Priceless

I have so much to write about - my lovely birthday, a gala Deonne and I attended, highlights from the kids' final school year activities, recitals, performances, games....

I'm overwhelmed.

So for now, a preview of things to come - this is a glimpse of the photos we took last Sunday with a new photographer.  She's lovely.

I can't wait to see the rest!

Easter 2011

We had a really nice Easter weekend.  It all seemed to go by so fast - probably because we had a lot of events in a three day time period - and before I knew it - it was Easter Sunday night - and it was all over.

We started out our festivities on Friday afternoon - Anna and I made Elmo cupcakes to take to Jack's school for his birthday.  They were really cute - and I wish I'd remembered to take a picture of them before they were gobbled up by his pals in his classroom.  Imagine mini vanilla cupcakes, bright red 'hairy' icing using that grass/hairy piping tip, eyes out of white chocolate chips with black food writing pen dots, noses out of orange jelly beans and a mouth out of half of a min-oreo cookie (the wafer part.)  He loved them.  His friends loved them - it was quite a party.

Dinner out at Village Idiot pizza - then home for presents.

And Saturday morning - we were up bright and early to prepare for and enjoy his big birthday brunch.  What fun!

So Saturday afternoon we participated in our favorite egg hunt of the year - the annual Comer Egg-stravaganza.  Families come with dishes to share - a gazillion eggs are tossed in the yard for all the kiddies to find - everyone plays, eats, laughs, eats some more - just a good time with good friends and good fellowship.

James is REALLY into the whole egg hunting thing - he runs wild and collects as many eggs as he can find - pausing now and then to point out the 'special' ones, like Hello Kitty or Princess or Elmo to his brother and sister - so they can get eggs of their favorite theme.  That's my James.  Always kind and sharing and thinking of his siblings first.

J-bird - Jack's bff - hunting eggs with the big boys.

Anna discovered the eggs hidden in the bushes.

So hard to get a picture of three kids who are just itching to open their eggs and get at that glorious candy!

We made it home just after dark, gave the kids a quick bath, and got ready for the Easter bunny!  Jack chose his carrots carefully - very happy to put them on the hearth in anticipation of the bunny's arrival.

Carrots Galore!

This is about right - Jack dancing and grinning - James sulking because his feelings were hurt that Jack spilled the cup of water he put out for the Bunny, and Anna - somewhere in the middle.  Like her ensemble?  We let her choose her pajamas - such a fashionista...

And then it was Easter Morning!

Deonne and I rose early to shower and get ready for church - the 9am service - meaning we needed to be there no later than 8:30 to have a seat in the main church.

So excited to see if the Bunny came!

Tangled!  The movie Anna has coveted for her collection since she first saw it in December.

James received a bunny - he is all about the Velveteen Rabbit these days - we watched the Velveteen Rabbit movie in the days preceding Easter - and kept asking for a 'magic' bunny to play with and take him to a magic land.  Rabbit hasn't left his side since Easter morning.

Jack's basket was all about Elmo this year - the Easter Bunny found all sorts of fun Elmo and friends related toys and trinkets, books, and cuddly animals.  The 'camera' was an especially big hit.

Breakfast was on the screened porch - it was a glorious spring day here in South Carolina.  We dined on left-overs from Jack's brunch breakfast - fruit, do-no's (donuts), and different casseroles.  A total bonus for having a party the day before - I didn't need to cook a special Easter breakfast!  (Not that we had time...)

Easter Morning.  St. John's Episcopal Church Courtyard.

Look what I learned how to do in photoshop?  I'm so glad I took that class!

The color version.

Easter Family Photo

Yeah - James was clearly ready to hit the road to grandma's house - he was over posing for pictures...

After lunch at Grandma's house - we participated in the annual Long Easter Egg hunt.  Truth be told - not my favorite.  Grandma thinks it's hysterical to hide the eggs - and I mean HIDE in every sense of the word.  Hide where kids and adults alike can't find the eggs...under pine straw, under leaves, under rocks - places you wouldn't think to find.  Resulting in a bunch of tired Longs - Anna looking at me desperately with a sweaty face saying 'Mommy, I want to go home.'

Jack cooled off by playing in Grandma's fountain.

The Golden Egg was finally found - under the root ball of a potted plant.  Um...yeah... I'm going to just leave that one alone...

We finally made it home - changed into play clothes, and spent some time in the backyard.  I didn't plan a big meal for Easter dinner - and discovered I didn't have anything to prepare.  With all of the birthday party hustle - my shopping list had been all about birthday food - not dinner food - and there's a big difference.  Anna and I ventured out to the grocery stores nearest our house - to find they were closed in observance of Easter.  Huh.  So, we opted for Wendy's - and our children were delighted to dine on french fries and chicken nuggets at an impromptu backyard picnic.

All in all, a fun and wild and crazy Easter. 

Punctuated at times with moments of sadness as yet another child of mine's birthday went unnoticed by my immediate family (with the exception of my mom's sister - who has always been like a mom to me.)  I don't think I'll ever get used to the passage of milestones without my mom - or my dad.  But I'll put on a brave face, I'll smile and have fun with my children, and wait until I'm alone in the solace of my room - or my car - to let the tears flow.