Easter Egg Hunt!

So this year we decided to introduce a new Easter tradition and have an Easter Egg Hunt! Of course, you need eggs for an egg hunt, and we had that in spades (as you can see from my previous post). I had to work during the day, but before I left I hid the eggs in fairly obvious hiding spots throughout the house. Karen was thoughtful enough to call me while I was on my way to work so I could hear the fun that was had by all! Makes me wish I was there, but here are the pics!

Coloring Easter Eggs

Every year we color Easter Eggs with my parents. Unfortunately, with Easter being so early they're in Taiwan this year, but we wouldn't let that dampen our spirits too much. This year, we bought some special coloring kits... a Star Wars kit and a Disney Princess kit, and as you can see... the results were quite colorful! Of course, the kids then wanted to eat them.

Happy Birthday, Yuta!

Yuta turned 37 yesterday.  It was a low-key celebration with the four of us.  Yuta requested a steak dinner, which we made at home rather late in the evening.  Then we at our yummy Nutter Butter Pecan ice cream cake.

The kids enjoyed lighting and blowing out the candles, and lighting the candles and blowing them out again and again and again.  

Taipan wanted to learn how to use the lighter, and we showed him - his hands aren't quite strong enough to push the button down and pull the trigger at the same time, so I'd push the button and he'd pull the trigger (with some help).  Eventually he wanted to light the fireplace.... I was helping with the lighter and we both jumped at the whoosh of the fire starting (it's a gas fireplace).

Fruit bouquet

My mom sent us a wonderful Easter present - a fresh fruit bouquet! I was working when it was delivered, but I Yuta said that the kids were very excited about it.

Here are some pictures of it - I'm glad Yuta snapped some quick pics, because the kids have eaten a good bit of it already.

Birthday Cake, made with love

I LOVE ice cream cake, and my wonderful family is making one for me!

First, crush up Nutter Butters...


Add ice cream, and whipped cream...


add sprinkles...


um, spread sprinkles...


write stuff with icing...


And voila! The finished product! I have to say... I LOVE IT!

Rock Band!

An early birthday present was the game Rock Band, which comes with a guitar, microphone, and drumkit.

Taisim started out by dancing with Totoro...	Taipan started jamming on the drums...
Then Taisim picked up the mic...	and then Taipan picked up the guitar...

We haven't decided on a band name yet... any and all suggestions are welcome!

Finger paints!

We decided to get some finger paints out, and oh the fun we had! We started out with sponges...



Then moved on to spoons...


and fingers...


and hands!


In that last shot, Taisim went through 20 spoons by the time we were done. She insisted on scooping out finger paint with each spoon ONCE and only once. What started out as a kit of 8 colors, is now a mish-mash of colors... we'll see what happens next time!

Train-o-Rama!

This past Sunday I wasn't scheduled to close Starbucks, so I had to work during the day. Little did I know that would cost me a trip to Train-o-Rama! :( Karen took the kiddos out there, and, as always, they had a BLAST... I'm going next time!

Papa Carnival Ride 2000

Weather not conducive to going out to the local amusement park to ride carnival rides? Not a problem with the Papa Carnival Ride 2000! Just load your kids up and watch them go up & down & up & down until the ride can't take anymore... only to do it again!