Hippity Hop and Happy Easter!

I know, I know, it's almost a week past Easter and no blog posts on our first Easter with Pearl. Well, I had to write a research paper for my Environmental Health class and told myself that there would be no blogging until I got it finished. It was due today and thank goodness it's over! I am so ready to be done with this Master's degree and go to an island paradise far, far away from the University of Utah when, or should I say if, I graduate.

Anyway, we celebrated Easter with my family on Saturday. Everyone came down to our house and we had a nice dinner of ham buns (my dad's favorite), funeral potatoes, veggies, salad, and of course dessert. I had so much fun decorating the table in bright pastels and Jeff and Pearl even went to Costco and bought me some really pretty purple flowers to go with the decor.

After dinner, we had an Easter egg hunt. Nothing extravagant like Grandma Jewkes used to do, but I think everyone had fun. I had no idea how much money she must have spent on us as kids until I decided that candy was all I could afford to put in the eggs. Jeff and I reminised about the last egg hunt Grandma Jewkes had and it had been toned down, but we ALL still walked away with at least $25 cash plus candy, toys, gift certificates, etc. Kimmy played Easter Bunny earlier in the day and hide them all over the yard. Kurtis had "special" eggs - camoflaged! Eventually we all had to help Kurtis find the last of his eggs.

Jeff decided a basket wasn't big enough for Pearl so he loaded her up in her red wagon and ran all over the yard throwing eggs into her wagon. She was just glad to be outside and have more than just mama and dad to play with that day. Pearl really liked chewing on the eggs, especially when she opened one and found a Twix bar to chomp on. Ruby didn't seem to grasp the idea that the eggs were something she was to find, she was just glad to run around. It was a lot of fun, we all got way too much candy (I can't believe how much I've eaten and regret buying so much) and a beautiful day!

After the egg hunt, we made Ding Dong Bunnies. Jeff and I make these delicious treats every year (we've even made ghost and pumpkin ding dongs to satisfy Jeff's craving) and amazingly he actually helped instead of just sticking the ding dong on a stick and eating it. Everyone was excited to show off their creative bunny making skills, although Jesse's ding dong bunnies looked like they had a genetic flaw. Pearl had already taken a basket of ding dong bunnies to all of her friends at daycare so we were pros at making them.

Sunday, the Easter Bunny came (watch for the slideshow picture of Pearl and the Easter Bunny - I'm not sure how she felt about this big, purple, floppy thing) and brought Pearl what? A new pair of shoes of course! They are so cute!!! Blue with pink flowers on the toes, very stylish! Pearl couldn't decide which dress to wear for Easter so... she wore two dresses! Our neighbors and good friends, David and Vickie Lord, made "Dress 1." It was the last dress Vickie and her mom made before her mother passed away so it is very special. "Dress 2" was a Target special and I just couldn't pass it up. We're actually getting pictures at Uncle Bob's studio tomorrow in it because it's so darn cute.

Dress #1

Dress #2

Easter is my favorite time of the year and this year was no exception. I just love the springtime, being with families, new Easter dresses, ding dong bunnies, green grass and flowers starting to bud, egg hunts, and of course the candy!