Delayed Easter Egg Hunt and Visit from Aunt Gingie and Uncle Fred

With our stomach ails last weekend, Easter was kind of a bust.  Luckily this week we were able to head to the Hamptons to visit Aunt Gingie and Uncle Fred.  The Hamptons had a lot of leftover Easter eggs and ham, so we just had a delayed celebration.  It was sunny but really cold, so it was a fast hunt!

The boys talking strategy.

I wonder if his favorite color will be blue?

He decided he liked the eggs on the ground better.  He yelled "Help!" until I came and put all the eggs back in the bucket.  Then declared "all done!" and ran off to ride around in the Cozy Coupe. 

Andrew jumping for an egg hidden way up high!

The boy in red!

Tyler getting in on the action.

The Easter Bunny left them everywhere!

Corbin being a great big cousin and helping Nathan.

The adults mentally hurrying the kids along so we could get back inside and warm up!

Home Depot Kid's Workshop

The first Saturday of the month, Home Depot has a Kid's Workshop.  They have a little kit project that requires a little hammering, maybe a screwdriver and occasionally some paint.  The kids end up with a cool craft, and another pin for their Home Depot apron.  And, oh yeah, HD gets us in the door and probably dreaming up another project for the house :)

Today's project was a bird feeder.  Nathan was very studious, following directions with Michael and did a great job of doing it mostly by himself. 

Alex resisted all attempts to follow directions, screamed "NO!" every time I tried to gently guide him to place a nail here, or use the screw driver there.  Guess who is almost 2? :)

Both boys very intently working away.

A rare photo of all 4 of us!

Alex did love the painting, choosing green for me!

Hmmm, wonder what his favorite color is (he is also wearing red pants and shoes)?

Nathan Swim Lessons

It was "Peek Week" at the YMCA, so it meant I could take pictures during Nathan's swim lessons.  So I took full advantage.  :)

Nathan very patiently waiting to get in the water.

He smiles all the way through!

But his favorite part is jumping off the side.  Over, and over, and over.

And he did it without any floaties!

Just another Tuesday...

I have been trying to trot out my "big" camera more often, and capture more pictures of the boys.  After taking 100000 pictures of Nathan while he was little, poor Alex definitely has the second child syndrome.

So just another Tuesday, but some cute photos :)

This evening they had "Pajama and Story Time" at the library.  I have never seen the boys get in their pajamas so fast.  We got there a little early, so they enjoyed the puzzles for a little while.  Then the wonderful people in the Children's Room read a few stories, made quesadillas and prepared a craft!

Fun with puzzles.

Listening intently.  Until two seconds later when Alex was off and running.

Working on the craft of making a mouse.

All done!  Three eyes and all!

Daddy's craft (mouse trap and all)

Alex very intently working on his mouse.

Spring! Maybe...

We are finally showing signs of Spring here in Massachusetts, the first crocuses poked through by our driveway, while there is still piles of snow in our yard.  Progress...  Then it snowed today, only a few flakes, but it is April!  And this winter has felt endless.  Itching for no-jacket-required days, and toes seeing the sunshine.

Hello Crocuses!

A sure sign of Spring is always Easter, and it was early this year, still in March.  All the snow put a damper on many of our egg-hunt plans.  We squeezed one in at the YMCA, but it was a little bit crazy in the gymnasium.  Nathan seemed freaked out the whole 10 minutes we stayed, and then as soon as we left said "Mommy, that was SO much fun!"

Alex caught one glimpse of the Easter bunny and started backing out of the gym.

He managed to get over his fear and became master egg hunter!

Nathan getting in on the action.

Friday of Easter weekend we drove up to Maine.  It had been a very long time since the 4 of us had been up there, and Daddy was craving some Frosty's donuts.

Half a dozen of Frosty's best!

Reading books with Papa.

Mimi and Alex having a little talk.

Look!  Papa's shoe is almost as big as me!

Enjoying the Maine sunshine.

Mimi had a great Easter craft for the boys - decorating an Easter bunny cake!

Nathan decorating while Alex sneaks a bite.

The finished product, isn't creepy, er, I mean cute?

We had plans to round out the Easter weekend with an egg hunt with the Hampton cousins back in Massachusetts, but a stomach bug struck us down, so the Easter bunny managed to leave a few stray eggs at our house.  Get ready Ty-Ty, next year your Malenfant cousins will be there!

We had a quiet Monday recovering from our stomach ills, and enjoyed a morning riding bikes around the neighborhood and having a picnic lunch outside.  The first of many, I hope.