Friends, Camo Easter Baskets and Jesus.

Everything is more fun with good friends. 

Especially when Mom throws together an impromptu Easter egg hunt in the backyard.

Will picked out the Camo basket at the dollar store because, "that's what they would use on Duck Dynasty."

The best part was when I asked the kids what Easter was really all about and all four of them shouted "Jesus!"  

Then we had an awesome discussion about the gift Jesus gave us by laying down his life so that we can live in hope and grace forever.  

It was a moment.  A really great one.

Because I Have a Really Nice Camera...

...I'm the type of person who takes pictures of my kids on school picture day.  Might as well snap them while they look nice, right?

Also, let me say that I have always said, "have your picture made," instead of "have your picture taken."  Scott makes fun of me every single time.  

"Picture made? You do know that it's not 1890, right?"  

Hey, I'm a Southerner.  We have our pictures made.  

I also mash buttons.

And every drink must have ice, not just a few cubes, but filled to the top of the cup.

Deal with it or go back home, Yankee :)

ANYhoo.

 See that portrait of the little boy in a fedora on the upper left wall?  That's Scott when he was two!

 No, your eyes do not deceive you.  Will is just shy of four years younger, but only about 2 inches shorter than his sister. 

Needless-to-say, Eliza Grace is patiently waiting on her "big" growth spurt.  

Will, on the other hand, is always in the middle of one!

They always have to have Chewie in at least one shot.  

He's a furry beast in this picture but by the time I pick him up from the groomer this afternoon, he'll have had his Spring shave and will look - and hopefully smell - completely different!

Ah, this kid.  "No personality at all," said no one ever!

From Twinkle to Minuet 1

Last June, Twinkle:

This morning, Minuet 1:

Yes, it still needs some work, but man, look how far she has come!

We're impressed enough with her progress over the past 10 months that we have decided to buy her a decent instrument.  

Goodness knows the one she's playing - that we bought her for $50 on Amazon.com - isn't doing her any favors!

Horsing Around

Posting

Cantering

Approaching

Jumping

Landing

And repeat.

 

Then do it one more time bareback!

Eliza Grace thoroughly enjoyed her week of horseback riding camp, which always ends with her saying something to the effect of, "Mom, I really think that we need to lease a horse."

Live Oaks, Fried Green Tomatoes, Moonshine and Gators

(If that's not a Southern title, I don't know what is!)

We spent our Spring Break week at one of our family's favorite spots, Kiawah Island, SC.

Every year I keep hoping we can learn to travel by car a little less like the Griswold's.  

Clearly we are not there yet.

At least Chewie got to come along this time and he did really well in the car and throughout the whole week. More importantly, the kids LOVED having him along for the fun.

We woke each morning to the tropical-like beauty of South Carolina's low country.

Despite the chilly temps, we did some bike riding and beach walking.

But, truth be told, many mornings were spent pajama-clad doing this:

And we were all OK with some TV and "device" time. It was vacation after all.

We did venture out to drive along the Live Oak and Spanish moss canopied roads to see the sights.

We visited a local winery and distillery on Wadmalaw Island, about 20 minutes from Kiawah.

Scott and I did some sampling of the Muscadine wines while the kids enjoyed a little iPad/iPhone game time.

In between the wine tasting and the distillery, the kids got to harass check out some farm animals.

Eliza Grace stalked one particular goose around the pens until the rooster shown below decided she had gotten close enough.

Meanwhile, Will was enjoying things that let him move, because, well, he's a boy.

(Charlestonians love their joggling boards.)

Next up was the distillery, a mere 50 feet from the wine tasting room.

  
The Peach moonshine.  Seriously good, I kid you not.

We left the distillery and headed to another Wadmalaw Island destination: the Charleston Tea Plantation, the only tea plantation in the entire U.S.A.

Eliza Grace got to ring the bell on the trolley and then it was off to learn about tea.

Fields of tea bushes -  I had no idea they looked so much like boxwoods.

 I loved this graceful old pecan tree on the property.
Eliza Grace gave a thumb's up to the tea, although, like the true Southerner she is, she added sugar to the sweet tea. 

Later in the week, we took a trek into Charleston proper to have a yummy meal at the Dixie Supply Bakery and Cafe (as seen on Diners, Drive Ins and Dives!).  

Scottie had the shrimp and grits.

I had the fabulous bacon, lettuce, shrimp and fried green tomato sandwich.  Oh my word, it was good.

The kids had some baked goods and then we were ready to check out some history.

This time we toured the Nathaniel Russell house, which boasts a fabulous flying staircase and beautiful gardens.

(I love this photo because they're holding hands)

After that, we let the kids burn off some energy down at The Battery before we headed back to Kiawah.

No trip to Kiawah Island would be complete for our kids without attending the Reptile Roundup at the Nature Center.  After all, it's not every day one gets to hold turtles, snakes and a 7 year old alligator.

(This little fella headed right to Will's warm armpit)

We did a little fishing for good measure...

and called it another great week at Kiawah Island!