Easter in an Eggshell

You've heard it explained as the "nutshell version", so thought I'd just adapt to fit our holiday...For whatever reason, Sat felt like Christmas Eve with this momma having no energy n' lots to do so we did--Too bad not much pictured, but here's how it 'hop'pened:)

Starting with Hop movie @ 9:55AM=earliest I've ever been in theater though I knew we wanted to catch matinee for sake of cheap tix. So didn't have a lot o' opt based on busy afternoon, but ended up being smart choice @ Lkwd Town Center thanks to their brand new recliners & $5 price before noon:)

Cruised down to Olympia 'cuz closest Macy's that had Dane's size 8?! (no worries if Cole sported size 12 just fine--where did my lil' boys go?) dress shirt. I was determined to find yellow & loved the $7 deal, but prob shouldn't have waited to buy 'til Fri regardless o' payday since JCPenney's only had online so panicked a bit that evening. Boys not thrilled to be along for the ride, but appreciated their Easter buckets from generous Aunt Amy en route:)

Back quick like bunnies to set up for the book fair @ elementary...not before boys had HAMburgers @ off good ole' $1 menu @ McD's. Not my most pleasant afternon since they complained whole time & Luke was hysterical-ok naptime & fever weren't ideal combo for service opportunity-but ended up with $20 in gift certif that we wouldn't have otherwise had to spend there!

Down the hill to Dane's coach-pitch practice & first opportunity for other boys to enjoy the amazing weather (yep that was only glimpse o sunshine we got! now who's complaining?!:) o' sunshine...Once Chris graced us with his presence, I left boys @ park & cruised back up the other side of the hill to grab some more meaningful basket-stuffers @ Church bookstore to add to stockpile of candy-don't worry I, I mean Easter bunny, had been adding to collection since March:) Let's not forget a son-free trip to grocery store for dessert assignment & last-minute sports egg decor kit!!

Over to Grandma Neecy's & Grandpa Gar's to dye eggs & make spring sugar cookies with Aunt Brooke & Uncle Jake home from college as well as beloved Aunt Cait! Tooth Fairy tried but failed to trump Easter Bunny with Dane's first lost tooth...Reason not that clear besides lighting & lousy photog is the fact that his permanent teeth had already fully erupted behind the baby teeth so hopefully one beside it will follow shortly! They were up @ 6:45am for egg hunt but mean momma waited 'til dressed & ready for Church oh 3 hrs later to do the deed. Mixed it up with some candy-filled, dyed variety (fwiw our dino eggs won't be featured on Best Bites blog anytime soon) & symbolic numbered eggs--latter brings it all back into perspective but unfortunately left 'til 8:30PM to re-cap...hmmm...guess nice way to end the day!Cole had to go outdoors to locate his basket!




















Easter Bunny's hiding spot for Dane's basket not that tricky, but pretty sure he only found eggs in window seat--



















Luke decided to hunt in Heaps' Easter basket for Jake's football bunny instead o' eggs:)
















As good as it gets to capture these handsome boys in Easter attire, but definitely will attract some chicks in a few springs!

Gentlemen Start Your Engines

Cole was leader of the pack in his first year of Cub Scouts! Chris', I mean, his car won first place last week in the annual Pinewood Derby--Was gonna have purple stripes and be called March Madness but the humbling weekend prior changed the color scheme a bit:) Still was speedy and fun to see it in action but proud most of all for his humility and glad these guys are still buddies after a little friendly competition...Sharing the ginormous choc bar probably helped the cameraderie! His lil' bros were his biggest fans as usual-
Dad was quite pleased with their accomplishment as well:) I was just along for the ride...as I will be for 8 more of these splendid events in which our all-boy house gets to participate:)

Luck of the Irish @ Last

Pretty uneventful day, but celebrated in best way I know possible in the end: Shamrock Shakes (ironically hot commodity nearby as I have mentioned in years past)& cookies-Never mind the boys' completely uncoordinated pj shirts...You can bet they were dressed in green until their baths thanks to wonder dad who also fed 'em n' finished homework before I made it back from airport not jealous @ all that my well-deserving parents are headed to the sun (well @ least warmer than NoWest) & detour to run stairs (my new venture to shape this old bod before HI in 6 wks:)

Cultural Refinement

Cole's cultural poster was selected to represent his class @ the Spring Fair! Cole felt pretty cool that he got to, until he realized he had to, stand in front of it for a whole hour so he was avail to answer questions passerbys might have for him...Then it was boring instead of an honor:) He full on asked Grandma Neecy & Grandpa Gar to "support him" by showing up to take a look themselves. They kindly obliged, but he was really ready to move on to games, rides & a treat outside the Showplex. This was smaller dose than the fall version for our fam, but each boy got to go on one ride after discovering small & medium sons made the heighth cut-off:

















































Aunt Cait was a part of the action too, but then boys chose to cash out their game for a sword. Figured if they had wanted 'em since Sept & declined an elephant ear, must be pretty important to them...Of course, all 3 had to get same one in diff color! Watched dock dogs and pig race before heading back up for quick nap so youngest wasn't an animal @ b-day party later...another full spring Saturday-gotta love all that Puyallup has to offer! Esp the fact that it didn't rain on us!!

Speaking of which, we also spent an hour with his cub scout pack @ Parks Appreciation Day-My boys worked hard, but prob reached their max anyway before designated start time on poster patrol @ the Fair:) Thankfully an older sister took Luke to the playground 'cuz he didn't understand why we were so close, yet so far away:)

March Madness in Puyallup

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

Yesterday Cole's Heat bball team finished their season with a party @ RoundTable...it was our second Sat in a row to eat lunch there since we celebrated Dane's Laker team's exciting finish last weekend. One of Cole's teammates said they won 5 out of 2 and was quite proud o' that record-guess we'll let 'em be excited 'bout that in 2nd grade even though no score was kept let alone win-loss record--Moment we cheered the loudest besides for our son was when Coach Warner turned up TV in time for the UW tip-off:) Cole has some work to do as far as not guarding his guy when he's on offense, making his shots look different than a pass, etc:) but nothing Lindsey can't correct for him this summer...then just up to him to apply if interested!?! Not sure re: latter, but we keep the faith:) Here's Dane's form after first year on the court; granted it's just during warm-ups:
The biggest victory was fact that both boys wanna give the sport another go next year, so we're happy 'bout that esp considering Cole's plans to retire from baseball @ ripe ole' age of 8:/

On to golf lessons and coach-pitch respectively in the spring, but not before we cheer on the Dawgs (after their amazing PAC-10 Champ game where we showed the refs we didn't need 'em on our team:) Too bad they start off in UGA/UNC's backyard?! We will also be hoping the right Cougars are victorious-After all, where in the heck is Wofford?!! Plus we get to root root root for the home team next month...it's always fun despite braving the elements to go to Safeco in the first month of season when you're sayin' we have a chance:)

Lockout Schmockout

Who says football season is over? Uncle Jake starts again in 10 days, Dawgs aren't too far behind & NFL draft is just around the corner, so we've only just begun in the Parker household...Huey is always up for a game of "cackle" complete with sidelines, huskies vs cougars & lots o' TDs-never mind that he hikes ball to himself & runs all the way to the end of hall, I mean, endzone...QB sneak? This is the tantrum he has if he can't wear his bros' football pants/jersey OR new bball shorts all day every day?! Notice although not the best pic, he won't get any curls caught in his hehmets anymore either!

Songs of the Heart

So I may be wondering "He Loves Me...He Loves Me Not" @ this very moment but in honor of our self-appointed new song, am giving him an I.O.U. for tix to Michael Jackson Immortal Tour by Cirque du Soleil...never mind that it's midweek in November-I banked on it literally being one date I can @ least plan on with my valentine this year?!

Here's an oldie but goodie--Chris sent me the lyrics when I was on my mission, but I had been out so long that my greenie had to sing for me so I knew what it sounded like...that is, until I heard it in the brand new Bila supermarket! Pretty sure people wondered why I froze in the mueslix aisle until it was over:) That was then...this is now, but still makes me sentimental! Thought re: posting Shania's video, but just was of her trying to look sultry entire time & well, I'm not her-Besides why are she n' her man apart the whole video if she's singing about him:) Guess I could've included for comic relief in this otherwise sappy n' sentimental post, but t'is the day for it! Let it be known that I do love my lil' guys as well with all of my haret (misspelled purposely 'cuz as shoutout to Brooke on her exciting weekend:) Just want my big one to know I still believe in him as well as us too! Still remember blasting her other classic "From this Moment" when we drove by his house on the night before we wed 11.5 yrs ago! Here's to hoping it still holds true...aaahh n' it's all about sunsets too-that was the kicker!

This one will be forever emblazoned on my memory as the first one in which he told me he loved me!! His ring, that I might add sadly I recently found out was stolen (@ least I think that is true story), was engraved inside with "The Best FTAAE" Whoa! Its lyrics are even more poignant now & we were just @ 9th grade dance no less (Hall of Fame to be exact) when this magical moment transpired! While certainly hasn't been fairy tale for either of us, dreams still can come true & glad we have eternity to prove it:

Gotta mention the first song we called our own...Too bad we missed Keith Sweat @ the EQC a couple mos ago but I think I still have cassette tape:) Fwiw we didn't take advantage of latter part 'til officially wed:) but you get a link even if break in the pattern 'cuz I actually like this video in all its '90's glory! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MC6YLqio-bI = I'll Give All My Love to You

Although we were big fans of Tracey Chapman ever since "Baby Can I Hold You" during our lengthy jr high phonecalls, this song sealed the deal when we were apart during our missions:

Last but not least, may or may not be true, but we choose to believe our first kiss was in his basement after watching this scene so go ahead & re-enact with your Valentine:

ps I HEART MY 3 SONS as well!! <3