Thompson / Powers Pics!

A few weeks ago I was able to round up the whole gang (my 4 member family, my parent and my 2 sisters) for some family pictures I was desperate to get done. Brian and I get our family pictures done once or twice a year, but we hadn't done any with everyone. We are such a close family that it seemed silly not to have any.

My mom knew a lady that she teaches with that takes photos on the side, and she was happy to be hired for the job! She does a really neat thing. Instead of paying for expensive prints and things, she only charges a fee to take the pictures, and then you buy the rights to the photos. You then get them on a CD and are free to do what you wish with them! I love that! There are so many places to get prints from that won't break the bank (unlike our experience at Antisdels in '09).

Here's some great shots that Val got of everyone out at one of my favorite places from Kansas. Heritage Park! I spent many, many hours there in my kid years.

Long Distance Jojo

We knew this day was coming for a long time. But we continued to live in happy ignorance up until Friday. Jolee left to spend the summer with her Mom and Step-Dad in North Carolina. We know that she is going to have a wonderful time and get in lots of memories with her other family, but she's just so much stinkin' fun, that it's really hard to go even a day without her! Fortunately we have Face Time to help us when we get to missing her badly. We are also planning to go out that way for a trip some point in the summer, and get in a couple of days with her.

Now, I'm off to go complete my package I'm sending to her tomorrow...

WE MISS AND LOVE YOU JOLEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Spontaneous Life

A few weekends ago, my husband did something sooooo sweet for lil ol me...he flew up on Saturday morning and picked up my parents for a spontaneous weekend together! They got here Saturday afternoon, and we all had a fantastic time cooking out on the grill, riding the golf carts around, and of course, watching KU make it to the Championship game!!!! I love being with my dad during March Madness :) 

Sunday morning, we all got up and around, and drove down to one of our favorite place in the world...Gastons. We thought about flying in there on their grass strip, but it was just a little bit too windy. So we enjoyed the scenic drive through the Ozark mountains. We enjoyed the BEST brunch and then walked around and checked out all the peacocks they have roaming the grounds. Then it was back home we went, and then sadly, back home for Nana and Papaw :( It was a wonderful and unexpected treat! We love you!!!

 Brady enjoying "shoulders" from Papaw

Brian and Jolee leading the way

One of the friendly locals

I love him so much!

 Family picture attempt #1: it's my favorite (see my son's expression)

 #2: Just doesnt' capture Brady's true emotion!

Me and my parents in front of the beautiful river

It's always a struggle! A wonderful, wonderful struggle!

Easter 2012!

Happy Easter!!!!!

We woke up at a decent hour this morning, and after getting semi-dressed up, we headed out to hunt for Easter eggs! The pictures loaded up with the last ones first, so you may want to scroll to the bottom of the page and make your way up. I also stuck a few on the end of the egg-dyeing that we did on Friday night

The Easter Bunny was VERY good to the Powers' kids!

Discussing their loot

He had to take a breather

Full on sprint!

That Easter Bunny is sneaky!

She was so good about sharing with her brother :)

Splitting up

Excited about finding some

Realizing his basket is full! Time to empty!

Some were easy

Jackpot!

Apparently we have chocolate fish in our pond!

Getting busy

So glad she still enjoys this stuff! I will be a sad mommy when she gets too cool :(

Hugs!

Hello Kitty basket for her, Thomas for him!

He was very patient waiting for sis to get all pretty

Some of the finished eggs

Observing 

Writing on an egg

All he wanted to do was eat them!

Getting to work on eggs!