Best Brother Award

 Rex wins the Best Brother Award - for the 8 o'clock hour anyway.

Brigid was in heaven.  She likes being read to.

We will do it Ourselves

There was a mutiny at supper tonight.  The twins decided they could feed themselves with spoons for the first time.  Applesauce was everywhere, but you have never seen such happy girls.

 Notice anything about the girls???

Eggcellent Buddy

 Who is hiding in our egg carton?

Oh, it is just Bob, Blase's eggy friend.

 Bob is our last egg from Easter.  He's been a faithful and constant buddy in our fridge.  Time for Bob to find a new home - in the garbage.  Sorry, Bob.  You were there for us when we didn't need you.

(For the record - Bob was suppose to be made into pickled eggs, but we just never got around to pickling him and his egg buddies.)

The Forgotten Birthday Present

 So his mother forgot one of the birthday gifts in the fridge where she hid it.

 You should let moms with so much on their plate plan and execute birthdays. 

 She is bound to fail. 

 I think I was forgiven though.

He LOVES pickles.

Happy 12th Birthday Stephen!

Happy Birthday to Stephen!!!  It is hard to believe he is twelve already. 

 This is the expression when he opened the first present from Mom and Dad.

 Socks.

 Yah, really - socks.

 From Kiara and Brigid

 Redwall book and candy from Gianna (wrapped in princess paper).

 Boy Scout Handbook and a 2 liter bottle of Root Beer from Brech.

 Another Redwall book and more candy from Rex.

 His favorite candy bar and

 yet another Redwall book from Cormac.

 A fourth Redwall book and Rolos from Blase.

Yes, he asked for Redwall books.

 So his dad is telling him for his birthday he was going to take him to the store so he could pick out what color underwear he wanted to have.

 Yah, right, Dad.

 Serious!  You need to come to the store with me.

 Then we can make sure we pick out a bike that fits you.

Happy birthday Stephen from all of us!

 All his presents, minus that bike.

 He requested a homemade, vanilla cake with Irish Cream Cream Cheese Frosting.

We tried to go for a Minecraft"ish" look.  Not much time to plan though.

Your smile makes me smile, Stephen.

The value you see in others and in the simple things in life makes me look at life for the better.

Your kindness inspires me.

Your neverending ability to forgive humbles me.

Your tricks and jokes tickle me.

You are and always will be precious to me.

God bless you, Stephen.

Learned by Example

I said it was time for prayers.  This sweet Kiara immediately knelt down to pray.

Blase is Headed to Camp!

The other day this is what Blase saw when he came upstairs.

 Congrats Blase - you are going to camp in August!!!

 He is going to the Fraternity of St. Peter's Camp St. Peter in the Black Hills in August.

 He was only a little excited, a bit worried, and a tad against the idea.

We talked about what they will get to do and see. We also talked about how great it will be to be around seminarians and meet new friends.  I think he felt better and less anxious about it after that.

Brigid thought maybe he would like to look his best for camp.

Personally, I am so, SOOO excited about this.  I have waited thirteen years to send Blase to this camp.  All my brothers, except Loman who is still too young, have attended a summer camp ran by the Fraternity.  I remember the greatness that came from my brothers after having attended camp.  Some went away as boys and came back as men.  Did I mention I'm just SOO excited!!

Fairy Sisters

 Gianna, Brigid, Kiara

Contributing

This is Nate.

Nate contributes pennies to Stephen's collection.

There is a catch though.

Stephen has to work hard for his mom, do his school work, and just be good overall before he actually gets to put the very old, very awesome wheat pennies in his collection.

Stephen is currently doing the breakfast dishes without being asked.

He plans to work on his school with renewed energy.

I think this arrangement just might work out.

Thanks, Nate.

Just 'Cause They are Cute

 Kiara

 Cormac, Brigid, Kiara

Easter Day

BASKETS

 You just have to smile and be happy when it is both your birthday and Easter!

 They make me smile.

 They were such sweethearts!

 The "attempt bunny ears in a picture" shot.

 SUCCESS on the bunny ears!

 I just love this picture of Cormac. 

(Who won't button his shirt - "I'm always too hot, Mom.")

 I love this one more.  Had you been there you would have heard a conversation about how he's getting girl germs and yuck...and even more yuck.

 It was stuck right there, Mom.

Ha ha, not really sure what she was trying to show me.

Kiara finds her basket with a little help from Daddy. 

 Gotta dip into that candy right away.

 Brigid found hers with no problem.  I think she would have ate the candy out of there even if it wasn't her basket.  She acted like an old pro at this Easter basket thing.

 Gianna found hers before her brothers even got out of bed.

 She was one happy birthday girl!

Rex was grumpy.  It was a good thing someone else stumbled across his basket or he might not have even found it.  Sometimes that kid just wakes up on the wrong side of everything. 

 Brech's basket was hidden in the blanket box, under a blanket.  He had looked in there once before, but missed it.  Cormac gave him a little help and Brech was grateful.

 The funny thing was that Brech had found Cormac's basket, so the favor was returned.

I didn't get a picture of Stephen finding his basket, in that blue box.  This was Blase looking for his basket.  No, Blase, it isn't in there.

 No, Blase, it still isn't in there.  (About the third time he's looked at this point.)

 No, Blase, not under the piano bench.

At this point Mom gives him a hint.

"If Dad was the Easter bunny, where would he hide it?"

Blase immediately runs into the bathroom.  I didn't get a good picture of him looking under the sink.

 No, Blase, probably not in there.

 Second time's the charm.  He found it under the sink, under a towel.

 The twins enjoying a drink of applesauce. ha ha

 Candy.  Chocolate, More chocolate.

 Kiara and Brigid both carried their baskets around for half an hour after that.

CHURCH

 The traditional dressed-up-for-Easter picture.  This time we all got in it.  Brigid wasn't letting her daddy go so one of Blase's friends took the picture for us.  I should have taken off my chapel veil, didn't even think of it.  I'm just trying to look like Blase I guess.

 My girls...pretty....

 and sweet!

EASTER EGG HUNT

 The rules are...let the twinnies get the eggs on the ground.

 On your mark....get set.....

 GO!!!!

 Kiara's first egg.

 Come on, Brigid, I see one...hurry up, Brigid...Cormac is gonna get it.

 We got it...we got it...fa la la la la.

 That's a baseball.  It is just as a good as an Easter egg, right??

 Cormac found the last egg, thankfully.  I thought we might have lost that one to nature.

KIPPING!

 Youngest goes first. Winner - Kiara.

 Gianna's egg was a casualty.  It hit the floor before it got kipped.  Winner - floor.

 Kiara and Gianna (with a new egg).  

 Winner - Kiara

 Brech verses the very tough egg of Kiara.  Winner - Kiara

 Rex takes on Kiara.  Winner - Kiara

 Cormac thinks he might have a chance.  Kiara is to the point where she is closing her eyes with every kip.

 Oh...one of Kiara's sides has broken...

 Oh man....both eggs broken.  Winner - no one, double loser 

Bring out the eggs.  Blase verses Stephen!  Winner - Stephen 

Stephen thinks he can conquer his mom's egg. Bring it boy!  Winner - Stephen 

 Stephen's getting a bit excited now.  Dad's egg won't win (it was the all-the-dyes egg).  

Winner - Dad

 Father Johnson's first time kipping.

 Turn it around....kip again....

Winner - Father Johnson

We had a great day.  It was great that Fr. Johnson was able to join us for supper, Easter egg hunting, birthday cake for Gianna, and kipping (in that order).  We were blessed!

Happy Easter season!