Easter 2010 in Pictures

The lazy woman’s post; the slideshow. Hey, if a picture’s worth a thousand words, what are 62 pictures worth?

I flew solo this year for Easter, as Rob moved to Pennsylvania for work. With a potential stomach bug circulating through the house and low energy on my part, we sat out church, skipped our traditional Easter photos, and hung out around the neighborhood — first visiting out next door neighbors for their traditional Easter egg hunt and brunch, then later going down to the neighborhood clubhouse for their annual Easter festivities.

As you can see from the photos, DeeDee *really* enjoyed the surprises inside those little plastic eggs (she’s already a candy-aholic), Rey made quite a mess with his chocolate, and Boo wasn’t feeling all that great by the end of the day.

The REAL Easter Photos!

The Easter Photo Confession.

I can’t take the credit. I just can’t. Both Chelle and Colleen are impressed with the fact that all ten (well, at least nine…Baby D was screaming) children were actually all looking the same way and smiling in the 2009 Easter photo. The truth, however, is not all that impressive. While the rest of the photos on my Easter 2009 post were completely undoctored, when it comes to the group photo, let’s just say that digital photography, Paint Shop Pro, and Dawn are my friends.

The truth? Rob was standing behind me trying to make the children smile, while we were both snapping photos with two separate cameras (all while bribing the children with candy, to be consumed once we managed to get a decent picture — shhh…bad mommy). In all, there were 46 photos. Only three turned out…okay. And Rey, the three-year-old, was smiling in only one!  And in that ONE, others looked silly. Here is a sampling of what Rey put us through:

1.
Rey, with the deranged looking “cheese” smile
– it almost looks like he’s in pain, doesnt it?
(along with Lefty rubbing his eyes and Gator closing his)

2.
Rey had obviously had enough of Baby Dee’s screaming…
and Gator had obviously had enough of Rey…
and Ant seemed disgusted by the whole scene

3.
So I tell him, in response to the “cheese” smile,
“No Rey. Give me a real smile…think of something really funny.” 
Apparently this is what Rey does when something is really funny.

4.
or this…

5.
Apparently something happened here that everyone else thought was really funny.
But not Rey. He looks downright offended!

6.
Was it Boo that offended him? Why was he giving her a “look”?
And why was Cricket striking up a conversation with Curly Top?

7.
Rey’s body language says it all, doesn’t it?
I think he was done with the whole photo shoot situation.
Had he forgotten about the CANDY awaiting?

8.
Audrey caught in a yawn and Gator caught with his tongue out.

9.
Um….tired, Audrey?

10.
A typical family photo.

Anyway, you get the picture (no pun intended). About 40 more that resemble the above sampling.
So the ONE and ONLY photo of Rey with a cute, real smile, turned out like this:

Yeah. That’s where my very gracious friend Dawn and her Paint Shop Pro skills came in.
She generously photo-shopped Rey’s face from the above photo onto this…

Leaving me with this:

Yup. The photo was merged. Dawn did a great job! My photography skills and the behavior of my children…not quite so impressive after all, huh? Ya gotta love technology and good friends!

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Easter 2009

I know it’s late, but I have been sternly admonished by my 11-year-old for failing to upload a post about Easter. So here goes, Dinky Tumblina!

I know I had stated that we were going to avoid the egg hunts and such this year, focusing instead on the Christian aspects of the holiday; the Resurrection. However, we were invited to attend two separate egg hunts, so we went. Gotta be neighborly, ya know.

All Ten Children: Easter 2009
Back: Ant (12), Audrey (17), Gator (14)
Front: Cricket (6), Curly-Top (5), Lefty (9), Dinky Tumblina (11),
holding DeeDee (2 months), Rey (3), & Boo (8)

First, our next door neighbors planned a delightful Easter brunch and egg hunt for several of our neighbors on Easter morning. We had planned to only attend briefly before church, but we never ended up making it to church at all. Rob was feeling ill, and none of the children wanted to leave the brunch, so we spent the morning there, at “Mrs. Elizabeth’s” house, where they enjoyed food, an egg hunt, a bounce house, bean bag toss, and socializing.

Rey (above) and Cricket (below) sporting their “cheese-y” Easter grins.

Above: I rocked the baby to sleep, and nearly rocked myself to sleep in the process!
Below: Audrey

Below: The oldest boys
Have you ever noticed they can NEVER be serious for a photo?

After leaving “Mrs. Elizabeth’s” house, and before finishing off the day relaxing by the pool, we went down to the neighborhood clubhouse for the huge Easter hunt (as well as games, such as the egg toss).

Above: Lefty found one of the prized “Camo eggs”
Below: Curly-Top with her stash of eggs

Below: Let the Egg Games Begin!

Above: A smug (and very goofy) Dinky prior to the egg toss
Below: An “egged” Dinky. Guess who didn’t win the egg toss?

Celebrating Spring 2009 – Day 5

DAY 5: EDIBLE “BIRD’S NESTS”

These are quick, yummy, AND a great way to use that Easter candy that you bought for 50% off the day after Easter.

HOW TO:

Ingredients:

• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 2 cups chow mein noodles
• jelly beans (we used the miniature “Jelly Belly” type)
• marshmallow “peeps”

1. Line a baking sheet with waxed paper.
2. Place chocolate chips and peanut butter in a microwave-safe container. Heat on 50% power for 1 minute. Stir, and repeat, until chocolate chips are melted.
3. Stir in chow mein noodles until fully coated.
4. Drop by tablespoonsful onto prepared baking sheet, forming a nest shape with your fingers.
5. Place a few jelly beans in the center of each nest for eggs.
6. Top the nest with a marshmallow “peep”.
7. Refrigerate until firm.

Celebrating Spring 2009 – Day 4

DAY 4: A SPRING WINDOW MURAL

This was a fun collaborative art project that developed  in our house on a recent spring afternoon — a painted spring mural on our sliding glass door!

The children had loads of fun with this, each adding his or her own elements and touches. We had trees, birds, butterflies, flowers, clouds, a lake, a bright yellow sunshine…(Lefty even added his own personal touch — a bird flying over, pooping…BOYS! {roll eyes}).

HOW TO:

Only two supplies needed: clear dishwashing liquid and liquid tempera paints!

For each of the paint colors, mix about 1 tablespoon of dishwashing liquid with 1/2 tablespoon of paint (the mixture should have the creamy consistency of house paint).

I chose to have the children paint on the outside of the window, so it would be easy to hose off the project after a few days, but this can easily be done on the inside as well, making it a great rainy day activity — but make sure you avoid drips on carpets and furniture.

To remove the dried paint or fix a mistake, simply wipe it off with a moist paper towel.

Rey – Ever the clown!

Below: Recycling

The boys had the innovative idea of using water bottles, cut in half, as paint cups. This worked very well!
The top half of the bottle became a hand-held paint cup with a “handle”,
while the bottom half worked well for a tabletop paint cup.

Celebrating Spring 2009 – Day 3

DAY 3: EXPLORING NATURE

It had been a while since we had actually gone on our neighborhood nature trail strictly for the purpose of observation. I tend to enjoy going at least once during each season so we can see the changes, so I figured, what better way to welcome spring!

When we embarked on the trail last week, I was shocked at what I saw — very little water! Things definitely looked different than in the photos that I posted of that same nature trail in November 2007. I knew we were under some serious drought conditions, but had no idea it was THIS bad!

The Drought

The Wetlands that Once Were
Nothing but dirt. This all used to be under water.
(You can tell where the water level once *was* by the water line on the trees)

Above:  a view from the side of the big bridge
Below: I wonder who once lived here, when it was underwater

Below: Conditions are so dry that even the air plants are suffering; showing very little traces of green

Signs of Life

Despite all, thankfully, there were still some ponds that had not completely dried up, and some signs of green along the trail.

The girls wanted me to take photos of all the flowers, so we could come home and look them up. (How many do you already know?)

Thistle was abundant in all its’ stages – from bud…

to bloom…

…to thistledown.

You can always count on the little ol’ pine tree for some spring color.

Strangely enough, we didn’t see many birds on this outing; just one hawk, an aningha, and a couple of cranes.

We did see other wildlife though:

This guy was smiling at us from across the pond,
but the mole cricket (below) creeps me out far more

Other Florida Wildlife

The Water Which Remains

I just love the beauty of the Florida Wetlands

Celebrating Spring 2009 – Day 2

DAY 2: FUN WITH FLOWERS

I just love flowers!  I remember all of those cold dreary winters that I lived in Huntsville, Alabama. Everything would turn brown in the winter, and I would long for the days when my hyacinths and daffodils would peek up through the dormant brown grass and announce the arrival of Spring.

…So I thought it quite appropriate to celebrate the arrival of Spring with some flower-themed food and crafts!

First, for food (after all, what is a celebration without food?) I turned to The Pioneer Woman and her wonderful flower pot desserts recipe.  Here’s how they turned out.

I thought they turned out very cute and realistic-looking.  I’ll definitely be filing away this idea to use again.

For the next activity I turned to Family Fun for this adorable flower craft: Lilies made from the children’s handprints!

Celebrating Spring 2009 – Day 1

DAY 1 – THE EGG HUNT

Celebrating “Easter” has always been a bit of a challenge for me. It was my favorite holiday growing up — for all the wrong reasons. My father, who was typically the “uninvolved” type, always did Easter up really big! I have fond memories of waking up on Easter morning to find an empty Easter basket next to my bed, and the start of a jelly bean trail. I would follow that winding trail through the whole house, collecting the beans and placing them in my basket — down the stairs, around the legs of furniture, over the table…an entire obstacle course of colored beans! At the end of the trail, the jackpot awaited. Assorted toys and a huge chocolate bunny! (And not those wimpy hollow bunnies…nope, this one was SOLID chocolate — a sugar rush just waiting to happen!) I always felt sorry for the kids next door. They had to get up on Easter morning and go to church, of all places! Church, in our family, was reserved for weddings.

I had no clue. I knew nothing of the Resurrection. I knew nothing about Jesus. I knew of Him…but mainly as “oh yeah, that guy on the cross”. I had no clue of the significance…of my Savior!

I find it saddening that such a significant HUGE Christian holiday…the most important Christian holiday could be mingled with Paganism and thus become so secular that hoards of children don’t even understand what it is really all about!

I didn’t want the same thing to happen in my family. I want my children to celebrate Resurrection Day, not “Easter”. I want them to know.  But the egg and basket thing is so fun! On some years I have nixed the basket all together. On other years I have filled the basket with Christian items, such as Bibles or Veggie Tales DVDs. Somehow this still didn’t feel “right”. It was still, in a way, taking the focus off Christ and placing it on the Pagan aspects of the “Easter” celebration.

What do the eggs, the baby bunnies, the chicks, and the flowers really represent to my family anyway? Not the Resurrection of Christ, and certainly not the Fertility goddess Eostre, or Ostara. No, to us, these things represent SPRING! Spring is filled with new life. Baby animals are born. Dormant plants come once again to life. The sun shines brightly. Everything old is new once again! I LOVE spring, and am so thankful to the Creator for giving us this season! So I figured, why not use the eggs and such to celebrate our love for SPRING, keeping Resurrection Day completely separate. So that’s what we’ve done!

Our plan was to have a “First Day of Spring Party”, but you know what they say about good intentions. Life just sort of got in the way, so our party has turned into more of a “Spring Celebration Week”.

We started with an egg hunt at our neighborhood playground. Rob and Audrey drove down to hide the eggs, while the rest of us walked down to give them time. I think little Rey had the best time of all! Look at him showing off his candy stash.

Note to self – Bubble gum is a bad idea for a 3 year old. No more bubble gum as a plastic egg filler. Rey shoved a chewed up piece of gum into the pocket of his shorts (to save for later of course).  Oh dear!

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Happy Resurrection Day!