Easter Adventures

We had quite a few of these this year, starting on Friday and culminating in a very fun Easter Sunday.

Richard's parents came for a visit and got here Thursday afternoon. As luck would have it, I had spent the last few days under the weather. I had a very brief stomach bug on Wednesday night and tossed and turned all night long making it impossible to sleep much. I asked Richard to stay home the next day and get Calli to school and help me CLEAN! He mopped my floors and cleaned the downstairs bathroom for me, thank goodness! I could not have done it without him. Although I was feeling better, I was very tired. We all went to Calli's soccer practice that night and then had some chinese food take-out for dinner, followed by an early bedtime for all. I was exhausted from my previous night and I know my in-laws were exhausted from their long day of traveling.

I think on Friday we all felt much better (I know I did!). Back to my old self, I was relieved. I was worried how it would affect my running and it didn't at all. And besides that, I didn't want to be sick when we had family in town visiting and two big holidays to celebrate that weekend. Richard went to work Friday morning just for a half day. Meanwhile I got the kids ready to go to the mall to meet the Easter bunny. I also had some birthday shopping to do for Serena at The Disney Store and I needed an oil change, which I figured I could get done at Sears while I was doing my other tasks.

The Easter Bunny meeting went as expected. Calli was excited and happy, Jameson didn't really know what was going on or why he was sitting on a gigantic rabbit's lap and Serena pitched her usual fit. The whole time we were in line I kept asking her if she wanted to meet the bunny. She kept telling me yes and point at him and looking at him. So I entertained thoughts that it might actually go well. When it was our turn I had the girls hold hands to walk up to him while I put the stroller off to the side and got Jameson out of it. When I turned around Serena had broken out of Calli's hold and crossed her arms, starting to walk the other way. Oh no Missy, you are going to meet the Easter Bunny and you are going to like it!! I tried to cajole her into his lap, but she still refused. So I resorted to picking her up and plopping her in the oversized rabbit's lap as she started to cry. I knew she was fine and it was the same thing I had done for Santa (yes, I am *that* mother that makes their kids pose for these kinds of pictures against their will). Luckily she calmed down after a few seconds, but still absolutely refused to show me the slightest hint of a smile, but I didn't care. As long as she was sitting there and not screaming her head off, I was happy. And so was she after the Easter Bunny pulled out his bag of lollipops and gave one to her. Okay, let's do that part first next time.

After that adventure we headed to The Disney Store, which was filled with all kinds of cute Minnie Mouse toys, clothes and other random things. Since Serena's birthday was going to be Minnie themed, I could hardly resist all the cute items in the store. Since she is so young still I was able to shop with her right there without really noticing what I was doing. I am sure this is the last year I will be able to do that! I got her Minnie pjs, Minnie dishes/cup/silverware, Minnie bubble wand and a Minnie crayon apron. Like I said, cute cute things I could not resist!

We had lunch next at Chik-Fil-A and Grandma and Grandpa met us there so they could do some birthday shopping for Serena as well. We had to leave around noon though if we wanted to make it to the next fun activity: an Easter egg hunt! They were having one at a bouncehouse place called Pump it Up. We go here once in awhile and the kids always love these places. There are assorted bounce houses for them to jump in until they drop and huge slides to go down also. We got to the place and it was very crowded! Apparently it was a popular thing to do.

First up: coloring paper Easter bags to collect the eggs in. When they were done with those it was time to go in the bounce area to hunt for eggs. The kids were each supposed to find ten eggs, one of each color. This made it fair, but a lot of the kids were still taking more than one color of each and Calli was getting very frustrated when she got stuck on six eggs. We got it sorted out and she ended up with all ten and was happy. They got to spin a wheel for a prize next. Serena got a free pass to come back and jump (and a temporary tattoo) and Calli got a water bottle. The girls enjoyed jumping and sliding for a long time after that, followed by a cookie and milk to end the day. What a busy and fun time they had!

Saturday morning Calli had her soccer game and was an all-star as usual. We had lunch at one of my favorite delis and then went to Calli's preschool (which is at a church) for an egg hunt there. We don't go to church there, but I thought it would be fun for her grandparents to see where she goes to school. And since she is in their Mother's Day Out program I felt like we belonged. Calli found sixteen eggs, but it wasn't the most and she was disappointed when she didn't win a prize. Serena found seven eggs with the help of Grandpa and she is always happy just being there and getting something.

Serena was sooo tired after a long day!

Sunday was EASTER and the real Easter Bunny came to our house so the girls could have yet another egg hunt! For the third year in a row it was rainy during the night/early morning so hiding the eggs was a little challenging. The grass in the backyard had gotten a little long so that made for good hiding places. When the hunt was over everyone came inside to check out their Easter baskets and see what other goodies the bunny had brought. Clothes, bubbles, candy, and little toys were among the treasures.

We had planned to go to church that morning but at the last minute I noticed that the service was to be held at a place other than the church. It was a place I was not familiar with and I really did not want to go on a wild goose chase trying to find it. Besides that, I had been counting on their nursery being open and the kids staying there while we took in the service. So we decided to skip it and just went to lunch at Cracker Barrel. That seems to be our tradition over the last few years so we stuck with it. What fun Easter celebrations we had!

Calli and Grandma dyeing Easter eggs!

It has been so WINDY lately here. I really hate it!