Matt's "40th" Birthday...

Last weekend we celebrated the BIG 4-0 with Matt.  We are just in a crazy busy season with the kids activities so we anticipated it to be a weekend full of baseball...until...it rained, and rained, and rained some more.  Therefore, he got to enjoy a very lazy birthday at home, which couldn't have been more perfect!  He wanted and needed down time more than anything.

His parents were in town so I decorated the dining room instead of the kitchen for our traditional donut breakfast.  But then he said, I just want to sleep in and have Waffle House for breakfast.  Hey...that works too.  Except there was a 30 minute wait at Waffle House so we ended up at Joe's Diner.

What he didn't know is about 30 of these flat Matt's were floating around.  He was surprised by text messages, Instagram posts, and Facebook posts all day long.  It was so much fun, and we are just thankful that he completes the craziness of our family!!!

Cooper wanted to unwrap his presents...and...insisted Matt keep his eyes covered.  Matt was a good sport and let Cooper enjoy opening all the presents.

Cooper's face...too funny!!!

Like I said...all day long.  Here James is wishing him a Happy Birthday from the hockey game all the way in Minnesota!!!

If you know Matt, you would NOT be surprised that he picked Moe's for dinner.  Sweet Cooper could just not hang...he fell asleep and didn't wake until the next morning.

And you cannot have a birthday without blowing out a few candles...

How he really feels about the big 4-0...

Pretty sure this flat Matt had him laughing all day...all our family and friends were so sweet to take time to send him messages.

And honestly, how can it not be a good day when people like Donald Trump and Miss Mississippi wish you a happy birthday???

Beach Nationals...

The first weekend in April Anna Lauren, Nanna, and I made a super quick trip to the beach for Anna Lauren's last regular season cheer competition.  The boys stayed at home for soccer, baseball, and MC Sports Hall of Fame.  Well, MC Sports Hall of Fame because everything else got rained out.

We only spent one night and just stayed at a hotel not on the beach.  We did plan to go to the beach a little but considering it was freezing and raining the entire weekend, we just drove by and took a picture.  This was the extent of our "beach" trip...this one picture...ha ha!!!

What I love most about this kid is she will do whatever I ask because she understands we allow her to cheer, but we are not going to use vacation time/money on cheer.  We had rather vacation as a family.  So...many days like this one, she gets ready in the car on her way to compete.

Sweet "little Cooper" as we call her.  She is one year younger than our Cooper so we refer to her as little Cooper.  Isn't she the cutest?  However, she loves Matt way more than me because he's the fun one...sigh...that seems to always be the case.

Ready to take on day 2...it helped those nerves knowing they were in first place by 2 points going into day 2. 

Meanwhile the boys were at home sending me crazy pictures like these...they were happy!!!

She has been so much fun to watch this year...she has always enjoyed it but this year, I just see it all over her face that she is doing what she loves and having fun on the stage doing it...

I mean I would have to be counting every second...no way I could be singing along to the music...

Love this one and that smile of hers...

And they did it...they won Beach Nationals!!!

Breaking it out...love their happy faces and especially Carsyn's sweet little smile (to the left of Anna Lauren under the arm).

Everyone wants to win at WSA because hello...you get a jacket!!!

Can we say FIERCE???

I've said it all season, but I will say it again...it's WAY more fun to do what you love with your besties!!!

We sure did miss the boys but sometimes it is a special treat for Nanna and I to just have this girl all to ourselves :)

Nanna is usually at a soccer field or baseball field with Cooper while we are at cheer but this time she got to do the cheer thing...we will not say out loud which one she prefers...ha ha!

Easter...

Easter weekend was a bit fast paced...on Good Friday the kids and I were off work/school, but we spent all day out and about running errands.  Saturday morning we got up for an early morning soccer game, made a super quick trip to Brookhaven for Easter lunch with my family, Anna Lauren went to a birthday party, and the boys practiced baseball.  By Sunday we were excited to celebrate our RISEN Savior...and...take a nap!!!

We participated in a "egg your yard" fundraiser so when we finally got done with all our Saturday activities, the kids hunted eggs.

Just a little egg hunting at home in our yard, but they were still excited...

If everyone could love life as much as this little boy!!!

Making sure they found all 50 eggs...

Easter baskets contained necessities for our upcoming cruise...swimsuits and lanyards.

And a little Big League Chew and sunglasses for our baseball loving little guy...

So maybe they are a little big, but he loved them!!!

Sister a little more "in the know" so her excitement a little different than Cooper's...

After church we enjoyed lunch on the water...

And maybe I wanted to go there so I could get some pretty pics of the kids.  Well, it was a bit too sunny, but we will not complain about a beautiful day!!!

Wow...is she 11 or 15???

And I could just eat this little boy up...love him so!!!

Matt and I are so blessed and no matter how hard parenting is we wouldn't trade these two little loves for anything in the world!!!

Love doing life with these people...

Pop Pop and MeMe gave the kids a little money for Easter so after a nap, they rode their bikes to the gas station for a treat.  They rode, we walked, and we all enjoyed a fun little 4 mile adventure on a beautiful afternoon.  Our days are so busy so we don't take afternoons such as these for granted.

It was such a pretty day so after Nanna arrived, we loaded up and headed to McAlister's for dinner on the patio and just happened to get to enjoy the sunset.  Matt and I headed back to work on Monday but the kids got to enjoy a low key day at home with Nanna before heading back to school on Tuesday.  If only we could have more 4 day weekends...right???