Easter Start to Finish

The Easter festivities started for us on Thursday. It was such a big weekend and I know you don't want to listen to me go on and on about it. So I'm just going to let the pictures do the talking and drop a line now and then to guide you through.

The Start, Thursday: Okay, this one requires some story-telling. About a month ago Porter had the idea to sell lemonade to the masses of people who would walk by our house to the Easter Pageant. You knew we live in the east-side shadow of the Mesa Temple, right? Olen and I said he could host a lemonade stand from in front of our house and we would buy the cups, sugar, and ice if he picked the lemons off our two trees and juiced them himself. He was so excited and made plans for his "stand" all week. I was worried about how he would do with the customers and serving the drinks and taking money, but then Aubrey came to the rescue lending moral support and giving change.

I set up the stand with Port but couldn't stay because I had Daisy and London alone in the house unsupervised. I walked out to check on how they were doing and they always had a customer or two so I just watched. It was quite a sight; both kids bare foot but in sweater jackets advertising "ice cold" lemonade. Porter was so in to it, I just loved watching him. In fact, after Aubrey had to go home Porter stayed out another hour till the Pageant started selling his homemade lemonade. He would cup his hands around his mouth and holler “Ice cold lemonade! Refills can be free!” I almost died when I was walking out to check on him and heard him yelling this. We had a talk about where we were and where people were going and how yelling may not be the most appropriate selling method this time.

Although I don’t know that it hurt; after Porter paid Olen and me back he still earned over twenty dollars that night. Port said that a few times people would walk by and say “no thanks” to the lemonade but give him one or two dollars anyways. I’m sure being adorable and bare foot on a chilly night had nothing to do with it. Porter wanted to pay Aubrey for her help and give the rest for tithing. "What do I need all this money for? Couldn't it help someone?" How do you tell a kid it's okay to not pay all their money for tithing? I couldn't. I couldn't say anything at all, I was so touched by his faith. Olen said he didn't need to decide right now how he would spend his money and to think about it till tomorrow. In the morning Porter set aside his tithing and is depositing the rest into his mission savings account. That lemonade stand taught Porter more lessons than just how to give change.

Easter Egg Hunt #1

Friday

Reynolds side - Clar and Kristen's house, Laveen, AZ

Grandma Reynolds helps guide London to where the eggs are hiding.

Watching London on these hunts was one of those parent-moments when another layer of your child's personality is revealed. She was such a dedicated hunter and heaven help any one who got in her way. When she felt satisfied with her findings, she was done and would sit wherever she was and start shaking and opening all her favorite eggs.

Porter, of course, is more casual in his approach. He hunted where no one else was and cleared the area in a blink.

Here's something else I learned about London this weekend; she likes boiled eggs but only the yolk. She would bite the egg like an apple, eat out the yolk and spit out any whites and shell. I don't know how she did this. I'm getting goose bumps just remembering it.

So much for this shirt. This was the début and closing call for this number. Yes, I've tried spray-n-wash, I go through gallons of that stuff. Blue Magic may be my last hope. Oh, but this mess represents so much fun, okay, what's one more stained shirt.

Porter hates boiled eggs and candy. He gave everything he found to London. I swear I would have a hundred kids if they were all like this one.

I'm surprised Port let Uncle Houston, Olen's brother, swing him like this. As a baby he would stop breathing and [eventually] cry because he hated heights and spinning. Actually, I'm surprised Houston didn't throw his back out.

Here's Daisy with her younger cousin, Trace, Brawner and Melissa's newest.

Okay, he's only two weeks younger but it makes the story of this picture funner if you don't know that, right?

Daisy found her tongue.

I know, right?! Just when you thought she couldn't get any cuter, she finds a way. My kids are always doing this to me.

Easter Egg Hunt #2

Saturday

 Rollins/Richards side - Usery Pass Park

London was so sweet to take Daisy's basket out for her.

Also - toot-toot! That's me tooting my own horn, because I made London's shirt and one for Daisy just like it. Dressing my daughters the same is a dream come true for me. 

Olen would follow his girls to the end of the earth if asked to. It's one of the reasons I love this man.

Aunt Whitney had the genius idea to place tickets in her eggs that could be redeemed for candy too awesome and big to fit in an egg. Porter is finding his first ticket here. 

Daisy was with me wrapped in her Moby all day so I didn't get any pictures of her except for this one that I just held the camera back and snapped. But I like this one, it shows her soulful eyes so clear and blue.

I don't know how this picture fits in, I didn't take it. It was just on the camera's memory card at this point and made me laugh. This is London - I love it. Smiling so big that her eyes have to sacrifice space on her face to accommodate her mouth. I am starring at this picture and can hear her high-pitch squeal and can't help smiling for my precious Buttercup.

Easter morning

I love Daisy's look: "And why is this exciting...?"

The Easter Bunny brings books to our house. He's a swell guy, I've got his number if you ever need to call him up and have him talk to your kids about the real meaning of Easter. I promise that even an eight year-old would be talking about it for a week afterwards.

This year the Easter Bunny really scored big on the coolness factor. All books were a huge success and one has already gone to show-n-tell and one had to be in bed while she slept and the other one has been read twice and eaten.  

I almost left dyeing the eggs out of our weekend activities. The kids enjoy it, but I don't think they would have been bummed out if we didn't dye eggs this year. It's just messy and we don't eat boiled eggs (well except for London I guess) so I am throwing eggs away for a week after. It was fun this year, but we'll see what happens next year.

Yes...we'll see what happens next year...

So you know how we have four sister missionaries living in the duplex in our backyard? No? Well, now you do. We like them and wanted to be their Easter Bunny. Port and London ran the goods to the door step, rang the bell and then ran back inside our house. I snapped these pictures from our back window. The sister said, "Oh wow! Sister look!" when she opened the door and my kids were jumping up and down and clapping their hands. That moment was the highlight of my Easter day.

Having General Conference land on Easter Sunday was such blissful timing. I loved cuddling with Olen and listening to our Prophet's voice. So many messages about the family and parents and children. I see that I have a lot of room for improvement and I want to be ready.

I got this one and only picture of how we watched General Conference on our computer; London eating her Peeps. I think it sums up the morning pretty accurately though, just being comfortable and really happy. She ate that whole tray of Peeps, by the way. Since the Easter Bunny brought it just for her, we didn’t have the heart to take it away. All other Peeps have been stashed away to get good and stale because that's when they're best. Like fine cheese, ya know.

Easter Egg Hunt #3

Sunday

Tietjen side - Aunt Collen and Uncle Rhett's house, Queen Creek, AZ

You can never have enough egg hunts I've learned.

My kids don't wear shoes, like me, for very long so they are almost always bare footed. London found a "pokey in the grass" the hard way. It was a pretty big thorn and she tried to be brave. Mostly. 

Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb. I asked who was who and they told me that they take turns being each one. Whoever has the best idea gets to be Tweedle Dee and whoever doesn't, well, is the other one. Aubrey and Porter, my little sister and my son, you can't have one without the other.

Such a happy Easter weekend filled with reminders of our Savior's love for each of us. I know He loves me because he's given me so many people to love and who love me.