Good Eggs

As the big Easter Egg Hunt approaches, bags of candy-filled eggs are multiplying like rabbits at our house.  Every time I get home, there are bags on the doorstep and more bags in the pile in the entryway.  Today, Ptolemy discovered that those brightly colored "balls" are, indeed, as fun as they look.  There is candy inside!  I guess it's time to move the whole stash to the back of the car where Tolly can't pillage the eggs for treats.  Freestone, Jake, Ari and Xanthe have been working today on our share of the eggs.  We do 50 dozen extra eggs because, even though everyone is generous with their contributions, it just works out that way.  Once, I didn't do extras and I was sad;  it seemed like a lot of kids didn't get enough eggs.  We want overkill, people, OVERKILL!  It's challenging when Ptolemy opens the eggs and eats the candy as fast as the kids fill them, but it's all so much fun.  He brought me a piece of candy this morning and said, "Hide it!"

We also have a more delicious variety of eggs, the malted milk kind in the chocolate coconut nests, courtesy of Aunt Michelle.  We have had the opportunity to have Michelle and Jake move in with us for awhile, hence the proliferation of delicious dinners and fancy treats.  There is something to be said for having an extra mom in the house, especially one who is a gourmet chef and loves to hang out on the floor with kids, playing games and talking about topics like how the turkey was once going to be our national bird.  Freestone moved into the "attic" with Golda, and Ruby moved into the Panda Princess Palace with Xanthe, transforming the purple room into a little treasure box of hot pink and bright orange.  Freestone's vast collection of stuffed dogs has been hard on Golda's tidy sensibilities, but I heard the two kids discussing baptism and other topics late at night the other night, and I realized the two of them were going to be fine roommates.  Golda has never had the chance to be on the receiving end of Freestone's endless nighttime conversation, and she gets a kick out of it.  Michelle and Jake have a cute little suite downstairs, including the newly-tiled bathroom, a bedroom each and a cozy living room. 

The new living arrangement has been beneficial all around so far, between the delicious dinners Michelle has prepared, the extra driver to get the kids around, the incentive of a built-in friend to play with after homework and practicing is done, and the unique opportunity to strengthen our relationships with Jake and Michelle as well as among the siblings who now share rooms.  Golda was scrounging for a snack to eat on the way to her band festival last night.  I suggested an apple.  Then Michelle said, "Here, why don't I just give you one of these (homemade!) pesto mozzarella chicken wraps to go?"  No doubt about it, my kids are in heaven.  As a "party of ten," we are as snug and content as eggs in a carton, and looking forward to more eggciting adventures together.  Sometimes when you think life is throwing rotten eggs at you, it turns out the eggs are really full of sweets.  We love you, Michelle and Jakey!  You're good eggs.