Hippity Hop Part Two

{first, OH MY GOSH, our cute cute cute cookies that a bunch of almost 2 year olds decorated for Easter. They were deemed "eat at your own risk" and I'm happy to report that 2 were taken, one was stopped mid-eat and one sat lonely on a plate. They were just for show :) hehe}

{Hubby's aunt and uncle live on an adorable little pond, which is terrifying but fun for the kids. We love  their property and Eddie especially loved having all of the ducks (geese) around}

{Michael and his Grandpa Jim feeding the geese...taken by my father in law}

{Michael and Eddie feeding the geese}

{squeee! so handsome!}

{oh my gosh you cannot even imagine the tears shed over this stroller. oh, wait! i can show you!!}

{Michael's amazing pouty face, after Eddie stiff-armed him away from the stroller}

{easter egg hunts!!}

{go eddie go!}

{go meika go!}

{michael with the two egg win!}

{eddie was happy just hanging out with his one egg}

{while michael and meika continued the hunt}

{more eggs? where?}

{eddie stealing everyone else's eggs}

{and the wonderful family that I married into, a family that I love like my own, all watching the kids play. I am so lucky and blessed to be able to raise my son with such wonderful people around!}

Hippity Hop Part One

Phew! After reviewing all of my pictures from Easter, we're going to have to split them into two parts. There are far too many to jam into one post...

{bug going thru his easter basket, filled with lots of his favorite - ducks and chickies!}

{sigh. so handsome!}

{spying while the adults hide eggs}

{....and he's off!}

{stuck under the tree...}

{easter egg hunting is HARD! time for a little break}

{checking out his loot}

{not a fan of that one...it was thrown seconds later}

{Happy Easter (part one) from the Turza Fam!}

Soapbox

Please excuse me while I jump on my soapbox.


While I was pregnant and on bed rest, I became addicted to my OnDemand. I watched every program out there - from the Discovery Channel to TLC to WE to Lifetime and eveything in between. I fell in love with a show called "Whale Wars" which chronicled the fight of the Sea Shepherd, an anti-whaling ship. They literally went to war trying to protect the whales that Japanese ships hunt, then sell off for their meat. One episode, which was particularly heartbreaking, showed the Japanese ships killing whales right infront of the crew that was trying to stop them. Against the large Japanese fleet, the Sea Shepherd's crew was an ant. They tried like hell to stop them and lost. The Japanese were no longer afraid of the Sea Shepherd and showed them exactly that.

While we wait for the new season, I've periodically gone on the Sea Shepherd's website. I forgot about it until today, when I visited and caught up on what happened in this year's whaling season. And while there were great successes, there was also one incredibly troubling incident, which you can read about here.

The captain of their new smaller ship was taken prisoner after trying to execute a citizen's arrest of the Japanese capitan that ran his ship over and literally cut it in half. While trying to get out of the sinking ship, the Japanese whaling ship then aimed their water cannons and the crew. These Japanese whalers literally tried to kill that whole crew. The captain is now in a Japanese prison while he awaits trial.

How can you show your support? Simple. Send Captain Bethune an email of support at supportpete@seashepherd.org . Let him know you're thinking of him, tell him he rocks, whatever. He can read (but not respond) to the emails when his legal representation is present and these help keep his spirits high! I sent my email and gave him my support. Can you spare a minute? It would be appreciated.


::::off of soapbox::::


Thanks, guys! Don't worry, Easter pictures will be coming, soon :)

First...

I know it's Easter and trust me, I have a gazillion adorable pictures to show you all. But first thing's first.....today is my Momma's birthday and I have to give her a big, huge I LOVE YOU shout out! Happy Birthday, Mom!!!!

{cutest.picture.ever}

{i didn't have a birthday candle, so we improvised!}

{singing happy birthday to Nanna!}

{eddie helping nanna blow out the candle}

{little mister went from person to person asking for bites of their cupcake. little mooch!}

Easy Rider

Sometimes you just want to feel the wind in your hair.....

....know what I mean?

As I told my brother about this later, I said "I rode on Eddie's ATV and it actually WENT!"......of course, my dad jumps in with the zinger. Without a hesitation he goes...

"I think it was really trying to get away from you."

OUCH!

Ramblings

• We had an awesome playdate today with a bunch of Hubby's cousins, including the adorably pregnant J and her sister...J (ha!) who came in from North Carolina. There was toy stealing and crying and playing and cookie decorating and there may have even been a moment when Eddie ran over his buddy Shelby with a ride-on tractor thing. It wasn't the highlight of the playdate, so I'll just leave it at that. I also forgot my camera, so I'm waiting on some emailed pictures to post!
• In a totally random rambling, I stopped at my favorite winery Prairie State Winery to pick up some wine for this weekend. To my delight, I found out that my favorite Winter Berry was actually their staple Prairie Berry but with a holiday label. So I can get my most favorite wine all year round!!!! Bad for the budget. Good for Momma. I may or may not have already dipped into my supply for the weekend. Hehee.
• Speaking of this weekend, I am going to be having a fancy schmancy dinner party tomorrow in honor of my Mommy's birthday. I'm super excited that my brother and sister in law are able to come up, too! I can't wait to have them hang out with Eddie where he is most comfortable to really see his personality :)
• Yum. Wine! Sorry....I told you I was going to ramble...

The Incredible Hulk and Incredible Day

True story:

I am on the phone with my father. Eddie begins lifting up the chaise portion of our sectional couch. Like, lifting off of the ground. Over and over and over again. And part of me is all "wow, that's kinda impressive!" because, seriously...it kinda is. But the sensible mommy portion of my brain told my dad to hold on and continued with this conversation..

"Eddie, no. We do not lift up couches. No, Eddie. No. Couches are for sitting, not for lifting! No lifting the couch. Put the couch down. Eddie. PUT.DOWN.THE.COUCH. Eddie! NO! Stop lifting up the couch!"

:::::::lots of tantrum-y crying ensues::::::

Back to Dad....."Dad, I cannot believe I seriously just had that conversation with my one and a half year old."


Sigh. Is my son weirdly strong or what? Who lifts up a couch for fun? Strange little munchkin.



Anyway.....
Yesterday was an awesome day to live in the Chicagoland area, with its super sunny skies and 75 degree temperatures. Anyone that did not take advantage of the gorgeousness of that day should be severely punished. So, like any good spring loving family, we made the most of it!

Hubby hit some golf balls in the back while Eddie napped. Once he got up, we went to the gorgeous and super busy Morton Arboretum (love the Children's Garden!) and then went and got some frozen yogurt at the yumola Red Mango. It may go down in history as one of my favorite afternoons ever!

{we're stroller-less! yay for making the kid walk!}

{my adorable little bug posed like this until  I got the picture...he was so proud of himself for climbing up there!}

{eddie climbed up the big hill}

{thought it was a slide and scooched his tooshie down the whole thing}

{then his little grass stained toosh went up and did it again}

{one of the sculptures in Tobin's "Steelroots" exibit...these sculptures are simply gorgeous. There are small ones, huge ones, black, white and brown ones. The white ones shine like hidden little gems throughout the woods....such a neat thing to be able to see!}

{the down side to being stroller-less....the kid doesn't want to walk anymore and doesn't think that ridding on mommy's shoulders is fun}

{omg...nom! pomegranate frozen yogurt with mango topping...so delish!}

{love.this.picture.}

{going...}

{...going...}

{...gone!}

Oh, Spring. Thank you for wonderful days like yesterday! Today it is supposed to get up into the 80's, so I'm thinking it may be time to break out the sprinkler thing that we got at the end of last summer. Eddie running through the sprinkler may just make today my other favorite day!