Easter 2012

 Easter! See, what did I tell you? I'm catching right up! Only 4 months off, woo hoo! 

Easter in Michigan for us consists of 2 big events. Playgroup egg hunt and the Greencrest (our street) backyard egg hunt. Here is a group shot from the playgroup one. It was a bit cold, but sunny and bright.

 There is our Eleanor, under dressed in a purple sun-dress with a cardigan sweater... next to the kids with good parents who put them in parkas.

 In my defense, look at how sunny it was!

 Cutie.

 With her sweet friend, Kinsley.

 Could they be any cuter?

 The moms! And some of my best friends. For my benefit, back row L-R: Nora & Jody Evans, Jessica Allee, Delicia Coupe, Maureen Clark, Crystal Clark. Front row, L-R: Me, Tiffany Alldredge, Marissa Christensen, Amy Nielson and Emily Becker. We are missing Laurie Johnson, Sarah Stradley, Janine Fredline and a handful of others. Awww, I miss them!

 Me, Delicia and Jody, who was hosting and so kind to let us huddle indoors when it got cold. She was also due soon with her latest gorgeous baby. (Honestly, her kids should all model.)

 A few days before Easter Clayton's cousin Charlotte came over to visit with her kids, Damon, Claire and Anne. They recently moved to Kalamazoo and it was fun to see them a few times before we had to  move. Here they all are dyeing Easter eggs.

 I love Anne. I love all those kids, but she is just such a cut-up. Eleanor adores her, of course. And I love Charlotte's blog. She recounts the hilarious stuff they say, it's always worth a read. One funny story (to me anyways) from the day- Charlotte is a much better mother than I am, and is fairly health conscious about what they eat. Or maybe she's just normal, but compared to me she is a regular dietitian. She and the  kids drove up that day and we show them around when suddenly Claire starts exclaiming, "Mom! Look at all the CAAANDYYYY! Look at it!  I've never seen so much candy! There is just so much candy!" I started to look around, and darn it if she wasn't right- there is candy everywhere in our house. Especially around Easter. I had little bowls of something or other in every room and on almost every decorative surface. Um, yeah. If you've ever been to my house, you probably can picture this easily.  I wish I could say this was a wake up call to better health, but hahahahha. No, the joke's on Charlotte- I just filled their pockets as they left and threw some in their van for good measure. It's ok, I like to be thought of as a modern day Willy Wonka.

 For our backyard Easter hunt this year we decided to forgo the brunch and just do treats. With neighbors and modern day pioneers Lexie and Ruth having moved away, Angela and I (The modern day lazy ones? JK Angela- you are awesome) wanted to keep things easier. On the day of, Angela's bunny cake got ruined so my ever-ready, Sam's club, tub-o-frosting helped make it back to it's fluffy, cute self. It may have been 70% frosting by the time I was done with it.

 Ellie pulling Kinsley and Kate in our wagon out back.

 Emily shooting Kinley, Eleanor and Liya. (Josh in the background.)

 Ivy, Jaquie (running behind), Lily (draped in fur, of course), Liya, Eleanor, Nora and Malina all out for a ride.

 The 3 and under gang waiting for us to open the gate to start their hunt. The 4+ gang went first.

 Eleanor and Lily were totally matching. Sadly, they didn't find it as photo-worthy as the moms and weren't keen on a picture right then.

 Cutest boys ever.

 Laurie and her Kinsley, we miss them!

 Eleanor and Kinsley, did I mention that we miss them? We miss all of them, you will probably be reading that a lot in the near future.

 Kate, Nora, Lily, Eleanor & Kinsley. Our 3 and 4 year old bunch. Miss them.

 Baby Bennett! I don't know if I can say Bennett without baby in front of it. He is Winston's best little friend from Michigan along with baby Charlie. Miss them.

 Our family Easter shot. Nice, E.

 And this little gadget. Gosh he's adorable.