Hawaii!

We just got back from a trip to the most incredibly beautiful place on Earth!  It was seriously like God's majesty on display!  Here we are after the very LONG day of travel...

Our State Farm trip this year was to Hawaii (the Big Island), and it just so happens that we are celebrating our 10 year anniversary later this year, so we were thankful to have this trip together!

We both caught the snorkeling bug, and it was amazing seeing all the wildlife!

We were able to snorkle with dolphins, sea turtles, tons of beautiful fish, and we even saw an octopus!  We took lots of pictures of each other with an underwater camera and were SO excited to get it developed and show the kids.  You should have seen our faces when the sweet guy at the Walgreens photo lab told us the camera hadn't taken one picture.  Crushed!  I'm still trying to get over that one, but at least we got some neat shots from the shore.

I totally felt like I was on the set of Lost...I was looking for Jack and Hurley, but they must've been on the other side of the island :)

Akaka Falls

One night we went to the same hotel where my parents stayed on their honeymoon many years ago!  At night they shine lights in the water and you can watch the huge manta rays swim in to eat plankton!  It was such a neat experience, especially since I knew my parents had been to the same place!  I know this picture is terrible, but you can sort of make out the manta ray...

We saw this huge tiger shark from the shore...

This was our last dinner and it was our favorite!  We were able to watch the sun set over that gorgeous water and shed many tears that it was time to leave!

The kids had a WONDERFUL time with my parents while we were gone, and we were of course so happy to come home and see them.  We were just so thankful God blessed us with such a wonderful trip and were blown away at His amazing creation!

Easter....

God gave us a gorgeous day to celebrate Easter....

No successful attempts at the family picture this year, but just so we have record that we were all there, here we are...

Nana and Collier were pretty in purple :)

We had lunch with the whole fam at Nanette and Scott's house!  The kids had a great time playing outside...

The kiddos with Granny and Papa Dave...

...and Nana and Poppy!

After swinging, running, and an Easter Egg Hunt, Collier decided to chill out on the swing...

Elise in action...

We love our cousins!!

Easter Activities, Anyone?

Okay, so Easter was several weeks ago and no one is looking for Easter activities right now.  I started this post awhile ago, but as you can see I got distracted by life and just now finished!  So, let's just pretend for a minute that it's March and we're super duper pumped that Easter is almost here!!!
There are so many fun things to do with the kids during the Easter season, and I think all the signs of spring are such incredible reminders of Christ! 

This year we made these little bird's nests that are extremely easy! You just melt a bag of chocolate chips, then stir in coconut until it becomes the texture you like. Drop little spoonfuls onto a tray and use the back of the spoon to flatten out the middle on each one. Put a few jellybeans in each one for eggs and you have your little nests! I put my tray in the fridge for a little while to make them harden faster.

I shared these verses with the kids that I just love--such a sweet reminder of how He cares for them...

Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God.  Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows."  Luke 12: 6-7

"Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young—

a place near your altar, O LORD Almighty, my King and my God." Psalm 84:3

We also had a great time dyeing eggs!  I talked to the kids about how in the beginning the eggs look dull and plain, then after we dye them they are colorful and beautiful.  It's a neat reminder of how before we know Christ our hearts are dull and ugly, but He makes us new and beautiful by giving us His record of righteousness!   

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."  2 Corinthians 5:17

"Then He who sat on the throne said, 'Behold, I make all things new.'"  Rev. 21:5

Another tradition we have on Easter morning is making Resurrection Buns!  I can't remember where I first heard the idea, but you can find the directions here: (http://homeparents.about.com/cs/eastercrafts/a/eastertradition.htm).  We've made them with biscuits and crescent rolls and both work well.

We put them in the oven and while they bake we read the story of the resurrection. When the kids bite into them they are empty, just like Jesus' tomb!

I'd love to hear of anyone else's Easter activities (for next year :)  Easter pictures to come...

three tall trees

Have you read the children's book, The Tale of Three Trees?  It's been one of my FAVORITE books for years now, and I was thrilled to see the Kindergarteners at Griffin's school perform this story.  He looked so sweet up there in his little tree costume! 

After the program was over we went to his room to wait for him to come back, and he was so proud and excited to see us!

Nana and Poppy came to see him too!

with a few fellow trees...

I also got to go to Anderson's class for their Easter Egg Hunt!

trying to balance the egg for an egg race!

We've also been enjoying playing outside in this WARM weather!!!

Griffin enjoyed putting Collier in some of his baseball gear (Anderson isn't angry--he's chewing something but wanted to jump in the picture).