Lovebug... On the Hunt

Yesterday was Lovebug's very first Easter Egg Hunt!!  It was ridiculously windy and freezing a smidge bit cold, so the oh so cute pigtails that she was rockin' were covered up by her oh so cute winter hat.  Nevertheless, she was still adorbs :).

Apparently, we are both a little "green" at the hunting of Easter Eggs these days.  When we got the word to start, we were darn near trampled over!  And not just by the big kids that were there.  There were some parents who were out for BLOOD!!!

Lovebug did her own picking and was very proud of her 5 beautiful eggs that she grabbed. 




{Look Mama... I found 2 eggs!!!}





{See the other feet by her?  Yeah... he snatched those eggs away before she could get hers picked up!}



{ever so carefully carrying her beloved eggs}



{could this be a GAP ad?  I think so}



{the loot}





{the balloon guy made her a ladybug bracelet to match her ladybug pail}


Once we got home, I just had to get a pick of the piggies {tails, not toes}.  So, please do not mind the messy face and the demolition of her lunch... just check out the hair :).  **Side note:  I cannot take credit for all of the hair.  It was in piggies from Holly's on Friday... I simply re-did and added the beautiful bows... which, too, came from Holly :).

 In case you can't tell by this last picture, Lovebug had a super great day!  And so did I :)



Weekend Wrap-up

...just in time for this coming weekend, natch :)

Last weekend, Papi Deel & Mama Say-yah (that would be Grandpa Dale & Grandma Sally to those of us who do not have one year old speech) came for the weekend.  I like to think it was their get away from the tornado destruction that hit my poor hometown from the weekend before, but really, it was for them to spend two whole days with Lovebug.  Every grandparents dream come true :).

Friday night was low-key since ya know, they had to drive 2 hours after work to get to us.  Lovebug was quite happy to see them when they snuck in the door {and when I say snuck, I'm serious!  I was standing in the kitchen and had NO CLUE someone had walked into our home... neither did the other members of my family!}  They peeked around the corner at the always pantsless Lovebug who was attempting to go downstairs and wah-lah!  The magical smile that she has appeared for all to see.

Saturday the plan was to go to the Iowa Hawkeye spring game practice.  It was FREEZING... but we still did it :).  I, of course, went royal wedding paparazzi photo crazy.  I mean, how many times does your first born go to Historic Kinnick Stadium for the first time?!?!?  :). 

This was definitely one of those Daddy-Daughter days that the rest of us tagged along with.  I cannot even begin to describe the smile and excitement that Coach had!  It was so cute!!  Adn me, being the crazy, camera-wielding gotta have every moment captured in photo Mom, I kept yelling at him to stand still for 2 seconds so I could take a picture. 

Soooo... I present the barrage of the Spring Game 2011.



{on our way}




{Daddy & Lovebug... they were waiting for Back in Black!!}




{"See sweetie?  There's where they play, there's where we sit..."}




{the classic pose by the statues}




{we put one of our $15 sweatshirts over her.  It was sooo cold!}





{I wish I knew what she was thining here...}




{the proud Daddy... and proud grandparents :)}



{close-up to the players... teaching her all about them}



{he's so proud}





{you can see the start of the tears that Herky caused.  Yes, we are still scared of oversized characters}





{bye-bye Herky}



As said in a caption above, Lovebug was TERRIFIED of Herky.  She really does not oversized characters {ie: Santa Claus, Clifford, Herky... you get the idea}.  However, once we got to the van, Lovebug kept saying "where Herky go?"  Silly girl :)

Sunday was full of shopping, shopping, and more shopping.  It's always tons of fun when Papi Deel and Mama Say-yah come to town.  In fact, we'll be seeing them again next weekend for their umpteenth annual Drake Relays weekend.  Let's hope it's warmer though!!



Wordless Wednesday

Lovebug and her peeps from Holly's :)





This Girl...

This girl...

...has some funny toes.  Notice how the 2nd toe sits on top of the one next to it. 

She also likes to kick back after an afternoon at the park.

This girl...

...gives some of the funniest looks at me sometimes. 

She also looks cute in dresses :)

This girl...

...poses.  Even on the potty :)

She also knows how to cover herself just right!

This girl...

...loves this guy.  Especially when he lets you sit next to him at Outback when you celebrate his birthday.

She also wants him instead of Mama ;(

This girl...

...is now in L.O.V.E. with slides.  And is petrified of swings. 

She also wishes the weather would hold out so she could show Grandma Sally & Grandpa Dale

how it's done. 



Lynamland--School Version--Goes to the Olympics

Special Olympics, that is.

Yes, it's hard to believe that that time of year rolled around.  The West Central Special Olympics were held at Simpson College on Tuesday {ya know, Coach's birthday}, so while all my colleagues were hunkered down teaching inside {bahahahaahaaaa!!!}, I was outside enjoying the perfect weather.  Sweet revenge, my friends.  Sweet revenge.

It was a glorious, magical day.  There's something about kids who spontaneously cheer each other on... when they have no idea who the people they're clapping for are.  The smiles, the joy!  Seriously...I cry each and every time I go.

This year, I only had one athlete make it to state, Jewel.  She has made it to state for the last three years in a row!  Coach better watch out... I may be taking over :)



{check out that form!!!}

Even though only one of my six made it, we'll all be venturing up to Ames to cheer her on next month!

In the meantime, catch a few more glimpses of the world's best {and caaauuutest} Olympians, in my opinion.

{Here we go to Special O's!}



{again.  The form!}




{Leon.  Focused.  Determined.  In his own lane!!}



{Line?  What line??!?}



{Check out those ribbons!!!}



Happy Birthday Coach :)

Today is the love of my life's birthday.  Though he asks me not to make a big deal of it {enter his stubborn streak}, I still do {enter MY stubborn streak} :).  It includes a new fungo {yet to be ordered}, a Hawkeye flag {which is already flying loud and proud}, baseball practice after school, and an oh-so-yummy meal at Outback tonight.

I love this man with all of my heart.  8 years ago on his 30th birthday, I threw him a surprise party with all of his friends there.  Tonight... it's going to be a smaller, more intimate group with me and his other favorite girl in the whole wide world.

So in honor of this special day, here are some of the latest and greatest pictures of the birthday boy and his second favorite little lady :)

{sporting our new Ankeny Hawks gear}

The picture below is my newest favorite picture of Coach and Lovebug together.  There's something about how Lovebug is leaning into Coach and he's holding her up.  I just absolutely LOVE it!!!!

{love at its purest form}



A Few Friday Randoms

~ I organize closets--mine, Coach's, and now Lovebug's in ROYGBIV {red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet} by long sleeves, 3/4 sleeves, short sleeves, and tank tops.  It helps me remain semi-sane in the mornings. 

~ Lovebug cannot go potty unless she has no pants, socks, or shoes on.  I must work on that.

~ This weekend is our first weekend in awhile that we don't have much going on... and I couldn't be more excited for it!!!

~ On Sunday, I will begin my church-shopping experience.  You see, Lovebug has not been baptized {yet} and I really need to get that done!

~ This winter we had a very windy storm... and it knocked our grill over.  Which broke the handle.  I'm going to try some Krazy Glue and see if I can fix it.  Luckily, it still works and our burgers the other night were nice and tasty. 

~ Our driveway is the neighborhood hang out spot.  This makes Lovebug happy and mad all at the same time.  Happy when she attempts to hang with the big kids.  Mad when Mama makes her come inside.

~ Yesterday at Holly's house, Lovebug got into Holly's bathroom vanity, got out her deoderant, took the lid off, lifted up her shirt, and applied it correctly.  This could mean she pays way too much attention to me in the mornings... or she's trying to tell me she's going to need it soon ;)

~ Opening Day happened yesterday... and the Yankees won {is anyone surprised?!?}. 

~ I am a card carrying member of the ABWC {Ankeny Baseball Wives' Club} now, and received my first email about our get-togethers yesterday.  Of course, I still need to figure out my April calendar to I can reply.  Priorities ya know...blogging, calendar, replying to emails.

~ I make weekly menus for our meals... most weeks.  On the weeks I don't get it done, I feel helpless when I get home and have no clue what to make.  This week was one of them.  I have yet to share any of these weekly menus with you followers, but maybe I'll start soon.

~ The last time I had my hair cut was in October of 2010.  I think I'm due for one.

~ I do annual End of the Year parties for my students and their parents.  This year's theme is tropical island.  We're singing Kokomo by the Beach Boys.  The kids are not getting into that song quite like I am :).

~ Coach's birthday is in 2 weeks... and I have no clue what Lovebug is going to get him.  Grrr...

~ Diet Coke fountain pop tastes much better than Diet Coke from a can

~ These are just a few of the random thoughts floating through my mind these days.