A Texan Easter

I spent half of the evening, after putting Ellie to bed, writing an Easter post about memories and family and whatnot.  It was both profound and humorous.  Well, I would like to believe that, but who are we kidding, eh?   Inserted a photo and lost the whole post.   Oops!

As much as I would love to rewrite this post, my bed is calling me and the creative juices have dried up.

That means PICTURES!!!!

Let me just get my dress all dirty before everyone arrives.

This was the first year Andrew, Ellie, and I celebrated Easter with his family, well actually, any of our families since marriage.  It was long and painful car-ride (what can you expect with a hyper border collie and a hyper toddler bear), but well worth it.  Family is priceless.  It truly is.  

  

Look at the Bear-Bear everyone!  I am all ready to go.  Dress, check.  Shoes, check. Hair bows check. 

Cuteness, double check.  Empty basket, check.

In preparing for Easter celebrations, I have discovered that there are various shades of white.  I was under the mistaken impression that Ellie's dress was white.  It is ivory. Oh brother.  I figured this out when I bought snow white socks and bows.  They did not even remotely match Ellie's dress.  So what does one do before a big road trip?  Emergency stop at Michaels for ribbon, hot glue, wire, clips, and fray check, of course!  Ta-Da--Bows!  

As for socks, eh, she takes them off anyway.

Ellie is entertaining herself with empty Easter eggs.  Hey, we needed to occupy her while Dunja prepared an amazing feast and while we waited for the cousins to arrive.

They'll be here soon.  I just know it!

Hmm, maybe I will just climb on up here.

Do you see this little stinker Bear?  Naughty!

We are making memories over here.  Wonderful wonderful memories full of family.  Two-hundred and fifty seven captured memories on just my camera to be exact. 

Ellie Bear with Mama Dunja

Andrew's mother, Dunja, knows how to put on shin-dig.  Believe me, she should have ran our wedding reception.  Full on decorating, cooking, and baking.  Everything is home-made.  Even the salsa.  She can also get anything to grow so the flower beds.  Sigh.  

The Easter Tree: Paper Egg ornaments

One Word: YUM!

Andrew's step-father, Papa Charles is a grill master.  Ribs! That's right people we had ribs for Easter. . .and ham.  It is just so much more exciting to talk about the ribs.  Ribs!  Meat just peeling off of the bone.

Papa Charles, the grill master & Ellie Bear

The Easter Table

When I was growing up, my family would attend the Easter vigil mass.  I recall gathering in the church courtyard as we each lit our individual candles before proceeding into the church.  The church would be illuminated by just our small, white candles until the booming chorus of "The Gloria" started.  The smell of wax and incense would permeated the church causing my eyes to water and burn.  

Making Easter Memories

The following morning, my father, mother, Matt, and I would gather at my grandparent's house for brunch and an Easter egg hunt.  An egg with a whole entire quarter in it was the BIG egg.  The most sought after egg.  I also fondly remember stumbling upon my mother in the middle of the night (or perhaps very early morning but I doubt it for she is a night owl and NOT a morning person) quietly hiding a plastic yellow egg under the end table in the dining room.  As the years passed, sadly, I became too old to hunt for Easter eggs.  This year I was so excited for I would experience the Hunt through Ellie's eyes.  Ooh the excitement and anticipation!

This is Ellie during the hunt.

Some one spent too much time climbing on window sills and fell asleep.  Okay, I will relive my youth through my nieces!

This is my niece Haleigh.  I see a lot of Haleigh in Ellie.

Anyway, doesn't this little darling look like a fairy woodland creature so pretty and happy?

Did you know that this little turkey corrects me when I call Ellie "Chicka Boom" or "Boom-Boom"?  

Haleigh says "No!  She is Ellie Bear.  That is Baby Ellie Bear".

I stand corrected.

Here is darling Brianna.  She is such a stylish ham.  Always ready to strike a pose and she smiles with such sweetness.

This is cool-cat Lauren.  I am kidnapping her.  Ellie loves her to pieces and Lauren is a wonder with kiddos.  Gorgeous.  Boys, she is off-limits!

Don't you just love seeing little girls in dresses frolicking through the wilderness? Okay, they are not frolicking and they are in a neighborhood, but still, they do not seem to mind the heat and humidity like an old fogey like me.

See Ellie what you missed out on?  Look at ALL. Of. Those. Eggs.

The girls each got 3 baskets full.  Just think of all of the chocolate!

My proof that I live in Texas.  This is my step-BIL John with his hottie wife Kari.

See the cowboy hat and the cowboy boots?  Yep.  Texas.  See!

(Lauren and Brianna's parents)

This is my handsome husband.  A Texas transplant.  Hence the lack of hat and boots.  And accent.  

Honey, can you go get an accent for me?

There is something so special about seeing other children embrace our Ellie.  The way they interact with her and the way Ellie so badly wants to be a part of their activities.  She has only met my nieces a few times and yet the love and acceptance is so evident and palpable.  We are truly blessed to have such a wonderful family and even more blessed that we were able to celebrate Easter with some of them.

Haleigh, Brianna (love that pose!), Lauren, and Ellie

Guess how many shots we had to fired off to get all of these beauties to look toward a camera?  Any camera.  To stay put.  Oh and for Ellie to not yank off any one else's hairbows, but her own.  It was close.  The Bear almost got Brianna's flower bow.  Poor Lauren's arms must be so sore from holding The Bear.

Such a lovely time.  So many memories created.  So many photos taken.  Yes, I am a memory keeper--for myself, for Ellie, and our future generations.  

Kitchen Helper aka Kitchen Remodeler aka Kitchen Destroyer