try to always have everyone allergies, likes and dislikes on the top of their mind.. and they will truly never know how much we all appreciate it and them! This Easter mom decorated her table simple. I loved it. It was classy and simply lovely!
My sweet niece, Bella, brought us some lovely tulips for easter. There is just something to be said about fresh flowers in the home! Thank you sweet girl, auntie loves you SO much!
Penny got lots of hugs from her cousin Paisley and Paisley could not be any more into having her picture taken! Too bad Penny still hates it and isn't a fan of photos!
We hung out, played the egg game with some of the kids, had a lovely dinner and really just enjoyed each others company. Mom even made a fancy strawberry shortcake and LOADED it with cream... OH MY HEAVENS!
I truly feel so blessed and thankful for this beautiful life. We are all so lucky in some way or another and no words would do justice for my gratitude for my Saviour and then many things he has done for me. He truly has felt my sorrows and my joys and I know he is there. I am so blessed to have these three little bunnies...
And to top off the amazing Easter weekend.. Today was Penny's first unofficial day in Nursery at church! Officially they start nursery at 18 months and she isn't 18 months until this coming Friday so she went in a week early. A scary moment for me with so many prayers that it would go well and that she wouldn't have her sever case of "stranger danger" she seems to hold onto. She has amazing nursery leaders who I completely trust and feel so much better about leaving her in good hands. They said she did great!! I few little crying episodes but they distracted her with a tic-tac and VOILA! All was forgotten and she continued to play. I love this sweet little girl of mine!
Heres to another successful Easter weekend and getting back into routine with school on Tuesday!
