A crazy busy Easter weekend

SATURDAY

We left home early Saturday morning and headed up to Portland. Dan's youngest sister, Shelley, delivered her 2nd son premature on the 3rd, and he was being released Saturday afternoon. Because of timing issues, this was our first chance to drive up to see them and the baby. They were at Emanuel Children's Hospital, baby Landon in the NICU and mom and dad in the Ronald McDonald House since they live in the sticks way out on the coast of Washington. So up we went!

We wanted Isaac to see the temple where we were married, so we stopped on our way through. As we were pulling in I asked Dan if he thought we'd see any brides and grooms and we could show them the consequences of what happens when you get married. He didn't think that was too funny. I was surprised this picture didn't really capture the trees in bloom.

Since it was 9am and freezing cold, there weren't any wedding parties out yet. We took advantage of the near empty grounds and took lots of pictures.

We hit the road again and met Shelley and Andrew at the Ronald McDonald House. Isaac brought his Easter basket since we heard they were having an egg hunt put on by the Girl Scouts, even though I didn't think we'd make it there in time. We did!

Isaac was off like a bullet as soon as the egg hunt began! He quickly filled up his ducky Easter basket...

Filled up the blue Easter bucket he was given, and finally had to start filling up a plastic garbage bag! There were so many eggs!!!

After all the loot had been found, all the kids and Girl Scouts posed for a picture.

Back inside the House, Isaac was thrilled to start going through his eggs and seeing what candy and toys were inside.

Isaac lovedlovedlovedloved this dinousaur toy! You push buttons on the back of his head and he moves and roars! He's really into the Land Before Time videos right now, and he just thought it was so cool that they had a Cera there for him to play with!

Here's their dining room area... Pretty cool, huh? That train actually goes around the room and makes soft choo-chooing noises and ding-dings!

They had food there... And Dan learned an important lesson that you don't ask a 5 year old child to hold your donut for a minute.

Each room at the house has a theme, and Shelley and Andrew's themed room was sports. Dan fell in love.

We were finally able to meet the man of the hour, Mr. Landon Ray Walls. He was darling! And he was a hefty preemie too... He was born 6 weeks early, but weighed 5 lb 13 oz and was 19.5 inches long. When Isaac was born at 39 weeks, he was 6 lb 12 oz and was 19.5 inches long!

After visiting for quite a while, it was time to go. The hospital was having some kind of safety fair, so on our way out Isaac was able to climb in and see the inside of an ambulance (way cool)...

And a real police car! They were letting kids climb in and sit in the driver's seat of the police car, but Isaac didn't want to do it, crazy kid.

We headed south again and went to Dan's parents' house. Isaac was able to have another Easter egg hunt, this time with his baby cousin Andrew, who is Shelley and Andrew's eldest son. Because of the loot he gathered earlier and because two of his other cousins were going to be egg hunting later that day, we only let him keep about 5 eggs.

Finally home! Isaac dumped out all the eggs and stuffed animals he got on his egg hunts. I counted 67 eggs. Can you believe it?! He seriously made out better this Easter than he normally does on Halloween! Past Easters we've only been able to do one egg hunt, so this was a huge event for him this year.

His favorite egg surprise was one of those bopper-balloons that you blow up HUGE and it has a big rubber band attached to one end. He got three of them! All of his candy, little toys, and stickers filled up his blue Easter bucket almost to the rim.

SUNDAY

Easter Sunday morning Dan had to work super early, so it was just me and Isaac. He got me up at his usual time, 6am on the nose, and we came downstairs to see what the Easter bunny had brought. Earlier we had all been to Target and as we went down the Easter aisles we asked Isaac what things he might like in his basket this year. He picked out this small chocolate bunny and a pack of Easter Play-Doh, so while Isaac wasn't looking Dan grabbed them and purchased them and hid them in the van. So now Isaac thinks the Easter bunny has some magic ability to know what he likes, kind of like Santa. Except the Easter bunny didn't even need a list!

After Dan got off work, we drove down to Springfield to my grandparents' house for Easter dinner. Isaac had his third egg hunt there! This time the eggs were filled with coins so he could add them to his piggy bank to save for the next coolest toy.

When we got home we were able to color eggs. My mom had bought Isaac these cute bug Easter egg kits that come with the dyes and the plastic and sticker bug parts. We colored the eggs Sunday evening, and had to wait until the eggs were dry the next day to put the stickers on...

The stickers didn't work too great, but Isaac still had a great time and he wants to color Easter eggs every day of the year now!