We had a laid back Easter weekend this year. After spending Easter 2014 battling a vicious stomach bug, we were especially grateful for good health and having enough energy to be outside enjoying the nice weather and the company of friends and family on the holiday.
Last year, I thought it would be fun to take the girls to have pictures made with Trixie the live bunny. {Hopefully Trixie is still alive this season after we unknowingly exposed her to our germs}. But this year, instead of spending Good Friday chasing bunnies and girls and displaced hair bows around a studio, we spent it in the backyard wearing pajamas and rain boots.
The 2007-2011 mom version of me would have never let the girls {and the dog} go outside in their pajamas and play in wet grass and on a wet playset during mid-morning hours. But, I think a third child can really change a person. And, now, there are many moments when I just embrace the sloppiness of it all.
There are also moments when I don’t embrace it, like when all three girls want manicures and pedicures for Easter morning but no one can be still long enough for me to put the paint on, let alone allow it time to dry. And, then the Toddler wants a color change because she thinks “puh-ple” might be prettier than her light pink. And, the 2nd Grader wants to add a sparkle top coat to hers. And, the Kindergartener needs a touch-up because she was doing a cartwheel and hit her toe. Seriously, I think it took me two hours to get paint on their sixty busy digits. Next year, I may have to outsource the mani/pedis.
In the end, they were very proud of their polish and we managed to get at least a few pictures in before anyone suffered a chipped nail and before the Toddler took an unfortunate splat on the pavement during the egg hunt.
The Spouse and I don’t give each other Easter gifts, but this year he couldn’t wait for me to open this surprise. It has nothing to do with Easter or new life, but it might be my new favorite shirt.
If you aren’t from these parts, you may not understand the reference to the Blizzard of ’93. But, let me tell you, it was an historic snowstorm. The Spouse loves to make fun of the way I refer to it as a a major life event. Strangely, he grew up only an hour away from where I did, yet he seems to have little if any memory of this blizzard. For me and many others, though, {as evidenced by the fact that it has its own shirt!} it was a highlight of our adolescence and a great reference point for the timeline of my high school years. And, I will wear this proudly… to the gym or somewhere.
In the way of real Easter gifts… my mom gave each of the girls a special Bible book. Yesterday, the Toddler found the 2nd Grader’s book and wanted to “read” it to the Spouse. So, she turned to this page and began telling the story of “Jesus and the Shark.”
According to her, Jesus was swallowed by a shark and didn’t know how to get out of it.
Now. I’m not saying this didn’t ever happen since we only have highlights of Jesus’ ministry recorded in the Gospels. I’m just saying that this particular story didn’t get canonized. And, also, I think if anyone could have gotten himself out of the belly of a shark, it would have been Jesus.
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