Soccer and Eggs

What's up, America.

So apparently there's two soccer seasons up here in Midland.  I didn't know sports had more than one season, but, then again, I've never been one to consider myself an athlete.

Abby once again decided to take part in soccer this year, taking up with a new team (the kids are shuffled around so they're always playing with new kids), and ended up on the same team as several of the same girls from her girl scout troop (the one Kris co- den mothers.)  Unlike in the Fall, when Abby was super gung-ho about playing soccer, this time around she was kind of, well, 'meh' about the whole thing.  She enjoyed suiting up for her very first game, but that's honestly where the fun died.

She didn't seem to get into the game very much at all, and afterwards asked if she could refrain from playing soccer for the rest of the season (not that my six year old used the actual word 'refrain.')  We convinced her to stick with it, mostly because we had just written another frickin' $95 check to the Midland Soccer Club so she could play for the whole season, and were sure that wasn't refundable.

And because someone in this damn family of ours has to be athletic at something.

Here we go. . .

Abby's new team are called The Cheetahs (not to be confused with a team from last season, The Sparkle Cheetahs.)

Throwing soccer balls?  Our kid excels at that.  Kicking, dribbling, or pursuing the ball?  Not so much.

Abby, attempting to steal the ball from her own teammate.

A rare shot of Abby kinda looking like she's actually playing soccer, instead of jogging along at a considerable safe distance behind the ball.

Dad and Cindy swung by to check out Abby's first game of the season. . . and to be wowed by her athletic prowess on the field.

Good game, good game (no idea who won.)

After the game, and after Dad and Cindy had returned to Clare, we decided to let the girls decorate some Easter Eggs.  This meant buying the mandatory pack of Paas dye and preparing ourselves for a ridiculous amount of picture taking.  Seriously: how does the Paas company sustain itself for the rest of the fiscal year?  It truly has the monopoly on Easter Egg dye, but is that enough?  Someone look into that for me, please.

"Q:  Wanna dye some Easter Eggs?  A:  No thanks, I think I'll PAAS."  - Get it?!  I seriously just made that shit up just now. 

Watching my kids remove dyed eggs from the vinegar/Paas mixture is like watching a bomb technician trying to defuse a bomb by snipping colored wires at random.

This arbor's in rough shape.  Thank God we only rent this house (for another two months!)

Sunny afternoon on the back porch

A year later, still Watson's favorite chew toy (courtesy of Granny.)

Kris gets in on the "fun."

NO idea what the hell she drew on this egg. . .

Works in progress

I need to shave.

Alayna thought it'd be hilarious to mimic each emoji egg she designed.  She's so used to an SLR being stuck in her face that there's literally no shyness in this kid whatsoever anymore.

This egg just crapped its pants.

My egg looks like some snobby art curator or some crappy hipster after drinking a skunky IPA.

Abby clearly has no idea what the hell is happening.

Emoji eggs, courtesy of The Houghs, v 2.0.

In your face, America.

- Brian

The Bunny Hath Risen!

Let's hear it for the reason behind the Easter Baskets. . .

The Bunny Returneth!

All Hail Child-Driven Merchandising!

I don't really identify as a Christian, but even I think Easter is a pretty shameless excuse for a holiday in today's society.  If I was of a super devout nature, why, I might be downright pissed.

Anyway, I'll save that shpeel for another time.  Nobody comes to this blog to hear what I think about mass-commercialism or theology, so I'll spare you that ol' yarn.  Instead, I'll give you readers what you do come here for:  copious amount of pictures of my family accompanied by shitty captions.

'Tis the season.

The day before Easter, Kris and I broke out the vinegar and the Paas for some good ol' fashioned egg coloring.  'Cause we're big fans of tradition around these parts.  And hard-boiled eggs soaked in food dye. 

Patiently awaiting the dye tablets to dissolve. . .

Easter Lilies.

Not the easiest lens to use, but I do enjoy breaking out the 40mm from time to time.

Abby demands clarification on Paas procedures

By far the worst part of this process is waiting for those stupid Paas tablets to dissolve.

The warmer weekend was much appreciated by our sun-obsessed dog, Watson.

The egg-dunking begins. . .

Watson relocates to the back deck to soak up more sun.

Once the eggs were dyed, the next step was putting on the neon, shrink-wrapped covers 

This process, as Kris was soon to find out, was pretty painful.  The covers shrunk to the eggs with heat, but that meant having a hairdryer blowing insanely hot air two inches from your skin. . . 

Problem solved. 

The finished product.

A little while later, Dad and Cindy swung by for a brief visit (they were in town to have their dog groomed and to visit us and my two brothers' families), and were nice enough to bring some Easter-themed cookies from Clare, MI's own Cops and Doughnuts.

The girls woke up around 6:30am Easter morning, which was relatively late for them.  Kris and I definitely didn't mind.

Every Easter, in addition to the usual hidden eggs around the house, Kris and I set out a scavenger hunt around the house for our girls, which ultimately leads to their Easter Baskets.  We taped the first clue to the fireplace, where the girls would easily spot it when they first woke up.

Keepin' it classy for Easter, as always.

No, not that bathroom. . .

That's the one.

Down into the basement for the next clue. . .

Kris' office.

No idea why Watson was so into this scavenger hunt, but he kept up with the girls throughout the process, apparently offering his advice.

Back into the basement. . .

As excited as they were, the girls were still good enough to remember that they weren't allowed to touch my turntable, so they waited for me to retrieve the clue for them (which totally wasn't necessary - I would've let the rule slip for this.  Just this once.)

The treasure at the end of the hunt, in the girls' "Secret Room" under the stairs in the basement.

We cut back on basket candy this year (God knows there was enough jelly beans and chocolates in the eggs we hid around the house), replacing it with more of those annoying Shopkins and loose change/bills (hidden in eggs), and small toys.  Better that than sugar.

Kris and I had to throw together Watson's basket this year with random crap we had lying around in the cupboard (check out the sweet Sentinel flea medicine he scored this year), seeing how we had completely forgotten about it.  He wouldn't have gotten even that, had Alayna not pondered ,over last night's dinner, what the Easter Bunny was going to bring Watson for Easter (Kris and I then exchanged looks of horror, and managed to throw together the disaster you see here.)

Digging into their baskets. . . 

 

God, I hate these things. . . 

 

As in every previous Easter Basket, Kris the Easter Bunny once again bought the girls Easter dresses.

These Little Live Pets were a pretty big hit with the kids.  Due to their obsession with animals, we kinda figured they would be.  You can record your own sayings and the birds say them back in a higher, more bird-like voice.  They also move their beak and whistle/say over 30 phrases/tunes.  More than a little annoying, but I'll take it any day of the week over the usual Shopkins bullshit.

That's one way to eat an entire 'carrot' full of Reese's Pieces. . .  

The bottom of the basket in sight. . . 

Chompin' away at the chocolate bunny's head 

Suited up and ready to go to an obligatory Easter Sunday church service (this wasn't the best angle, thanks to the harsh sunlight.) 

Still not quite there. . .

Getting a good picture of these two is maddening.

The keeper. 

The usual.

- Brian