Birthday Craftin'

 Blake likes to "make crafts for Daddy."  This usually means scribbling a picture on construction paper.  Right now Blake is great at drawing snakes.  We thought we'd bring out the big guns for birthday crafting...PAINT!!!

 

We started out well, just happy to be painting, then...

...a trip to time out for throwing the paintbrush at Mom.  (I just had to sneak this picture)

After recovering from the meltdown he played with the moon dough barn (in the background), while I made cupcakes.  He covered himself (and the floor) in moon dough, so the clothes came off.  Then he devoured a cupcake.  Afterward he ran away from me and tracked moon dough and chocolate cupcake crumbs across the living room.  Bath and bedtime could not come fast enough.

 

The next morning we were both in much better spirits and ready to finish the project.

"Take a picture of the nail, Mom."

 

His favorite part was stretching the rubber bands.

It's a maze!  Notice the marble in the bottom left hand corner.  I love that he is old enough to work on projects with me.  A giant maze would be so much fun for an older kid to make, but the smaller "Blake" version was fun too!

Happy Birthday to Steve!

Homemade chocolate cupcakes with espresso buttercream icing, and a chocolate covered coffee bean on top.  That's what I call a good birthday :)

I wish I had another one right now!

Cupcakes were made to be eaten like this, right before your mom plunks you into the bathtub!

Over the River And Through the Woods...

One of the wonderful parts of moving to Columbus is that we live closer to my grandma.

 Yesterday, we made the trip for a day's visit.  We managed to avoid the rain both coming and going too!

 Blake was turning the tables on a word game she likes to play.  As she names and taps each part of your face she'll say "forehead bumper, eye twinker, eye blinker, nose smeller, mouth eater, chin chomper and....a GOBBLE, GOBBLE, GOBBLE!"

 After the "gobbling," which involves a good bit of tickling. :)

 I really need to get this on video next time.  He loves to "preach" to Grandma and Charles.  They must make a great congregation because he does it every time we visit.

 So, I guess this was an illustrated sermon.  They had these palm branches from their service on Sunday laying around.  He was showing them how the people said "Hosanna!"

 Grandma asked him if she could testify.  While she was talking he leaned in to listen and then let out the longest, loudest, stinkiest toot he has yet to produce.  At that point we all lost it and could not stop laughing.  He kept saying, "Guys!  Calm down.  It's not that funny."

For as long as I can remember, Grandma has stood in the doorway as we drive away and motioned "I Love You."  She still does it to this day, and I just had to capture it.  I am so blessed!

Fun at the Zoo!

We joined some friends and headed to the Columbus Zoo yesterday.  It was a perfect sunny spring day so we couldn't resist the chance to have some fun OUTSIDE!

This was such a cool moment.  The tiger stayed there for a couple of minutes, sizing them up, too.

 

Look closely at the left side of his collar and you'll see what's left of the bird poop that fell on Blake.  It was on his hat and shirt, and he had wiped it on his face before I could stop him. Mega Yuck!

My friend Mandy and her littlest one.  He loves to cheese for the camera.
Fun day!

Easter Eggs!

 I was so excited to realize that Blake would be old enough to really enjoy hunting for Easter eggs this year.  We dyed our first official batch this weekend.

 

These are "no spill" egg dying containers.  They definitely prevent the threat of a gigantic spill, but we still had our share of drips.

Shake it!  Shake, shake, shake it like a polaroid picture!

 We made a few pink ones, so I wouldn't feel completely left out!

 Cheesin' it up!

 I would have loved to take a picture of the finished products, but the camera batteries died.  You can see a couple of neon specimens drying in the background though!

At this point we still have a decent amount intact, but our hiding and hunting led to quite a few cracked eggs.  Apparently 2 year old boys are not naturally gentle creatures!

Meet and Greet

Have you ever anxiously awaited your opportunity to meet some one with a little or a lot of clout?  A person who's leadership or abilities has granted them a position of power or prominence.  It can be a bit nerve wracking, hoping that the reality of the personality does not disappoint the trumped up ideal.

As I've been reading through various passages of the gospel in preparation for Easter, I realized again that one day I will meet Jesus.  Face to face, in nervous expectation I will meet Him.  Wouldn't it be heart breaking if that first encounter was awkward? 

What if He didn't know what to say.  Or if he was so busy and distracted, He could only muster a half-smile and a handshake before moving on.  Imagine if He could only talk about Himself, forgetting I was even in His presence.  What if He was too important to even make eye contact with me.  On earth we've all experienced people like this.  It can be hard to recover the love and respect someone is due once the shine has been knocked off.

As all of these thoughts washed over me, I remembered again all of the passages I've been reading about the Savior I love so much.  Think of all of His recorded encounters:

• The little children who He rearranged His schedule just to hold and bless.  

• A desperate, awkward, social outcast of a woman who could only muster enough courage to reach out and touch Jesus' coat as He walked by.  He stopped everything to find and show love to her.  

• Then there was the famous "wee little man" hiding in a tree, who even in his lofty perch, could not escape Christ's notice. Zaccheus ended up with a visit to his very home from the hero of whom he had hoped to merely catch a glimpse.

He loves us!  Oh how He loves us! 

And then there's The Book of Revelation, with it's beautiful pictures of our heavenly encounters with the Son.  I am going to be a mess.  A world weary, crying mess; He is going to wipe away my tears.  I will be under-dressed;  He will give me a perfectly clean robe.  I will be overwhelmed;  He will call me His child. 

Jesus has asked me to follow Him, to obey His words.  Why?  Because life on earth is hard.  He knows it.  He lived it long before I did.  And as I read through Revelation today, I was amazed to think He is also excited for the day we meet. 

He is hoping that I do not reject Him; He wants me to live with Him forever.  He wants me to see his face, to experience life free from sadness and death.  There is no way He is going to disappoint me.  And even though there will be many reasons I have disappointed Him, that's not what He'll be thinking about.  Instead like the father of the lost son, He'll run to embrace his child who has finally made it home.

What a beautiful thought!

Visit from Grampa!

Had to turn at least one of the moving boxes into a vehicle!  This is supposed to be a firetruck.

Marc had a business trip to Ohio scheduled, so he got to stay a few days with us!

Some people need glasses to read or drive.  Blake's needs are mainly for potato head assembly.

The beautiful tulips from Whole Foods that Marc bought for me.  I LOVE tulips!

Grampa's whiskers are scratchy!

Sneaking a bite of Blake's burger.

Life is settling down a bit, so hopefully I'll be able to post more regularly!  We've been exploring the area and unpacking in our new home.  Blake has been a real trooper through all of this, although sometimes he still asks to go "home."