Happy Easter

The day before Easter we dyed our Easter eggs. Only our younger 3 were home, which takes some getting used to on my part. I want all of my kids to do everything with us, but I need to accept the fact that they are getting older, and not always able to do everything with the family because of their work schedules.

Looks like the Easter Bunny showed up! This year he left on big basket for the 3 oldest to share!

All seven of us went to the 7:30 Mass together. I love when all of us attend church together. After Mass, CJ left for work. The girls then opened their gifts and baskets.

I think Kamryn was happy with her gift!

Time to look for eggs! Another surreal moment for me as only 2 of our kids partake in this tradition.

So, the dining room table was already set for dinner, and the kitchen table was full of Easter baskets and gifts, we ended up eating our Easter breakfast on tv tables.
Next stop, Aunt Amy's house to visit with the Hartman side of the family. Kamryn and Jorja, so cute together!

The guys hanging out.

Gram and most of her grands and greats!

Our dining room table set for 14.

Cousins!

Father and son

Dinner is served! Another wonderful holiday surrounded by our family.

Junior Prom

Saturday was the Junior Prom. I must confess that I had so much fun getting everything for Kylie. Although we nicked her Promzilla, she actually was so easy. She found her dress in the second store we went to. She didn't want to try this dress on, but I made her and it ended up being 'THE' dress.CJ was invited to the prom by one of Kylie's friends, Katie. Here are my two prommies before their dates arrived.

Love the back of her dress!

Kylie with two of her sisters.

Two other neighbors, Jess and Alex came over for a neighbor pic. These four girls have been friends since kindergarten. Alex is only a sophomore, so she didn't get to go to this prom.

Kylie and Katie

Kylie with a few of her friends at the pre-prom party.

Group shot.

Kylie and Brian.

CJ and Katie

2 gorgeous couples!

My two oldest kids had a blast at the prom. We are so blessed that they are so close.

March Madness Hartman Style

March has always been a crazy, busy month for our family. The beginning of March started with Kylie modeling the dresses she made for the NPenn fashion show.

Kylie and her mini me!

Shocker, my pics are so out of order. Here is Avery enjoying her breakfast in bed on her birthday.

Getting ready to open her presents.

Back to the fashion show. Kylie modeling her second dress.

All ready for her birthday dinner.

Avery's birthday dinner choice, manicotti, salad, bread.

Butter cake and a birthday wish.

Kylie getting ready to open her gifts.

Back to Avery.

Kylie didn't want me to make her a birthday dinner, she wanted us to take her to a Chinese buffet. After dinner we came home for cake.

May all of her wishes come true!

Last weekend, it was time for our Grand parent, God Parents parent. The kids had a blast playing dance central II on the Kinect.

More dancing.

Back to Kylie's day, opening gifts.

Party time.

Birthday buddies.

More birthday kisses.

March 13th, Chris's birthday.

Back to the party, seriously, I have no idea how these pics get so out of order.

The birthday boy opening his first gift, a book to read on the plane when he travels for work.

Best gift ever, tickets to a Sixers game.

All my loves. This is the first time we have celebrated Chris's birthday out on the deck.

Finally, birthday cake, er , pie!

February Update

The first Friday in February was a busy day for us. It was the Father/Daughter Dance at our elementary school. Kamryn was so excited to go since this is her first year in elementary school. Kylie did a great job curling their hair, too!
It was also the Valentine's Dance at the middle school. So after Chris left with Avery and Kamryn, Madison and two of her friends posed for a few pics before they headed to their dance. Stay tuned..... We are just entering Formal season for the Hartman's! Madison was invited to her first formal, an ROTC dance in March with her boyfriend! She also has the Freshman Formal at her school in April. Kylie has Junior prom at the end of March, and CJ has the senior prom in May. Holy tuxedo, Batman- that's a lot of dances! And if you truly know me, you know that I am loving every minute of this!

How to beat the January BLAHS!!!!!

Usually, right after the Christmas craziness, we don't seem to have any time to unwind because a snow storm is looming, and all of our energy is transferred from the holidays to SNOW. But this year, after the decorations were all put away, and everyone headed back to school and work, I actually found myself a bit in the doldrums. A snow-less January actually makes for a long, dreary month. To help pull me out of my winter doldrums Chris and I decided to take the 3 youngest kids, (CJ and Kylie were at work,) to the Philadelphia Pet EXPO. Ok, I know what your thinking...."Please don't bring another animal into that house." No worries. We played, we had fun, we came home empty handed.

Below is a pic of Madison then Avery holding a cock-a-too. Kamryn was too scared to go near the bird, let alone hold it. Madison did ask us to buy her one, but I stood my ground and said NO.

There was also a petting zoo. Avery and Kamryn went in to pet the various animals. This one is my favorite, the alpaca. What a cool animal. Very docile and affectionate. And their wool is worth a bit of cash. Maybe I could talk Chris into buying me an alpaca farm, or at least just one to roam the back yard.

Kamryn with the baby calf.

The Elmwood Zoo brought one of their tigers. We were able to get fairly close. What a huge, majestic, glad it's behind a BIG cage, animal. No pangs in wanting this creature roaming my back yard.
They also had pony rides at the expo. I was actually surprised that Kamryn got on the pony. She had a lot of fun.
Avery is at the in-between age where she's too young to know that she is too old for a pony ride, and a bit too old for the actual pony ride. Once she got on it, I think she realized it was probably her last pony ride.