We officially have a full week in Alabama under our belts, and it feels really good to be home!
I had envisioned last week being full of relaxing days on my parents’ couch and catching my breath a bit, but sure enough we were rockin’ and rollin’ from one to-do list item to the next. Most of it was in preparation for the exciting week we have coming up, which includes the hopeful closings on both of our properties!
Jamie and I are straight giddy to say the least about receiving the keys to our new house so soon. I just can’t wait to pull into the driveway, push the garage door opener, and call it my home. Neither can Jamie! Right now, we are simply prayerful for smooth closings on both ends. It’s almost over!
I have a handful of pictures to share with you for this Monday morning’s “Slice of Life” that primarily showcases some of our happy outings lately, if you’re interested in seeing. 🙂
On our last Saturday morning in Kansas, Hadley and I ran over to a studio in Aggieville where she participated in a painting class for kids. She’s always been very into arts and crafts, but we’ve been continually impressed lately by her attention to detail and how well some of her drawings turn out. I wondered if she would be too young for something like this (she’s just about four and a half), but this was actually an excellent introductory age!
I sat behind her and guided her a bit by reinforcing what the teacher showed, but I never touched her brush. She grasped the concept of imitating her teacher’s strokes so well, and both of us immensely enjoyed it!
It was my MIL’s birthday last week, so we shipped this off to her as a gift before we left Kansas. Hadley was so proud of it (Jamie and I were too!)
From there, we plowed right into packer prep and moving/traveling, arriving in Alabama just in time to be around for my dad’s birthday. I’ve rarely spent birthdays with my family, so I figured this year we would go make a memory instead of gift something physical. I decided to take him out on a father/daughter date to The Melting Pot and invited Hadley to come along to enjoy the fun too. We had a great time!
It was the most gorgeous night, so we walked around the outdoor shopping center (Bridgestreet) a little bit, of course ending the night was a carousel ride for Hadley and Grandpa (I love my dad’s selfie!)
My dad had a big work event on his actual birthday (Friday), but we still managed to eat a big meal cooked by my mom, indulged in a delicious cake from Kroger, and enjoyed family time (my grandma and brother were there too!) before my parents, brother, and I ran off to attend the Good Friday service at my parent’s church.
Saturday was the kind of day that we so desperately craved. Good, clean, simple fun! Dad and I started the day with a three-mile run, and then around 10 a.m. everybody was out the door headed to Top Golf!
None of us had ever been before, so there was a bit of a learning curve with getting all set up and settled in our bay, but all of the employees were incredibly helpful and made it as easy as it could be for all of us newbies.
We had a total blast and all agreed that we’ll be back ASAP!
(I had multiple people ask me on Instagram if I would recommend taking kids to Top Golf. I would take Hadley again in a heartbeat. We got her a players card, and she enjoyed playing immensely with the help of one of us. I definitely didn’t want to take my eyes off of her though because her wandering for a split second could lead to being hit my a nearby club. I wouldn’t take Sadie again. I ordered the girls lunch that they thankfully nibbled on the whole time we were there, but otherwise she would have been all over the place with wanting to be involved with golfing. Too dangerous and unnecessary IMO.)
We left Top Golf right at noon and then kept the fun going by running over to a nearby Chuck E. Cheese, somewhere none of us had been in a couple decades! My dad always calls his birthday “pizza and beer day”, so he figured that getting his pizza and beer at Chuck E. Cheese was a win/win for everybody. Turns out he was totally right! Everybody took turns playing games with the kids in between bites of pizza at a nearby booth. The location here in Huntsville was impressively clean, organized, and somewhere we would go again in a heartbeat!
Needless to say, the girls napped hard on Saturday afternoon. 🙂
Early bedtimes on Saturday night were in order for everyone because we were out the door by 7 a.m. for Easter service at my parent’s church. Jamie came in with a hot cup of coffee for me at 5:30 a.m., and we hit the ground running from there to get out of the house on time. The girls were excited that it was Easter anyway, so they woke up on their own!
Oh, and PS, Sadie slept her first full night in a “big girl” bed! BIG DEAL! More on that soon. 🙂
We attended service, enjoyed a complimentary brunch at the church, and then let the kids participate in the Easter egg hunt!
These sweet little dresses were gifted by my MIL, who enjoys picking out their Easter dresses each year. She always does a great job! She got them from one of her girlfriends who sells clothing from Wildflower.
We got back to my parent’s house around 11 a.m., and then Jamie and I got right to work with whipping together a big meal. A couple of weeks ago Jamie realized that he still had some leftover Jack Daniels that he’d used in the Christmas ham recipe he always nails, so he asked if he could do the Easter ham this year. Eventually I’ll get around to sharing a post with his recipe because it’s absolutely outrageous!
My mom, grandmother, and I made several sides as well, including one of the best salads I’ve ever had (here) and those carrot cake cupcakes I keep yakking about. 😉
It was a beautiful day spent well with family!
I hope your week kicks off on the right foot and that you have a great Monday! xo
Let’s chat!
Have you ever been to a Top Golf location?
What is the main course that your family traditionally eats on Easter? My family was talking about this yesterday, as it seems that many of our friends do a load of different things regarding the meal. 🙂
Hi! I’m Erica, and I absolutely adore sharing my life on this website with you! I come here almost daily to blab about all of the things related to being a regular wife and mother in today’s ever-evolving society. I share about our new home, what’s on our kitchen table, what we’re hanging in our closets, where we’re traveling to next, my crazy 5 a.m. work outs, how I make time for girlfriends, our faith, and much more. We always have a lot of balls in the air and somewhat thrive on the chaos. I believe in the power of story-telling as a form of inspiration and entertainment, so I’m here to do both! I was born and raised in north Alabama and recently re-planted roots here again after my husband transitioned out of the Army (he is now in the Reserve and it’s going so well!) I’m a super proud mom to three little girls (ages 7, 4, and 1) who seem to be the stars of the show around here (for good reason – they’re pretty great!) I’m so glad you found me and are here reading! I hope we can get to know each other here on the blog as well as Facebook and/or Instagram. xoxo