Hoppy days...

Busy Easter weekend for the Nockinbirds.  I've only just recovered.  And now we start TAKS testing.  Happy thoughts, think happy thoughts.  Saturday started with Build And Grow fun at Lowe's.

We now have a backless bird house suction-cupped to the window so we can see when we have guests.
After a refreshing snow cone, we got the news that the McKinney cousins had arrived!  It was off to the U-pick strawberry patch!

Look for the giant metal strawberry sculpture, you can't miss it.  Really.

Some of us were a little hesitant to embrace the agricultural life.

But we all got into the swing of it pretty quickly.

Little Miss, with the berry stained fingers, is a very productive picker.

Eight pounds of strawberries went home with us.  Not counting the two Lolo had a squishy grip on for the whole adventure.

Lolly came home with us for an afternoon of cousin fun.  Emily often takes advantage of a contorted Twister victim for some kiss stealing.

Which really ruins balance and concentration for all.

An unusual quiet fell over the house, and I realized the fun had moved outside.  They discovered Little Miss's "garden" is full of tiny snail shells.  You never know what unexpected treasures you may stumble upon.

Next, it was shells of a different kind... Easter eggs!

The egg spinner was not especially successful, but it was enjoyed.

FOUR! dozen Easter eggs.  It's worth a week of egg salad and devilled eggs for breakfast for all the fun they had.

We've had some serious family patience issues over the tying of shoes (which she almost has down) and pulling of socks juuuust right.  Sequined laceless sneakers seemed to be an option we can all live with.  If only she could wear them to school.  It's a fight every morning to get the uniform sneakers tied acceptably.  Ugh.  Hopefully a phase she'll phase out of over the summer.

The Easter Bunny came!! With Squinkies, Zoobles and Zhu Zhu puppies, oh, my!  Mr. Bunny went with a lamb this year, since we already have several Webkinz bunnies.

The festivities were at Molly and Papa's.  The half-installed sprinkler system made for a fun Easter egg hunt.

Nothing says Christian holiday like a cold brew at the kids' egg hunt.

Topped off by the best ham EVER and a carrot cake that could make you go off chocolate.  A very good Easter weekend.