Thursday, April 16, 2015

easter baskets

We like to keep Easter Sunday for focusing on our risen Savior, so each Monday after Easter, Daddy & Mommy fill up our Easter baskets and hide them around the house.  We play the "hot/cold" game until we each find ours hidden somewhere.  It's always something we enjoy, and we have a lot of fun finding our own baskets.

Our baskets before they were hidden.
We get in our jammies and take a quick picture before heading out on our basket hunt.
I found mine!
Brady found his!
Bracken found his!
Emmersyn found hers!
Time to dig in!
I was excited about my water Barbie, goggles, book, notepad, cup, candy, & gift card!
Brady loved his candy, goggles, pool football, nerf gun, gift card, and gym shorts!
Bracken loved his nerf gun, gym shorts, goggles, Star Wars dive sticks, candy, and gift card.
And, Emmersyn was excited to get a few books, water toy, and bathing suit!
Her first Easter basket...
...and she really liked it!
Emmersyn & her Easter basket
Sure was a fun night together!  We love our family traditions!

Easter Sunday

We serve a Risen Savior...Happy Easter, Everyone!

Karaffa Kiddies 2015
Attempt #12
New Pose...Attempt #23
Attempt #35
Attempt #42
Lots of pictures...but we remained happy throughout!


Averie Grace
9 years old
Brady Joseph 
6 years old
Brecken Thomas
4 years old
Emmersyn Faith 
10 months old
She gets to show off 2 pictures since it's her first Easter!
The Karaffa Family
Easter 2015
One with Oma...we sure enjoyed dinner at her house!

carowinds

For Christmas, Oma gave us season's passes to Carowinds.  Now that we got to go, we are so excited about that gift.  We headed up there the Saturday before Easter, got our passes all set, and we were ready to hit the park.  I am finally tall enough (we didn't go last year...and only Daddy & I had passes the year before) to ride any ride in the park, and I am so excited.  Brady is tall enough for some of the roller coasters, and he is excited for an upside down one :)  Brecken was happy to be as tall as he needed to be for whatever he wanted to ride, which was anything in kiddie land.  And, Emmersyn just enjoyed the stroller ride :)  We had a super fun family day...all of us enjoying a full day at Carowinds!

Here we are in 2 states at the same time...North Carolina and South Carolina.  Mommy used to do the same thing when she was little, and it was fun for us to take a picture of us in 2 places at the same time! :)
(And, no, Brecken's hair isn't that bad of a bed head...it was a really windy day!)
Ricochet...our first ride.  Mommy & Emmersyn were happy to just watch us!
Though you can't see Brecken sitting behind me, it was his first roller coaster, and he loved it!
Way to go, Breck!
Emmersyn enjoying her stroller ride...and taking out her bow whenever Mommy wasn't looking :)
Daddy, Brady, and me got to ride Carolina Cyclone, and we loved it...it's hard to see us, but we are in there...toawards the back!
And, Brecken took up some modeling while waiting on us to ride! ;)
(The lines weren't too bad...)
Brady's 1st upside down roller coaster!
After a few more rides, we enjoyed some lunch.  Then, we headed over the Kiddie Land.  I got to see Lucy from Snoopy...isn't she adorable?
I went along with all the fun, and Brady is at a great age to enjoy both kiddie land and the bigger rides.  Brecken had a blast.  He loved every ride!  Here they are...enjoying the plane ride!
Love his sweet smile on this ride!
While Mommy took Brecken on the kiddie swings, Daddy took us to get our faces painted...we loved it!  I twas a butterfly princess...
...& Brady was a dragon!
Brecken on the swings...
...& loving it!
He got off and said, "Did you see how fast I was going"?  Of course, he was going at a snail's pace, but he didn't care.  He loved it!
Mommy & me about to embark on the balloon ride.
(Since Daddy rode all the other rides that make Mommy sick, Mommy decided to toughen up and ride this one...whew!  It wasn't too bad!)
The boys all ready to ride...
...& they loved it!
Love that face while in the air...pure excitement!
Then, it was on to the pirate ship ride...
...& Daddy & Brady loved it, too!
It was a busy day at Carowinds.  While we were eating lunch, a waiter offered to help Mommy carry her tray to the table.  He was offering Southern hospitality, as he said.  So, she let him.  He then offered to get our table a few more things...even giving Daddy his food free of charge.  We were all so appreciative of the gesture.  Then, we realized he was the manager.  We chatted with him about the rides and fun we were having at Carowinds.  Then, he said, "I'll be right back."  When he came back, he gave us 3 fast passes to ride any ride (except the new Fury) in the park....for free.  We were so excited and grateful.  So, Daddy & I decided we would use it of the Intimidator since all the other lines weren't too long.  That one was about 3 hours wait, and the Fury (which we tried to ride) was a 4-5 hour wait!!  So, we headed out to ride it.  Brecken was trying out the seat of the Intimidator...one day, he will be ready to ride it...
...but, I was finally tall enough to ride it!
(I am in that picture...Daddy is in the white hat!)
And, I loved it!  We actually went twice...both times walking right on the ride.  Such a thoughtful gesture for that manager to do for us!!  It was a great way to end our family fun day at Carowinds!  We are excited to go more in the summer!