Oh Boy!!

"Oh, boy!" That's what kept coming out of Barrett's mouth (over and over) while we dyed Easter eggs. I had to look back in my posts to see if we dyed eggs last year. I didn't find anything, so I guess this was Barrett's first time dying Easter eggs! He loved it! We were cracking up at all the expressions he was making. I'd seen the whisk trick in one of my Family Fun magazines! It was such a great idea, and made it so easy for Barrett to dip the eggs in and out. When my friend, Megan, emailed me her Easter pictures, I told her she must have read the same magazine! I think I need to pick up a few more whisks at garage sales this summer to pack up with the Easter stuff!

So, I had my FULL day of Spring Mini Sessions today! The weather was just beautiful.  The Barns was the perfect location, and the sessions were so much fun. All of my clients were gorgeous and had such great style! I was in love with all the little girls and their hats, headbands and dresses! I even had 10-month-old twins!! So fun! A BIG 'OL thank you to my friend, Alicia...she let me borrow one of her awesome chairs to use! Everyone loved it, and it was just the right size and subtle color. I can't wait to do this again in the Fall!

Here is one of my faves from the day, so far! I haven't made it through many yet! 

You can see a little of the chair in this shot! But it's super cute from the front! 

I will be posting {sneaks} on the photo blog all week!!

I am exhausted, and I have lots of proofing to do, so the rest of this post will just be pictures...

no explanations necessary, I hope! 

Here are our pictures from Easter 2010, celebrated in Nebraska with my little brother!

Also realized, after looking back at last year's Easter post...

This was Barrett's first outdoor egg hunt!

Family shot, take one...

Take two...

(I guess I lied about the "picture only...no explanation necessary")

Here is our picture from Easter 2009! Barrett looks so little!!

My family is CrAzY!!!

Brandon & Jennifer's first time hosting Easter dinner!

Bobby-Jenn's!!

This time last week, we were enjoying a day touring Sidney, Nebraska! My little brother, Brandon, and his wife, Jenn, live there. This was our first time visiting them. We rode with my parents, and left Winfield around 5pm on Thursday evening. Loaded down with plenty of snacks, dvd's and car toys, to make the ride easier for Barrett. He did really well (both ways) on the drive. I think it was close to 9 hours when we added in our stops. The ride there was a little easier, since he zonked out around 8:30pm (his normal bedtime), and slept til we got to Sidney around 1:45am (12:45am Sidney time). He was so excited on the way there! He kept saying "Bobby-Jenn's house?!?"

I guess I should mention, if you haven't been reading my blog for long...Barrett and his cousins (Emma, Lauren and Jones) all call my little brother "Uncle Bobby." That might clear up some confusion :)

He was happy to finally get there and see Bobby and Jenn, but we were all tired. Especially Papa, who drove the whole way. 

On Friday, we took our time getting around, and then spent the day touring Brandon and Jenn's town. We had lunch at Runza, a family favorite, and spent some time shopping in Cabela's. Barrett's favorite part of the day was our visit to the park! I think his daddy and Uncle Bobby enjoyed it too!

We went out for Mexican that evening, and then hung out at the house. Brandon's friend, Eric, (also from Winfield) just got a job with Cabela's too! He and his fiance are buying a house in Sidney, but until that's done, he's living in Brandon and Jenn's basement. Barrett made quick friends with him...especially after he showed him how to do this with his books and cars!

On Saturday, we road-tripped to Gering and Scottsbluff...where I was BORN!! Our first stop was lunch at Taco Town! This is our family's favorite place to eat in Scottsbluff. The family-run restaurant has been there for a long, long time! Like, since before I was born! It had been several years since I had it last, but it was just as good as I remembered!

After lunch, we made the mistake of going shopping instead of heading up to the bluffs! It was almost 5pm, when we headed to the bluffs, and I was heartbroken to see they had CLOSED for the day at 4:30! I was really looking forward to taking Justin and Barrett up there, since this was their first time visiting Nebraska and my birthplace. We'd been hyping up the tunnels to Barrett all day, so he was even more heartbroken! At least we have something to look forward to next time we visit Brandon and Jennifer!

We moved from Nebraska to Winfield when I was two, but my dad's parents lived there for several more years, until they both passed away. So, we made many trips to the area while I was growing up. My grandparents house was just down the road from the bluffs, and it was such a beautiful view. 

On the road back to Sidney (The Oregon Trail), we stopped at Chimney Rock. Of course the visitors center for it was closed too! At least Barrett got out of his seat for a little while to stretch his legs.

*While getting change out of my wallet on Monday night (we had Braum's ice cream for dinner) after we got home. We noticed that the Nebraska Quarter has Chimney Rock on it!

On Sunday, we celebrated Easter! More on that in a separate post :) Then hung out around the house again that day. Barrett and I took a nap after our big Easter lunch, and the guys all went to play football at the high school. That evening we played outside with some of Barrett's Easter goodies!

We were sad that Sunday was our last night there! Brandon and Jenn would have to get up to go to work in the morning, and we would hit the road. Jenn read Barrett some books before bed. He loves his Bobby-Jenn!

Monday morning, we left around 9:30am. We stopped in Holdrege, NE to eat at Runza one last time! Shortly after lunch, we stopped at the NE-KS border to take a picture by the "Good life" sign. It was dark and very late when we went by it on the way there, so I wanted to be sure we stopped on the way home. It was both Barrett and Justin's first visit to Nebraska!!

It was a great trip, and Brandon and Jenn were wonderful hosts! It is crazy to me that my little brother is all grown up...married with his own house, and doing all those grown-up things! I am so proud of him, and couldn't be happier to have such a sweet sister-in-law! They have such an adorable little house, that they've already put a lot of work into. I only wish I could see them more often.

 

chop, chop!!

You might have noticed in my last post that Mr. B got another haircut! We are so lucky that his Mimi takes care of our family's haircuts. It sure is nice! Barrett's hair seems to grow so fast, and I knew I wanted it trimmed up before Easter. He put up a fight at first...even the bop (sucker) didn't work! But after a few minutes, he was okay with the buzz of clippers. He was also distracted by watching Kylie and his daddy playing basketball, and watching the dog run around the back yard. Another plus of having your Mimi cut your hair: You get to sit out in the driveway on a nice Spring day to have it done!

Here are a few more of my handsome little man, all trimmed up!
I think he looks a little more ornery!

I am playing catch-up! We were in Sidney, Nebraska visiting my little brother and his wife. We just got home on Monday night, so I am still trying to get back on track. My BIG day (9am-7:30pm) of Spring Mini Sessions is THIS SATURDAY, so I'm working like crazy to make sure I have every detail ready for that! I am on the last-minute hunt for a cool/funky/fun upholstered chair to use for that. Anyone out there have anything?!?! Could be a smaller, mostly wooden chair, with an upholstered seat and back. OR could be a fully upholstered chair like this one we used for our family pictures in the Fall.

I just love the look of furniture out in the middle of Mother Nature!

I guess if I don't find something, I could haul this chair of ours out there...my hubby would probably LOVE that!

On top of the Mini Session planning, I have plenty of birthday invite, graduation invite and wedding invite stuff keeping me busy! I will have to share some of my designs soon. If you don't keep up with my photo blog (which I need to get better about updating), you can see one of my latest birth announcements HERE! I love the way it turned out!

Yesterday morning I did newborn pictures for one of my best friends, Audra. Miss Caroline was so good for me. She gave me tons of newborn grins...I think she really likes her Aunt Lala!! I am still working on her images, but this was the first that I edited. She's wearing another beautiful bow made by one of my clients, Melissa! 

Off to continue catching-up on as much as I can while Barrett naps!

I am working on an Easter post, and pictures from our trip to Nebraska!!!