Kegs & Eggs

Yep, you read that right.  Kegs and Eggs… ‘cause every bunny needs a beer.

After last year’s Egg Drop Catastrophe, we were in desperate need of a new game plan where the kids could enjoy a timeless tradition and the parents wouldn’t be needing a vile of zanax afterwards.

So when one of HOTY’s fraternity brothers offered to host a party that would include plastic eggs and alcoholic beverages, you bet your fuzzy cottontail we signed ourselves up.

And it did not disappoint.

In the beginning, the kids were like zealous little zombies… where’s the bunny?  where’s the eggs?  when do we get to eat candy?  Their one-track minds weren’t to be derailed from the looming egg hunt.

Luckily, one funny bunny came to the rescue.

As the other dad’s scurried around the backyard hiding eggs, the Easter bunny himself showed up to get the kids stretched out and ready to go.  And while the kids were squealing, pawing at him, captivated by his presence, they were – simultaneously – terrified, uneasy, ready at any given moment to run crying to their mom if he twitched the wrong way.

We corralled the kids one by one on and off the bunny’s lap, snapping pictures and reassuring them the egg hunt was really really soon.  Miss Priss was her typical six-feet-costume-loving-girl.  She hugged him and talked to him and told him that she loved him.

So it threw me off guard when she walked over to me and real quietly, under her breath whispered… Mommy, I think there’s a person in there.

Oh Lordy, when did my big girl get so big?

As I struggled to string together the correct words that would both reassure her and guarantee many more years of childlike faith, I did what any mother does when faced with a tough question… I asked a question right back.

Why honey, why would you think there’s a person in there?

She looked up with a twinkle in her eye and a lop-sided grin and stated… I don’t really think that.  He’s a bunny and I love him.

*sigh*

I had just enough time to choke back my tears and grab the baskets… we had some eggs to hunt.

And off they ran, my getting-too big girl and her little tag-along sister.  I could barely keep up with Miss Priss as she zipped and zoomed across the grass, barely stopping to chuck another egg into her basket before she’d eyed the next hidden one.

Amidst the masses of egg-crazed kids, Lil Sis, however, held her own.  She bee-lined to that very first pink egg and popped it into her basket like a little pro.

Girlfriend needed no instruction.

Before we knew it, every last egg had been found and it was time for the big reveal.

Miss Priss and Lil Sis got straight down to business.  They rummaged through their baskets, shaking… weighing… examining… figuring out which eggs held the best prizes.  We made piles of stickers and bubbles and mushy-melted chocolate candy.

Big sister strategically kept one eye on her basket and the other on her little sister’s.  If she saw something she liked, she’d cast me a sideways glance and then quick as lightening switch it out for something like a half-eaten jellybean or… {gasp} an empty egg.

My dad would say she gets that from me.

The rest of the party proved to be everything that the previous year’s was not; relaxing… chaos-free… downright enjoyable.

Once again... playing little mama.

Eventually, the sugar-highs began to crash and the sun started fading behind the trees.  We said our goodbyes, thanking the hosts profusely, and made our way to the car.  And being a typical four-year-old, in an attempt to prolong the fun, took one last spin around the yard and licked that cake pop clean.

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Last year I thought we would set the bar high with our elaborate plans for a helicopter egg drop.  We called up all our friends, baked dozens of cookies and spent twenty bucks on all the bounce-houses beforehand.

A year ago, I would have scoffed at the idea of a backyard egg hunt coming close to my over-the-top Easter plans.

Turns out, a backyard egg hunt is much much much better.

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Our Easter Extravaganzas have just begun.  We’ve got two more egg hunts around the bend and a few other special surprises in store.  So come on back next week for egg-hunt-round-two and a little Easter craft’n fun.

Happy Weekend friends.

Disney On Ice

It seems like only yesterday we were sitting rink-side, dressed in Jesse jammies, watching Buzz and Woody whiz past us on ice-skates.

Has a year gone by already?  And can it be possible that three years has elapsed since our very first trip?

Nevertheless, this past weekend we joined the masses downtown for another year at Disney On Ice.

It was my favorite year yet.

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I think I’ll let the pictures* do the talking.

Sitting squirrelly in their seats, waiting in anticipation for the lights to dim and princesses to arrive…

And then there they were.

Even Lil Sis was mesmerized.

Well… until she found out that Daddy was willing to share his food.

I can’t count the times that Miss Priss gasped and squealed and screamed “Mommy, look!”  Her excitement was contagious and I found myself sitting with her, on the edge of my seat, eagerly waiting to see who would be next to glide out on the ice.

And the end...  oh the end.

It was big.  and bright.  and beautiful.

Disney sure knows how to put on a show.

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I don’t know if it was indeed a better show than last year, or maybe it was just the fact that my girls seemed to enjoy it much much more.  Or perhaps it was just the popcorn and the hotdogs and the cotton candy that put us all in a junkfood coma.

No matter, this year’s show will be going down in the memory books. 

*Pictures in this post are not the best quality.  I literally had to sneak my camera into the arena and the ISO setting was through the roof.  But this mamarazzi was determined to capture the memories no matter what it took. :)

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Kegs & Eggs party coming tomorrow...

Little Mama

Apparently, I’m not the only one with baby on the brain.

Seemingly, Miss Priss has turned into a little mama… practically over night.  Last week she viewed Lil Sis as something more of an accessory, a little tag-a-long that took too much of mommy’s attention and messed up all her toys.  This week, we’re talking full-fledged best-friend material.

It all started one morning, when I was busy doing this and that around the house and hoping that Nick Jr would keep them entertained long enough so I could squeeze in a shower and finish a load of laundry.  The girls had wandered back into Lil Sis’s room and I could hear their laughter floating faintly down the hall.

Lil Sis, I need to get you dressed.  I’m the mommy and it’s time to take off those jammies.

Good girl Lil Sis!  Now hold still while I put this shirt on your head.

Lil Sis!  Stop wiggling!  If we don’t put on your pants, I won’t have time to read you a book.

And after a few minutes of silence, I walked in to see this…

Between pages of Pat the Bunny, Miss Priss looked up and simply stated; I’m her mommy today.

And that was that.

After storytime, the new little mama decided that it was time for Lil Sis’s nap.  So they made their way into Miss Priss’s room and climbed up into the Princess Bed.  As Miss Priss tucked her all in, gave her babies to sleep with and hummed her a lullaby….

Lil Sis did what every toddler does…

she refused to go down without a fight.

Finally, Miss Priss gave up and announced that naptime was over.

Without giving Lil Sis a chance to escape, Miss Priss plopped her onto the stool and informed “her baby” that her hair was a mess and she couldn’t go anywhere without a bow.

Lil Sis seemed to think differently.

Before we knew it, we were all in make-over mode… applying lip-gloss, fashioning pony-tails and decking ourselves out in the latest princess fashions.

Who needs diamonds when you’ve got pretty plastic beads?

As we were busy making ourselves beautiful, I asked Miss Priss if she was going to be a mommy when she grew up.

Yep.  I’m going to be a big mommy.  Just like you.

This is her "mom" face.

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It’s simply impossible to explain the sheer joy I felt while watching Miss Priss play little mama to her baby sister.

To sit back and witness my sweet child mirror all the things she sees me do on a daily basis… to dress and feed and sing and play.  Little things that really don’t seem like much, but in the end add up to a whole lot more. 

And while I’m busying criticizing my flaws and tallying up bad mommy points, it’s reassuring to know that I’m confident in this one single fact... that being a mama is the best thing in the world and my undeniable love for them is an example I’m proud to set.