Mrs. Architect: Easter 2015

A couple weeks before Easter, I took Estella to Neiman Marcus in downtown Dallas for pictures with some bunnies. The best part about going, is getting to ride the escalator! Why go to Six Flags, when we can go to the mall!

She was SO excited to see a Mama Hop (photographed with her - and she was pregnant during the photo shoot!), a Daddy Hop and two Baby Hops! She was shy about petting them, but she loved seeing them and saying Hi!

We walked up and there was not a single person there, so they were able to take a long time with her, getting her to warm up and they took tons of pictures - and I couldn't decide between these two, so I got both!

Afterwards, we stopped by Staples and she had to "help mama" on the way to the car.

The weekend before Easter, we took our spring pictures and then went to The Architect's office for their company's family Easter Egg hunt. This was her first egg hunt and she LOVED it!!!

On Good Friday, we went to Chick Fil-A for our small group leaders' daughter's one year birthday party. She had SO much fun that night, playing with several kids her age, including her best friend Ari, eating french fries (her special treat), and playing in the play room there.

I'm not sure if there is a greater joy, than watching your toddler having SO much fun!!

Saturday morning, the day before Easter, we went to our church for an Easter Eggstravaganza. It was a carnival-like event with a petting zoo, egg hunt, bounce houses, balloons, face painting, and much more.

When we first got there, we stayed outside where the petting zoo was, because I wasn't sure what all there was for a toddler on the inside of the church.

She was shy with the animals, but did pet the bunnies and goats. And she was excited to see more Mama Hops and Daddy Hops.

We then went to the egg hunt, which was in the playground, and ALL she wanted to do was ride the swings. So I had to keep distracting her away from the swings to hunt eggs!

Once she picked one up, shook it, and heard something inside, she was more interesting in finding the eggs, just to see what was inside.

After the egg hunt, we met up with our small group leaders' family and went back to the petting zoo where she again, was fairly interested in petting the animals.

We then went inside to the toddler area and she got to experience a bounce house for the first time….and she LOVED it!!! She jumped for over an hour in there!!

We then went to a different room and played in a ball pool until it was time to go.

And then FINALLY, since the egg hunt was over, we could ride the swings.

Except someone beat us to them.

So she sat SO patiently waiting for her turn.

WHEEEE!!!

(She calls the swings "blue whee" bc the usual park we go to has blue swings and she says "whee" when she swings". It's so cute!)

We then got home and after realizing I never got a picture of the two of us, we took a selfie!

After a much needed nap, we headed downstairs to plant our "magic beans"!

And then we headed into the dining room to dye eggs.

She LOVED dying eggs!

I only bought an 18-pack, and next year I need to remember to buy more because she loved it so much!

(and then there are more for mama to make deviled eggs with!)

Us crazy-haired girls!

I put her to bed, and was so tired that I ended up dozing off with her. I woke up at 1am and realized the kitchen was a mess and Daddy Hop and Mama Hop needed to come. So I got everything ready:

Her basket with books, markers and paint,

and her eggs all hidden around the dining room.

Sunday morning I got up early to get ready for church to be there EARLY, and she woke up earlier than I had hoped, so I rushed her into our bathroom to hang out with me while I got ready.

I didn't want her to wander around and see the Easter Bunny stuff.

We got to church in time to get her in her class and I got a seat.

The Architect landed right as church was starting, and took a taxi to the church.

It was an awesome service, and the energy of a packed house on Easter Sunday makes me tear up (more than usual) during the praise and worship. During the song "Great I Am", I couldn't even sing, bc I was crying so much. I just LOVE LOVE LOVE our church.

After church we went to The Sports Club for their Easter Eggstravagaza Event.

Estella and Daddy decorated cookies,

we had a family picture made, then decorated a little flower pot to decorate and plant a sunflower, then checked out their petting zoo (from a far bc it was so chilly), and then headed inside for the egg hunt.

We had to hold her off from the eggs for an hour, and when it was finally time, she ran in, and then just wanted to walk back and forth over the bridge that was decor. The Architect had to redirect her back to the eggs! haha

She had more fun and filled her basket!