Easter at Freedom Park

Let me say, first of all, that I know this post is out of order.  The reason is my total lack of techy talent.  I started loading these pictures onto Blogger, but didn't have time to finish.  I just saved the post, but when I went back to finish I couldn't figure out how to get to the saved posts.  I knew that creating a new one would take me there (after the new one was published).  And it did.  But it got things out of sequence.  Oops.

But here is the rest of our Easter Sunday report.

Jared was bummed that he didn't get to see our boys at the student egg hunt.  He wanted to do a family one of our own.  We filled eggs on Saturday night as part of our date.  On Sunday after church we went to Freedom Park for the hunt.  It was a perfect day-- absolutely beautiful weather.  Our boys love big spaces and being outside.  We stayed for a few hours and had a blast.  First we did the hunt.  Micah was hard to persuade.  Really he is just stubborn so he didn't want to be herded to the field.  I let him run around for a bit while Jared hid the eggs.  Then we started to hunt.

Playing before the hunt:

And THE HUNT:

So that Luke didn't get all the eggs we filled green eggs for Luke and other colors for Micah.  Luke knew to look for only the green eggs.

Once Micah figured out there were eggs WITH CANDY he wanted to join in.  He did just what he did at the student hunt.  He'd find one, crack it open, and chow down.

Candy Heaven!

When we'd decided the boys had had more than enough candy for the day, we put the baskets in the car and then went for a walk, played hide and seek, and checked out the Free Black Settlement replicas.

All in all, a VERY good Easter.

Awkward

Luke and I were having lunch at Costco on Thursday afternoon.  Someone came and sat down at the table right behind us.  Luke looked at the person, and his eyes started to bug out of his head.  I don't know that he'd ever seen something like this before:

He asked (once again VERY LOUDLY), "Is that that man's bum??!!"

Now this was awkward on many levels, the first being that it was a lady.  And the second being that it just isn't something one should point out.  So I told him, "Luke, we don't talk about bums."  And then of course he had to repeat it.  "We don't talk about bums.  We don't talk about that man's bum."  So I did the only thing I could, "Um... Luke, are you about done with that hot dog?"

That Tricky Easter Bunny!

I realize that this is EXTREMELY late, but better late than never, right?

The Saturday before Easter I realized that I still hadn't prepared anything.  This wasn't laziness on my part;  I hadn't had a chance to go to the store without the boys, and I didn't want them to see any presents beforehand.  Plus Jared wanted to be a part of the choosing as well.  So on Saturday night Jared and I went to Wal-mart for our date.  In Jared's words, "This is the worst date I ever had."  (Think Nacho Libre)  Wal-mart on Sat. night is bad anyway.  Wal-mart on the night before a holiday is insane.

Our Easter Bunny was very tricky-- he hid the boys' Easter baskets!  We warned Luke that this would happen.  Well, actually I explained this to Luke and Jared looked at me rather incredulously.  Apparently the Easter bunny doesn't hide everyone's baskets.  But he did in my house when I was little, so he did it for Luke and Micah too.

This is Luke searching for his basket:

Micah's basket was under a chair in the living room.  He didn't understand looking for a basket at all, but Luke found it for him.  One thing Micah DID understand was how yummy fruit leather is.  He was a big fan.

I read on Val's blog that they celebrate all of the egg hunts/ easter baskets, etc. on Saturday so that they can easily focus on the Resurrection and the Savior on Sunday.  I think I remember that when I was little our Easter Bunny come on Saturday too.  I think we'll do that next year.

Holes

So another one of Luke's fascinations is holes.  I have a favorite pair of jeans that I've worn about every other day for the past 3 years.  (Yes!  I need new clothes, but that is a whole other topic-- and what feels like light-years away!)  Anyway, when I wear them-- because I still do-- Luke can't leave the hole alone.  He pulls at it, pokes at it, talks about it, etc.  If his socks get even the tiniest hole I have to throw them away because he will pull his shoe off to poke at, pull at, fiddle with his hole.  For some reason he thinks holes are totally cool.

Well, yesterday we were at Wal-mart.  I was loading groceries onto the belt and turned around to find Luke-- for once!-- not pestering the cashier about whether or not she had a fan.  No, no, he was laying on the floor staring at the lady behind us.  I couldn't figure it out.  So I asked him what he was doing.  He replied (VERY LOUDLY), "I'm looking at that lady's holes!"  

It's one of those moments when you are absolutely dumbfounded as to what you should say.  So I didn't say anything at first.  I looked at the lady, who looked something like this:

And then I just laughed.  Luckily the nice lady did too.  She looked at Luke who was inching closer and closer across the floor, almost nose to her knee, and asked, "It looks like I've been through a war, doesn't it?"  

Techno Dummy and the Rest of Tessa's Visit

Blogger is all different, and I'm all confused.  When it comes to technology I wish the world would freeze and let me catch up for a year or two.  I can't even figure out Facebook, let alone answer an iphone.  I don't have to worry about iphones and what not, though.  I just have a Tracfone that can barely ring.  What can I say?  I'm out of the loop.  Someday I plan to get in that loop, but as of now I will just take forever figuring out blogger. And posting all of my pictures backwards and out of order.  

Tessa came on Sunday, the 8th (Easter).  She left on Wednesday morning.  Luke was in school, but Micah and I got to take her to the train station.  Micah was a big fan of watching the train.  

On Tuesday we picked Luke up from school, went to his occupational therapy appointment and then spent the rest of the afternoon at York River State Park.  It was the PERFECT day to be outside.  The boys swung (or is it swang?), climbed on equipment, checked out the ceiling fans and air conditioners in the office, went for a walk, threw rocks in the water, and generally tuckered themselves out.  And Tessa and I talked and talked.  I love having friends like that-- we won't see each other for months or even years but can pick up just where we left off when we meet each other again.

So Monday morning we had gone to Lowe's.  That afternoon after naps we went to Jamestown Settlement.  Luke picked Tessa as his favorite buddy, and happily dragged her around.  Tessa was a great sport about it.  I shouldn't even say it that way.  She wasn't just "putting up with Luke"-- she honestly had a good time.

 Leaving the Settlement, Luke climbed up on top of the car.  He is so silly sometimes.  Tessa snapped a picture as I yelled at him to get down.

 And... the rest of the pictures from Tuesday.

Great trip, Tessa!

Tessa! (and a trip to Lowe's)

My good friend from college, Tessa, had a conference in DC last week. Her boss let her fly in a few days early. She took the train to Williamsburg from DC, and we got to hang out for those few days. It was so nice to catch up and to play! Luke fell in love with Tessa from the second he saw her. I think it may have had something to do with her iphone. But he quickly loved her for herself soon enough that on the second night Tessa was here, Luke was climbing in bed with her during the wee hours of the morning. I'm sure she loved that!

Luke wanted to take Tessa to his favorite places. So, of course, our first stop was Lowe's.

I can't believe I haven't gotten pictures of the boys at Lowe's before this! And truthfully I didn't get pictures this time either. Tessa did. But she shared. Most of the pictures are of Luke because, like always, the boys are running in opposite directions. So Tessa and the iphone followed Luke, and I chased after Micah.

Here are all the reasons Luke loves Lowe's:

TRACTORS!

AIR CONDITIONERS! (GIANT ONES)

WASHING MACHINES

UM....

REFRIGERATORS

CEILING FANS!

VENTS!

LIGHTS!

DRAINS!

ALMOST EVERYTHING IN THIS WORLD THAT LUKE LOVES MOST!!!

One more ride before we go:

And that was a great morning!