easter week

It was a great week, bright and sunny.

There was a preschool service and songs, very nice.

They found a wooly bear caterpillar, which is always a good thing.

 We filled the pinata with candy, ready to take to Pam and Paul's on Sunday.

 It's safely held in the trunk to keep thieves out of it.

 A little piano practice:

 And there was this very quiet, worried-looking poodle in the house visiting.  Apparently it came over with James' friend Manny?   Got right up on the couch pillows, seemed to know what to do.

My cousin put these on our cousins facebook page today.   I love these pictures.

Those are my cousins Kelly, Tammy, and Missy in the sandbox in our grandparents' back yard.

I am so fond of my cousins. They're as sweet and beautiful now as they were then.

 Here's Missy and Tammy with their parents and brother Doug, a few years later.

 Missy and Tammy in the big flowered rocker, below--  Missy had a blanket called her beau that she carried around a lot while she sucked her thumb.   Later I had five thumb-kids of my own.    When my dad asked James what his thumb tasted like he said, "Like chicken."

See how blue Missy's eyes were?  Kelly's were equally dark brown.

 Tammy tells us this picture is of my mother's dad and his sisters, holding baby chicks.

 More cousins.  That's Kelly in the plaid, Tammy with the red bow.  Kelly's brother Dean in the blue shirt.  My little brother is sitting on the stool in overalls. That's the back of my head, and Pam next to me.

 Here we are with Grandma, dressed for church.  Pam's the little one.  That goofy guy in the bedroom doorway is my mom's little brother.

Tammy, Tammy, thank you for sending these.

Onward.  The eggs are boiled, and it's almost Saturday.

love you all, Val