Happy Easter!

Easter was a whirl wind weekend... not surprising as everything is whirl wind in our lives.  I am starting to think that it is me... I get so busy with so much of nothing and then I realize Easter is this weekend, so we must pack every craft, baking, decorating, fun activity that I thought of (or saw on Pinterest) into 3 days!  Most of the time half of them don't get done and put on my list for next year when I definitely will NOT wait until the last minute.

Saturday we spent with Stephen's side of the family...

Ivy, Mitchell, Brie, Luke and Sidney

(Lalaloopsy dolls... cute or creepy? I vote cute, Stephen votes Creepy!) 

Stephen's cousin Lisa hosted this year... This girl can throw a party!  She is my soul mate when it comes to party planning!  (Except she actually implements the things that have to go on my list for next year!)  We had brunch, which is my most favorite meal EVER and had fun just hanging out, playing and hunting eggs....

Goodies

Girl Cousins
Laura, Elle, Lisa

Stephen and Ivy

Briellen is obsessed with Ava's room... She only left once for the egg hunt!

Wild Boy Cousins

Luke - Mitchell

Ethan - Jacob

MawMaw with her girls

Kaeli Sidney Ava

It truly is hysterical how excited the kids get before the egg hunt!  They seriously can not wait for the door to open... and when it does, watch out!

All of the Cousins

My philosophy on events where candy is available in mass quantities -- Let them open it all, gorge themselves and then at the end of the day toss it ALL.  First of all, it eliminates the fight of, "You can only open X amount of eggs... Okay only 1 more... Well, one last one..."  Second, it eliminates the consistent pestering of wanting candy on the subsequent days.  Lastly (and probably the most honest reason,) is I would eat the entire bag in the night when everyone was sleeping and I was having a pity party and was promising myself I would only have one more!!!!!   My philosophy would probably be different if I had a kid who ate themselves sick, but most of my kids eat a few pieces and move on...  Most, as in not all, because my Ivy girl is just like her Mama and likes to eat!

Eating the Loot

This was our first year to dye eggs together...  Definitely not the fun crafty eggs of my years past!  It was barely controlled chaos in a vinegar haze.  I am hoping they (and me) will have more patience next year.  (And maybe I'll have everything already prepared for them next time.  Sharing was a titch challenging... It's a miracle none of the buckets were spilled.)

Girls

Boys

Thanks Nonna for helping me!!

Final Products

(Ummmm... Mitchell, really?)

Aunt Laura had a cute idea of planting jelly beans....  Then the next morning the kids go out and they have grown into lolly pops!

Planting Jelly Beans

All Planted...

Looking at the Lollypops

Lollypops! 

I got the girls leotards because they have been asking to go to gymnastics or dance class because they want to wear leotards...  So I thought that if I just got them the leotards, I could buy myself some time... but I am sure you can guess that I was way wrong... Now it's even worse!


Easter Day we went to church and then family lunch at my parents house.  Every meal is an event at my parents...  Tons of incredible food and amazing friends and family...  Love seeps from every crevice of that home!!

Papa and Nain

(Have I told you that Nain (said like the number 9) is Welsh  for Grandma.... My mom is half Welsh.)

Uncle Neal, Bibi and Aunt Mimi

(Bibi is "Aunt" in Balinese)

Girls

Our "little" Fam!

Mimi Brynne and Aiden

These two are inseparable!

Luke 

Sidney

"Do you like my hat?"

My parents yard is perfect for egg hunts!  We hide eggs in front in really hard places for Margaret's boys and eggs in the back for the little kids.

Look at all this space!

And here they are waiting/ off again!

I don't know who had more fun... us hiding the eggs or the kids finding them!

Brie

Sooze and Aim

Mitchell

Aunt Mar helping with the hunt

The Wagners -- Our besties... Love them!

Clever spot to hide and egg, Uncle Neal

Uncle Damon going all out to hide eggs!

Trying to get egg hidden a little to well...

Still trying...

Ivy tried and did NOT want to get down until she got it out...

And of course, our fabulous bunny cookie from Mrs. Sandy!  Our friend from church who came to help me every week, when the babies came home!!