Easter Pics

        

    

 

Before and After

Bunny Cake Before.                               Bunny Cake After.

 

Pychynski Egg Before.                            Pychynski Egg After.

Easter Bread Before.                             Easter Bread After.

             

Jack’s Hair Before.                                 Jack’s Hair After.

Ducks!

 

I called my niece, Josie, this week to connect with her mom Lisa. But her mom was gone so I asked if anything was new in her life. To which she replied, “well, we got ducks in Kansas City.” The two Groves’ ducks, Bell and Taco joined the family a couple weeks ago and they are so sweet. They definitely added a special springtime, new life feel to our Easter weekend!

   

  

 

Macy’s 8th floor Spring Flower Show

 

 

On Saturday, my mom, my mother-in-law, my grandma and I went to Macy’s downtown to see their spring flower display. It was pretty, though not quite in full bloom. But the four of us shared lunch in the Skyroom after we saw the flowers and I just can’t get over how fortunate I am to have these women as my greatest role models and loudest supporters. It was a treasured moment for me.

PYCHYNSKI Easter Eggs!

Oh man, do I have a favorite Easter tradition joining my world of traditions. I already cannot wait for next year. Last year Lisa had Sara and I over for a ladies afternoon of Ukrainian Egg dying, known as Pychynski. Lisa is Polish and Ukrainian so to learn from her is really incredible. So this year I wrote her an email that said, “I’d like to invite myself over for more egg dying (and my mom and my grandma)” She wasn’t going to get all the gear out this year, but I am so THANKFUL that she did:

 

When we showed up, we each had a station (Rory took Grandma’s place) and 14 colors of dye to choose from.

 

We began by drawing with pencil on our blown eggs, then adding bee’s wax with a special tool to draw on our eggs, and would dye the egg in the next color. This is horribly hard to explain (I’ve tried all weekend) but something you MUST try to experience one day.

 

Lisa got us babushka’s for our hair! Don’t we fit the part?!! She is the master teacher…honestly, I think she could offer this for the month before Easter and make some money next year! It’s a hard art form to teach, but she was so patient and made a killer lunch with aged provolone! 🙂

     

 

 

 

It was a phenomenal morning and afternoon. And we left evidence that we had been there…

I always say there are three words that describe Lisa Groves: Above and Beyond.

I love being her sister.

Kyle+Sushi=happiness.

Rory’s brother Kyle came to Omaha on business last week! This was very exciting for us. Other than Minnesotans who drive through Nebraska on their way to Colorado, we are thinking it will be rare for family and friends to actually make it to Omaha. But Kyle came on business and we were so excited to have family in town!

I remember thinking often while on our fall road trip, how nice it was to spend time with just one family or relatives, or just one relative. It felt like we got to know a lot of family and friends much better in the smaller numbers. I thought this when Kyle was here too. To have uninterrupted conversation was really, really nice (no offense to noisy nieces and nephews and loud family gatherings).

He and Rory shared a brother-laugh that left them both in tears for a good chunk of the time we were at Maggie Moos. Priceless.

Kyle took us out for Sushi and I shall never be the same. I used to be leery, but I am now a believer. And I can’t wait to go back for more.

Keep an eye out for new author, Mara.

My niece has been working very hard at preschool this year. Her mom and dad just sent me this story as proof:

Eaten by a Leopard Seal!

by Mara

Once upon a time two leopard seals ate up a penguin. Then the giraffe and the leopard seals got thrown in the dungeon forever. Then the giraffe couldn’t come out. Then the leopard seals couldn’t come out forever. Then the leopard seals couldn’t ever have his birthday. They didn’t get any presents in the dungeon. Their underwear was stuck to the dungeon. They never could get their underwear off!

Then the little penguin got them out of jail. Then their ears were stuck to the jail forever. They never wanted their mommy and daddy. Then the rat chewed up the leopard seals. They wanted to go in the jail forever. The End.

StrengthsFinder 2.0

Rory just took the StrengthsFinder inventory and took a screen capture of this question (which is impressive to me because it is a timed test and displays really quick thinking on his part). He saved it and later told me, “Hey look. They made a questions with you and me as the continuum. 

Rory’s top strengths are: Strategic and Achiever

My top strengths are: Positivity and Communicator

I’d say Gallup has got us pretty well figured out.

Change of plans: Church Convo is moving…

…to my other blog, www.beccagroves.blogspot.com I think it will fit better over there. So click on over and join the conversation there…