Easter with the Klusman's

We were all set to have Easter at my Dad's in Argyle.  Kristi, however, got the flu the weekend before and just couldn't get over it.  She ended up at the ER Thursday for IV and tests so we decided to cancel.  Kristen called and invited us to come Saturday anyways, spend the night, and go to church.  Saturday morning, Dad called and Kristi was feeling better and was officially not contagious.  So they all ended up coming as well.  We got there and the kids were so happy to have Carleigh and Taylor - they are so much fun!  They had gone out and gotten each kid stuff for their Easter basket.  The kids were so happy to have an Easter gift - bubbles, books, organic jelly beans, etc.  Grayson got a raquetball set and Harper got an Anna doll from Frozen.  

After presents, we went outside to play raquetball and blow bubbles.  Harper loves bubbles, but nothing was as cute as how much Reese loved them.  It was almost impossible to pry the bubble wand out of her hand.  She just kept dipping and dipping and dipping.  They were so cute running around and popping all the bubbles Mimi was blowing.  Grayson learned how to play his game pretty quick since it was like baseball and had a blast too.

My dad picked up Taco Cabana for dinner since none of us had planned on cooking.  It was actually really good and Harper friendly, so a win/win.  The kids finished early and then ran around the house with Taylor and Carleigh.  I love that there are always tons of people to watch the kids on family nights.  Harper loves it!  After dinner, we decorated sugar cookies.  Grayson decorated 3 cookies with a ton of icing and didn't eat a single bite.  Harper put one spoon of icing on her cookie and then ate 2 of them.  Reese used a ton of icing because she didn't know what it was, but ate her full cookie and a few spoonfuls of icing.  They were so cute all being so different and yet so happy to be doing it.

After cookies, we went outside and got to break confetti eggs on each other.  The kids loved them and I wish I had bought more!  After eggs, it was bath time, pj's, and bed time.  It was so nice this time not to have to rush off to make it home in time for bed.  My dad and I talked about Easter and the sermons we had been listening to.  It was a really nice and relaxing evening.  My dad and Kristi left so she could rest and the girls stayed until bedtime.  It was nice to just sit around and talk, all of us sisters just hanging out doesn't happen often.  We talked about shows, family, and all sorts of dumb stuff.  Finally, we kicked them out because we are old and had to go to bed.  It was a great start to Easter weekend.

My parents went home a little early since Kristi was still tired from the flu.  The girls stayed or the rest of the evening and we sat on the couch and just talked.  It was nice because I don't know the last time the four of us sisters all did that.  We bathed the kids, put on PJ's and read books.  It's fun to get to experience those things.  I feel like we are always rushing off to get home.  We decided to spend the night so we could relax that night and then go to church with them the next morning.  Harper and I got to help tuck Reesey in and then she went to bed.  5 minutes later, we changed the sheets because she had found a water bottle and spilled it, but then it was bedtime.  Grayson stayed up a little later and hung out with the big kids.  He seems so grownup when he does!  Finally, at like 10pm, we kicked Taylor and Carleigh out and went to bed.  No matter how late you stay up, the kids still get up at the crack of dawn.  

Easter Play date

Our sweet play group came over for an Easter play date.  There were a lot of kiddos this time... everyone came and a few schools were out for Good Friday so we even had some older sisters.  It was still a great time and so fun.  We had a lot planned, so it was a little chaotic and loud, but I think the kids had a great time.  It was the normal, moms talk while kids play, until kids scream, moms intervene and then continue talking.  It's the best!  I love these sweet moms - they are just like me and I get great advice, no judgement and wonderful friendships.  We had Kelly with Sadie and Zane, Kristi with Aaron, MaryRuth with Joey and Jack, Tina with Anna and Leah, and Sarah with Hannah, Alyssa, Clara, and James.  6 moms, 12 kids.  Not too bad!

All the other kids were playing in the play room and Harper promptly sat down at the table - ready for her next activity.  We had been talking about the party for days and she was so ready to get it started!  We decided to dye Easter eggs a little differently this year.  We rolled eggs around in shaving cream and food coloring mixed together.  It allowed the kids to play around in the shaving cream without getting super dirty or having colored liquid spill everywhere.  Most of the kids loved getting messy and had so much fun.  I'm not sure that it worked super great on the eggs, they mostly looked covered in shaving cream with just a little food coloring, but it was still serious fun.  Harper liked doing the egg part, but then wanted to be cleaned up pretty quickly.  Of course the Petty girls swam in the shaving cream for as long as Sarah would let them!

After dyeing Easter eggs, the kids got all washed up and went back to playing.  The older girls came with me and we "hid" the eggs.  We started throwing a few out there and then hiding the rest, but after awhile, we ran out of hiding places and just proceeded to throw the rest in plain sight.  We lined the kids up and asked the older of the little kids to be kind and only get so many eggs.  Those poor kids - they just want to get eggs and go crazy!  They did stop just long enough for us to get a picture, but then it was time to hunt!  (P.S.  Do you see Harper and Aaron holding hands?  Oh my heavens, they are just too sweet!)  The kids ran around and it took them all of 10 minutes to get 9 dozen eggs found in the yard.  They had a blast and enjoyed just running around like crazy kids.  Harper isn't one to go crazy and grab as many eggs as possible, she just enjoys the hunt and watching the other kids.  Plus, after she finds one, she doesn't stop to look around for the next closest one - she just runs off like that was the only one near that spot.  Sweet James on the other hand, did so good and was so cute when he spotted the eggs on the car.  He just kept picking them off, 4 in a row off the bumper, and was so proud when he got them all.  He also threw some Easter eggs to Dixie, who loved having a new toy to chew up.  She was surrounded by plastic eggs by the time I saw her later that afternoon, but I'm pretty sure she was happy about it.  After the hunt, Clara came over and gave Harper a few of her eggs, which was so sweet!  She had a few extra and was kind enough to share.  Harper was, of course, confused, but she thanked her anyways and I got a sweet picture of those two hugging.  And Aaron found one of the last eggs, hidden on the car door handle, just above most of the kids' eye level.  While the little kids were hunting eggs, the two older Petty girls had a scavenger hunt.  I hid clues in eggs around the barns and made them find a basket with eggs and prizes in it.  That morning when I was out hiding the eggs and clues, Harper, of course confused, kept trying to steal my eggs.  I had to keep retracing my steps to make sure she hadn't hunted all the scavenger hunt eggs.  She didn't like having to leave eggs behind.  

By the time the egg hunt was over, it was lunch time.  We made some PBJ sandwiches for the kids with fruit, chips, and juice.  Pretty successful and easy lunch but it was actually really good.  We ended up with a great lunch for the moms too and everyone ate for a long time.  We cleaned up lunch and the girls stayed around to decorate cookies.  I never found a cookie cutter, so instead I tried to make cookie balls a little more oval shaped like an Easter egg.  It sorta worked.  But, while I was making the powdered sugar icing, I seemed to have the proportions off and the icing was super runny.  It was still fun, but the kids were a sticky mess when they got done icing and eating their cookies.  Of course Harper took a few seconds to put a few drops of icing on her cookie before diving into it.  She melted down the night before because she wanted a cookie so stinking bad.  I guess it was mean to make cookies with her and not let her eat them...  

We had a few other activities that we didn't get to.  Confetti eggs, the Easter story, and more sitting and talking for the moms.  But it was already nap time and everyone had to scoot.  Kristi and Aaron stayed for a bit while we cleaned up.  The house was a wreck but I think that means the party was a success.  We had such a fun time and can't wait for the next holiday play group!