Happy Easter!

Happy Easter Friday! I hoped to have more pictures from our Easter trip, but it seems a mistaken camera identity has left half our pictures on my mom's camera. But for now, this is a bit of what we did.

Luci and Peter after Easter Sunday mass.
(The only picture I have of any of us in our Easter clothes.)

I discovered these pictures when downloading what I thought were family Easter pictures.

Decorating eggs with Gia & Pop-pop's neighbor, Ellen.
(She is practically their Amarillo sister, as our van is not in the drive way more than five minutes before she shows up to play, and the kids love her company!)

They also decorated Easter cookies. Unfortunately I missed all the decorating, on account of my successful nap, but the heart ache of having missed the activities will likely prevent future mid-day slumbers.

We all enjoyed the beautiful weather, especially Peter and Isabelle. Peter moved every bit of dirt from one bucket to the other all day long.

And Isabelle enjoyed her reunion with Ginger, the bouncing horse, although I don't think that was her name when I was a little girl.

We hope you all had a wonderful Easter Sunday, and will enjoy the rest of Easter season. We intend to, starting with those homemade Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies I have been dreaming about all of Lent!

Small Successes

1. I took a bath with my eight month old. Not physically, but metaphorically. Watching her eyes light up as she discovered the fragility of that glistening surface and the delight of waves swirling all around her was well worth the fifteen minutes necessary to clean up my two year old's distraction during bath time. A large bag a cheerios can provide a great deal of stomping amusement.

2. I took a nap.

3. I MOPPED THE FLOOR. The same floor that was covered in apple juice almost three weeks ago, moments after putting up the just used mop and bucket. Three weeks of grim down the sink, and the euphoria was so intense that I didn't even cry when a bowl of milk was spilled on it the very next morning.

Spring is Here My Dear

Our Irises, ready for Easter.
(Photo courtesy of Peter Ellis)


In honor of the occasion, we have once again transformed our dirt patch into what we liberally call a garden. I had once been told that the standard rule for gardening was to plant after Good Friday, but having inadequate knowledge to defend the claim and experience that had produced two years of an abundance of mud, I conceded to my husband's prodding, and we planted a week early.

Two days later we froze, literally.

(Photos courtesy of Isabelle Ellis)

Who would have thought a little string and some old CDs could prevent a return of last year's pesky pokers, that is, besides an online forum and my husband. But in defense of the disco dirt pile, we have yet to find any of our little friends partying there. Perhaps there is some truth to bird's only enjoying their own music.

Current Score

Arctic Winter Blast 17 Seedlings, 1 Bell Pepper and possibly 1 Basil

Persistent Little Squirrel 1 Cantaloupe (roots and all)

Would-be Gardeners 24 potential producers

It finally happened...

in the middle of the night!

Luci has been working her way all over the house these last few weeks, in the best army crawl I have ever seen, and having recently discovered the liberties entitled to those who can pull themselves to their knees, has also excited many squeals from her siblings.

BUT...
last night, when a groggy mommy reached into the crib for a 3 AM rescue, in the place of a cuddly torso I found a pair of knees, only to realize my little girl was staring me in the eye, STANDING for the first time.