Spring Shoots for Winter Souls

 

(by Millie)

                                                                         (by Millie)

Observe the perennially late Abigail offer snapshots from April as December descends in real life.

Be warned-- April is a birthday month. Birthday months warrant many ill-lit, blurry evening snapshots.
 

Birthday Fool

April 1st is one of the best days of the year, thanks to this grinning girl. What a day to be born! What a girl! Our favorite Fool!

With each birthday, the birthday couch conquers yet more surrounding territory. It'll be a Birthday Empire before much longer. 

Nixie had some long spots of hardship in the new year, and the disappointment of continuing knee problems on her birthday was offset by a mysterious birthday package from an online friend. Joseph may never know that his gift kept her occupied and happily intent for hoooours on April 1st...as did a bag of homemade granola bars from Piper and Lucinda. :)

Ezekiel begged to arrange the French toast and sausage, along with the toothpicks in the berry sauce.

Fruit, cream, and sweet bread in morning...

...and fruit, cream, and sweet cake before bed-- now that's the way to celebrate a birthday!

I have no pictures of her birthday baconless-chicken ranch sandwiches for supper (without the bacon because I forgot it in the rush of making the rest of the stuff-- oops), but here are some pictures of the trifle, with Skylark to fill in the gaps.

While looking at pictures of herself as a little girl, Annika has often said she wishes she could hug and squeeze her younger self. I'm pretty sure that Skylark is the closest she'll get to that granted wish! Sweetness.

Happy birthday, wonderful girl. It's a gift to watch you grow into adulthood with such grace and joy. Though the shadows are more apparent now that you're older, I'm grateful that, in darkness, you turn toward the Light. May it ever be so!  God is your comfort, He is your defender, He is your peace-- an everpresent help in trouble. Happy 17th, Nixie Pixie! We love you!

 

Easter Sunday 2021

Easter morning. The chocolate surprise eggs were Very Surprised that I was able to complete everything by the time children awoke.

John and I are attractive eggs.

Youth! Happiness! Sugar!

Old age. Darkness. Coffee.

Squinty eyes after church.

Terrible quality pictures of good people...

I was being goofy and literally shot these from the hip...

...except for this picture of lovely Didi, for which I looked through the viewfinder.

Lucky Ransom.

 

Seeking Sugar

...and finding it!

Pippin found his basket first.

followed by Tadhg investigating the tires.

It was so much fun to watch the boys this year. Tadhg, especially, has caught right on, and they're a delight to observe.

Lark! Look in the bucket!

When I went out to hide Cadence's basket, I heard a muffled giggle, and there she was, CHEATING by looking through the bathroom window. 

I made sure someone oversaw her stint of waiting, and then she was off. 

The big people played volleyball while the little people hunted. 

Jess was quite attentive to Aidan, as she always is, but more so because she knew big things were at stake.

HURRAH! Success. 

Zeke found his in a flash.

Luci flitted about in the cold wind like a misplaced butterfly.

I cheated by hiding her basket in the same location as Zeke's. I grow old; I grow old.

Pippi was next!

Susannah must have been freezing. My body temperature decreased by 5 degrees just looking at her. 

And then my camera froze and wouldn't even take a picture of her with her basket. This is it.

As you can tell, both daylight and my desire to be outside hiding baskets and taking snapshots were waning. 

Annika. In a tree. Like usual. Of course.

And then Mildred on the hunt in near total darkness, carting little monkeys around the yard on her back.

I hid it under scrap lumber in the burn pile. What a meanie!

It was a long day, a full day, a good day. 

The End.

Bonus picture! Haven and August came up the next day for games in the sunshine!

The End.

For Real This Time.

Except for this note we found on our dry erase board when all was said and done.

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