Warning: There are lots of pictures here!

Easter Sunday is always a very special time for our family. Easter is a day the country stops to celebrate our risen Savior. Although we celebrate and worship Him throughout the year, it is this day that our calendars mark the day in remembrance of His glorious resurrection. Thank you, Jesus, for the price you paid so that I may spend my eternity with you in heaven. Thank you that by your sacrifice, I have the hope of seeing Paw Paw, Gigi, Granddaddy, and many other special people again when I get home to You!

Our growing family on Easter

Party of two...

...and we could never forget my sweet baby!

Me, Maw Maw, and Kristin

Lee and his mom

Easter also has its traditions. For example, Russ and I awoke to find that the Easter bunny DOES still come to visit us! I hope the bunny has no age limit!

Russ, my, and Farley's Easter baskets
Russ had already taken his new outfit out. I got a one-hour massage (woo hoo!).

Easter goodies

One of Farley's gourmet treats - doggie happy meal!

Another special Easter tradition is Easter lunch. Mama always cooks a special lunch for the family on Easter. She sets the table so nice and tries to make it very special! This year was fabulous, as always. Our menu included fruit with chocolate, caramel, and fruit dip; angel hair cole slaw salad, honey baked ham, green bean bundles, roasted carrots, creamed corn, crock pot mac and cheese, rolls, banana pudding, and I'm sure I'm leaving something out. Bottom line - TONS of food! Yummy!

The Easter cook herself!

The beautiful table setting
Mama's fine china is only used once a year - on Easter.

Maw Maw even left us a little surprise at our place settings.

One more very major Smith Easter tradition is our annual Easter egg hunt. When we were smaller, we would wake up and get ready for church. Then, hunt our hard-boiled, dyed eggs before leaving. I can remember hunting eggs with my frilly Easter dress and shoes with rollers in my hair. (Maybe I just saw a picture of this once...still - it happened.) After church, my brother, sister, and I would hide and hunt eggs for the rest of the day. Well, since we've gotten a little older, the stakes are much higher! In a desperate attempt to keep us interested in hunting Easter eggs, the Easter bunny started leaving money in our eggs! So, after lunch, it was time for the bunny to hide our eggs.

Around 200 eggs for 3 GROWN-UP children

While the bunny hid eggs, it was time to put our running shoes on...

...and get our game faces on!

Because for the next 10-20 minutes, we are on our own!!! And it is serious! We even had extra spectators come to see the entertainment!

Me and Dustin racing to the eggs

Scurrying around the back corner of the yard

On a mission!

After knocking each other out of the way to fight for our eggs, we slowly realize there are no more to be found. It's time to count!

Dustin always finds a quiet corner by himself so that no one will bother him as he counts his fortune.

I told you it was serious! Look at that face. We're not exactly sure why my mother gave Russ a bigger basket!

Counting side by side
We assure everyone that two people does not mean we share that money! Every man for himself here - married or not!

The winner

The loser
Possibly because of an EMPTY EGG! Oops! The bunny missed one!

The injured

What a fun day! Thanks Mama and Daddy for always making our trips home so special!

Johnson Easter Egg Hunt

Each Easter, Jimmy and Roan host a big Easter Egg Hunt for friends and family. It's always very fun, and I love watching the kids hunt eggs. We got to Saltillo about noon, ate lunch with everyone, and the kids hunted eggs after lunch. The weather was perfect for outside activities. I think Roan hid 600 eggs on thier land! Hard to believe! I can't wait until Russ and I have a little one to help hunt those eggs! Fun!

Season, me, and Russ - probably three of the youngest adults there (and the only ones without children)!

Jimmy and his mom

Season, me, and one of Russ's second cousins, Jack. (I think that's right - his cousin's baby.)

The kids waiting on their instructions: 10 eggs each, smaller kids close to the house and big kids ALL over!

Parents trying to snap a shot before the kids became restless!

Clay

Leah counting her eggs


Roan and Sam - Sam was more interested in eating the candy out of the eggs than collecting them.


Season and I enjoyed watching all the parents running around after their kids. We laughed and laughed! I'm sure I'll have payback for that!

It was a great afternoon! Thanks Jimmy and Roan!

The Things You Learn From Third Graders...

I pride myself on educating children. Seeing to their academic, emotional, physical, and social needs. I try to teach them geometry, measurement, sentence structure, reading comprehension, science, social studies, and so much more each day. However...there are many days when I learn from them. I have learned that it's really not important to have the cutest clothes or the best car. I have learned that you can still function without a bed - simply by sleeping on a mattress on the floor in a one or two bedroom apartment with five or six brothers and sisters. I have learned that answers to hard questions are sometimes solved by the simplest statements. I have learned many other important life lessons during my time at Van Winkle.

Thursday, I learned one more thing from my third grade students.

I learned the "Stanky Legg." That's right. And, when I asked them how to do the "Stinky Leg," I was quickly corrected to say "StAnky Legg!" I turned on the radio to 99 Jams, and my lessons began.

J'Darrien, Alric, and Charles demonstrating for me...pointing out the position of each leg and arm.

My first attempt - notice the reaction on Sherrina's face in the background. I was told I looked like a bunny rabbit! Well...that's appropriate for Easter I thought.

This was after much practice. The kids told me I was doing great. However, I found out later by some of my fellow teachers that it did NOT, in any way, resemble the "Stanky Legg."

The only thing I know to do is go home and study. I tell my students all the time that you can't learn something in one day and expect to be perfect. You must study!

P.S. - This was during our Easter party. I don't want anyone to think I was neglecting my teaching duties to learn this dance move!

Wordless Wednesday

Remember when...

Getting Healthy Will Kill You!

Let me just tell you my "Woe is me!" story about training for this 5K. Now, as you read in an earlier post, I have had some issues. My breathing has improved thanks to the great advice to take a Claritin before I run. I take one an hour or so before running/walking, and I have not wheezed since! Yay! That does not mean that I sound normal....still sounding like I'm in childbirth, but not so much like a fat lady in Spanx anymore. So, thanks for that advice. My other issue was my hiney. That has not improved, but I have gotten great help for that area. The day after I figured out what exactly was causing the pain, my student teacher brought me a "Stretch Plan" complete with a "Butt Stretch." She runs track at Mississippi College, and I felt she knew what she was talking about. So, I have been doing those stretches to improve my flexibility - of which I had NONE before starting all this!

Now, this last week has brought with it a new issue. My left knee started hurting during my running. I took a break Friday to try and give my hip and knee a rest. However, my knee is still hurting some...and the other one has started too. Woo hoo! Russ thinks I just need to do some leg exercises to work those muscles around my knee. I'm thinking, "Why did I let myself get so out of shape to begin with!?" Ha! I have also raised the amount of time I'm running a bit, which has brought side splints (I think that's what it is called). Russ says the area looks like it could be my diaphragm from breathing so hard. Really!? I thought I'd been breathing a little hard! Ha! So, today, we ran/walked 3 miles on the trails around the Natchez Trace, and Russ let me borrow some kind of knee contraption that he used when he played tennis. I looked official!

My knee

Me nursing my other injury - the booty! Farley is trying to help me feel better!

After running today and taking my ibuprofen, I texted my mom and asked if I was too young to have a knee replacement like my dad had this week. Or a hip replacement like my grandmother has had - we call her the "bionic grandmother" because she has replaced it all! Mama said only one thing.

"Getting healthy will kill you!"

La Fiesta de Cumpleanos

Last night Russ and I went to eat at Cozumel with my mom's side of the family. It's always fun to get together with the Coons! My mom couldn't be there, but she paid so it was all good! Ha! My aunt turned 53 today, so we all celebrated last night. We had a great time despite the obnoxious and loud "happy hour" group sitting beside us. Once they left, we were able to actually hear each other talk. Of course, we were probably just as loud just trying to get Pops to hear us! Bless his heart. Anyway, the food was great as usual! Visiting with family is always tons of fun. After eating and cake, the "grown-ups" left and Russ, me, Clancy, Jack, and their friend stood out in the parking lot and talked for about an hour! It's been way too long when we all live in the same area!

Nonnie and Pops

Me and Clancy

Singing "Happy Birthday" and putting icing on Aunt Patsy's nose! Strange custom!

Uncle Howard felt left out, so he wore the sombrero for a while.

Thanks for inviting us! Happy Birthday Aunt Patsy! You don't look a day older!

Poop-dee-doo...and Daisies Too!

You would really have to understand my family to fully appreciate the humor I am about to share. My dad actually had knee surgery today, and my mom must have had extra time on her hands while she was waiting. During my break at school, we texted back and forth for close to an hour. The entire time I was laughing out loud as a first grade student stood in the corner (that's what happens when you are "mean"...you become the resident ISS!), and I ran back and forth to other classrooms relaying the conversation. There are no words to do this conversation justice. I'll just have to quote the whole thing - a drama, if you will.

**Special note: If any of you see my Maw Maw, please do not share this post with her, and I hope she doesn't invest in a computer any time soon! She is the grandmother who, just recently, was moved to Corinth apartment.

Mama: (after telling me about my grandmother being put on a new heart medication for a blockage) "I better get more in the will than anyone - I had to go unstop her camode Monday!"

Me: "OMG! Ok. What does that mean?"

Mama: "Just what I said. Her camode stopped up and almost overflowed. She called and I had to go unstop it. Daddy wouldn't go. He was afraid he would throw up."

Me: "OMG!!!!!!!"

Mama: "Oh yeah. I got poop on my pants! She owes me big time!"

Me: "All the third grade teachers know about this now! It is way too funny to keep to myself!"

Mama: :-)

Mama: "Well then, let me tell you what was stopping it up! When I got the water to go down there was a clear plastic cup in the bottom of the camode. I think that will stop one up every time! Have no idea how that happened!"

Me: "Oh no! Did she think it was the trash can?!" (Maw Maw cannot see very well)

Mama: "Have no idea. She, of course, said she had no idea either. She tried to blame it on Brenda (the lady who cleans her house) who was there last Thursday! Don't think so! When the poop sloshed out on me, I said "CRAP" which is exactly what it was!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Me: "Hahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I really wish I could blog about that!"

Mama: "Feel free to at my expense. Just tell them not to tell her. Hopefully, she won't get a computer any time soon!"

Is there such a thing as the "Daughter-in-law Award?" Because my mom SURELY gets it! No way am I going to unstop my mother-in-law's stopped up toilet risking poopy pants....no matter how much I love her!

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On a more "fragrant" note....I found these lovely flowers on my patio table. Isn't my husband thoughtful!? Love you, Russ!


My mom did note that if she had a blog...the toilet incident would most certainly be on her "Not Me Monday!"