Spring Break: Easter, Busch Gardens, The Beach, & A Birthday!

Spring break this year was wonderful! We packed in A LOT of fun... but kept it relaxing and enjoyable.

EASTER: We had several Easter egg hunts this year... with our church... preschool... and family. The kids loved them all! Jamie was the funniest to watch... you can tell she has several siblings because every time she would find an egg... she would spend a few minutes hiding it under the grass in her basket!

Jamie & Jacob's preschool class

We spent Easter with James' family. The kids woke up and the Easter bunny had found his way to Grandmama & Granddaddy's house... they were excited. They also enjoyed spending time with their cousins, Grant & Sage.

Jessica loves Cadbury Eggs...

Jamie ready to dive in!Jaycie gets her 1st set of chapter books...

she loves her "Junie B's"

It's the small things in life... chapstick!
All the grandkids!

BUSCH GARDENS: One of the days we were visiting... James' parents kept the twins and we took the girls on a day trip to Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, VA. I love it... I grew up going there almost every summer! This year... Jaycie was tall enough to ride the Big Bad Wolf so that was our first ride. I think this is the first time I have EVER been there and not ridden the Loch Ness Monster first... but Jaycie has been talking about wanting to ride the BBW since she missed the height restriction by 1/4" last summer. She loved it... a little nervous at first... but when she got off, she immediately wanted to ride again (that's my girl!) There were signs celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the Big Bad Wolf... I remember as a kid going the 1st summer that ride opened... can't believe it was 25 years ago! Jessica was tall enough to ride ALL the rides this year, including the Griffon... an AWESOME roller coaster. HIGHLY recommend it... she loved it!

Jaycie's 1st ride on the Big Bad Wolf

James & Jessica on the Big Bad Wolf - front row!

The Griffon - awesome!

THE BEACH: I took the kids to see Geri, her mom, & sister, Krissy, at the beach for a day over spring break. I remember some summers when Krissy babysat me... we had so much fun! Krissy was there with her kids... Ian, Conner, Peyton, and Reagan. They are growing up WAY too fast! Reagan and Jaycie hit it off instantly... what cuties! Jacob LOVED hanging out with Ian (he is 16... and so good with kids). We fed turtles, played at the park, played volleyball, checked on the alligators, and played in the sand on the beach. It was too cold to swim... but we did get our feet wet!

Reagan & Jaycie

Jamie & Jacob

Jessica

Jumping Waves!

Feeding turtles with Geri!

A BIRTHDAY: My sweet Jaycie turned 6 over Spring Break! It is so hard to believe she is 6 years old! Jaycie has always been my easy going little girl... cute as a bug... with the best giggle in the world. When she giggles, everyone around her smiles. The day of her birthday, we went out to dinner with Hunter, our neighbor... Jaycie chose to go to Chili's. Afterwards, we came home for cake & ice cream... and gifts. I let the twins help wrap this year... explaining the idea of a surprise... but when Jacob saw Jaycie, he told her "We wrapped you a scooter in that one and a soccer ball in this one." Well, Jaycie was delighted, regardless... and I have learned that it may be awhile before I can let Jacob help with gifts again ;) Over the weekend, we had a sleepover with two of her friends from school... they played, we grilled out, had more cake, made Hannah Montana bracelets, and watched a movie! Happy Birthday, Jaycie!

Ankita, Jaycie, & Darby ready for a sleepover!

Next stop... DISNEY!!!!! We are VERY excited!!!!!

2009 Cooper River Bridge Run

WOW!!! What an AWESOME experience!!! It was my New Year's Resolution to run the 2009 Cooper River Bridge 10K Run in Charleston, SC... and I did it!!! MANY thanks to Angie & Leslie for encouraging me, keeping me motivated & running with me every step of the way over the past several months... to James for his confidence in me and his many words of encouragement... to Troy for training with me the last week when everyone else got sick... to Dad & Ann for loving on the kids while we were in Charleston... to Janet & Samantha for motivating me in the first place... and to Meredith, my first running partner EVER... I MISS YOU! There were over 38,000 people running in the race and it was an amazing experience! The weather was absolutely PERFECT, the crowd was hyped up, and the after party was BIG! The guys ran in the group ahead of us and James finished in 58 minutes... the girls finished in 66 minutes! Here are some pics... you know I wouldn't go w/o a camera!

An early welcome...

Troy, James, & Trey (a.k.a. Irene... you had to be there)
Me, Leslie, & Angie ready for the START!
(Our shirts say "Does this shirt make my butt look fast?"...
We got GREAT comments about them... thanks, Angie!)
Our place in line... you can see the START... WAY up ahead!
The people waiting to start... behind us!

Beginning the ascent onto the BRIDGE!

The many folks behind us beginning the ascent...

Still climbing the bridge... I LOVED IT!

The FINISH line is IN SIGHT!!!!!

After the race...

Angie, Leslie, me, James, & Troy

(Trey left us all in the dust...)

Meredith & Me

I caught up w/Mer after the race... a DEAR friend from home...

I MISS YOU, GIRL!

Did I say I LOVED IT!!!!! Sign me up for 2010... under 1 hr!!!! It was QUITE THE EXPERIENCE!!!! :o)