Easter 2012

We had an enjoyable Easter this year. I guess that could be contributed to the fact that we had family around us all the time! Trudi and Cheri were able to bring their families up a few days before Easter so we had fun playing together...and so did the cousins. We were able to take the kids on a little hike in Snow Canyon and then we played in the same sand dunes that we played in when we were kids. My mom was nice enough to keep Jess so I could play with my kids in the sand. The highlight of this trip is learning that I can do a back handspring. Tiffani was watching a couple of Trudi's kids do them and then she said, "I've always wanted to be able to do that! I'm almost 35 years old and I'm going to learn how to do that!" Of course I couldn't let her show me up so I was in too! I guess it was a good thing that we were on a slant and doing them down hill or I might not have been able to do it. I guess it just made me feel 'young' to think I could still do something like that. Thankfully we had some good spotters and coaches to talk us through the mental battle we were having.

When we got home from the hike we took the kids back to g-ma and g-pa Turek's for a bite to eat and then we were off to the park to play some baseball. Honestly, I'm surprised no one got hurt because we were playing with kids as young as five and as old as...well, I shouldn't disclose any ages, and we were playing with a real softball, bats, gloves, the works. It was fun though...and that's probably because no one got hurt.

When we got done with that we went back to home base (g-ma and g-pa's again) and had dinner--PIZZA!!
I let my kids play until it got dark and then called it a day before the night games got started. I figured it was better that my kids didn't know what they were missing out on. I think I slept really well that night, and so did the kiddos.

Saturday evening we went out to the sand dunes in Warner Valley and had hamburgers and hot dogs. The kids had an easter egg hunt and loved riding around on the 4-wheelers and climbing the rocks.

 Sunday we went to Todd's G-ma Wittwer's and had the annual Easter Egg hunt. She's so cute because she dresses up like the Easter Bunny and litters the ground with toys and prizes for the little kids (7 and under) and then she has eggs filled with candy and $$ for the kids to find. There is a $5 egg and the golden egg has $10 in it. Finding the golden egg has major bragging rights, which the Calico family has yet to gain. One funny thing that happened Sunday morning is when the kids found their Eater baskets from the Easter Bunny that comes to our house, Porter said, "I like the Easter Bunny that is Grandma Wittwer better. She gives us cooler stuff." I wasn't sure if I should laugh or kick his patooti for being such a spoiled little stink.

 On the way home we stopped by the cemetery in Santa Clara to see the headstone of Todd's dad and little brother, Trent. We hardly ever get out there but I justify it because Todd says he's closer to his dad when he's in the mountains or hunting and fishing than when he's at the cemetery. It's still good for the kids to remember their Grandpa Calico (or at least the stories that people share about him with us).

I worry that we're failing in teaching our children the true meaning of Easter. I know they know, but we seem to have a lot of the 'other stuff' that can distract. I can only hope that it's just because of their age and the older they get the more they might realize how awesome Easter is in the spiritual aspect.

  This was the best shot I got all the kids together. Sad. Uncooperative kids at the end of the day full of sugar and sun. Not prime conditions for pictures.