Happy Easter!

Our Easter weekend we spent in Dallas at the LTC conference with our youth group. Even though our weekend is full of traveling and running from event to event at the conference Jeremy and I still try very hard to give Rylee and Jackson a fun weekend.

It is hard to tell by their facial expressions that they did actually have a fun weekend. I don't think I have a single picture of them both smiling... Just keeping it real. They really did have a great time though. Rylee would have been pleased if riding in the big van with all the big kids was the extent to the trip. We also met up with Mimi and Papa while we were there and they spent Saturday playing with them in the big hotel... which mom and dad enjoyed very much too :)

Easter morning the kids opened their Easter baskets on our hotel bed, we all got ready for church and then had breakfast in our room with the youth group. For church we worshiped together with hundreds of other people in the hotels beautiful ballroom as different selected youth lead us in singing and shared their speeches with us. It is such an encouragement to see young people (the youngest was a third grader) utilizing their talents for the Kingdom. 

After church we snapped a quick group photo, recruited all the boys to load up our van and took a few family pictures. We hid eggs in the hotels beautiful park and Rylee and Jackson got to work!

We had a great weekend and a fun trip home, even in the 2 hours we sat still in construction traffic on the interstate. Man, our kids are really awesome. They didn't cry, whine or complain the whole trip home... perhaps a youth group in the car is the key to traveling with toddlers? ... or is it the awesome parenting? ... I think its just our kids, they totally rock!

Last quarter I taught Rylee's class at Sunday School and we spent our time talking about the Good News! The kids learned about Jesus and what the Gospel is, and the end is the most exciting part! He died on the cross for our sins, but He rose from the dead! It is so exciting to be able to start making those connections with her and showing her that there is a much bigger reason than candy and pretty outfits to be excited about Easter! 

It was a Happy Easter for us! 

until next time,

Brit

surprise surprise!

By now you have probably heard our exciting news! I am pregnant and due in August! I cannot believe how far along I am already... and that we've (I've) waited so long to share our news with our friends on the world wide web! 

I am feeling better this pregnancy than I did with my previous two. I had some pretty ugly morning sickness for about a month, which is completely normal for me, aside from how short lived it was. With the first two I was sick nearly the entire pregnancy. And, a big plus, I have energy! Probably because I don't have much of a choice chasing around two, but I am thankful for it either way!

Rylee and Jackson are both so excited to be adding another brother or sister to our family. Rylee has been persistent about wanting a sister... she already has a brother, so a girl it must be :) Jackson does not grasp what's going on, except that there is a baby in mommy's tummy... but even that is hard to get, because he thinks he has one in his tummy too, haha! 

Thank you for all of the love you have shown to us, and for celebrating with us! We are as excited as ever for this beautiful blessing from God! Looking forward to sharing more of this journey with you all.

until next time,
Brit

Sickly

We made it through winter with barely a runny nose and just as I was giving my self a mommy high five I turned around just in time to see our first victim getting sick on her dinner plate.

Ry and Jackson got a hold of the stomach bug and it held on tight here for 3 days... the same 3 days that Jeremy was gone to the mountains for a backpacking trip with a buddy. We all made it through until daddy got home and shared his cold with us and then fell victim himself to the stomach bug.

Just as everyone seemed to be on the mend (for an entire day!) Jackson started running fever and after taking him into the DR we found out he has strep. Kicking us while we're down. Jeremy was not far behind, just today he went into a clinic not feeling well and found out he has strep and a sinus infection.

Mom is a little worn out. I love spring time so this is just torturous for everyone to be out of sorts around here. The swing set and playhouse are just calling to be played with!

Rylee is doing great, back to her old self now. Jackson is starting to come around and act a little more Jackson today, hopefully tomorrow he'll be back to himself.  Jeremy feels worse today than he has all week.

I'm so thankful for the incredible mom genes that seem to keep you immune from everything while you live in a germ-y house full of 3 other sick people. But I'm SO so ready for everyone to be back to their normal healthy active selves!

We are set to leave for LTC this weekend. Praying we get healthy and stay healthy through our little trip!

Until next time,
Brit