Easter 2012

We woke up extra early Easter morning to catch a flight out of Denver back to Portland. Our little boy had a 1st Easter onesie on for the occasion and a big smile that cheered up most people on our plane. ;) Oregon welcomed us back with arms wide with sunshine. Raine and I went for a walk (he is big enough now to sit in the stroller without his car seat!) and stopped at the store for some last minute Easter goodies, including a balloon. Balloons make Raine very happy.

It also happened to be Dan's birthday, so we got some flowers and cards, too. (How fun to pick out a card for Dan from his son. Awww.) Dan spent the afternoon watching The Masters and enjoying Deschute's new Chainbreaker White IPA (YUM!) I tried to relax but ended up spending most of the time unpacking and doing laundry. We also FaceTimed with the Karpiak/Herzing crowd at Jim & Char's, including baby JD and Great Grandma.

After dinner (The birthday boy made polish sausage & sauerkraut--one of his favorite meals that he never really makes because I think it is kinda gross.) we had Raine scooch on down the hallway to find that the Easter bunny (or someone) filled up his Easter nest! When my sister and I were kids, we built little nests with our clothing the night before Easter. I think this was a tradition borrowed from my dad's childhood. He lived on a farm with 10 kids and that was what they did instead of Easter baskets. (I think... Am I making this up? Lol.) Another tradition I am borrowing but Raine was too young to start this year, is a peanut basket. Growing up, Dan and Doug got peanuts for good deeds during the days leading up to Easter. On Easter, the peanuts were matched for pieces of candy. (And they always had to wait for the weekend to get a piece of candy!) I told Raine that the Easter bunny knew he was too young to earn peanuts, so he donated six eggs instead of candy. Oh my goodness those plastic eggs were EXCITING to Raine. Other gifts included a stuffed zebra, the best board book ever (Bunny Rabbit in the Sunlight --we gifted it to Enzo and I LUVED it so much, I had to get Raine a copy!), and swim trunks (a little early but one can hope!)

I wish I could say that after Raine went to bed, I did something super special for Dan for his 35th birthday. But I didn't. There was no cake/dessert or special present. I was tired and scatter-brained leading up to this birthday. I think he didn't mind though. We had cake twice with friends in Colorado, and he got himself the gift of a subscription to Golf Digest and a new putter. And I know he doesn't actually require much...Birthdays aren't a big deal to him. I am at least super glad that I managed to make him chuckle. I gave him a Taylor Swift birthday card. ;-)






p.s. All Easter day photos can be found here.