"I'm Happy Easter"

That was Viola's catchphrase during this year's Easter celebrations, which spanned an entire weekend. On Saturday we enjoyed one of the first sunny days of the year with Joe's family, including his young cousins, whom Viola adores (and I think the feeling is mutual). We played with some hula hoops, rolling them down the hill.

There was a special egg-hunt for the little kids. Though the eggs were hidden in plain sight, Viola had lots of help from her entourage. Afterward, McCallee and Abby helped her open her eggs, and devour her first jelly beans. Then there was a big-kids egg hunt, and it was Viola's turn to help out. Of course, she helped them eat their jelly beans too. Now, when Viola looks at these pictures with me, she says "She has so much jelly beans in her mouth. I want her spit them out." To cap off the festivities, Judie hid the last egg, but no one took her up on hunting for it. The next morning the Easter Bunny left Viola a basket and hid some eggs around the house. In keeping with my family's tradition, she got some new underwear (though she still has to wear them over a diaper -- we're getting there!). And, of course, more jelly beans. She was so "happy Easter" that we had to put jelly beans in her cereal to get her to eat breakfast. (I know there are pictures somewhere of Easter morning; I'll add some when I find them.)