I Hate the Easter Bunny

I have a really hard time wrapping my head around the whole Easter Bunny concept.  I just don’t get what exactly the Easter Bunny has to do with this most significant day.  And I’ve worried this year because Sam has totally noticed all the Easter Bunny Hoopla  and I wasn’t sure how I was going to handle the situation.  I just can’t bring myself to perpetuate the Easter Bunny myth but I wanted him to have an Easter Basket.  Thankfully, a conversation with a very special friend guided me in the right direction. Forevermore, Sam will know that his Mama and Daddy give him an Easter basket because we love him, just as God loved us and gave us his son. Whew! Finally I have peace in my heart about how to handle the commercial side of Easter.  As for the EB, he’s a great character that ushers in Spring and Easter. That’s it!

I love spending Easter with Sam.  We have our traditions and it’s the day I feel like I do the best job of teaching him about God. Today was probably my favorite Easter yet. 

Last night, Scott and I prepared Sam’s Easter basket.  This was my favorite basket of all time!  I went with a pirate and shark theme.

Sam brought the basket to our bed early this morning and he was so excited! It was fun watching him pull out all the fun things I had collected for him. I carefully chose a card that I knew Sam would be able to read and was still amazed by how easily he read it!   I wish I could convince him of what a great reader he is!

Within a few minutes, Sam abandoned our bed and his basket. We got up for the day and Sam came back, asking for a gift box.  “Sure, buddy, watcha doin?”  “I’m making something for you and Daddy.”  A few minutes later, he brought us a gift bag with an envelope attached.  “It’s something for you to decorate your room for Easter.”

 

The little egg he made us was precious, but it was the note he wrote that pushed me over the edge.

That kid never ceases to amaze me! He genuinely felt the spirit of giving and my heart could almost burst with love for him!

Sigh.

Scott was up and out of the house soon after that to play for an Easter Service and Sam and I got busy in the kitchen!  We make “Jesus Cookies” every year.  (Read about our Resurrection Rolls here)  While they were baking, Sam and I sat outside reading his Easter story books and talking about all things Easter.

I don’t think I’ll soon forget this Easter and how I conquered the Easter Bunny  nor will I foget the look of love in Sam’s face while Daddy and I read his note and opened his gift.

Happy Easter everyone!

We're Having a Yard Sale For a Good Reason!

I'm having a yard sale this weekend...we're moving!!!  More details to come soon. For now, I'm going to advertise for a yard sale website I'm using so I can get a free upgrade!


Find more garage sales in West Columbia onYard Sale Search.

Our Little Fish

A week ago, Sam would not even put his face in the water, much less leave the side of the swimming pool. Then, I introduced him to Ms. Laverne, a.k.a. The Swim Whisperer. Watching Sam be transformed so quickly was amazing! His lessons ended on Friday and Scott came home from Texas the next day. Sam was able to show off his new skills on Sunday and I think he really knocked Scott's socks off!! Take a look!

Beating the Heat

Sam and I have totally figured out how we’ll survive the 300 degree temperatures this week.  I’ll be sitting on the deck, under the tailgating tent with my feet in the pool and a book in my hand.

Sam, on the other hand, has his own strategy.

We had so much fun taking these pictures!  My favorite part…each time Sam wanted to move the sprinkler he would call out “Mama, kinkle the sprinkle!”

I actually think we’ll survive the heat this week!

Cinco de Sam

Oh, happy day!  Today my child, my monkeydoodle, my love turns 5!  We don’t have a lot planned for today.  Sam and I are going toy shopping this morning and will go on a pizza date for lunch.  Tonight we’re going to dinner with Nathan, one of Sam’s best friends.  (Oh, I just realized how appropriate it is that we’re having dinner with Nathan and his Mom and Dad since his dad delivered Sam 5 years ago today!) After dinner, we’ll come back home for cake and just a few small presents.  I had to make the cake myself because the store was out of Spider-man decorations for the cake Sam wanted.  I don’t think I did too bad but most importantly, Sam loved it! We decided to sing and blow out the candles this morning before Daddy left for work.

Sam will be having a huge carnival in a few weeks to celebrate with all his friends. The invitations went out last week.  We are getting so excited!

Dear Sam,

Happy 5th birthday, Monkeydoodle!  You are truly the coolest kid I know!  Daddy and I are enjoying you so much right now because you have a “knock ‘em dead” sense of humor and an imagination that never stops. 

You are such a curious and eager learner right now.  You are reading and writing and it amazes even me how you can play with words and sounds in your head without even seeing the letters.  And as good as you are with reading and writing, you are really good at math!  We are so proud of you and how much you love school.  Mama’s dream will come true in a few months when you get to start Kindergarten at Mama’s school!

You are really into Legos, Spider-man, Scooby-Doo and poop right now.  You and Nathan both, all poop all the time.  That’s how I knew you were feeling better last week. You started singing about poop again.  Oh, you are such a boy!!  It is fun to watch you play with your toys and build Legos with you.  You build some incredible things!  And what your imagination can do with a stick and a piece of cardboard is amazing!  Don’t ever stop being so creative!

Mama loves you most in the mornings when I snuggle with you to wake you up and at night when I read you to sleep.  I love you most when you are writing with me and when you are swinging on your swing like Superman.  I love you most when we are playing Star Wars Wii and when we are singing and dancing in the car. You are loving the songs “Forget You” and “Dynamite” right now.  We turn them up really loud and play them over and over again dancing our way down the road!  I love you the most when you tackle me and when you say things like “Mom, you’re breaking my heart” when I won’t let you do something.  I love you the most when you are running around the house in your underwear and when you are playing in the sprinklers. I love you the most when you tease me about kissing girls someday.  I love that Kathleen is your girlfriend because “she knows a lot about patterns and fiber foods.” I love you the most when you use your good manners.

I guess I just love you the most.

Happy, happy 5th birthday, Sam!  Mama and Daddy love you so much!