The culmination of easter events was our family get-together Sunday afternoon at the beach. My Uncle John and Aunt Kim rent a beach house in Rio Del Mar every year and they invited us all there to celebrate easter this year. We just didn't plan on the stormy monsoon! It's a great beach house right on the sand- but it was a tight fit to keep all 25 of us inside! Somehow it worked out just fine and was a loud, boisterous, delicious, typical family event :)

The big contest this year was the "easter bonnet" competition. James, Joe, Marla and Emily always take it up a notch!

My mom made felt bonnets for the girls- and a matching one for Jannie!

Aunt Kim and Uncle John in their "bonnets"

Luke and his LaffyTaffy sombrero

Entertaining

UJ and MM

Big-man-to-be-on-campus Connor sporting Baby Jackson's eggo-head

Spoiled with treats and candy from Allison and her mom (thanks!) and in Sunday easter best (or best for the cold beach weather- thanks again Kerri!)

Allison raided the Fresno Target when she was there for work for some Liberty of London duds for the girls- everywhere around here sold out of the cute stuff! (we saw one lady with a shopping cart FULL of it on the first day- going to sell it on on eBay. Target is genius)

How many family members can you fit in one beach house?

Playing in the loft with Luke and Ella

Andy and John manning the BBQ and trying to stay dry (nice work pawning it off UJ!)

Big Jerry and Little Maisie!

We sure missed Emmy this year- It's not a family function without her :) But she is off having the time of her life with friends in Australia! So Johnners, Connor and I tried to channel our inner-Emmy and made this just for her.

and then my brother joined us and the boys found another purpose for hard boiled eggs

Connor, Heff, John and Jerry

Torturing my 11 month old- trying to make her make her "wind in the face" pucker up outside! And yes this counted as my hat submission. It says "happy easter" in ghetto fabulous.

James and Em staying dry

Ella taking good care of Francie on the bunk beds

Story telling

Funny Baby

my first attempt at embedding picasa video. did it work? I( think you have to click on the image if you actually want to watch it.

Mimi and Claire

sooo cute

Drew and James taking a break

"Why is it raining?!"

Aw is that a pout Maisie Moo?

some of us venturing out to watch the birds that came in

We thought they were after our eggs but they just flew in to give us a show!

and then awarding prizes for the bonnet winner

Ella and Kim made me a cute bunny cake for my birthday!

Thanks Ella :)

"Lemme tell you somethin..."

HAPPY EASTER from the whole bunch at the beach.

*side note. I left my computer open on a bench while I was getting the girls bathed/dressed this morning and the subjetct line of this post magically turned to this: >[.\M P|er at The Beach'\' : :3eZQS. I'm pretty sure it was Maisie since Francie's typing looks more like this "FFFFFFFFFFFF." Maybe Maisie's friend B has been trying to teach her to write code or something?! ;)