A Trip to NC and an Egg Hunt

Okay, I know I'm being a little lazy by combining what should be two separate posts into one, but I don't have time to be perfect today! The first set of pictures below are from our trip to Winston-Salem last Thursday through Saturday. Spencer interviewed at Wake-Forrest and one of his old friends from home is a resident there so we stayed with him and his wife. Kevin and Andrea were such good hosts to us and we had so much fun with them. It is a rare opportunity when we are able to see them, so we really enjoyed getting to stay with them for a couple of nights.

While Kevin worked on Friday and Spencer interviewed, Andrea took Ella Ann and I to some beautiful gardens and neat boutiques. Ella Ann loved all the pretty flowers as you can see from the pictures!

Since we went out to dinner on Thursday night, we ordered in on Saturday and after Ella Ann went to bed the men made a fire in their fire pit and we sat outside and talked and roasted marshmallows. Spencer and Kevin loved reminiscing about their fun times together and it was fun listening to all their stories.

Ella Ann loved getting to know her new friends and after only about an hour after arriving, she was climbing in their laps and handing them books! We were very sad to leave them, but hopefully we will get to see them sometime again in the near future. We miss them already!

We came back home on Saturday because Spencer had to work and we wanted to go to an Easter egg hunt that our church was having on Sunday. The forecast called for thunderstorms, but God cleared the skies for all the kids to get outside for about 30 minutes to hunt for their eggs!

Spencer and I walked in the home of the family that was hosting the hunt and we thought we had arrived at the zoo! Seriously, the place looked like a madhouse! There were parents running around in all directions chasing after their child or their 10 children who were covered in chocolate, strawberries, juice, etc. that was spilling and grinding into the rugs right before our eyes! At that moment we were so thankful we only had one child to keep up with! It was fun, though, and we were so glad we went. There were tons of families there and Ella Ann had a ball with the other kids!

After pushing her way to the front, she was the first toddler to be let loose in the yard and Spencer and I were right behind her with the video camera and camera both going at the same time! Don't worry, as you can see from the pictures we weren't the only crazy parents there! We were actually embarrassed by the amount of eggs Ella Ann had put in her basket, which, by the way, she wears as a purse! One kid dropped his basket full of eggs and Ella Ann ran over and started putting them in her basket! I guess all that practicing payed off! heheheheee!

Pretty, pretty flowers!

Ella Ann and Andrea in the gardens.

Kevin and Andrea had bought Ella Ann bubbles so we were testing them out on their deck Friday afternoon. She tried really hard to chase them around!

She wanted the glow worm back that Kevin stole from her!

Checking out the backyard before we left on Saturday.

Egg Hunt Pictures

Trying to scarf down some food with the Barkers beforehand!

Ella Ann's locked and loaded at the gate.....

And she's off!

She didn't let one single egg pass her by!

I'm narrating as I film and Spencer was the photographer!

Dad had to get in on some of the action!

This is just a picture of a fourth of the kids there!

Ella Ann couldn't pause a moment for a family photo!

There's only 1 egg and 2 little girls!

Mara Kate watching Ella Ann and her Daddy sort through her loot!