Here are some pictures from a couple of weeks ago at Easter time.

I had bought a set to dye the Easter eggs with, but when it came time actually do it I could not find the package anywhere.  We searched and searched but couldn’t find it.  Since it was the night before Easter and I wasn’t going back out to buy a new one- Hailey painted her Easter eggs using a new water color set she had gotten from Aunt Ruth the week before.  (The package was later found under Hailey’s bed… I have no idea how it got there.)

Hailey loved using the water colors so that she could paint her eggs exactly how she wanted them.

Hailey showing off one of her eggs.

Hailey’s favorite egg, which she specifically requested I post here.

A lovely work of art done by Rich.

Before she went to bed, Hailey picked out 2 eggs for the Easter bunny to eat and left them on the table along with an empty basket for the Easter bunny to fill.

When the Easter bunny came he ate the eggs and left a chocolate bunny and a puzzle on the table.  I guess he couldn’t fit everything into her basket…

In the morning Hailey followed a trail of eggs down the hall to see what the Easter bunny had left for her.

Hailey was searching for her basket and stopped to smile for a picture- not realizing that she was standing right next to her basket.

Finally found it!

Hailey loved her new Princess Tiana doll.

All dressed up in the Easter dress that she picked out.

One more picture in her Easter dress before heading off to church.

Easter also brought much sadness for our family as my Uncle Earl lost his battle with cancer that afternoon.  He was only 52 years old and leaves behind his wife Jayme and their 3 daughters- Bethany (8 years old), Sammi (4 years old) and Suzy (1 year old).  Please remember our family and especially my Aunt Jayme and the 3 girls during this difficult time.

A couple of weekends ago Hailey and I went to our local zoo for an Easter Egg hunt.  It was pretty disorganized but Hailey had a blast anyways.

She made an Easter basket and then did the egg hunt for the kids 5 and under.  That egg hunt was basically just a bunch of plastic eggs thrown into the grass.  She finished that in about 10 seconds.  So we decided to do the egg hunt for the older kids where there were eggs hidden throughout the zoo.

She had fun doing the egg hunt for the older kids, but mostly she enjoyed seeing the animals and playing on the playground.

After the egg hunt was over we met up with Rich and headed off to Chuck-E-Cheese for some pizza and fun.  Hailey loves going to Chuck-E-Cheese but she is scared of going up in the tunnels and going down the slide.  So, this time she decided that she was going to be brave and go down the slide.  She climbed up to the top and when she got to the tunnel she turned the wrong way.  So instead of going right to the slide she ended up lost in the tunnels.  There are little windows and I could see her up there looking scared.  I was trying to point which way she should go but she was too scared and starting to cry.  So, Rich had to go up in the tunnel and rescue her.  He showed her the way back to the slide and she went down.  When she came down she decided that she would try it again if Rich would go with her.  So he went with her and showed her how to get to the slide.  She was really proud of herself once she had it all figured out.

After that she played on the slide for a long time and was so proud that she finally did it!

A big hug for Chuck-E-Cheese!

And a quick pose for a picture.

I’m finishing up posting some pictures from our Christmas and New Years celebrations.

The day after Christmas my Aunt Jayme and Uncle Earl and their three girls came from out of town to visit.

Hailey loved having her cousins Bethany and Sammi to play with.

Hailey and Sammi watching a movie together.

Then on New Years Eve, Rich, Hailey and I went over to my parents house to join my parents, Matt and Ellie for a New Years Eve party.  We had tons of yummy food, watched some football and played some games.

An exciting game of Chutes and Ladders!

On New Years morning we had a delicious breakfast made by the guys.

Later on in the morning my dad thought it would be fun to take Hailey sledding down their hill.

Hailey was not convinced that sledding down the hill looked all that fun.

Hailey walked next to the sled while Pa tried to convince her to get on with him.

And her final decision- to walk down the hill.

So they built a snowman instead.

Last week I posted about Christmas morning and now I have finally had some time to upload some more pictures from later in the day.  In the afternoon, my parents, Mike, Matt and Ellie all came over for Christmas dinner.  (Some of these pictures were taken by me, some by my dad and some by Ellie.)

Everyone ready to eat.

Then it was time to open some more presents.

Murray and Brady check to see what Ellie is opening.

Hailey with some presents- looking a little tired from all of the activities of the day.

Hailey enjoying her gifts.

Then it was time to go to the garage to see Hailey’s last present.  (Thanks to Ellie for getting these pictures of Hailey’s face as she realized what it was.)

Hailey realized what she was looking at and that it was for her!

Checking out her new log house.  It will have to stay in the garage for now until the snow is gone and it can be set up outside.

Hailey looking out the window of her new house.

We finished off the evening with snacks and games.  Lots of fun times together with the family!