Spring Break is leaving us tomorrow!

Tomorrow is the last day of Spring Break and I can safely say that Ebeth has had oodles of fun this past week. We participated in few library activities, including a magic show (probably her fav of the week) and an arts and crafts time. We went to the Peoria Glen Oak Zoo which superdy duperdy sucked. Not kidding, the place is so pathetic. Ebeth said, "This is the smallest zoo I've ever been to!" (and she should know, the girls been to countless zoos) (I so have a zoo problem). But, the bestest thing we visited was the Children's Discovery Museum in Bloomington. I love that place. Ebeth was entertained for hours, it's not that expensive, you can bring food, and Julia had plenty to do!!!







Ebeth's favorite part of the museum--using the crutches.


Julia randomly decided to cruise around this thing. She'll so be walking before I know it.
I adore this face! This is the face Ebeth makes when she's a bit uncomfortable/shy. She wanted to play on this dentist's chair, but then a random kid started to play with the buttons, making Ebeth go up and down. She was unsure of how to respond to this.

She refused to finish the game of checkers with me. Stinker.





We also made some time to visit our good friend Baby Ben. He was impressed with Julia's mad raspberrying skills.





For Easter, we spent Saturday with my family. We ate dinner at my Grandma's where we had the annual Easter Egg Hunt!







Then it was home to greet Jana and Keith after their trip to Gulf Shores and to dye Easter Eggs!


We spent Easter at home. Julia was impressed with her Easter basket and Ebeth found all 33 eggs the Easter bunny left. Ebeth was a bit disappointed that the E.B. only put one type of candy in all the Easter eggs. The Easter bunny took note not to do that next year, but wants to defend himself that the large bag of Robin's Eggs was on sale and enormous.

A Weekend at Memaw and Pepaw's

On Friday, Jana&Keith, along with Kyle, Matt & Ethan, all left to spend their spring breaks in Gulf Shores. The girls and I stayed back in Pekin, where we spent the weekend with my parents (aka, Memaw and Pepaw). I just couldn't handle being in Alabama and not seeing Evan. Once again, if I didn't like him so much...

Elisabeth has been stoked about spring break. She keeps telling me that there will be NO ONE in her schools ("Not even the teachers!"). The poor thing knows all about spring breaks because Evan and I have both been in college since she was born, but she's never had her own spring break before. So, I have some fun activities planned for the week (zoo, museum, library, parks, etc.).

This is a picture of a perfect over easy egg. No, Evan did not fly up to make me that egg (he makes PERFECT over easy eggs). I did this all by myself. I wanted proof to show Evan, since I normally try to flip the stupid egg, end up breaking the yolk (my absolute favorite part), whine to Evan about my egg-tastraphy, make him eat the subpar egg, and force him to make me a perfect one. These are the reasons why we stay married, people!

Perfection!


Julia has decided that it would be fun to start beating up Elisabeth. The kid's a brute, I tell ya! Ebeth does a great job of putting up with said bully. She's such a good big sister (because you all know I'd have beaten the crap out of Terra by now).

Here's Julia trying to choke Ebeh while Ebeth is reading.

A moment of peace from Julia the Bully.
Now she's trying to whack Ebeth with her pacifier.
Checking to make sure her nose is good.


My parents live by a cemetary. My dad loves to walk the cemetary trail (it's a mile and a half!) and talk about the "new neighbors". (he's so funny, that Joseph) Anyway, we went on a walk with him and he pointed out some highlights for us.
The Civil War monument.
Ebeth practicing her balancing.


After our cemetary walk, we headed to Coal Miner's Park, where there was going to be an Easter Egg Hunt. After a tramatic parking adventure (seriously, Coal Miner's Park does not have adequate parking to accommodate the entire Pekin Primary School crowd that showed up to participate), my mom dropped Ebeth and I off and then tried to find somewhere to park with Julia. There were tons of families there all grumpy and yelling at their kids for being so hyper (or excited, duh!). I got to witness one 4 year old continuously beat on his grandma for telling him in wasn't his turn. Oh, and the one mom who was yelling at her daughter for crying because this would be her first year having to run out on the field solo to get the eggs and she was scared. Priceless.

Enough of my superior mommy rantings...Here's some pics of Ebeth on her egg hunt.
She was grumping about the sun being in her eyes while I kept taking pictures.
Look at her go!
She got 5 eggs, all orange, with only tootsie rolls and peppermints inside. Someone was cleaning out their Christmas candy supply, I see.
Memaw and Julia finally found us. My mom had to park across the street on Parkway (which is the 2nd busiest street in Pekin). While recrossing it (on the crosswalk, with signs telling drivers that pedestrians have the right of way), one car decided to not stop and speed infront of me and my children. It was pretty scary. But, as soon as we'd safely crossed, the park policeman, who'd witnessed the whole event, turned on his sirens and went after the girl. It's so nice to actually get to see justice actually be served every once and a while (I say see, because we got in the car and went in the direction of the policeman to see if he'd caught up to her. He had.)

After Easter Egg Hunting, we went to the baby shower of my dear friend Sharee, who's due in May. Her nursery will be decorated in a jungle theme, hence the cake decorations.









And, what day wouldn't be complete with Memaw and Pepaw without a trip to Denny's.



On Sunday, my mom let me take a nap. A nap, I say!!! I meant to sleep for an hour, but got woken up by Ebeth after 2!!! I love naps. And sleep. Without a baby next to me, kicking and grunting. Other Sunday activities included...
Julia swinging in a swing she is only 2 pounds lighter than the limit of.
Ebeth performing at the Palm Sunday service at church. Notice her awesome sequins shirt!
Julia posing in her Sunday best (with her Jesus sticker from the nursery).

Notice how large my child is when my mom is holding her!! Memaw is the best nap rocker.

Along with our awesome spring break plans, Julia will begin sleeping at night in her crib in Ebeth's room. Yes, I realize she is 9.5 months old, but she's been in the pack and play in my room for convenience's sake. Now, however, I feel like we are keeping each other up, and, frankly, I need my stinking sleep. So, wish us luck as we try a little seperation at night. :)

Remember that one time when I had a husband?

Yeah...me too. He was way cool. His name was Evan and we met in high school. We were the cool people on the speech team and in the school plays. Oh, and in band and color guard (respectfully) and student council. We started dating (when he was 15?! WTH?) and it was cool. Then, after a few years we got married, had some kids (not totally in that direct order, but details), graduated from our respective colleges. And then, I decided to tell him to pursue his dreams and apply for a JAG officer position in the Air Force, which he totally got. Hooray! So exciting! Oh, but he'll have to go to training in freaking Alabama, which didn't seem so bad before it actually happened. Now, I'm this single-ish mom, living at my in-laws, taking care of the kids minus a husband. Stupid me...never should have encouraged the whole "dream" thing.

Having him gone, though, really does make me appreciate all he does. Like getting up in the morning when the girls wake up way too early. I always got to sleep in on Saturdays as late as I wanted. And he'd make pancakes and eggs. Oh, and he's great at getting Julia to take naps. He doesn't mind doing diapers or entertaining a crying baby. He can listen to Ebeth rant and rave about Star Wars and knows how to pronounce all those stupid planet names from the movies. Yeah, having a husband was way cool. I should look into getting another one soon.

Table for One

I am the most excited person alive. My parents are taking the girls for dinner and I will get to eat BY MYSELF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There will be quiet. There will be warm food. There will be book reading!!! I have included a video of Julia eating. She is not making even 1/10 of the noise she normally does, but it is cute. I will try to capture her true volume level (for those non-believers), but she always shuts-up once the camera comes out.

Which makes me an idiot because then I should just leave it out all meal time. Doh!