Easter 2011

Hard to believe that Easter of this year has already come and gone! We surely had a wonderful day and enjoyed our time with Jonathan's family out in the beautiful Spring weather. We started our day off with a great church service including communion and an awesome message! I also got to sing in the choir this weekend which is something I love doing and just enjoy worshipping together with everyone!

After church, we headed to the Bradshaws' where Ms. Joyce had prepared a huge feast: chicken and dressing, ham, mashed potatoes, broccoli, rice & cheese casserole, butter beans, baked pineapple and rolls. (I am probably forgetting something too!) We let the kids play outside for a little bit before naptime, but it wasn't long before all four of us--Jonathan, me, Nora, and Liam--were down for a good afternoon nap. The kids were eager to get up and play, and we promised Nora that she could break in her new Ariel swimsuit and get into the pool for the first time this year.

The Newlyweds

Jonathan's dad bought a jet ski recently, so Easter Day was our first time to try it out.  Liam and Geegaw were the first to take it for a ride, and Liam was instantly hooked.  He wasn't afraid at all, and he kept asking to "do agin, do agin."  Nora was very cautious, but Jonathan and I got on and insisted she try it just once and then told her if she didn't like it that she didn't have to ride again.  Well, it took her being on it about 10 seconds and she was sold!  "Faster, Daddy, faster!"  I predict that our kids will be spending MUCH time on there this summer. 

We also continued our tradition of doing an Easter Egg hunt in Granna and Geegaw's yard.  Ms. Joyce had several eggs filled with chocolate, and I had about 50 eggs with Starbursts hidden in some of them.  We scattered them all throughout the yard, and we even invited some of the neighbors over to join in.  Liam was determined to open each egg as he found them, so it took him a long time to get the hang of it.  Nora was an egg-grabbing machine, but it was Rowan (the little girl that lives next door) that had the best plan!  She found the eggs, left the ones behind that didn't contain any candy in them, and if she did find an egg with candy, she opened it, ate the candy, and dropped the shells right where she found them.  Clever little thing!

The egg hiders!

More chocolate, please, Granna.

Andrew and Amy brought Bird over with them, so the kids enjoyed playing with him as well.  It's wonderful that they have a dog....we get the benefits of playing with him, the kids enjoy being around a dog, but we don't have to take care of him, feed him, or clean up after him, and he goes home with Amy and Andrew instead of us.  Great situation for me!

The guys clearing out an aluminum can from the jet ski.

As the afternoon winded down, we all got on the boat and went for a ride.  Then we headed back home and warmed up some leftovers for our dinner.  We bathed the kids, then loaded up the car and headed home!  It was a wonderful day!

Funny note:  Nora loved eating all of her "starbucks" that she got out of her Easter eggs.  I didn't have the heart to correct her that they were actually Starbursts because it was just so darn cute hearing her refer to them as Starbucks.  Hey, we do love Starbucks in our house...and Starbursts, too!