a happy Easter

I love having my family together on Easter.  Will has had to work the past two years on Easter so I was pretty thankful to have him home this weekend.  It would have been great to be with grandparents too but that's not in the cards when you're across the country from home.  I feel a twinge of sadness when several of my friends are with their parents celebrating Easter.  However,  I LOVED having our little fam of five together.  We colored eggs on Saturday night.  The kids get totally into this.

We tucked the kids in and I played Easter bunny - which I love.  I get my love for basket/stocking stuffing from my mom.  She always made us the best Easter baskets and Christmas stockings.  It's fun to think of little things for each kid that will surprise them.  Passing on the good memories!

This weekend Liam said, "I know you're the Easter bunny."  I said, "How do you know?"  He said, "Because you hide the eggs."  I'm not really sure what he meant by that but I said, "You're right, but isn't it fun to pretend?"  Will couldn't believe that I didn't try to keep up the ruse that the Easter bunny is real, but Liam didn't seem to care... and I can guarantee you that if Liam doesn't believe, nobody in our house will stand a chance to believe.  That bubble has been burst.  Hayden was actually put at ease when she realized the scary giant bunny from the grocery store wasn't really going to sneak into her house to fill up her basket.

Shoes and treats for all

Sunday morning the kids checked out their baskets and then we made the mad dash to get ready in our Easter best for church by 9:30.  People up here don't seem to care much about dressing kids up in new spring clothes for Easter - part of the low maintenance midwest I guess.  And you better believe there is not a single smocked jumper on any kid up here.  For one thing, it's still kinda cold in April.  I think on Sunday it was in the 50s and super windy.  I still put my girls in matching dresses and sandals.  A tiny piece of home.  

Silver sandals and goldfish!  Thanks Easter bunny.... I mean Mom.

matchy matchy

Hayden - 3, Harper - 1, Liam 4.5

happiness

It looks like a warm spring day but Harper's face tells the truth.  A cold wind can make you frown.

We went home and Will grilled some yummy steaks for our Easter lunch.  I made potato casserole, asparagus and chocolate peanutbutter pie.  Everyone napped and then we had a little egg hunt in the backyard with a few friends who didn't have extended family in town.    

Liam and his buddies - Ezra, Jude and Ethan

checking out their loot - a massive sugar rush ensued

 Evie and Laura

 Harper cleaning up fallen treats.  I fished several jelly beans out of her eager little mouth.

The kids had a big time.  They eventually crashed from their sugar high.  Will and I promptly put them to bed and then stayed up late watching a movie... because Will had Monday off of work too!!  Vacation day for Harper Claire's birthday.  More to come...