~The Mitchell's~: HAPPY EASTER!!!!

I hope everyone had a great Easter! I know we sure did...especially Natalee! We celebrated with Terry's family last Sunday. We went to church, then headed to Starkville. We ate at Applebee's & Natalee really enjoyed her chicken strips. We then headed to the park. It was a little chilly outside so we didn't get to stay long. My camera died so I didn't get but one picture of that day. We hid a few eggs & let Natalee find them. She had a lot of fun.

Last Thursday, Daddy & Irene kept Natalee while I went to Bunko. They hadn't seen her in a little over 2 weeks so I thought that was a perfect opportunity for them. They brought her a Easter gift. It was 2 outfits, some peeps & a Elmo Book of Colors. Natalee just LOVES Elmo!! They came over Friday afternoon to hunt eggs. Terry hid about 2 dozen plastic eggs & Natalee found all of them. She would pick one up & put it in her basket & run to find another one. She really enjoyed herself.

Saturday night, we all gathered at mom's. We ate this dish she just threw together & it was actually pretty good. Afterwards, we all dyed eggs. We took 2.5 dozen, Brandi & Byron had 1 dozen & mom had 3 dozen. Debbie, granny, Shane & the kids came over to watch (& help) Natalee dye some eggs since this was her first year to be able to. Last year she was only 3 months old. Sunday morning, I got up about 7 to finish cooking everything for lunch. Terry & I had to wake Natalee up about 9. Normally she won't ever sleep past 8:30, but she didn't want to get up that morning! We finally got her to walk into the living room. She ran right to the couch, which is where the Easter Bunny left most of her stuff. The first thing she saw that she wanted was the M&M's. The Easter Bunny left her a chocolate bunny, 7 ring pops, a M&M egg, some Oreo cakesters, The Princess & the Frog, a Looney Toons Easter movie, 2 puzzles, a pair of flip flops & her Easter outfit. He also left a note telling her she had a big present outside. We went to the back door. He had left her a butterfly shaped wading pool/sandbox! It was too cute! Terry had to run to the store, so I took her outside to play in her sandbox. She had a ball! We were supposed to eat at mom's at 12, so we headed that way early in order to help finish preparing stuff. We walked in & the Easter Bunny had left Natalee another basket. She got some sidewalk chalk, a princess plate & bowl & some gardening toys along with another puzzle. Oh & Nana & Papaw bought Natalee a fish...or as Natalee calls it a "Bish". Aunt BB bought her a bunch of gifts too. She got her the cutest swimsuit, a really cute outfit, a sippy cup, some goldfish crackers, some popsicles, a cabbage patch doll dressed as a bunny, some peeps & I'm not really sure what else, but it was a bag full of stuff. Plans changed & we were going to Deadra's for lunch, so while mom was finished up her food to take, Terry, Natalee, Brandi & I went to Debbie's to see what Ryan & Katie Lauren had gotten. Aunt Debbie & Uncle Shane had bought Natalee a basket too! It was full of candy...m&ms, suckers, cotton candy....lots and lots of candy! Natalee will definitely gain weight if she eats all of the candy she got...I think mommy & daddy will too though!
We headed to Deadra's for lunch. We had pineapple ham, homemade mac & cheese (which was. to. die. for.....OMG! It was soooooo good!), green bean bundles, rolls, hashbrown casserole, tiramisu, apple pie & strawberry pie (I'm sure I forgot something but that's what I can remember). You know we ate good! Madison was sleeping when we got there, so after we ate, we took Natalee outside to play. When Madison finally woke up, they brought her out there. Those two kiddos had a ball sliding & getting pulled/pushed in the wagon! When Madison came outside, Aunt BB asked Natalee, "Can you say Madison?". She said "Ma-i-son"! It was too cute!

We went back to mom's about 2 so Natalee could get a nap before we hid eggs. She was sooooo tired! When she woke up, she ate a hotdog ("otda" as Natalee would say), which was more than she had eaten all day. When Hope, Henry & Carter got there, we hid eggs. Terry, Ryan & Brandi hid them & Natalee, Madison, Katie Lauren & Carter found them. The little kids were able to find 16 real eggs & 5 plastic eggs and the big kids were able to find 17 real eggs & 5 plastic. They had themselves a ball! Natalee just loves to find eggs! I'm actually surprised that she didn't pick them up & throw them like she does a ball. She would find one, put it in her basket & move to the next one. After she found all of hers, she was upset she couldn't find anymore.

After Deadra & her family left, Natalee, Aunt BB, Katie Lauren & Carter got outside & decorated Papaw's sidewalk. Natalee also decorated herself. She absolutely loved the sidewalk chalk! We then enjoyed a great dinner with mom's family & great dessert too. We had fried deer steak, peas, corn casserole, green bean bundles, potato salad, baked beans, apple salad and rolls. For dessert we had a bunny cake, cookies, apple pie & lemon pie. As you can tell we had a great weekend. We are looking forward to many more great weekends & holidays with our families & friends.

Remember, He is Risen! God bless each & every one of you!