The Weekend that Began on Thursday, and Kept Going 'Till we Dropped

It's Tuesday, I know, and Easter was so last weekend, but I was such an amazing weekend.  I still feel compelled to write about it.  Especially since I am pretty sure I was in diabetic shock all day yesterday from all of the candy I consumed, so I couldn't write about it then, even if I wanted to.

Our Easter weekend was a twofer...it was also Danielle's 20th Birthday on Saturday.  We kicked it off Thursday night at Hugo's parents' house.  Note the Double-X candles on her birthday cake.  My sister-in-law Alicia's idea.  XX.  Get it?  She was turning twenty.  Note also the exquisite Lemon-Lemon cake baked and decorated by my other sister-in-law Marina.  She was sad, because it melted on her way over from Burbank.  We weren't sad, because it melted in our mouths just like always.

Friday morning, Lee was awarded a Silver Award for his reading program at school, and he received an award in Math, as well.  Who was more proud?  Lee Bob, or his family?

OK.  Admittedly, they look bored to tears.  That's Tessa's arm in the black coat in the foreground, with an equally-bored expression hidden from my iPhone lens (she ducked back--not a fan of the camera, that one).  But, they were good sports for being there so early on the first day of their long weekend, and yes, they were proud of their little brother.

Hugo went off to work, the older kids went home, and I got to stay behind at Lee's school to take up my Room Mother duties.  We were planning on having our classroom Easter Party after lunch, and I had some party-prepping to do.  We did an Easter Egg Hunt, a darling Chickie-Craft, and a super-cute Bunny Racer snack craft made from Ho Hos and Peeps Bunnies.

The chickie is proudly displayed at home on our Door to the Future, which in the real world is the door that goes from our kitchen to the garage.  But, since our fridge isn't metal, magnets don't stick.  So special artwork, achievements, and family photos that haven't found a frame yet end up on The Door.

Later that night, we had Danielle's second leg of Birthday celebrating, but we had to stay local, since Hugo had a horrible commute from work, and got home kind of late.  We decided on some fun along some Route 66 destinations.  Legend's was our first stop.  It's a surfer-burger joint, and we always have a lot of fun when we go there.

We followed up dinner with a stop at the locally famous Donut Man.  Home of the Strawberry Donut, and rumored to be a favorite stop of Elvis Presley, when he was in LA.  Ever heard of a 4 1/2 - 5 Star donut establishment? Well worth the $13 for 6 donuts, and a bag of donut holes.

Saturday was Danielle's actual birthday, as well as Easter weekend.  Hugo, Abi, Lee, and I hit the city Easter Egg Hunt that morning, where Lee brought in a whopping 4 Easter Eggs.  But, there were so many kids, that 4 or so eggs each was about what they all got.  It was a lot of fun, actually.  We enjoyed hanging out with friends from school.

We later combined dying Easter Eggs with the Tisor Cousins, and the celebrating of Danielle's birthday Saturday night.

That's my sister Lori's forehead, and my nephew next to Lee.  My mom is helping Lee dye his eggs.  He's learning from the Master, and loving this special time with his Grammie.  Look at her hands. I love my mother's hands.

Danielle enjoyed being the Princess for the weekend, and we enjoyed giving her the throne.  She was so intensely loved, and celebrated.

Hugo and I each have very close, supportive, and loving families.  Both his family, and my family celebrate holidays with gusto, and when we got married, we had to map out a plan for how we would celebrate each one without dividing ourselves too much.  Easter is one of the holidays that we decided we would not divide in half.  Instead, we alternate years--one year, we spend it with my side, then the next we celebrate it with his family.  This year, it was the Ambriz' turn.  We still dye Easter Eggs with my side beforehand, so that was why we dyed on Saturday, Danielle's birthday.

Sunday morning, we remembered that Jesus had indeed risen, we discovered that the Easter Bunny had arrived, we went to church, and then we headed over to Hugo's parents' house for some Easter fun.  Danielle had to work. :(

There were 404 beautifully painted Easter eggs, meticulously crafted by the family.  Delicately handled.  Cherished, loved.  Carefully placed on the yard.  Openly scattered to make it easier for some of us.  Hidden skillfully, amongst the hundreds of plants in Elaine Ambriz' flower garden, for those seeking the challenge of the hunt.

Hugo and his family are die hard Nascar fans.  I think I might have mentioned it before.  Well, back in 2009, Matthew McConaughey was the Grand Marshall of the Daytona 500, and he had the honor of announcing the kick-off, or line-up, or whatever you call the beginning of the race.  The Ambriz' all decided that this was the perfect way to start their Easter Egg Hunt.  Take a listen.

Once Mr. McConaughey gives the go, the yard gate swings open, and it's mayhem, as children and adults alike race to see who gets the most eggs.  Some of them are filled with money.

They're collected, counted, the money-finders are celebrated, and then it's war!  Eggs smashed on the heads of everyone, by everyone.

Just look at my mother-in-law's beautiful yard!  I wish I got a picture of her joyful, and beautiful face, as she watched her children and grandchildren trash it.  She told me she has friends who can't believe that her grown children continue to get so into this particular event every year.  Her eyes shone as she told me that.  She took the following picture:

"Hugo, we are so blessed.  Look at this family.  And while we were here, smashing art, and making a mess of your parents' yard, the Tisor Family was swimming at the Mullins' house (my brother Gregg's wife Jorden's parents' house), celebrating Easter with just as much laughter.  Is this not a beautiful life?"

Thank you, God!