Mowing

The yard needed mowed. So of course I put Mackinley right to work on that. Jason decided maybe he'd help out to make it go faster.

Bummer!!!

So last night we were getting ready to watch "The Biggest Loser". I was so excited to eat my popcorn while I watched our show! So I go out in the kitchen and open a brand new box of 100 calorie popcorn packs. I popped my bag and I was "doctoring" it up (spray margarine and white cheddar flavored powder...TRY IT!). I tossed a piece in my mouth and it was sweet. I thought "What? that's weird..." Then it dawned on me.

NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!

I looked at the box I had just opened and sure enough. KETTLE KORN! Yuck!!

I know a lot of people love kettle corn. I am NOT one of those people. So when I realized that my delicious treat had been sabotaged...I was devastated (yeah...food is important to me...deal with it). Luckily I inherited the gene from my father that makes me one of those weird people that likes burnt popcorn. That helped me ignore the stupid sweet flavor.

NEVER AGAIN will this happen!!!! :)

WONDERFUL weekend!!!

After almost two months...we FINALLY got to see Kaeleigh again! We were all so excited to see her! After a very brief rough patch when we picked her up (she cried a little but was done before she was even buckled in to her seat) we had a WONDERFUL weekend. It felt so great to have our whole family together again!

We've been outside A LOT enjoying the weather!

Piper chillin' watching her big brother and sister ride bikes

Kaeleigh drew these flowers for us! The little teeny one at the top is for Piper. The upside one is for me. The one with the super long stem is for Daddy and the small one is for Macky. :)

Easter Basket

Kaeleigh had a weekend chock full of goodies!!! She missed the Easter Bunny at our house so she found her Easter basket AND had her birthday too!!

Jason LOVES to take pictures of you when you're eating. Or talking. Or doing anything that makes you look like a moron. LOL! (No...I'm not making a rude gesture...it's just the way I'm holding my food!)

Piper refuses to wear her hat. So we just keep putting it on her hoping one of these days she'll get used to it! Her little bald head needs a hat! See Jason holding her little hands down? And see the ornery look on her face because she wants to grab that hat right off her head?? :)

Kaeleigh's Birthday Party

Saturday evening we celebrated Kaeleigh's birthday! Kamma & Papoo came and brought Peepaw with them. Daddy stayed home from work, too! We had Bummies...well, the adults had Bummies! I gave Kaeleigh a choice of ANYTHING she wanted to eat and she chose peanut butter & jelly!! hahaha! :)

FIVE years old?!?!

Can you believe Kaeleigh is FIVE?? I can't!! She is growing up. She'll be in school this fall! WHOA. She is such a good girl and we are so proud of her! Ok...here is her cake...HUSH, those of you who want to laugh! Kaeleigh LOVED it! :) That's all that matters! I made it with lots of love, not lots of cake decorating prowess. ha

Kaeleigh is telling Mackinley to get back! He wanted to grab the candle. (hmmm do I need to say AGAIN how much he's like his Uncle Kelly??)

We sang to Kaeleigh and it was so cute! She didn't know what to do with herself with everyone singing for her! Look at her expression! She was like "I am loving this but do I let on that I'm loving it??" haha!

She was VERY excited about the ice cream bubbles Kamma gave her!!

For those of you who sent Kaeleigh cards...she asked me to read EVERY ONE of them to her! And she kept them all, they're in her room in her special spot. :) Grandma Baker, she loved the stickers and she decorated your card with them and showed it off to everyone!

Peepaw gave her "Fox In Sox". We read it last night at bedtime....if you haven't had the pleasure of reading tongue twisters to your kids while they giggle at you...go get this book! :)

Kaeleigh is the sweetest little girl. She's very loving and is always so helpful around the house. She loves to help me with Piper, she brings me diapers, she plays with her while I cook supper so she doesn't get upset, she finds her binky and gives it to her, among all kinds of other things. Kaeleigh also loves her little brother and they play so well together. If I had a dollar for every time she says "I love you!" to each of us, I would be a very wealthy woman! :) Kaeleigh is a blessing and we are so lucky to have her in our lives!!!

Our Girls

Kaeleigh in her Easter dress! She wasn't at all excited to wear it to church today...can you tell?? :)

How did we get the two most beautiful girls ever??? We are SO BLESSED.

Jester Kings at the Neon Armadillo

Saturday night the Jester Kings (Korie's band) played at the Neon Armadillo in Fort Wayne. Haley and I went and had an excellent time! Here we are with Jema & Angie.

The band recently added a new member! He plays the fiddle and he ROCKS!! I was amazed.

Korie and her big brother cut a rug. :)

Flowers For Momma

The other day when I came home from grocery shopping, Mackinley was very excited to show me the flowers he had picked for me. It was so sweet!!

Cozy

Mackinley put pillows and blankets in Kaeleigh's tent and said "Come on, Daddy, bring Peanut! It's cozy!"

Piper Babbles

Jason was trying to get a video of Piper dancing. She only "dances" for a split second but her babbles are super cute! Make sure your volume is up. :)

Easter

What a wonderful holiday!!!

My chains are gone
I've been set free!
My God my savior
Has ransomed me!

And like a flood
His mercy rains.
Unending love,
Amazing grace!

We sang that song this morning in worship service. There is no better way to "sum up" what Easter means. The entire meaning behind Easter, grace, and forgiveness was never clear to me until this past year. Sure, I HEARD about it...I tried to get my brain around it. But I always felt like I wasn't good enough. I hadn't DONE enough, I wasn't obedient enough, I had far too many mistakes in my past and present for any of that to ever apply to ME and I was for sure going to Hell.

I will never forget the Sunday in church when our pastor spoke the message of true love and forgiveness. Something clicked inside me and I finally realized Jesus loves ME! For ME! For who I am! There are NO strings attached! I don't have to be perfect, I don't have to be flawless, I don't have to be free of sin. The minute it hit home, tears streamed down my face and I felt EXACTLY what this song describes. MY CHAINS ARE GONE!

If you have never felt that freedom...that release...and you crave it...talk to someone! Find your local pastor, a friend, a family member...heck, call MY pastor! I know he'd help you find it because he helped me! (Gary Aupperle 824-1844) You can even talk to me if you want to! kerikins@adamswells.com

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." John 3:16

An Easter Surprise!

Grandma Lisa sent an Easter surprise in the mail!

Piper was very intrigued by the small pieces of paper Mackinley ripped off and the packing peanuts.

An Easter basket full of goodies and "Madagascar 2" with a Pez Dispenser for each kid! Grandma Lisa definitely has the gift of giving!!

Piper liked the crinkly paper. :)

The basket is ADORABLE and will serve as Piper's Easter basket for years to come! THANK YOU, MOM!!! We love you!