My Honey is a VERY wise guy. I don’t mean sarcastic, I mean wise. When talking about what we were going to do about vacation this summer he put it out there that we stay at home. Keep a routine. Have children that are FUN to be around. I liked it.

Time with my parents is important and we usually go to see them for a week in the summer. Honey’s next idea was to invite them to go on vacation with us. Here. With children that are FUN to be around. So we did. They are coming.

I haven’t been overly excited – just because I haven’t started planning, but TODAY is a new day. ALOT of this is owed to my friend Meagan. . . I’ll explain that.

Meagan introduced me to Groupon AND Meagan has challenged us to do new things in the places where we live. The Blue Hutch is in a GREAT city and, while we have done some stuff (we thought we were moving away four years ago and got busy), there is so much more to see. So, when I got my email today from Groupon saying that today’s deal is half off a Riverboat Cruise, I asked Honey if that could be part of our STAYcation. I am really excited. Seven of us will get to go for the price of THREE!! (KB’s free!)

You can go too – local yokels! Click on through and get your Groupon! What a super family outing it could be. . .

1. The way KB regularly grabs her blankie and asks to snuggle. She fits just perfectly in the crook of my arm against the couch cushion. We lay there and “snuggle and read” or “snuggle and watch” or snuggle and sleep. (Monica – that blanket was the BEST gift! SO SOFT! She sleeps with it every night.)

2. Bubba follows instructions without question if I write them on his doodle board.

3. Little received a box of sidewalk chalk in her Easter basket and she LOVES to use it. She pretty much insists she MUST go the the sidewalk, though. No love for the entryway on the side of the house. (It is sidewalk chalk, after all!)

4. After only moments in the van someone will inevitably yell, “Turn it up!” in regard to the radio.

5. Last evening we were driving home from Sam’s Club and all three of the children had a hand up to their ear pretending to be on their phone with someone. Nice. Two of the Three were talking to their daddy; KB was telling him we would be right home.

6. KB wants me to tuck her in at night and insists I sing. Her top choices: Backyardigans (theme song), Veggie Tales (complete with tuba at beginning), Wondafu (Isn’t He Wonderful), and Jesus Loves Me. I tried to introduce Bibbity–Bobbity-Boo but Bubba’s giggles from the other room were too distracting.

7. Bubba won a game of Tai Pei – it was the first time he had ever played and he kept saying, “I am playing the matching game.” It was a tricky configuration – one Honey was frustrated that he couldn’t master. When Bubba won on his first try I had to call and let Bubba tell his daddy. Daddy was NOT amused.

All around the blogosphere photos are popping up of families dressed in finery and smiling happily. I admit – I LOVE seeing them. I love seeing my friends’ faces, I love seeing their pretty kids, I love the photos. I also have to admit I tried to get a photo of my family this year. I’ll show the “better” photos at the end, but wanted to start the post with our “keeping it real” photo.

Yep, this is the real Kicks. Bubba shielding his face, Little distracted by something, KB smiling happily and loving getting her photo taken, and Honey smiling, handsome, and just hoping I’ll snap a great picture on the first attempt!

Now, for the loyal reader, you are probably wondering what happened to Little’s beautiful smocked dress! Good observation skills and great memories, folks. Thing is. . . I didn’t get around to hemming it. Don’t worry, I will. It’s just that it is stressing me out a bit because the dress is REALLY long and I am not too sure how much I should hem, if I should cut it, etc. HELP!

So, I pulled out dresses that a friend gave us over a year ago; they just NOW fit. All I had to do was cut the plastic flowers off the front. They even have matching coats but we didn’t need them! For the first time since we moved here it was HOT on Easter.

KB got these shades in her Easter basket and wore them the rest of the day.

Eggs were hidden and the hunt began just after our friends, Dave and Julia, arrived. Bubba had been asking all afternoon about hunting eggs and took off when we opened the door. He was our most proficient egg finder for sure.

Told you he was determined!

I cropped this next photo and left the arm in on purpose. See, that’s our friend Dave. He and Julia came for the hunt, the dinner, and the entertainment of watching our family function. We love Dave and Julia. That’s not why his arm is in the photo. The arm is there because Dave spent the hunt walking around the yard and telling children where to find eggs. Seriously!

Seriously!

It was a good day – except for the head injury and near nervous breakdown before church. Dinner was yummy, conversation was super, eggs were found, candy was eaten, and best of all – Jesus is Risen! Hallelujah!

Oh, and here are our decent photo options. One inside:

One outside:

I love how the girls are hugging on Bubba and his facial expression. AND it cracks me up that the tallest member of our family is hidden. Awesome! I LOFFIT!