April 20, 2014-Happy Easter!

(click here for today's pictures)

Happy Easter 2014!

• Easter morning and despite how tired the kids were, they were still up around 7.  They came downstairs with their puffy little eyes and bed hair ready to start the morning.  Robby started on breakfast with the kids.  We did the little croissant rolls and marshmallows stuffed inside to symbolize that the tomb and Jesus.  When you cook it the marshmallow disappears and then the crescent roll is empty-just like the tomb.  Or you can just "eat Jesus up" as Graham suggested.
• While the rolls were cooking, I painted the the girls' toenails and Campbell and Reagan's fingernails.  Keaton did not want to sit still long enough for me to paint her fingernails.  My Reagan started asking me last night about her fingernails so I was glad that we had time for that this morning.  I really think that she wanted to cover her blue dyed fingers from the eggs we dyed last night.
• While the kids were eating breakfast, we passed out their Easter baskets.  Now we don't do the Easter bunny and somehow the kids know the baskets are from us.  I don't know how they reconcile that with believing in Santa and the Tooth Fairy but whatever.   
• This was Whitman's first Easter and he was pretty pleased with his basket.  All of the baskets contained a bottle of oj, 2 tiny boxes of lemonheads, 2 pieces of sidewalk chalk, a pack of cookies and a little debbie snack cake.  Whitman's also had a pack of squeeze applesauce, Keaton had a shirt, Campbell had shorts, Reagan's had new leggings and both big boys had a pack of boxer brief underwear.  No, they were not incredible pleased with their undies but they had been asking for some.  It even took me 2 trips to Walmart to work up enough nerve to spend that much (10 apiece) to buy their undies.  
• Seriously though everyone was super pleased with their baskets and they all thanked me over and over.  And they all had their oj for breakfast-we never have juice around here so a bottle of oj is a special, special treat.  I guess we only get it at Easter in their baskets and on airplanes (which hasn't been lately) and of course if there is a great deal at the store!
• We were already a bit late when we started taking our mandatory Easter kid picture.  The kids did fairly well-Campbell is typical Campbell-notice some of the pictures with her hands up in the air.  And poor Anderson's allergy eyes were pretty puffy.  I guess I get used to them and forget how puffy they get until I see them in a picture.  I hope that we did manage to get a decent shot or two of the kids.
• Then it was to church in two cars.  I had to teach Sunday school in Campbell's class and there was a room full of kiddos.  But there was plenty to do and the kids were all good-even my Campbell who did sit and listen to the story well and didn't play with her nametag.  I did get a picture of her inside of the kitchen play sink just setting there-oh she is a special thing.
• Robby took the kids to church while I was in Campbell's class.  They did well setting through the service and as soon as it was over, he dropped them off at Sunday school and came to get me.  We had worship care in Keaton's class.  There wasn't too many kids but there was one child that screamed the first 20 minutes.  Finally her mom was paged to come and get her.  During this time, I did leave the crying kid with Robby and snuck out with Keaton to go and hear some of the music at church.  I was afraid that their room was a bit wild while I was gone so I didn't stay for all of it.
• Robby left early with a few of the kids and then I even had to leave my other worship care workers early to go and get the kids.  I didn't want to be them to be the last ones in their class.  Keaton cried the entire way home because she wanted to be in her Daddy's car.  We all tried to calm her down, explain that he was already home or distract her but none of our efforts succeeded.
• Grannymom, Grandpa, Nonna, Pops and Jason were all already at our house when we made it home.  And soon Dana, Jenna, Alex, Lilly and Cash arrived.  Our table was full and soon so were our tummies.  Everyone brought a dish or two so we had plenty to eat along with my Mom's bunny cake that she has been making for 41 years and Grannymom's carrot cake which is my favorite (speaking of, I might just go get me a piece or two when I am finished with this blog!)
• After lunch, the great egg hunt began.  Of course, Dana, me, Jason, Pops and Robby all had a walmart sack full of eggs to hide.  I would bet it was around 200 eggs-I had been working on filling a few each night this week.  We hid them from our swing set to the bottom of the yard-even though we hid them on over an acre there were still eggs everywhere.
• Robby lined up the kids, gave them their instructions and then they were off.  Grannymom had Whitman and I do think that he knew exactly what he was doing.  Whitman and Keaton did get a 10 second head start but I don't think that Keaton even needed her 10 seconds.  Her and Pops took off and she was quickly filling her basket.  
• About 10 seconds into the hunt, we heard Robby holler "CALEB, GET OUT OF MY YARD."  I heard him and knew exactly what was happening but all of the other grown ups were a bit startled.  Neighbor boy was at the bottom of the yard stealing eggs.  Whatever he had in his little hands were probably dropped when he heard Robby.  And of course they could have hunted eggs with us but you don't just take things (lesson we then had to give the kids!)
• By the time the kids had found all of the eggs, they were exhausted and their baskets were overflowing.  Seriously, overflowing-Cash even had to trade in his basket for a Walmart sack.  Ha!  Once the eggs were all found (or when we thought that eggs had all been found-Reagan later found 3 and no telling how many more we will find later) we all headed inside for the kids to check out their loot.  It is funny to me how excited they can get over 2 pennies or a piece of candy.  I did have some quarters in the eggs and even a dollar in two eggs.  Reagan racked up with 3 dollars and 55 cents for some reason she wrote that on a post it note and stuck it in her bucket (I guess so she could make sure that no one took any of her money!)  
• The kids opened their eggs, pocketed their money and ate their candy until they decided to go back out.  They played for a while and then quickly roped Grannymom and then Dana into a round of kick ball.  I finished the kitchen and then changed my clothes in time to join the second kick ball game of our Easter.  
• This game must have been serious business because we moved it to the back (the lot behind ours-Robby keeps it nice and mowed and it is a pretty good little field).  The teams were Anderson, Cash, me and Grannymom against Lilly, Reagan, Robby, Dana, Keaton, Graham and Campbell.  Neighbor boy (egg stealer's brother did join us for the second half of the game-that was after our intermission-told you this game was serious)  
• I can't even tell you which team won but I will say that Anderson and Cash kept taking mine and Grannymom's turns to kick-I don't think they thought we were doing a good job.  The would get poor Campbell out every single time that she kicked the ball.  It was pretty vicious but not as vicious as her daddy.  Robby would peg those kids with the ball to get them out-there was no love shown on this Easter day.  The kickball game was a success and was concluded with popsicles for all!
• After that, Lilly, Cash and Dana left (Nonna and Pops had left earlier to go and see Beebee) and the kids stayed outside while we went inside.  Water guns, bikes and even the dirt pile were on their agenda today.  They were filthy and Nonna and Pops (they came back for supper) had to wait around for them all to get baths before we ate our supper.  
• Once everyone was clean we all ate supper and then the kids played for a bit after telling everyone bye and then it was bedtime.  They were all exhausted again tonight and I will be too after I eat my carrot cake.  Actually, we have done good this evening-I have folded 96 zillion pounds of laundry and put the downstairs laundry up.  Robby has mopped the kitchen and is now at the story (yes, we are still desperately out of milk)  Another wonderful but too short weekend.