Fun...Finally!

Frankly, one of the reasons I haven't posted much the last couple of months is because I haven't had lots of "happy thoughts" to post.  Things have been rough and we've been simply existing and figuring out strategies to make it better.   The combination of the intense demands for us at church right now and the continued adjustment to Abe has made this one of those seasons I know I will look back on and wonder how we did it.  But, slowly, we get a little more of a groove and we find folks to share small bits of the load, and we learn to adjust to the realities of where we are.

With all that has been going on, March really wasn't a fun month.  We made some memories, but not the kind you want to record on film or broadcast to the world.  But, April has already proved to be an improvement, so I thought I'd let you in on some of the fun.  So, here goes my attempt to fill you in.

 

For Isaac's birthday, we decided to buy him tickets to Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.  My mom had taken the two older girls and I to see it in NY for Lizzy's 5th birthday.  I can't tell you how many times Lily and Isaac have had to endure the telling of how wonderful it was.  So, when I found out that it was coming to town just a couple of weeks after Isaac's birthday and that we could get discount tickets if we went on a Tuesday night, I knew it was the perfect gift.  Ryan and I took them and we all had a great time.  I didn't get photos at the show, but I did get them before and after photos at the house.  I think they tell it all...

BEFORE

AFTER

Yes, he is sound asleep on the hardwood floor!

Then, later that week the girls and I attended a princess sleepover at our church.  It was hosted by some energetic moms via the recreation ministry.   Abby said it best as we were leaving when she said, "Mom, that was so fun and we didn't even have to plan anything or do anything except come and have fun."  It's so rare that we attend any function like that which we don't setup, lead, and then clean-up.  It was such a treat.  

 

The Campbell Princesses

Of course, we also had a great time Easter Weekend. I already expressed in my previous post how much I love Easter. Here are some pictures of this year's festivities.

Here are some photos from the church Egg Hunt:

Abe really got the hang of it and filled his bag quite full.  It was quite a strain for him to pick them up as his jumbo belly kept getting in the way!

Lily did great this year.  This is the first year she seemed to enjoy it at all.

Lizzy madly searching for a "golden ticket."

Abby and her loot.

Isaac and his golden ticket, which entitled him to a giant pixie stick (as if he didn't have enough refined sugar!)

Here are photos from the our egg coloring back at the house:

Isaac thought he was very funny when he offered this cracked green egg to Pa as his special creation!

Cousin Nadia joins in the fun!

Then, of course I must include the Easter Sunday photos.   We actually managed to get a couple where everyone's eyes were open.  That alone should constitute an Easter miracle!

Waiting for other folks to arrive on Sunday.  Who says you can't get 5 kids ready and at church by 7:45 with smiles on their faces?

Brothers!

One of many attempts at a decent family photo...foiled again!

The kiddos with Grammy and Pa

The Easter girls...Mom, Aunt Alice, Cousin Nadia, Cousin Charity, and me.

And of course, we had to have one last egg hunt in Grammy's backyard.  This one is actually worthy of the name "hunt."  The one on Saturday is more like a carnage.  It's basically a big field covered in 15,000 eggs and the "locusts" descend and clear it within seconds.  The Sunday hunt at Grammy's involves working for each and every egg which has been carefully hidden by the men in the family.  It was a solid 20 minutes of searching, climbing, and working for those Hershey Kisses!