April - Greek Easter, Part Tria

The final stop of the day.... Easter dinner at Nouna's!

Suddenly Nick gives the international signal to rock out - bring on the AC/DC, man....!!

... however silly faces is as far as it goes.  Sorry buddy.  At this point, some of the younger set is still into binkies and NON-beer bottles... give them a decade (or 2!) - then they'll be ready to bring down the house!

(what is Adrienne doing?!  dropping the kids off at the pool!?? geez... I need to give the girl more fiber!)

'Big Nick' (as opposed to Uncle Nicky/Papa Nick/Papou Nick, Nicole & my Nick) - the superstar of the family.  ALL the cousins want a piece of Big Nick when he's around.  Adrienne takes a moment to bask in his glory.....

 It's time for the Easter Egg Hunt!!!!

Humpf.  I'm not likin' the way this egg hunt is goin' down.  I think it's rigged.

Fuggedaboutit.  I gots the sit'ation under control.

Doh.
Maybe not.

A gazillion trampoline shots.  What can I say?!  I love the levitating / hair raising / silly faces / skull colliding experience of the trampoline!!!

Time for the big kids (how is Adrienne old enough to be a 'big' kid!?!  where does the time go!??) to exeunt for the wee ones to have a scare-free bounce.

Holy heat stroke.  Can you make out the blotch on his cheek!?  He's so over-heated he went from red back to white.

But he's still so stinkin' cute.

So let me just say that my OWN babies didn't cuddle up with me as much as the twins have.  And I don't even get to see them that much!  Either these girls really, REALLY have an affection for me (doubtfully) or they're the MOST easy-going kids on the face of the earth (ding-ding-ding! winner winner chicken dinner!).  Either way, I'll take the delicious, poochy-faced cuddles!

And our other niece, little Miss NEVER-Cracks-A-Smile finally gave a wink & a nod!

So.... I'm thinking about posting our engagement announcement all over again.  Who cares that we've been married (almost) 8 years.  We're awesome.

I couldn't take it another minute.
Get out of the way, younglings.  Let me show you how it's done.
(In case you're wondering, yes, I managed to injure my own 2 with my rambunctious bouncing - cracked skulls - or knee on skull - or something to that effect - there was definitely a skull involved and me yelling about getting over it..... head trauma-scwhama... you're on a TRAMPOLINE  someone is going to get hurt eventually!)

Faster than a speeding bullet.... Nick rounding a trampoline!
(It was actually my FIL showing off the clarity of his continuous shooting feature - but the pics were actually pretty cute.... Like a puppy chasing his tail - my boy running around in circles!)

Back inside - time to crack the eggs!  It boiled down (ba-dum-bump) to Dirk & Nick!

Ooooo.  Ouch.  Uncle Dirk prevailed.

And THAT'S why we've been happily married for 8 years.
We're mature like that.

April - Greek Easter, Part Dio - My Best Accessory

 He came.  He saw.  He left some eggs.

Let the hunt begin!!!

(Note to self, especially considering that Easter 2013 is a mere 7 weeks away: CLEAN FAMILY ROOM PRIOR TO EGG HUNT.  Ay dios mio!  What a mess!)

Backstory: Disney 2011.  Pirates of the Caribbean makeover.  Nick was awarded with beloved rotten, rubber pirate teeth.
A few weeks after our return, and in some hissy fit over random crap around the house, Greg felt the need to throw them out. 
(A certain story about Papa Nick and a license plate comes to mind.... like father.....)
Nick was CRUSHED.  TORMENTED.  DEVASTATED.
I spent weeks trying to buy a new pair.  I went so far as to 'buying' a Pirates of the Caribbean makeover but instead of actually going to the appointment I begged them to just send me the damn teeth!  No dice.  Until my hysteria reached the ears of a darling woman who said the Easter Bunny was WELCOME to stop by and pick up an extra set.
Barbara at Disney - YOU ARE A FINE LASS, NEVER TO BE FORGOTTEN FOR THIS PIECE O' EIGHT!!!

The Easter Bunny left a 50/50 - coins to chocolate filled eggs.  Adrienne found 90% coinage.  Nick found 90% chocolate.  Her piggy bank (and his tummy) were STUFFED!

"Well if the EASTER BUNNY liked it then I'm SURE I will too!  Ewwww... Easter Bunny slobber......"

"OK, ok... let ME try..... oh... YICK."

Flashback: The grating of the crayons
A) Peeling crayons is tedious.
B) Grating crayons is a bloody mess.  Literally.  Knuckles + slippery wax crayons + grater = copious cursing
C) Crayon shavings + styrofoam = static.  Flea-like jumping of crayon bits all over me, the counter, the egg cartons, the bags....
D) Holy hell.  Did I PURPOSELY put the warm colors in the pink egg carton and the cool colors in the blue carton.  I need to be medicated.

And I quote (umm, myself...):

DO NOT:

TOUCH

MOVE

BREATHE ON

MAKE EYE CONTACT WITH

!

With that being said, this is the text I get in the middle of the day.

I don't know who pushes my buttons more:  My kids or their bad-influence-nanny.

Fresh out of the pot... molten crayon eggs.... MY FAVORITE!!!!

(as if you hadn't already put that together by the bloody-fingered-crayon-grating to which I subjected myself....)

Next up: The dye.

"MOMMY!! MOMMY!! MOMMY!! CAN I EAT ONE!?!?"

Upon remembering that he does NOT like hard boiled eggs....
"Mommy!  You want a bite?  Here.  Eat some.  It's OK."

Since I wasn't born yesterday (or the week before, or month before that, or year before THAT.... *weep*...) I didn't succumb to his tempting pleas.  But his sister did.  Sucker.
"Here Adrienne!  I'll peel that for you!"

Wow Nick. I've NEVER seen anyone pull off the egg-dye/smock/PJs/Spiderman-sock look like you can.  I don't think you can even believe it yourself!

The nests.
C'mon.  I may get a large FAIL stamp on many a' mothering occasion.  But when it comes to Easter egg presentation.... I've got the market cornered.

This year's Monkey Cake didn't quite meet last year's confectionary masterpiece.  I completely over-cooked it.  Maybe we didn't crank up the sound effects enough.  They were a bit lackluster copared to last year's Wiggles tune.

Their formal Easter portrait.
Can you tell they had ZERO desire?

Hence, the title to this post.
Look at that FACE!!!!! I could just eat up those cheeks!
(oh, I mean Ellie's... not mine)

Me, Ellie & Yiayia, Kate

OK, ok... Ellie had her moment in the spotlight, now Kate gets her due!

Can I give her a kiss?

He is ALL love.

The toughest soul couldn't stand up to this boy's sweetness.

Papou Nick: "Stand on your squares!"
My Nick: "Oh yeah??  I got your square RIGHT HERE old timer!"
Adrienne: "O.M.G. Papou is going to knock Nick into yesterday."

"Hands up, baby hands up!  Give me your heart, gimme, gimme your heart..."

Nothing like Easter to bring out your inner Ottawan...

Stinkin' cuteness!

Lucky #7