the winner is.....

my friend

Keetha!!!

A promise to my sister and sister-in-law,

your names were in the hat. I did give you a chance.

It just wasn't meant to be this time.

.....

And Jill, compliments always improve your karma

but it must not have been your day either - sorry!

.....

Keetha, here's a preview of what is coming your way.....

a beautiful pashmina!

Not this one - it is mine, but one very close. I know it is spring but maybe you will have a couple of chances to wear it this year. If not tuck it away for years to come. It can be worn as a scarf like I have it on or as a shawl or wrap. Scarves are very stylish in Italy.

Keetha, keep an eye on your mailbox. It is on its way to you.

I hope you enjoy it!

good mail give away Italian-style

{Kenny and I on the streets of Verona, Italy}

.....

While shopping in an Italian street market,

I picked up a little something

to give away upon my return.

I would love to send some good mail your way,

so just leave a comment and

I will choose someone at random on Tuesday, April 1st.

"I AM Dorothy Hamill"

Today was the day.

.....

Today was the day

Carly became Dorothy Hamill.

Well, minus the cute bowl haircut because Carly promptly declared "you are not cutting my hair" not that I was going to.

.....

for all of you who remember the drama from this day

The day of disappointment

because she did not get our 1st choice of characters...

all that was behind us.

.....

BECAUSE today

we were Olympic Gold Medal Winner, Dorothy Hamill

with a cute costume, cute hair, some makeup, and surprise ice skates!

.....

She stood behind the "rope" and when someone stepped on her "button" she said her facts. Parents got to visit the Wax Museum first and hear all the kids in her class. Carly did a fantastic job. She stood tall and said her 10 facts with such confidence.

wordless wednesday

SPT - "eggs"tra special Easter

Lelly's challenge for our Easter weekend....

"while the kiddos are hunting eggs, take a moment to hunt for something *eggs*tra special about your weekend."

.....

One of the things I love about Easter is family.

My "eggs"tra special thing is time with my family.

.....

{Carly and I after Easter lunch at Kacey's house}

sunday dinner

The spoils of Kenny & Dad's fishing trip on Saturday.

Sorry you missed it Dad because it was YUMMY!

Easter Celebration

{family picture - Easter morning-my parents' yard}

I love Easter weekend. Even this year which meant leaving my house 2 days after getting home from our trip to go to my mom & dad's house.

After I started blogging about Easter, I had the feeling that I had said all these things before.

That's when I realized that my very first blog posts were about last Easter.

.....

{family tradition - 35 years of egg dying in those same coffee cups or better known as the egg dying cups}

.....

{there is only one child at my mom & dad's for Easter, so you can guess who all those baskets are for?

My sister, Kacey, has a post about what was in her basket - that's hers on the bottom-left.}

.....

{Carly - Easter morning with her Easter basket - hers was so full that is was spilling out around it. There was some candy, books, card game, bath stuff, lip gloss, nail polish, and clothes for AG doll Julie}

{possibly my last chance for a sweet smocked Easter dress}

buon giorno (good morning)

We are back! Stay tuned for more about our fabulous trip to Italy - and the chance to win a little something I snagged in a street market......

{ on the streets of Bolzano, Italy}

when I think about snow I will......

always remember this snow

.....

March 2005 - Arquata, Italy

a gorgeous morning in a quiet Italian village

quiet snow-covered morning

{a beautiful morning covered in 3 inches of snow} {I am sorry Carly missed it BUT I just realized this morning how quiet a snow covered morning can be when no one is pestering you silly to get clothes on to go outside and play. Delightfully quiet but a little sad at the same time. I might have to go make a snowball to throw at Kenny!}