On Saturday the girls had voted. They decided that they had "plenty of dresses to wear that were great." I was relieved that one task could be scratched off of my list of Bunny tasks. At the same time mixed Mommy emotions reared their heads. This would be the first year that new frills wouldn't be worn.
- One of many signs that our babies are getting older.
The morning was an average. Jim did his errands with Gracie in tow. She had a party to go for a boy dubbed as "mean and a bully." You might ask why she was going if the boy wasn't nice to her. I asked the same question.
Here is testament to my child's angelic heart and old soul.
Gracie's response: "I would feel badly if nobody went to his party. That would probably make him really sad. That wouldn't be nice. You should be happy at your birthday party."
I will again say, that age six, my daughter is a better person than I could ever hope to be. I pray that her spirit holds fast. I was in awe of her.
Not only was Grace doing a good deed but she took the opportunity to ask Jim to come with her. She asked her Daddy saying "that it would be the perfect time for a Daddy date and they needed a date."
How could anyone ever say no to that?! Jim was wrapped around her little finger.
That was their afternoon.
Mine was different.
I was off to a gymnastics make up session with Addi and Chloe. This is not the way that the three of us wanted to spend a gorgeous afternoon. This was an after effect of the dreaded stomach bug. When you miss a day you have to be responsible and make up the time. Those gymnasts...ever resilient and responsible. Unfortunately, this means that Moms and Dads have make up time in the waiting room. Two hours of no wi-fi and strangers?! Grace's party with "the mean boy" sounded like a blast in comparison.
The girls complained about gymnastics until their coaches called them in. Jim called me in a panic. Gracie was ready to wimp out.
Jim: What should I do? She says that she changed her mind.
Me: What do you mean? I don't know. I'm here. You have to take this one.
Jim: Oh thanks. I don't know what to do. I called you.
Me: (thinking, what a cop out) I'm not the one with her. How is she acting? Is she really serious? You're with her. You have to gauge this and decide what to do.
Jim: Great. I'll figure it out. Bye.
Me: Bye...Love you.
...and that was that. Everyone was where they should be and complaining about it.
JOY.
BY 3 PM THERE WERE HIGH SPIRITS ALL AROUND.
We were all home.
Chloe had her roller skates on.
Jim was doing yard work.
My guy's favorite spring hobby is to rebuild our front lawn.
Eight seasons of not-so-great lawn experiences and his determination hasn't wavered.
WE WILL HAVE A BEAUTIFUL LAWN NO MATTER WHAT THE COST.
...NO MATTER HOW MANY BAGS OF FERTILIZER HAVE TO BE USED.
...NO MATTER HOW MANY FOOTBALL FIELDS WORTH OF SEED HAVE TO BE SPREAD.
...NO MATTER HOW MANY ARGUMENTS WE HAVE WITH THE NEIGHBOR ABOUT OUR SPRINKLER SYSTEM.
...NO MATTER HOW MANY FENCES WE HAVE TO BUILD TO AVOID THESE ARGUMENTS! (and we have built fences)
Grace and Chloe jumped at the chance to help with the yard work.
Chloe was true to form.
She raked.
She weeded.
She picked up piles of grass.
She is more meticulous by nature.
Gracie peered across the front lawn.
THEN!
AHA!
"IT'S NOT EVEN. THERE ARE SOME TALLER SPOTS THAT NEED TO BE TRIMMED!
I GOT IT!!!"...then she ran into the house.
Jim and I exchanged knowing smiles. We knew exactly what Grace intended on doing.
Gracie Sklyar emerged.
...scissors in hand.
...ready to trim the grass!
After great efforts made by my trio the front yard looked worse than it had before. - It is now a work in progress. Supposedly, amazing grass will grow where there is now turned over soil and freshly scattered seed. MY FINGERS ARE CROSSED. Can you cross yours too and knock on some wood for me?? Maybe do a rain dance or two while you're at it?
By 6:00 pm we were ready for round #2 of egg making and bundt cake baking.
Jim tells me that only fat people make bundt cakes.
I disagree.
I've never heard it deemed the fat cake nor do I care.
The pan was a pretty shade of turquoise and a really cool shape.
I had to have it!
Spring bundt cake here we come!
The girls thought that it was super cool and dubbed it "the big donut."
They also repeated BUNDT like parrots all night and into the next day. It's a funny word!
By 7:00 pm we were done with our eggs. Tonight's dozen were gold rubbed and painted. My kitchen table and fingers are now gold rubbed and painted too.
I hope that we cane eat all of these! Eggs will be a constant snack for the next week and will most likely reappear in lunch boxes. This is the price we pay for going overboard with holiday fun.
It could be worse.
The theme of the evening became egg naming.
Chloe named the lone brown, organic one, with the smiley face drawn on "Stinky."
Grace called her white, markered egg "Curley Coo-Coo."
Addison named her favorite purple egg "Shiny."
They acted as if their egg buddies were dolls.
Pet Rock people beware! Stinky, Curley Coo-Coo and Shiny could replace you!
The kids fell asleep with a babysitter. Jim and I went out for coconut martinis and whiskey. I'm the martine. He's the whiskey. They were all tucked into their beds when we arrived home and our sitter gave us a stellar report and told us how much she had missed them and was glad that I had called her. I'm so happy that other people like my kids! It makes life that much simpler.
11:30pm....EASTER BUNNY TIME!!
I made sure that Stinky, Curley Coo-Coo and Shiny weren't rolling around the house somewhere.
They made it into the fridge with their siblings.
One more thing to worry about...
I fear that smelly eggs (not Stinky) will be found hiding at Christmas time.
Out from the closet with the baskets.Up from the basement office with the goodies.
Bing.
Bang.
Boom.
Toss it all in.
Label a few items with the appropriate names in order to avoid fights and "stuff" confusion.
Fill a dozen plastic eggs and pile high on the table.
...label them too.
...four for each kiddo.
Ready for a glass of wine and some HGTV.
The bunny stuck with Easter straw as basket filler this year. I'll be cleaning this up and finding it under furniture until Christmas.
The girls and I went to church today...minus a sleepy Daddy. He had a mission, assigned by me. Jim was on egg duty.
It was his job to stash eggs in the front yard.
Now that the kids are older and wiser this was the only eggy option without them being "up our butts" and figuring it all out.
The days of Grandma and Grandpa distractions are over.
Jim wasn't at all upset by this. He went back to sleep.
I threw a note in his direction with his "orders" on it.
We gave kisses all around and were on our way to the 11am service.
We arrived at church with five minutes to spare.
An usher, ushered us to a pew.
We were obviously seated in the "family zone."
...next to a nice couple with infant twins.
They were lucky that Chloe, the sweet one was next them.
Their baby girl kept on grabbing for Chloe's new stuffed chick. She had begged for it for weeks and the Bunny was so awesome that he put one in her basket!
The baby swiped it, slobbered on it and threw it.
Chloe smiled at her, turned to me and said, "Mommy, I think she wants my chickie."
The other Mom looked nervous.
Chloe looked at her and said," It's ok."
Sigh of relief. This woman is a newbie. She has no idea how lucky she is to be dealing with "the right sister!"
The chick was tossed about for the length of the service. Chloe seemed flattered. Addi was incredibly worried about the chick. "Will they take it home? Why doesn't Chloe care? Isn't she worried?"
It was cute.
My thoughts.
A miracle in church. How fitting.
Service was over and we made our way to "Buster." (aka the Pastor...this is what the congregation has called him since Addi mistakingly labeled him at age two. The name stuck.)
Buster hugged me, kissed my cheek, squeezed my shoulders and said,"So good to see you and the girls here. Two weeks in a row!"
We aren't regulars. I'll get there weekly some day.
Onward! THE DELI WAS WAITING.
Perfect timing on our part. Great minds think alike. We pulled into the lot and parked next to Jim's truck!
The kids ran inside screaming their usual cries of "Daaaaaddyyy!!!!"
They jumped on him.
He almost fell over.
They jumped on him again and again.
Egg sandwiches all around and a specialty hero for Gracie. (She is a Monte Christo girl.)
NOW...ONTO THE GOOD STUFF!
The bunny put new dresses into the baskets amongst the chocolate and jelly beans...sneaky bunny.
Grace commented: Mom..How does the Bunny know what we like? My dress is perfect for me. Chloe's dress is perfect for her and he knew that Addi hates her underwear so he got her pretty ones! Maybe the Bunny isn't a bunny.
-I momentarily panicked. Had she figured it out?! Grace would be the first to crack the code...very fitting.
I looked the other way for a moment so that she wouldn't see the panic streaked across my face and the fear in my eyes.
Kids are like dogs...They sniff out fear and lies.
Grace continued: Maybe the bunny is a person that watches us all the time.
-I thought: Little do you know, baby...the bunny does live with you!
-I said: Baby...that's a little creepy.
Gracie giggled. I giggled too.
We smiled at each other.
Gracie said: Yeah. I guess it is weird!
-SAFE...for now!
We made it home. Grace and Chloe decorated the Bundt cake on the front porch. It was beautiful.
The rest of the day was calm. It was just the five of us with a quick visit from my Nana.
She prefers to be known as Nana S. from Greenlawn...very Shakespearean of her.
She is definitely of another era.
Nana's visit was lovely.
She focused on the disfunctionality of our relatives, including my cousin's new, drunk girlfriend and the relative normalcy of my household.
She's a riot!
We ate lamb...The kids disliked it.
-That's ok. They tried it.
We ate our bundt cake.
Jim liked it!!!
Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!
Look who's eating "the fat cake" now!
We relaxed...
The kids bounced off of the walls until 10:30pm...literally!
Sugar, Sugar...SUUUUUUGGGGAAAAAAAAR!!!!
I passed out again.
Sorry to my honey. Someday I will stay up long enough for us to have alone time.
Happy Easter Everyone. Bunny hugs to all.
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