Easter Egg Hunt 2010

We had our family Easter Egg hunt today, a little early so that we could enjoy it with the Carlile cousins while they're visiting from Minnesota. The weather was brisk but sunny and we couldn't have asked for a better day!


Ambiguous self-portrait. :)


The rules were different from all the years past in that the hunt itself only involved the grandchildren, and they were released from the house youngest to oldest. Miss Maesa was carried out first by Aunt Janet.


I love the look of amazement on Connor's face. The entire yard was glittering with candy-filled eggs. Forgive the outfit. Connor often insists on making his clothing decisions lately and for me, it is just not a battle worth fighting.


Alaina didn't quite know what to do at first and thought that the eggs were balls to be thrown, but after throwing a few and seeing that one cracked open and was filled with Sixlets, she caught on pretty fast.


Connor didn't need any coaching. :)


All ten grandchildren modeling the bunny masks Grandma gave them.




Alaina opening her Easter spoils from Grandma and Grandpa. At this point, she had worn that bunny mask for about thirty minutes. Adorable, if I do say so myself.


The Whites


They were great sports to wear these bunny ears I picked up for a dollar at Target the other day. Can't say the same for my own little family...at least we have a couple weeks until Easter pictures are officially over.


The Eyrings win a prize for congeniality, too!


Grandpa has a special knack for picking out toys that Grandma would never buy, so of course, the grandkids absolutely love it when he breaks out the airplane kits! If I remember correctly, bows and arrows and slingshots have made appearances in my dad's arsenal, and there has been (shotdown) talk of BB guns for the older boys. He knows how to work it. :)

It was a fun day!

It is so nice outside today, so we spent a couple hours outside. I'm always hesitant to even utter the word "spring" anytime in March, but the crocuses are peeking out all around the neighborhood and that can only mean one thing!



We are starting to say goodbye to all the dead reminders of last year's warm weather...


...and hello to this year's much more inviting offering.


I absolutely adore crocuses, but my all-time favorite flower is just a few days away from blooming! Hyacinth love!
I never realized just how much they look like little artichokes at this stage.

Connor was very excited about this bee!




Then we went to go see our favorite horseys (horsies?) down the street. The always walk right up to the fence and let the kids touch their noses. One even snorted in Alaina's face today! She didn't quite know what to make of that. :)

"Dum, Mom!"

I walked in Connor's room yesterday to find a fun "first":

Me: "What is in your hair, Connor?!"
Connor: "Dum, Mom!"
Where he actually got the gum is still in question.



"Ooooowww!"

Once we cut the gum out, Connor didn't know whether to be proud of himself or completely grossed out by the hair-covered gum.

Last week in pictures

On top of a root canal for me, a pinched nerve for Anthony, and headcolds for all of us, we've had a lot going on!

Anthony's brother flew into Salt Lake for a week-long job training, but was able to spend the weekend with us! The kids loved him! He and Alaina have always had a connection and while she takes a loooong time to warm up to most people, she's always been more than happy to sit on Ryan's lap and give him kisses. :)


We decided to go out Saturday and try to show Ryan some local sights. We drove out to Antelope Island and saw a whole buncha nothin' since it was sleeting the whole time we were there! I'm looking forward to going back in the summer, though, and faking some beach sunset pictures. Stay tuned.


At least the ice on the bushes was pretty.


We still haven't gotten over "beeping" Alaina's squishy nose. It's the bee's knees.


Ava needs about as much dental work as I do.

My dad hit the big 6-0 last week and we threw a surprise party to celebrate. It was a big joing effort between all of us kids, with everyone pitching in to do their part to make it a special night for him. We got him in the right place under the guise of a family dinner, but he surely didn't expect the evening to take such a twist!

We quietly had pizza and opened presents as a family at first.


Then - what's that? Who could be at the door?


At this point, I switched to Marinda's faster camera/lens, so she's got most of the pictures. I did get some shots of the spread, though! Janet came up with foods that reminded us of my dad over the years and made signs explaining their significance.















I don't know that I've ever seen my dad work the room as much as he did that night, but he didn't have much choice with all the people that came join in the celebration!

We love you, Dad, and we hope that you felt as loved that night as you really are!

This week has been all about trains, trains, and more trains! (With my Dad's 60th birthday thrown in there, too! However, that deserves an entire post of its own.) My dad and his train club participated in a huge train show, so in addition to Connor begging grandpa every day to run trains with him downstairs, there were train tables in progress in the kitchen! Connor couldn't have asked for anything more.

This is "Big Boy", Connor's favorite train. He talks about Big Boy all day long.



Last Saturday morning, Grandpa invited Connor to help him work on the trains. Connor took this duty VERY seriously.


It is safe to say that every piece was thoroughly inspected.


Alaina liked the magnifying glass, too, but she didn't take her job as seriously as her brother.




I believe that these two would give up fruit-snack privileges for quite some time if they could spend every day tinkering on trains with Grandpa.

Connor

This little man:

-Is independent, headstrong, and the most determined kid I know.
-Has his own ideas about everything, and if yours don't go along with that, then you better change your tune.
-Doesn't like to sing at his music class but volunteers to yell, "Go!" to signal the beginning of parachute play.
-Asks for juice at every chance.
-Knows where all the treats are hidden in the car.
-Has a sweet-tooth rivaling mine.
-Tells me every day that we are going to see Nana, Papa, and Way (Ray) in May. Yes, that's right, it's not "Wah" anymore. :(
-Has a very particular night-time routine of teeth brushed, diaper change, sound machine on, stories, tuck in with purple blankie first, then with train blankie, light off, "Night-night, Connor!" "Nigh-Nigh Mama!" "Love you!" "Uh-voof!"
-Adores anything Thomas and Friends. James is his favorite engine.
-Has a temper
-Is enamored with water. He likes to call it "wa-wie" instead of "wa-wa" to make me roll my eyes, then laughs hyserically.
-Is acquiring new words every day. His latest are "Big Boy", referring to grandpa's big train, "hot rod", "Happy Birthday", "train", "green", and "money".
-says "ME!" for That's mine, I'll do it, I want to go with you, I can do it myself, Give it back, etc.
-Prefers a relaxed late-morning brunch to eating an early breakfast.
-Is still a champion sleeper at nearly three, sleeping mostly 12 hours at night and naps four days out of the week.
-Calls Alaina, "Baby"
-Tells me that he doesn't want a big boy bed.
-Has begun to fib. "Did you take Alaina's fruitsnacks?" *with a mouth full* "No Mama. Baby."
-Thinks he's sixteen.
-Loves playing with his cousins.
-Stole a toy from cousin Kimball's house today. Sorry, Kimball. It will be returned on Saturday. (It was a key on a yarn and bead keychain. It magically appeared from his pocket the second we stepped foot inside.
-Is tall for his age.
-Will wear shoes on the wrong feet all day since he often refuses our attempts to dress him.
-Likes to push around his own shopping cart at the grocery store, but does not understand why we buy the food in mama's cart and not the ten packages of cookies he put in his.
-Pronounces "hello" as "hurlow". Yells "Hurlow, Mama B!" every time we open the door from downstairs.