When Easter Does Not Go As Planned!

Happy Easter!  Easter is one of those holidays that is just a little hard for me - at least these last few years.  Mr. M always has to work on Easter Sunday - sometimes a double shift - so I am always alone with the kids.  

Anyway, this year, I vowed it would be different!  Grandma Pat was supposed to come down yesterday to spend the weekend with us.  But then on Friday, I got strep throat - and wow, that's just not something I want to expose anyone to unnecessarily.

So, with Mr. M working long hours all weekend, I have been alone with the kids - shut off from the world, and surviving.  Not thriving.  At the moment, just surviving.  ;-) 

Yesterday, I turned Barney on for the girls on the computer so I could clean up - and I had to take a picture because they all sat and watched it together - for like TWO whole minutes!  Hahaha.




This is earlier in the week.  Ginger and Violet having a moment - they love each other so much. They were dancing together:




Ginger with her unstoppable energy.  She just goes and goes and goes!



This was last Monday, right before I had to wake up Violet to take Paprika to piano lessons.  She was sleeping soooo peacefully.  I even video'ed her sleeping - I don't think I did that with the other girls when they were babies.  So sweet!






With Mr. M working long hours, Daisy has been my little companion.  Everywhere I step, she's right there beside me.  She turns 2 in two weeks - I think we will have to have a birthday party for her!  ;-)







Baby Violet was playing the "one for you, one for me" game with Daisy.  She was just feeding her pretzels, so I let them bond over their mutual love of carbs.





Flowers from Ginger.  She makes me the most gorgeous bouquets every single day.  :-)





On Thursday, we stopped at the beach on the way to get Paprika at school.   We sat in the van with the windows rolled down and watched the surf roll into the shore.  You can almost hear the ocean from Paprika's classroom.  Lucky girl.  ;-)




Thursday night Paprika's swim team had a party  - so Mr. M took Ginger and Paprika, and they swam for two hours straight!  While they were at the party, Baby Violet and I went to the beach.  I had this great plan to walk on the pier and just hold her in the Ergo.





But Baby Violet wanted nothing to do with being in the Ergo.  She wanted to run. She kept pointing to the ocean and exclaiming:  Beach!  Beach!





So, I took her down to the beach and let her run.  She had the best time.  She kept running up to the waves, holding out her hands and yelling "Stop!"  Like she was going to stop the waves.  This girl believes he can do anything...  :-)  She kept running straight into the water, and I would swoop in and save her at the last minute before she got drenched.  I got soaked - but she stayed dry!




She had the best time running, and did not want to go home.  We stayed until dark - but then it was time to go home!  I had her say goodbye to the sand, to the water, to the birds, to the pier, to the people...and she waved and said goodbye to them all.  It was the sweetest thing.



On Friday, Paprika went to a classmate's birthday party - it was at 9am at the park.  How we managed to get Paprika to a 9am birthday party, well, I think it's a small miracle.  Haha.

So those are little highlights from the past week - at least the ones I captured on my cellphone camera!

Grandma Pat is coming down later this week for an Easter do-over.  :-)  As for me, I am hoping to feel better SOON - resting as much as I can - and enjoying Easter in my own way.  I guess after these past few years of being alone on Easter, I should start to think of it as a tradition.  ;-) 

I have spent my downtime these past few days reading about Jesus, the Resurrection, and all of the traditions surrounding Easter.  I am learning, growing, seeking, and finding.  I guess that is a pretty great Easter gift right there.

Happy Easter!