Easter Exploits

We took a few days and traveled down to Cali for the Easter weekend. We stayed in Castle Town and the kids had a BLAST! I guess it was a blast for us too when we were young and visiting cousins...non-stop play and pretend. Anyway, so here are some pics and anecdotes:



Well, first here are the dresses and hair bows I made for the girls. I left all the finishing (hems etc.) for the drive so I wouldn't get too bored (and to make sure they'd really get finished...I have a horrible time Finishing a project sometimes!)
As I made the dresses and had the girls try them on, Buddy, the total boy that he is, plaintively asked, "Where's my Easter dress?" He wasn't too pleased that boys don't get Easter dresses (or other dresses for that matter). But excitedly said YES! when I asked if he wanted an Easter tie instead. So here's my 1000 SRC points. The fabric for Mimi's dress (both the gingham check and the sheer) and Buddy's tie have been in my "fabric drawer" since before she was born. I got the pattern for free from my fantastic MIL (mother-in-law for you non-chat-room people!) I got the fabric for Sweetsa's dress for $1/yard on the clearance rack at Walmart (and it only took 1 yard!) I did have to buy the zippers, but I FINALLY learned how to put zippers in thanks to my fabulously talented Mother, SPH-1. In the past I've always fudged the back closures, putting in buttons, snaps or hook-n-eyes to avoid the dreaded zipper!
The accent flowers on the girls' dresses have been hanging around my house for who knows how long. I think they came on a birthday present or something.







And here is a pic of five girls in Easter dresses and hair bows. Catherine the amzing creator that she is whipped up four dresses in no time at all, sans patterns, piecing some from scraps! She gets 10 million SRC points in my book!














On Saturday morning, we dyed Easter eggs with seven anxious children (they had been pleading to do the egg-dying since we walked through the door the previous evening.)
Then we had many helpers fill the plastic eggs, and Jessie and I played "Easter Bunny" and hid the eggs on the local playground. We all trooped out after Uncle D (don't they look like ducklings!?)
Sweetsa and Jeff were the first to start hunting eggs and candy. Unfortunately, once Sweetsa discovered that she had picked up C-A-N-D-Y she refused to pick up anything else and worked and worked to get that piece of candy open!

When we let the other kids loose they had a great time!










































Here is how the kids occupied themselves for a while on Sunday evening...they went around, up and down, chanting "Chinese New Year Dra-gon!! Chinese New Year Dra-gon!!"












Buddy LOVED the stairs in Castle Town. The only ones we have at our house are narrow, uneven, and un-carpeted wood or cement. So a few minutes after arriving in Castle Town I heard him singing something while doing this:
Turns out he was singing, "Rollin' down the sand dunes, rollin' down the sand dunes!" Complete with "Ooh! Ahh! EEh!" (Those of you with Wiggles fans in the house will recognise one of their tunes!) I just had to laugh at that bit of association in his mind. I NEVER would have equated the stairs with sand dunes!

We also had a beautiful Sunday, going to Easter services, where Catherine sang a "haunting" rendition ofGethsemane written by Sally Deford. It was also blessing day for little Kiersti Ann. And it was a beautiful blessing by Keith, supported by both Grandpas and some uncles, too!

That evening we had a fantastic dinner, which we shared with a family from the ward...there were fourteen kids gleefully running around, having a grand old time. It was a wonderful way to spend Easter, with family and friends, remembering the tender mercies and great atonement of our Savior, and all that we can enjoy because of HIM. What comfort, peace and joy come through knowledge of him and His gospel!