May already??

It's hard to believe that it's May 1st already!! I think for the first time in a while, we are actually enjoying some Spring weather! It always seems to go from cold to blazing hot, but not this year. I have enjoyed it!

The past few weeks have been uneventful in the Hall household so I won't bore you with all the details. Now, the month of May will be a different story!! It's slammed packed with lots of adventures!

Few highlights over the past few weeks:

1. kennedy is really talking so much more! She is also done with her high chair so she can sit next to her brother at the bar. It's more messy for my clean up but it's fun watching them eat together.

2. Landon has discovered his motorcycles again and is obsessed once more.

3. Landon also rode a bike without training wheels for the first time while my parents kept them...now I just need to buy a bike for him! Just haven't had the time to research which one to get.

4. Had several birthday parties and lots of trips to the parks!! We can never sit still!

I am headed out this evening to Little Rock to do a basketball clinic with one of my former players. I am looking forward to catching up with her and getting back into the gym. Then Tuesday I speak at Airline HS basketball banquet, and then it's off on a girl's beach trip on Wednesday!! Did I mention that May is crazy busy!?!?

Here is a video of landon riding a bike.

Landon has spent several hours playing in this tub of split peas with his motorcycles!!

A group shot of our weekend getaway to the beach...I am just now getting around to posting it!!

Having a chocolate party with strawberries, pretzels, marshmellows, and bananas!

This is hysterical...i was cleaning out kennedy's closet and this is a size 6 month shirt for KENNEDY, but since it has a motorcycle on it, L insisted to put it on!!!

Easter and Weekend getaway

Well, this has to be my favorite post by far!! Not because of what I am about to post, but from where I am posting it from!! Too bad I can't show you the picture of my view, but it's from the balcony of our condo in Orange Beach. We have been here all weekend with three other couples and Lance and I decided to hang back for one more night before heading home in the morning. I hope to get some shopping in, some beach time, and then attend the Tim McGraw/Lady Antebellum concert tonight after dinner

We left last thursday for a weekend getaway with The Clark's, Parker's, and the Hunt's. Without kids!! We have had an absolute blast. Between the great restaurants, great company, big laughs and great views, I just can't leave this place! The beach was a little cold at times when the wind would pick up, but I will definitely be coming home with some color!! Our highlights...

1. Shelley wanting to take a "shift" in the back seat

2. me leading our group of 8 on a wild goose chase to find "Steamers" restaurant

3. the girls kicking some boo-tay in Cranium

4. Cullen passing out after choking on some ice (very scary, so not a good highlight. Thank goodness he is ok!)

5. jeff's outrageous urges to scream out the window

I will post pics of our trip when i get back home to download!!

And now onto our Easter weekend....I hate to admit that I haven’t really gotten into the Easter festivities with the kids like I should. I just can’t imagine dying Easter eggs with the kids because of their ages, especially when I don’t really care for hard-boiled eggs! But this year, we did hide Easter eggs for the first time for the kids to hunt. They really got into it and loved it. I also threw in a ‘golden’ egg treasure hunt in our house that turned out a lot better than I thought. Inside they found some money and ring pops!! Landon was excited to take his ‘bunny’ money to Walmart and get a prize!

We missed out on several Easter egg hunts due to being out of town and then Landon got the stomach bug that carried over onto Easter Sunday. I was sad to miss church (I stayed home with him while Lance and Kennedy went) and if I had known that Landon was going to miss church, I wouldn’t have stressed so much on what he was going to wear!

Kids digging through their Easter goodies

Finding the golden egg

taking a break from finding easter eggs

Kennedy taking off to find her eggs

Beach Babies

Our little last minute trip to the beach this past week was wonderful!! I have to admit that I was a little nervous to see how the kids would react to the sand and water. Thank goodness they loved it because we will be making so many more trips down there!!! I had a really good friend of mine join us with her two sweet babies and it was wonderful company. I couldn't imagine it going any better. The mornings were pretty windy to be out on the beach, so we did some shopping one morning and took a trip to the zoo the other morning until it warmed up. The sun was out every day but the wind made it just a tad too chilly to venture out there until after lunch.

Lance was able to come down for one full day at the beach and the kids loved the surprise of seeing him. He wasn't sure if he was going to be able to get off of work to come down and I am so glad he could!

I went a little crazy with taking pictures this trip...maybe it's because all four kids were great subjects and the beach was too pretty. I had a hard time narrowing down the 200 shots to put on the blog, so here goes. There are also more pictures on facebook as well!

Landon and Jake playing in the castle that someone else built!!

The boys looking at a 15 alligator at the zoo

We decided to have an Easter egg hunt in the condo and here is Jake snaggin one up!

this poor castle didn't last long...it was a fight to see who knocks it down first!

the boys...

and the girls....

this is one of my favs...its from the first night when we got there. He doesn't even have a swim suit on and jumped right on in!

Happy Birthday Lance!

This week we celebrated Lance's birthday. I say week, because that's basically what we did!! Sunday, I gave him my present which was the private cooking lesson. His birthday was actually on Wednesday, so he asked his mom to cook his favorite meal for us and his parents came over to have dinner and hang out with us. And then Thursday night, we had 4 other couples get together with us at Steve Davison's house for a private 6 course meal cooked by the head chef and owner of 102 Bistro (ruston) and Sage (monroe). This was FABULOUS!!! Each course included a different wine and it was super yummy! Then our friends gave Lance (another) cake to sing Happy Birthday to him.

What a wonderful week for my sweet, hard working, adoring hubby!! Happy Birthday! (or shall I say birthweek!!! ;) We love you!!

Easter school party

This past Wednesday, Landon's class at Temple's Mother's Day out had their Easter party and I brought Kennedy with me to enjoy Landon's festivities (she only goes 2 days a week). Thank goodness his class had their's one day earlier because it was nicer weather and both kids missed the next day with snotty noses. Poor Kennedy missed her party that day, but at least she got to join in on the fun with Landon's class. It didn't take long for her to catch on.

L with his teach Mrs. Sarah, who he loves!!

L showing is sister all the eggs he found

His teacher had each child wear a tag with which egg they were supposed to look for. Landon's eggs were the basketball ones (sooo appropriate!!). I thought that was a super idea and went great!! They each had the same amount and no one fussed!

Kennedy joining in on the fun

As of today, we are now proud, part-owners of a beach condo in Orange Beach, AL. I have to admit, we are pretty excited about it!! We closed today on it and there's a really good chance that I might get to take the kids this Sunday!! I am interested in seeing how they will enjoy it!! It will be challenging to drive 8 hours down with just me in the car (lance will be working) and two little ones. I will keep you posted!!! ;)

Cooking lesson

Tonight was a very unique night for me and Lance. His birthday is this week and he is very difficult to buy for. So, i decided to do something a little different. I brought in our local Pampered Chef consultant to give us a cooking lesson and it was an absolute blast!! I surprised Lance with it and I was a little nervous about how he would take it. He rolled with it and had such a great time! It helped that Tish was such a great person to help us in the kitchen and give us great pointers too.

I thought about making it a 'romantic' or 'gourmet' dinner, but I went practical instead, getting some reciepes the entire family can enjoy. I was also able to pound her with questions to get great ideas for meals. With lots of laughs, food and fun, I highly recommend doing that at some point with your spouse! It was also very nice to have it done in our own kitchen.

I also can't post this blog today without mentioning this crazy we are having. Yesterday, we were in short and enjoying some warm Spring weather, while today we have been outside because it's been snowing all day!!! It's nuts! And tomorrow is a high of 65 and the next day will be 74 degrees!

In other news, my camera has been shipped off to be repaired (i dropped it last month) and i am short on pictures here lately. I have decided to post some pics from last month instead!! I forgot to post that Kennedy had her first haircut!! Although, I really wouldn't consider it being a real haircut, just a small trim to shape around her face. In fact, Lance couldn't even tell she got it cut!

BEFORE

AFTER

making cupcakes with Landon for KK's birthday

Fast and Furious February

It's hard to believe that February has come and gone so quickly!!! Wow! We had a winter blast that came through and brought us about 5 inches snow for about 20 hours. We took advantage as much as we could. Landon loved it and Kennedy just wanted to eat it! She didn't care for walking in it which might have had to due with putting Landon's old boots on for the first time. Since we hardly get any snow, it's safe to say that we don't have ANY snow clothes which made several trips inside for some warming up and hot coco!

Kennedy taking her first taste of snow

Our first snowman!! Landon named it "Ava" (after a friend in class)

After naps, the snow started to melt and so did our snowman... :( Notice that our grape 'eyes' and carrot 'nose' have mysteriously disappeared!!

Other events that took place in February were several basketball games in Ruston and we also took a quick road trip to Waco to watch Baylor play Texas Tech. Both teams had former coaches that I adore and it was great to see all of them on one night. I especially enjoyed visiting with a good friend of mine, Brooke Stoehr, who is expecting her first baby. I know it's hard to believe, but in this picture, she only has 3.5 weeks left!!