Things from last week...

Last week was hectic and FUN! It was hectic because there's so much to do at the end of the year and the kids act like lunatics. haha...love 'em, but they do! It was FUN because it was Teacher Appreciation Week! Different businesses provided us with breakfast and lunch everyday...of course I loved that!

And a student in my class bought me a TON of sweet gifts...including a dozen peach roses.

Avie made me this at school!

I made this for my nephew, Drew, for his first birthday party!

Friday night, we picked up Caroline and took she and Avie to play at Chick-fil-a.

These two are best friends...

They shared an ice cream and had a blast! They were so good.

Cason and Josh's Wedding

Chad and I headed for Alexandria Saturday morning for Cason's wedding. I love Alexandria. It's the first place I lived after college...first time in the real world...learned a lot of independence in the short time I lived there! It was nice to go back for the day and visit some of my favorite stores and favorite restaurant (Oriental Wok for those of you who know Alec!) and spend the night in a hotel! I love staying at hotels.

I knew both Cason AND Josh in college, but not as a couple. They started dating a couple of months before Chad and I...so obviously I've been waiting for this for a LONG time! haha

The wedding was beautiful and the reception was fun...saw a lot of faces I hadn't seen since college. I enjoyed visiting with everyone and getting to see one of my good friends marry the man of her dreams.

Cason and I

Jillian, Cason, and I

Monday after Easter

There are perks to being a teacher. Not only do you get to teach kids everyday but the holidays and breaks are FAB! I knew at a very young age I wanted to teach...I love kids and it's very rewarding (at times! haha)...but I also knew I wanted kids of my own and I want to be home with them as much as possible.  After Christmas, we get so many little breaks. There's President's Day, MLK, Spring Break, Easter Break...not to mention the 3 or 4 snowdays we got and a stormy weather day we got Wednesday!

Monday, we went to River Oaks Park. This is the best.park.ever. Super clean, not crowded, and nice playground!

Molly

Caroline

Drew and Avie Long Legs

This is the most precious little boy I've ever seen. I hope to have one just as sweet as him one day.

He's an absolute DOLL.  

After we left the park we decided to head to Sam's (to eat and shop)...have you ever eaten at Sam's?? They have the best hotdogs in the WORLD!

The girls all rode with me!

Easter 2011

 This year Avie has 2 Easter baskets. The Easter Bunny can never fit everything in the one on the right (this is her basket from the last 2 Easters...I made the basket liner and monogrammed it) so I made the one on the left this year to put her goodies in and she can use the other one to hunt eggs. The new one is metal and kinda heavy for her, so I didn't think it'd be a good idea for her to tote that one around!

Molly, Caroline, and Drew's Easter present from Avie

Look what the Easter Bunny left! (well, Chad and I got her a little something...on the left)

So I know it looks a little overboard, but really it wasn't that bad! There were EIGHT books! She loves books! More than any other toy she owns. I bought way too many for Christmas so I decided to put 5 of them up for Easter instead of giving them to her for Christmas.

This year the Easter Bunny didn't leave much candy. He did one little bag and then a couple of things of tic tacs...she loves fruity tic tacs. He usually puts books, clothes, a movie, and a few odds and ends in her basket. She gets so much candy at her class party that the candy the Easter Bunny brings usually never gets eaten...or Chad and I eat it. haha.

Chad and I had her a little gift...these dresses and bathing suit. I had already bought the dresses for summer, so I figured I'd go ahead and monogram them and "gift" them! The bathing suit was my fav! It is poppy and white striped seersucker! I can't resist Baby Gap.

Once all the excitement died down (and daddy made a big breakfast of eggs, bacon, and coffee cake muffins), Avie wanted to SWING, no doubt. This is what we do everyday from the time we get home until suppertime.

Avie got to sit with us in church and was such a good girl. She colored and read some of her new books. After church we went to my mamaw's house for Easter lunch.

This is Avie on Mamaw's front porch waiting to hunt Easter Eggs!

aaaaaand they're off!

Even Drew got to participate!

(there's an egg in that tree in case you can't see it!)

My cousin's twin boys, Britton and Braeden

US!





Grandmom's 80th (& dyeing Easter eggs with my girl!)

My grandmom (dad's mom) turned 80 last Saturday! We threw her a birthday party at her church's fellowship hall and it was such a good turnout! There were exactly 80 people there!

This cake was SO GOOD.

This is my mamaw (my mom's mom). Both sets of grandparents have gone to church together for years!

She got LOTS of gifts! I got to be the lucky one who wrote everything down, and if you've ever watched an 80 year old open gifts (including taking things out of the box they came in to get a better look at it)...then you know it can take a full day.

It was so funny because one lady bought her a Christmas glass hurricane candle holder and I asked her who she was. So she introduced me to her as her niece. I'm like "huh?". I told her I'd let it slide since she was 80.

Avie sang happy birthday to Grandmom and was so proud of herself. She sings that song everyday. And she uses my name in it so I always tell her "thank you, this is a wonderful birthday!".

Grandmom with her great-daughters.

Mom bought the girls matching dresses for an Easter gift so they wore them to the party.

Caroline and Avie having some cake

They played hard! I don't know if you can tell how tired and sweaty they look in this pic!

My cousin Mike and his fiance Ashley, Chad and Drew (my brother's youngest), sister-in-law Emmy, my cousin Heather, her daughter Laurashae, and her cousin Haley

Drew-Drew and Uncle Chad

THE JOHNSTON FAMILY

(minus a few) 

The girls were so upset we were taking a picture without them. You can tell Avie was crying and Caroline is begging Emmy to pick her up.

(my arm is awkward in this pic)

Drew is starting to take some steps!

When we got home...way past Avie's bedtime...we decided to dye Easter eggs. I'd already boiled them that afternoon. Avie really enjoyed putting the princess stickers on them.

And then daddy read "Peter Cottontail" to her before bedtime.