Happy Day After Easter!

This has been a wonderful weekend. Full of friends, family, and chocolate....oh my.



Friday night we drop kicked the kids out the front door brought the kids over to Grandma and Grandpa's house for the evening so that Papa Smurf and I could enjoy an adult night out with some friends. We haven't had that much fun nor laughed that hard in a VERY long time. Started out with a couple chocolate raspberry martinis.....yum..... and dinner at my FAVorite restaurant, Kruse & Muir....if you ever make it there you really must try the lobster and shrimp linguini ala creme...omg....delicious. We had a little too much fun there and decided to leave else they would kick us out. Walked down the street to a really cool martini bar down the road ....in the middle of a fricken blizzard....would some one PLEASE inform mother nature that the first day of spring was..... like.... a week ago. We all (minus the pregnant DD) over indulged in some alcohol....I really feel I need to explain that I am NOT a lush. Two days of drinking in a row is not a norm for me....s'all I'm say'n. We had a blast at the martini bar...met a fun couple (who has only been dating for 2 months) and I think we scared the daylights out of em. Look...you get 3 couples together that have been together for at least 17 years each...and have 8 1/2 kids between them (#9 is on it's way) and we're bound to regress a little back to our years of adolescent immaturity...we don't get out much! Left the bar minus one couple and came back to our house to play a little pool and indulge a little more. It was a perfect evening out.

All I drank all night was two martinis and one long island ice tea over the course of about 7 hours and was....well, there's just no delicate way of saying it....I was shit-faced...like I said I don't get out much! Back in the day of my college years and a few memorable spring break trips I could drink.....a LOT.....but now, not so much! Motherhood has done this to me. So Saturday I was feeling a little useless (as was hubby) and I had a very difficult time being productive as I had a TON of stuff to get done before Easter. I tried to do a little blog surfing but blogger was down all day and I couldn't get on....Divine intervention again tapping me on the shoulder...."eh-hem.....Mama Smurf, you are NOT going on the computer today...you have too much to do...and I know you....once you get on it'll be hours before you get off....so not today!...buh-bye!" We had a house full of kids most of the afternoon.

Had a fantastic Easter Day...Hefty, my oldest, was dropping hints Saturday night at the dinner table...(his Easter Bunny believing days are over btw)...."I REEEEALLY hope the Easter Bunny...wink wink....does the Scavenger hunt this year...that was SOOOO much fun..." Needless to say the scavenger hunt was a big hit. They had a blast...If I could figure out how to put video clips of the hunt on this blog I would...but I'm just not that blog savvy yet...one day...

Spent the late morning and afternoon at my Aunt and Uncle's house for an Easter brunch with the rest of the family. It was an afternoon of gluttony! I made deviled eggs for the first time...AND...tasted deviled eggs for the first time. They were delicious! Learn something new every day. And my cousin made this unbelievably sinful french toast casserole from Paula Deen's website! I'll have to make that one soon...the whole family was drooling over it! My family had me all fired up to try a DIY project...adding a ceramic tile back splash in my kitchen. I'm on a new mission to become a Mrs. Handy(wo)man. I want to flip houses! My mom gave me my next book that I"ll be reading...a flip it for dummies book. So I'm going to try some do-it yourself projects around my house to get me ready! This will be my new obsession I've decided! =) In case you haven't figured it out yet...my obsessions change from month to month. I'll be over it in a few weeks I'm sure!

Then I spent this morning and early afternoon having a play date with those same girlfriends from Friday evening and their kids. We had 8 kids running around the house! We've decided we're going to flip houses together! I'm REALLY fired up about this! I just wish this market would turn around! We'll have to wait anyway until after the end of this year to get started so I'm going to spend the next 9 months educating myself. Anyone out there know anything about this?? Any good books out there?? Any "flipping" tips?

Scavenger hunt madness...

I posted today before I realized that it was "wordless wednesday"....I'm not real good at the wordless thing anyway...so I'm editing this post to add this photo....

I'm adding this photo because this would be yet.another.junk.drawer in my house. Before I registered my daughter for Kindergarten yesterday I was on a frantic search for my daughter's birth certificate...a necessary piece of paperwork for registering. I waited till the last minute to get it because I knew exactly where it was....no big deal....we keep important documents such as birth certificates in our safe...I mean where else would a responsible parent keep such things. Yeah...right! So needless to say...her birth certificate after 30 minutes of searching was found buried beneath all of that crap you see in that photo. Of course...it's perfectly reasonable to find your child's birth certificate buried beneath a pile of crap...where else would it be. We I need help.

Below is my original posting:

I had Smurfette's Kindergarten registration last night. I have mixed emotions. Part of me is sad to see my youngest going off to school. But the other side of me.....=)......is doin the happy dance! I'm trying to get her into all day Kindergarten because she needs it. She'll be almost 6 when she starts (she's a December birthday) and she is bored stiff with me during the day. She has NO friends her age in our neighborhood and the poor girl needs a social outlet. I have her in Dance class and Gymnastics class but it's just not enough. So....I'm trying to get her into all day Kindergarten. I won't know until May whether she'll get in or not. The down fall is....the all day Kindergarten isn't at our home school. She would have to go to a different school than the boys and I would have to drive and pick her up....We'll see.

About 5 years ago I started a tradition in our home. I didn't mean to, it just happened. On Easter morning the Bunny leaves the kids a note in the form of a poem and leads them around our house in a scavenger hunt searching for the final destination which leads them to their baskets. I didn't mean for this to become a yearly thing but the kids had so much fun with it the first time that I did again the next...and so on. Well, last year I didn't do it. Time got away from me. I procrastinated was busy and before I knew it Easter was here and I wasn't prepared for the scavenger hunt. My kids were very disappointed. They wouldn't let it go. So this year I knew better...I'm preparing early. I've been working on this for the past week. I still need a few more verses (because I need some more hiding places) but I thought I'd share what I have so far...I'll edit this post when/if I come up with some more verses before Easter Day. It's cheesy, I know, but please keep in mind that my target audience is a 5, 9, and 11 year old. I'm no poet....I'm not trying to be....just having fun with my kids! If you can think of any more verses or hiding places with a rhyme please share! RhymeZone.com is my new favorite website....

Hello Smurf children
It's the Easter Bunny here....
Have you been good to your parents
For the entire past year?


Last year was busy
So I took a little break...
Writing these rhymes
Made my brain start to ache.


Imagine my surprise
When I saw your sadness
That Easter would not start
With the scavenger hunt madness.


So I came BACK!
You will start the day with fun
Searching for your baskets
With a sprint and a run!


Well, lets take a look here,
Lets see what I wrote...
With so many children
I've had to take notes.


Ah, yes, now I remember...
It's been a busy year.
You've been very good
But there's some things you must hear.


Hefty Smurf,
I think you know what I'll say
You must work out you differences
In a more constructive way...
That Joe in your class
Is a very good kid
He just wants your attention
So the fighting I forbid...


Dreamy Smurf,
Your little sister loves you so much
She's just looking for kind words
Or a soft gentle touch.
It's important for you
To be a good loving big bro
Everyone, even your sister
Needs love to grow.


And little Smurfette,


The whining must stop
You have nothing to gain
By driving your mother
Completely insane.
Lets try harder
To use our "Big Girl" words
And leave the high pitched chirping
To all those colorful birds.


With all of that said
You have made me very happy
All your hard work in school
Makes this rabbit quite sappy.


So when everyone's awake
Let the fun begin
For if you solve all the clues
There will be a treasure to win.


Your first clue starts here...
Right in this room...
In the place where you keep
Things for Gracie to groom!


Ah, you found me
This clue was too easy
Go look for your next clue
Where you keep things that are cheesy.


I think I'll have to get tricky
To pull one over on you
Go look for your next clue
Where you might find some glue.


If you're ready for more
Get your coat and shoes
Cause we'll be heading outside
To find your next clues.

I can't seem to shake you
Your hot on my trail
You may find something interesting
In a slot for the mail.


You want another clue?
You could try making a wish...
Or maybe you'd rather just look
By Gracie's food dish.


Are you tired yet?
Have you had enough?
Maybe try looking
By your mom's scrapping stuff...


You may find another
You just never know
Near something you use
To clear all the snow.


If you'd like another clue
You should run straight
To the place you'll find daddy
Lifting some weights.


My pen is slowing
I'm running out of rhymes
But maybe you'll find something
Near some rolled dimes.

There is another clue
I must come clean
Somewhere outside
Near your trampoline.

I'm sorry to say
That our fun must end.
I have many more eggs
That I must send.

But don't you worry
And never you fear.
This bunny will be back
Year after year!

Just make sure you're good
And show others respect
And I'll be sure to visit again
And give you more eggs to collect.

So congratulations! You're all official members
of my scavenger hunt club.
You may find the grand prize
In your parents' jacuzzi tub.