Easter Sunday

We had a really nice Easter weekend despite the fact that the holiday marked the first without Gran'pop. Ken had the day off on Friday, and though the weather forecasters had called for a day of rain, the rain held off, and Ken spent five hours spreading mulch around the yard. Nama came up in the afternoon with plans to go to the Shields Family's Annual Easter Extravaganza -- complete with parachuting Easter Bunny -- Saturday morning. But rain rolled in Friday evening, and didn't let up all morning. Nana had sent both Bryn and Luke wonderful rain gear for Easter, but the rain was steady and the outside temperature too cool to go to Idlewild Farm for the egg hunt. There's always next year...

Easter Sunday Bryn woke up to a plastic egg on her bedroom floor, and she woke Luke up to the same thing in his room. In no time at all they found the 20 eggs the Easter Bunny had hid as well as their baskets. Who knew how popular their new battery-operated toothbrushes would be? Bryn sleeps with hers, and she's brushing her teeth three times a day now! Around 9 in the morning we left for my Great Aunt Jeanie's, who was hosting my Dad's side of the family -- his sister, my Aunt Vivian, and her husband, Uncle Roger, and their three children -- Steve, Ellen, and Cindy -- and their spouses and young children. My cousins' children are the same ages as Bryn and Luke, so we were excited for the egg hunt that Jeanie had planned with nine dozen plastic eggs!
As it turns out, my cousin Ellen wasn't able to make it as both of her kids, Jack and Cameron, were sick. Steve and his wife Michelle weren't sure that they'd make it, either, on account of one of their boys having had a fever the night before, but they did arrive just before 1:00, and as soon as they got out of the car, the egg hunt in Jeanie's big yard was launched. This time around Luke was a seasoned egg hunt participant, and he ran from one egg to the next. If Ken or I pointed out an egg to Bryn, Luke would whine, "I want an egg!"


We didn't count how many eggs B&L collected, but I owe them $6 each as I pilfered their bicentennial quarters and half dollars, both of which I collect. Aunt Jeanie knows how to fill an Easter egg! The competitors included Connor, 19 months, on Steve's lap; Bryn; Luke (unwilling to be photographed); and Coady, also 4 years old.
We hurriedly left right after lunch as it was 2:00, and any later, and Luke would have been a puddle without his nap. Unfortunately, leaving was a bit rushed; my Mom didn't have time to have coffee after dessert. As we were piling into the car, Bryn and Luke received big Easter baskets filled with toys and a little bit of candy from my Aunt Vivian and Uncle Roger; bubbles for Bryn and a carrot-shaped bat and ball for Luke from my cousin Cindy; and huge baskets from Aunt Jeanie with lots of candy, books, kaleidoscopes, and $10 each! The shower of gifts was completely unexpected and totally over-the-top, but what an ending to Bryn and Luke's time at Aunt Jeanie's! Assuming Jeanie is in good health, we're already planning to go back next year, and hopefully then B&L will have more time to play with Coady and Connor as well as Jack and Cameron.