Eggs!!!

It's hard to believe that this time last year I was extremely pregnant with Mr Blue Eyes and preparing for Easter Sunday. 

What a difference a year can make.

Last year we held Easter festivities at my in-law's house. My sister-in-law was in town with my two beautiful nieces. My brother-in-law was in Afghanistan - again. Our Brown Eyed Girl was an only child. She and her cousins hugged and kissed each other. They searched for eggs on Easter morning. They ate their weight in candy. We anticipated the birth of our son.

What a difference a year can make. 

This year life is a little quieter. Our Brown Eyed Girl will be hunting eggs solo. I am sure Mommy, Daddy or two of her Grandma's will help. Mr Blue Eyes will most likely just sit and observe. It will be peaceful and quiet - with the exception of the Master's Tournament in the background, Handy Man glued to the screen.

I swung by my mom's house last night to pick up the kids and check out her new kitchen floors. While we were talking she asked me if I had already decorated Easter Eggs with the kids - We hadn't.

She asked me if I had already gotten eggs and a dye kit - I hadn't.

Well of course she was prepared. Anyone who knows my mother knows she probably has 10 Easter egg kits in her pantry. Wouldn't you know, she also just happened to have some hard-boiled eggs. I couldn't help but chuckle and suggest to just decorate eggs with her right then and there. She smiled. Her eyes said she secretly hoped I would say that.

Eggs have been viewed as symbols of new life and fertility through the ages. There is something about decorating Easter eggs that solidifies that Spring has arrived. New baby animals all around. It's time for flip-flops and tank-tops and cold adult beverages while planting flowers or relaxing in the afternoon.

To our Brown Eyed Girl, it's just plain fun! And the eggs are "Sooo boo-tiful!"

I have fond memories of using crayons to decorate our eggs before choosing which vibrant dye to dunk them into. We always made an egg for every person in our family and every animal in the house. Everyone got their own egg. 

Notice the dogs begging for cheerios in the back ground.

Coloring Easter eggs is probably one of my mother's top three favorite things to do.

She absolutely loves that little Brown Eyed Girl.

Grandma could care less that my Brown Eyed Girl was reaching right into the cups to pull out the eggs with her bare hands, dripping dye all over the counter. I on the other hand tried to micro manage the situation only to be given that mom look from my own mother accompanied by a, "She's doing just fine!" comment.

I took the hint.

Our Brown Eyed Girl was having a blast decorating eggs. 

Her masterpieces!

There is a long standing tradition in our house that once the last egg has been dyed, we take all the dye over to the sink for one last hurrah. 

It's comparable to the grand finale of the Fourth of July's fireworks show - only on a much, much smaller level.

Okay, so in reality it's nothing close to a fireworks display.

But when my sister and I were kids - pouring the remaining dye down the sink was magical. 

I made sure to text message a picture to my sister.

She was jealous I think.

I wished she was here.

Even at 32, the blue is my favorite color. 

Always the best finale to dying our Easter eggs.