Egg Hunt

Candy feed bag!

No, she's not drugged. Just the lethal mixture of sugar and exhaustion.

My sister joined us for our ward's annual Easter Egg hunt. Last year we were late so we were at the mercy of kind children who shared their candy with us. We were on time this year but still had litttle luck with candy! While my sister and I followed Maeve around, Asher and Soren were being eclipsed by faster, more aggressive kids. Poor Asher man did not even have ONE egg by the time we found him. Lots of eggs were hidden in a briar patch and well, my boys just weren't that aggressive.  Best part of the activity was watching Maeve watch a lady bug. She was fascinated and would even hold it but as soon as it flew she was freaked out! We were amused, of course.

Soggy but Cute

Awkward family photo.

Crazy eyed ninjas!

I love them so much.

I finally had enough sense to bring a change of clothes since I knew, and was right, that the kids would get soaked at the children's garden. Predictably, they soaked themselves catching water bugs, chasing fountains and dipping their hands in the water. Something about kids and fountains and they just can't be separated. 

I love kids. They are so quick to be silly and have fun and just let loose. I admire that so much about them and want to be more like them. My sister brings out the best in my kids too--they are comfortable around her and have effortless fun with her. 

Flowers and Family

If I were to assign a certain color to my sister, it would be earthy oranges and corals, so the many colors of Longwood were perfect for my sister. I loved that the colors of Longwood are always changing and shifting to reflect various seasons and even changes in seasons. I was just at Longwood last month and the changes were significant! I was happy to take my sister to one of my favorite places. During her visit she got to see both Wawa and Sheetz and she declared Wawa her favorite. I can relate but over the years, Sheetz has easily become my favorite. Four dollar footlongs! 

Amberlyn!

My sister came into town the day after my birthday. She had not been here since the boys were two and Maeve wasn't even born! That is too long to keep sisters apart! It's a big sacrifice for her to leave her six kids but she did it for me and I'm grateful for her and all the people that made her visit possible. I'm still stunned that her week with us has already expired. What the?!

This crazy cold winter seemed to limit our adventure options but we carried on and went to Pennsylvania for a delightful road trip. I took her first to Terrain, where we both delighted in the beautifully seasonal offerings. Easter was so thoughtful and present in every curated detail. Next up, Longwood!

Amberlyn reminds me a lot of my mom because she is so helpful, kind and generous. She made breakfast for us every morning. She did Maeve's hair. The kids loved her and you could see that unstoppable familial bond between them. Amberlyn read to the boys each night and the love for that special time was very mutual. I was so happy and satisfied to see my children and sister have so much fun.