why following fancy schmancy egg cooking instructions will bite you in the b

I'm a little late with my Easter recap but here it is after all. We had the most gorgeous weather on Saturday and knowing things wouldn't look as pretty on Sunday, we got up early (for our standards) and took a scenic drive to the farm. 

I just couldn't soak up this sun fast enough after so many cold and dreary months. Taking in the stunning scenery all around you sometimes gives you the most extraordinary feelings about life and such. Oh what a little bit of sunshine will do to your heart!

So we petted ALL the animals and had a hard time leaving that miniature pig behind (how cute), literally got down and dirty during the most pathetic Easter egg hunt known to man, and of course the day wouldn't have been perfect without a little meltdown... Oh toddlers!

We also somehow managed to exclude papa from most of the pictures. 

On the way home we stopped for some frozen yogurt treats which were a definite hit.

In the afternoon I decided to dye the eggs I had cooked the day before, according to some very fancy schmanzy and convincing instructions I found on the interwebs. 

Well, let me tell you if you ever find fancy schmancy instructions that try to make you believe those eggs would much rather like to spend 20 minutes just soaking in some "water you just removed from a boil and covered with a lid", do NOT believe them!! 

I dyed all my eggs, gave them my undivided attention for about an hour and a half while Jason took Logan to the park and ended up realizing they were nowhere close to being hard boiled....

So I took a few pictures, cooked the eggs for a few more minutes in BOILING water, and made egg salad for 10 people. 

That's the story folks!! Epic egg dyeing fail of 2013. 

Jason had to work on Sunday so Logan and I went to church with the rest of the family and spent the afternoon at gram and gramps' house. J made it back for a delicious Easter dinner and an indoor Easter egg hunt that included plastic eggs instead of real ones. 

Another successful Easter according to family standards ;)

click those heels three times

Pants: Jbrand, Tee: JunkFood, Sweater: F21, Denim Jacket: F21, Boots: Zara, Bracelets: Gage Huntley Designs, Watch: Vintage Timex, Earrings: F21

"Are you gonna click your heels three times and say: there's no place like home?" is what the man said when I walked out in these fantastic boots one day last week. 

I think they are pretty amazing actually. Definitely something very different in my closet and so fun. Sometimes all you need is a pair of bright red shoes to make an otherwise plain outfit stand out and make you feel like a million bucks ;) 

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter (if you do celebrate it). Jason had to work for most of the day on Sunday since it's the season opener tomorrow but we got a chance to take Logan out for an Easter egg hunt and other fun stuff on that beautiful Saturday. I'll have some pictures from that sometime this week. 

Happy Monday!

sunny days and baseball

If you follow me on Instagram you may already know that we took a little trip to Florida earlier this month. Jason worked a couple of baseball games over the weekend and so Logan and I took a Saturday evening flight to Tampa and joined him for some family time in the sun.

It's become somewhat of a tradition for us over the years, to go down there, and while it almost didn't happen this Spring, I am sure glad we made it work.

Usually, we stay right in Bradenton but this time we used a few award nights at the Sheraton Sand Key Resort in Clearwater Beach. When we first got to the area I was a little worried seeing all the high rise hotels and the hustle and bustle reminded me too much of Myrtle Beach (not a fan). I was extremely relieved when we crossed one last bridge to get to Sand Key and away from all of that crazy business.

The hotel was great, family friendly, nice clean room and newly renovated. 

The first few days were nice and warm so we went to the beach where Logan decided that all of the sand had to be returned to the sea and then adopted a few faded, little matchbox cars that had been long forgotten by another little boy. 

Naps were either a family thing, taken with the bright, early afternoon sun peeking through the curtains and enticing us to come back outside to play, or of course during many a car ride.

We ate pizza, creamy Italian gelato, pancakes, grouper sandwiches, shrimp salads, amazing mexican food and too many other delicious things to count. On a rainy morning we went to see Winter the dolphin and the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, 10 minutes from the hotel. We drove all the way to Bradenton to see our Buccos play and then out to Anna Maria Island to take a stroll, dream about living right on the beach and indulge in some of Two Scoops' famous Almond Joy ice cream. Delicious I tell ya!

We even got to visit old friends, see their new house and barbecue while doing a little catching up. 

The last couple of days were sunny but breezy and quite chilly with just around 68 degrees. We did some more exploring of the area by car, stopped at playgrounds, watched dolphins and admired the manatees who were enjoying the warm waters of the bayous. 

We weren't ready to come home yet, especially not to this awful Winter weather during what is supposed to be Spring. However, it is always so therapeutic for my soul to get away from it all, relax and just enjoy spending time with my two guys. I really needed this and I am thankful and blessed that we could make it happen once again. 

Now please Spring, let me box up those heavy coats, boots and thick sweaters, won't cha? I'm kind begging you here... 

R.I.P mailbox

Jacket: Target, Leggings: Aerie, Cardigan: UO, Shirt: Gap, Boots: Banana Republic, Headband: Target, Necklace: Outfit Additions 

I wish you guys could see my mailbox right now as it is barely hanging on by a thread (or should I say screw?) once again. Our snow clearing crews are the best at making sure they hit as many as they can on their way down the road. It's a sad sight to see after each snow storm, a mangled, metal body at every other house and I've often asked myself if it's somewhat of a game for them. You know, trying to get as many as they can. Or maybe they're just mad they had to clear roads while the rest of us were sleeping? Can you tell I am just a tad bit frustrated with this situation? Negative Nancy right here today. 

So I guess today's nap time will be spent clearing my 150 feet of driveway so that Jason can actually make it up the hill when he comes home later this afternoon. Oh and then we'll buy yet another new mailbox and wait for a reimbursement check that, let's be honest, will never come.

Hope your Monday is starting off better than mine folks! 

Giveaway Link-Up 7 and Life Lately

first vacation meal had to be five guys / first day on the beach and logan had a blast throwing sand into the ocean...goofin off a little and finally got to wear my new favorite shirt - in love / could have watched these two for weeks, so much love for and between the two of them it makes my heart hurt sometimesfirst (of too many) baseball game of the season for us. at least this one was all for pleasure / best ice cream ever. trust me! almond joy at two scoops on anna maria islandthe only family picture of the entire trip with a screaming child in the stroller and papa checking his phone. i'll take it / airport stuff. like waiting and chasing and sitting cute for about 2 seconds.we get bored and take pictures of ourselves at least once a day / look mama, we're right there!a lot of this sort of behavior is going on around these parts lately, this one wasn't connected to screaming and tears though / a little bit of lightening up the hair was done recently as well. at home, by me for the cost of a box of bleach :) #imcheapkisses for the most annoying, happy birthday singing, stuffed toy to ever exist / a little bedroom painting project leek and kale tart that tastes oh so yum but will give you the ferocious fumes. you were warned! / SNOW again. pretty? yes but we are sooo over it!Now onto the weekly biz...

Giveaway Link-Up 7

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- Link up as many as you'd like from the current week.

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Enter a few giveaways :)

Thank you!  

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