SpRiNg HaS SpRuNg!

So the big day is here...the F*I*R*S*T day of spring 2008! For us out here in the desert, it has felt like spring for several weeks now, but today makes it official I guess! I guess that really only means that instead of highs in the mid-80s, over the next few weeks, the temperatures will climb to the mid-90s. Not so nice, but a part of life we have come to know...not love...but know, down here in Arizona!

Anyway, I had the fun idea to host a playdate for our playgroup to welcome in the first day of spring! We had snacks and a craft and a truly wonderful time! I am generally a total stress case when it comes to these things, but I did 99% of the work last night and although I was still running behind this morning, I managed to get it all pulled together! (with a little help cutting bananas and taking care of the finishing touches!!)

I decided to post some pics so those of you who weren't able to make it (most of you reading this blog!!) can see what you missed out on! Although Arizona is not "home" and never will be, I will not walk away here the same person as I was when I moved here. I talk so often about missing home and how I can't wait for the day we pack up and return to Kansas, but truth be told, I have met an amazing group of mama's out here and I am going to miss them like crazy when we head back! However...that is no where in the near future, so we won't dwell on that! But seriously, girls, you know who you are and I am so blessed to have found you and this group and I cherish each and every one of you! It seems as though we are meeting new mom's at each event and I am looking forward to developing even stronger friendships with them too!! :)

I know...I am sentimental! But really, the first day of spring seems like the PERFECT time to think about what you have to be grateful for and all of those budding friendships!

Continuing along the sentimental note, Miss Gentry is 20 months today. TWENTY MONTHS! Can you believe that?! What happened to that tiny little nugget we brought home from the hospital! It is like I blink and she grows up on me! I just went and peeped in on her...she is trying to fall asleep in Huntler's bed again! That girl LOVES her bubba's bed! We seriously need to be thinking about getting her some mattresses and making the big move!  

Anyway, she talks like she is three years old. We ask her something and she replies with her oh-so sassy response of, "What?" She gets that from Huntler...thanks buddy! Some of the other things that absolutely CRACK us up these days are, "Hey Buddy." She says this ALL the time! "Hey Buddy. Hey Buddy." And today at lunch as Chris was leaving she said, "Daddy I coming." The last few days she has been really big on that one..."I coming. Coming. Coming Mommy." TOO FUNNY! And last but not least on my list of Gentry-isms is that every woman over 50 years old is "Gwamma." We were in Target the other day and she was saying, "Hi Gwamma" to everyone! One lady ate it up and said, "Why yes, I am a grandma" and then chatted with us for a few minutes!

I can't imagine what we ever did before we had Huntler and Gentry. Although I know our lives weren't boring, they had to have been! I mean, really!! We sure didn't host playdates or spend mornings and evenings at the park! There weren't mountains of laundry to do or mega-piles of toys to pick up. There weren't crumbs and food all over the floor or sweet grubby prints on all the doors to clean. I mean seriously, WHAT in the world did we do?!

Oh yeah...that was back when my silverware was all lined up in the drawer and there was never a speck of dust or dirt ANYWHERE in my house!! If only you could see us now...

My first ever attempt at a Jello mold! They turned out pretty darn cute if I do say so myself! I was beginning to have my doubts because the first batch was a mess, but it must have been something about the blue jello, because the rest of them turned out perfect!

I also whipped up these little cuties! My original plan was to make Rice-Krispy treat nests, but that was a mess! After I could tell that was so NOT going to work, I decided on these cupcakes that I stuck Peeps and jelly beans on! F*U*N!