Easter In California

This year I spent my first Easter in a long time away from Grumpy. Our March and April were pretty far flung this year, but enjoyable nonetheless. After our Dune Trip with RB & Stacies family, and Robert, Grumpy had to return to TX. That work thing really gets in the way sometimes, but the things it provides is great! I stayed in AZ and did stuff. Grumpy would say I mostly shopped at JoAnn's Fabric Store but that's not really true. I can do a lot of damage in very little time there. I went to "The Hunger Games" with Tawna, Jade, Summer, Stacie and RB, Austin, Megan, Rylee, Faith, Taylor(?) and lots of Tracy's family too. A friend of Tawna's rented a theater and we got advance showing tickets. So nice. They did a good job with the movie, I was glad there wasn't too much gore. I don't think it would have been quite as coherent if you hadn't read the trilogy though. Good times to be there with so much family.

On to California to stay with Taya and Kevin's kids while they went to play in Utah. Kevin did the snowmobiling and Taya did the relax in the hotel and read. They had fun and so did I. Easter was the weekend they got home, so we got to spend it together. Before leaving for Utah, Taya and I spent some time shopping "on the way home from the airport" and got some fun things. Went to "So Good" jewelry shop and had a lot of fun there! Taya bought me a couple of great necklaces for Mother's Day and I got some other things as well. I don't do that very often, so it was doubly fun to play in the jewelry store. While Taya was gone I got out the sewing machine and set it up in the vanity. It was funny to be sewing in the bathroom, but it worked just fine. I made Easter pillowcases for Lauren and Emersyn since they were probably the only ones who really cared about Easter pillowcases. They loved having bunnies and chicks on their beds.

Easter dinner was a group effort this year. Kaitlin was trying to pass off a YW goal, so she was doing a lot things new to her. I made a potato salad, Taya made a ham and broccoli salad. Kaitlin wanted to make some cute deviled eggs she saw on Pinterest. They were supposed to look like chicks coming out of their shells. She did a good job, but I think she learned a lot too. Planning ahead as to presentation, and really researching the recipe and how-to's are important steps. They were a fun learning experience and they tasted just fine.

Madison was in charge of the table setting. She did an awesome job creating her own centerpiece from peeps and skewers, and setting the place settings up complete with notes of affirmation for all of us. She is a hostess in training for sure.

I got a pic of the family on their way in from church. I only got a snap or two and then they scattered like chickens. I nabbed Kaitlin and Daron for a shot with Taya before they ran away. She doesn't get many shots of her with any of the kids. She is usually holding the camera.

The whole group.

Daron Schmoozing.

Kaitlin and Taya.

It was a great time. I went to my favorite little quilt shop there and got a couple more books for holiday projects. I spent some time with kids I don't see as often as I would like (although that is true of all the kids now) and hopefully made some good memories for them too.
Grumpy spent Easter in Midland and that was the down-side to my holiday. I missed him so much. He is a good sport to be so pleasant about our time away from each other. Have I said before what a good man I married?