It’s All Fun and Games…and No One Got Hurt!

First, let’s publish front and center two shots of myself that I really like!  Only one shows what I usually think of my best side.

 

Self-gratifying photos aside, Dwayne and I love, love, love Easter.  Besides baskets & church, for years we have hosted an Easter egg hunt and dinner for friends. As the kids get bigger, the weather seems to have gotten nicer—thank goodness!   Our “estate” is best when we can be outside.

Dave hid a lot of the kids’ eggs this year, and they had to look a little harder than before. It was great!

 

My newest niece!

 

Life is good, huh, Jeremy?

 

Hey, where’s the grandma?

 

Here’s the diabolical man behind the grown-ups egg hunt.  He insists, and I quote, “All eggs are visible….from some angle.”  I found the one hidden in the solar light.

 

And let’s end with a little love between Piper and her cousin, Cecily!

 

Julie and Margaret have better pictures of the day that are worth viewing (and they keep cute blogs).

http://meanderingjulie.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-annual-need-family-easter.html

 

http://www.shultzes3.blogspot.com/2013/03/more-easter-fun.html

Easter Pictures!

Yes!  Decent pictures of all three kids in one shot!

Happy Easter!

The kids found their hidden basket earlier in the morning, but pretended they hadn’t until I was ready to get up.  (But waiting for Daddy to get out of the shower was beyond their patience!)

Sonicare toothbrushes, chocolate bunnies, and dinosaur fossil kits—they aren’t too hard to please. 

 

Wearing underwear backwards is part of his charm. 

A Kid’s Dream Come True

We visited the Burke Museum for the first time to do the special event dinosaur days.  The extra stuff was a a bit understated, but we all liked the regular prehistory exhibits. 

 

The kids got to use paint brushes to brush sand off a glued down “fossil”.  They also got to make potato-sauruses, which I will probably find in my car later this month in less pleasant condition.

It was a good day, but we’ll wait a few more years to go back.

Why the Therapist Thinks I Need More Time without Kids

(Lifted without guilt from a blog who took it from Facebook.)

Piper and Wes Playing Dress Up

 

You’re not the only one surprised Wes has on the puppy costume. Piper must have taken the best dress.

Sneaky Plan

The cabin needs a new deck (I accept only Trex or similar material).  To ensure this will happen sooner than later, I planted a mid-priced, beautiful clematis that is already blooming next to the deck, with the intention of it growing along the deck railings.  The more it will damage the plant to remove it, the more likely the deck will be replaced.



Yep. That’s the secret communication that a decade of marriage will bring.  Love ya, Babe!

Dyeing Eggs, Fingers, Whatever You Got

There is a sundry of reasons to dye Easter eggs at Grandma’s house, but the most compelling is making a mess somewhere that I don’t live.

 

 

I didn’t actually ever say “Easter eggs”.  When I had everything ready to dye, the kids had made a tent in the living room and were playing dragons (the kind of dragon that really likes to camp).  So I told the student dragons that teacher dragon was going to show them how to decorate their dragon eggs so that the baby dragons would be beautiful and strong. 

All that is to explain why my kids are snarling and posing their green talons with their “Easter” eggs.  Sorry, Jesus.  I’ll do better next year.

Not So Deep Reflections: My Name

Growing up, I didn’t care for my first name.  It’s kind of hard to say (is it “Den—eese” or “Duh---neese”?) and I just don’t think I look like a Denise, whatever that is.  I may have gotten over it more quickly had I married a man with the last name Duckworth, but that didn’t work out for me.  (The best part about my married name?  You can’t Google me—it’s too common of a word, even if it’s an uncommon name.)

But here are two reasons I like my name now:

1) When someone says “Denise”, I know they are talking to me.  Kyla even shouts my name, instead of “Mama” when she’s trying to find me.

2) I’m fast but lousy typist, so when I mis-type my name, it’s usually pretty funny. Here’s usual ones:

• Denies
• Dense
• Denose (my poor, poor schnooze)
• Demise

(Any shot that barely shows my nose is a good picture!)

Hey! That’s Not My Kid!

I came home this morning with a pussy willow tree (or “pissy willow” as Piper likes to tell it) in the back of the car, necessitating stuffing the wagon up where the kids usually sit.  The girls were in school, so I just had Wes.  When I got to our neighborhood, two dogs—clearly siblings and strangers—were running around, clearly on a lark.  One was very easy to catch, and luckily he had a phone number on his collar.  I was able to reach the owner, but she was 45 minutes away, helping her daughter with her two toddlers and newborn twins.  I have a very soft spot for grandma’s taking care of grandkids, so I offered to drive them home and lock them back up.  Hence two dogs in my unusually crowded car.  (The other dog is crouched on the floor, unable to find a carseat for himself.)  Wesley was thrilled to have a new paw to hold.  It was inconvenient, but oddly, a highlight of my day.  And now I have a new neighbor to meet!

How Kyla Spent Her Allowance

We went to the zoo two weeks ago, and Kyla’s allowance was burning a hole in my pocket (I was carrying it).  She quickly decided she wanted to spend it on a carousal ride—for her and her siblings!  We did the math, and she didn’t flinch at the $6 total. 

I was really proud of my generous girl!  And happy not to have another stick of candy or cheap plastic trinket around.

 

 

I love this shot of Piper realizing she can’t always keep up with Kyla, who had climbed several yards beyond this!

Always Sunny, Part II

A good friend came with her kids for a slumber party which was so fun for all of us.  We spent Sunday afternoon down on “our” beach.


There are times I just fall in love with this kid all over again. 


Almost a picture of our family.  Maybe I need to learn PhotoShop.