Easter 2016

Easter came early this year.  And for the first time in years, we did not celebrate it in Arizona.  My spring time dishes had been moved north and the Utah grands would be joining us for our traditional
Easter dinner followed by an Easter Egg Hunt.

Many of the Utah grands had missed the Easter when I knitted spring time critters so this year I put together a few super soft sock lambs for them.

The little miss looked lovely in her  pillowcase Easter dress made from Wonderland fabric.

Have you ever seen cuter bunny faces?

Older cousin got one, too.  Both were really quick to sew up.

Ray graduated this year from hunter to hider.  He was so sweet to help his little sister, Opal, out.

Henry and Oscar were in it for the big haul.  Yes, Grandpa Glen did include money and fireworks as well as candy in the eggs.

Henry really cleaned up in "$" eggs!

Oscar found a few as well.

Ceci just held on to her favorite egg.

I just had to get a picture of her in the tulips.

As you can see, the forsythia was in bloom outside as well as on our Easter table.

I love that they are such good cousins!

Our final shot with Grandpa looking on.

And then I shooed him back inside.  Can't wait until next year!

I hope that you enjoyed a happy, colorful Easter as well.

Girl time

We had a girls overnight last Friday.  It involved driving and singing in the rain, Dunkin' Donuts, pizza, ebelskivers for breakfast, and lots of imaginary play time.  Night time always comes too early when these cousins get together.  Sadie usually wilts first.  When I went to check on her, the older two had turned on the night light and were busily putting all the dolls to bed, finding pajamas and assorted blankies for all.  So cute!  I hurried in the next morning to take a picture before they all "woke up."

It was a gray and cloudy morning, but they just put jackets on over their jammies and moved on with their plans.

This includes a long standing tradition of wall walking.

They no longer need a hand to hold.

I miss their joy at first "walking the wall" when toddlers.  Stop growing up so fast my lovelies!

I love your cacophony of prints and color!

They helped grandpa plant this season's sunflowers by shaking in fertilizer and smoothing out the dirt before poking in the seeds with a finger.

Only one minor misstep.  The shaker lid on the Osmocote bottle fell off.  That was too much for one pot so they hurriedly spread the wealth amongst all seven pots.  The sunflowers should be sprouting up by Easter.

Then it was on to fairy house building in the back yard.  They were in heaven because of so much material on the ground.  The winds during the night and day before had knocked down lots of palm tree trimming debris.  They created some terraced living.

Grandpa had found some fairies  to enjoy the girls creative homes.

A little tree house (or vine house) for everyone.

I hope they are never too old to stop in their imaginings and creations.

I hope that they always remember grandma's and grandpa's house and garden.

All to soon it was time to pack up.  Heather had a birthday party, so I did a quick french braid before heading out the door to take her to Polar Ice before dropping off Ruby and Sadie at home just a couple of miles away.  One french braid was not enough.

Come again soon my sweethearts!

Note:  Grandpa went to get the boys after the girls left.  They helped him with chores and they also helped with setting out petunias in our baskets.  They got fish and fries at McD's, left-over pizza, and Jamba juice on the way home.  They did not get any pictures.  Thank you girls for always reminding me to get out my camera.

Favorite grandkid photos from our busy family week

My 2 year olds born two months apart.

They are taking in a "show" on the ipad.

Oscar began to call Mabel's sisters "Sisters" just like Mabel does.  Everyone else was "Cousins."

Reading my birthday memory book.

After their day of performing in school programs, we went to Tia Rosa's for dinner.

They love to sit in this tiled nook.

Oscar, of course, wanted to join the "Sisters."

Four of my girls participating in game night.

Before all the visitors began their homeward journey on Sunday, we grilled pizzas in the backyard and celebrated Julianna's birthday.

Stop!  Please stop.  All my grandbabies are growing up so fast.

Doing the birthday clap.

News of her birth in a faraway state brought great joy and rejoicing just before Thanksgiving 4 years ago.

She has provided shine and sparkle to all of our lives.  Her rendition of "I am a Child of God" on Thanksgiving night brought many a tear to our eyes.  We are blessed to have her in the family.

She had discussed her need for a guitar with her grandpa many times.  He, of course, delivered.

Oscar loves a party, any party.  And he loves his cousins.

Cookie and Cousin Exchange

I baked this week. I usually don't bake unless company is expected. Company was expected and I knew they would help us eat these "Surprise Cookies." I found this recipe (I use just 1/2 cup cocoa instead of 3/4 cups) on the Martha Stewart web site after sampling the "Heaven on a Cloud" cookies found in a display case at the Jacob's Lake Lodge which marks the beginning of the road to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Jacob's Lake also marks the halfway point between my Mesa home and my Provo home, so I like to reward myself with one of these cookies after five hours in the car. They are truly heavenly!

The Ranes family arrived after midnight but were in the pool as the sun was coming over the house having a shoot out before breakfast. Yes, cookies came after eggs, juice, and toast.

Oscar and his parents arrived for the breakfast, too. They came to say hello and goodbye to the Ranes family. After breakfast, they left for San Diego to show the other grandparents that Oscar does indeed walk. Nathan ate lots of cookies.

I thought it needful to get pictures of my three grandsons together on the front bench.

This was much harder than I expected.

All I wanted was all eyes on me and fingers out of noses.

But the eyes kept shifting . . .

and fingers reappearing . . .

and eyelids closing . . .

so I changed my angle. Aren't they handsome, everyone of them?

It was the great cousin exchange this week. All my grand kids were roaming; TJ at scout camp, the rest of his family with Susan's side of the family near Santa Barbara, David and family also in San Diego, and these two who stopped in for 12 hours and then were on their way to see Ryan and Emelia in New Mexico.

They are traveling with this "grand dog" named Charlotte so that she can meet her New Mexico "dog cousins," Max and Lucy. They also took a container of cookies!

*The small fans, of course, are a courtesy of Grandpa Glen, our gadget man :)