My Easter trip...

I went north on the Friday before Easter and spent the holiday plus some added time with my extended family. On Saturday evening, we dyed eggs for the Easter Bunny to hide and the little ones to find. After the little ones were off to bed, the Egg Patrol hid the dyed eggs and lots and lots of plastic ones, too. When we were all done, I noticed Jen trying to be stealthy with something else. She is such a clever girl--she arranged a very special hunt for Jay that he got to do after the children found all their eggs on Easter morning! When it was time to check out Easter baskets, Jay immediately homed in on the oddly shaped remote control thingy on the dining room table. He got to press the four buttons indiviually and *listen*. The control activated sounders that can be attached to commonly lost items like keys and remote controls. Jay loved his own special hunt and immediately attached the sounders, which proved to be very useful in the time that I was there.

Preparing to dye: Mommy Zach and Ryan are working on the colored eggs.

Mommy helps Ryan write his name in wax. Zach and Ryan wait patiently for color to develop.
Lily is ready to hunt eggs. Yes, that is a BIG ol' honkin' bruise on her little head. She has big brothers. Need I say more?

On Easter Sunday, we headed to Cathy's house in Carroll County, where almost the entire family gathered together to celebrate Easter and our parents' birthdays. Dad's birthday was on Easter itself and Mom's was on the 2nd. I made the cake -- a Black Russian cake. At the end of the day there was about hald left over. As Dad was walking out the door, I mentioned I had wanted to send some home with him. He said "I'll take it now" and turned right around. I'm so glad he liked it! It was a really nice day. I really enjoyed visiting with everyone. Tommy and Mary arranged an egg hunt for the kids, which was lots of fun although a bit chilly.

Here is Lily hunting eggs at Aunt Cthy's on Easter Sunday. Can you tell the weather was a bit unseasonable?Jen, Jay and the kids left to visit Jay's family shortly after dinner, but I stayed until last, as is usual for me. I am a very social person...and maybe a bit annoying. Knowing that Cathy and Jim had an early appointment, I *did* leave right after Mom and Dad.

The following week is a bit of a haze--I caught something and wasn't feeling 100%. I did play with the little ones and enjoyed that a lot. Saturday after Easter was Becca's baby shower at Cathy's. Beforehand, however, Jen and I had a date for brunch with the Shahoody girls (the women in Tom's family). We met everyone at the Manor Tavern out in the boonies. It was lovely although the weather was the pits! The food was fab and Jen and I both enjoyed seeing and visiting with everyone--even Renee was there! She is so busy with work and Nursing School that we hardly ever get to see her. We were having such a good time that we were sorry to have to leave for the shower.

I think there were as many or more people in Cathy's house for Becca's shower as there were for Easter! It was so crowded her friends were sitting on the floor in the middle of the room. It was really nice to see so many people there to wish her well. Jen's special gift made everyone cry. It was her "Live, Learn, and Pass It On" bag of things she didn't know about when she first had children but thinks are wonderful. Another guest read the note Jen included and Becca showed each item as it was mentioned. The look on Becca's face when Jen described her 'changing basket' which includes all the necessities for diaper changes including 'about a day's worth of diapers.' Jen had included a package of 40 diapers and Becca's face was a comedy of total shock. She was very relieved to learn Jen just didn't want to break open the package and 10 diapers a day is more like it. ;) The crying came in when Jen said the most important thing was something Becca already had and Jen couldn't give her--a great example. Then Jen wrote that Becca was going to be a great Mom and several of the women in the room overflowed, me included--Jen, too, and she wrote it! It was really touching.

A lighter moment at the Baby Shower....

Becca opens the gift from Jen and me at the other guests' request--it was blocking their view!

MomMom made sweaters and booties and hats, and this--my favorite of the afghans she does for babies! Can you see the Teddy Bears?

More soon...