Easter Escapades

Another post that's overdue, but you all know me! Honestly, I was not like this BC (before children). I made it to places on time and always turned in my homework on time. Now I'm beginning to realize that this "caught up" status I am constantly striving for is always going to be just out of my reach. Oh well, the blessings of motherhood have far outweighed the struggles...and here are some of those blessings, now!

Easter Sunday we spent at John's aunt and uncle's with his side of the family. They just moved to a really neat property on a small lake near Cedar Lake. So we did the traditional Mehok egg hunt there, and Julia had a blast. John got to be off for this holiday, so we were fortunate to have him with us. I'm feeling too tired to think up captions on all these, so use your imagination!

Mehok Memories

This post is long overdue, therefore it's also outreageously long because the pictures just keep piling up. Even as I type, there are more that I need to get from Marlene and post because they're adorable. Anyway, I guess I should explain myself. A couple months ago Julia had her first sleepover at Tony and Marlene's. Naturally, I was the only one that shed any tears that night. Even at well over a year old, it was hard to spend that first night without her. She had a ball, though. Since then, it's pretty much become a weekly thing. They have all kinds of adventures and I get tons of pictures to see what they did. These are some highlights from the last few sleepovers, courtesy of Marlene and her camera.

Pulling on Papa's boots. I love the look of strain on her face.

I love this one. I think they were on the golf cart at the moment.

I wish I could adequately spell out Julia's pronunciation of the word "chicken", but I wouldn't do it any justice. It's hilarious. As soon as we pull in the driveway to visit she sees the chickens and even blows them kisses. Every day she's there, they let the chickens out and collect the eggs. Julia carries them in a little bucket. On this particular day, the egg she is showing off became breakfast the next morning.

Mmmm...

Oh! It's a rock! Isn't that the most exciting thing you've seen all day?!

Marlene has become masterful at taking pictures like these where you hold the camera out and take one of yourself. I should make a collage of all the ones she's taken of herself with Julia, there are a lot of good ones.

You'd better sit down for these next few. I swear this child eats like a horse, she's just so skinny! I wasn't there, so I can't say for sure why she's naked, but I do know that she loves to run around without clothes on. At home, whenever I strip her down for bathtime she loves to squirm away from me and get in a bit of streaking before I catch her. Apparantly she made off with an Easter basket this time.

Look at those muscles!

There's no shortage of facial expressions here!

Saying her prayers. Notice that her mouth appears to be full already. Oh well, we can't be perfect!

Marlene bought Julia a pretty dress for her visit to the Easter bunny. They took some pictures first, and it's a good thing, because...

...she screamed for the bunny! I expected as much, which was why I consented to let Grandma take her while I was at work. (I didn't have it in me to make her go to Santa when she freaked out.) She will laugh at this picture one day, right?

Yes, she is about to do what you think she's about to do.

Julia's first egg dyeing experience. Marlene changed her into an outfit she had at her house, but surprisingly enough, she told me later that it all washed out.

Her hand was only slightly blue when I picked her up.

Apparantly, she wasn't too crazy about being dyed herself. She loves baths though, and that's what followed.

The finished product. It's hard to tell, but the yellow one closest to her hand has a bite taken out of it, shell and all. I'm sure someone had fun fishing that out of her mouth!

Mmmm... Chocolate bunny kisses. If only all kisses were chocolate!

Well of course she's smiling. Wouldn't you, if someone just gave you the biggest piece of candy you've ever seen in your life? No wonder she never wants to come home!

At least she's generous!

But, it's okay to have chocolate bunny for dinner when you have corn on the cobb for dessert! Only at Grandma's.

When she spends the night at Papa and Gaga's, Julia knows that first thing in the morning Grandma sits in her chair to read her Bible. They've gotten used to doing it together.

When Julia stays the night on a Monday, sometimes she tags along with Grandma to her crocheting club on Tuesday morning. I expect she'll be making me blankets and wash clothes any day now.

Such concentration.