Easter Fun

There's never a dull moment...

getting buried in the sand....

building sand forts...

digging great big holes...(yep, this is the wild child right here...)

dying Easter eggs...

Shelby even got one...(no, she didn't get to eat it...sad but true)

posing for goofy photos for Grandmother...

So...here's what I got done even with all that craziness...mostly while sitting on the deck watch those three monkeys play on the beach...periodically yelling..."GET OUT OF THE WATER, YOU GOOFBALL!"


 a jellyroll race quilt...

scrap pinwheels made from the corners cut off my Swoon quilt...

a Trip Around the Garden, the smaller variety...

scraps left over from a signature quilt (inspired by Nancy)...

a wool kit from Shakerwood Woolens.

And before you scream at me, I only had the binding left to do on all these...so put away that voodoo doll!

Happy Easter

The first few years that there was a sunrise service at Holden Beach, there were only a handful of folks that would meet in the parking lot of the fishing pier.  There were so few that there was no need for a sound system and there was enough coffee and doughnuts for everyone.

Now, there are no coffee or doughnuts.  There are just too many people making their way in the dark to the beach to  stand in whatever weather there is...this year there were high winds....but never rain.

The sun always rises.

Instead of standing in the parking lot, the preacher and choir have a spot built into the pier so everyone can see them and hear them....even when the wind interferes with the sound system.

I am amazed at the shear number of people that show up.

It is a testament in itself.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter!

Participating

For about 30 years, my family has spent Easter weekend at Holden Beach. It's a nice quiet family beach in southern NC and is one of my favorite places on earth. In years past, I would spend the weekend in the house for the most part, quilting at the kitchen table mostly because it was a struggle to do much else. Things are different now. One, I can't get to the kitchen table for all the computers - one dad and three nephews playing on their computers takes up too much space and two, I want to be outside because I can.

Participating in the traditional family Easter weekend this year included:

A long walk on the beach with my mother and sister-in-law catching up and telling on each other

Crabbing with the nephews, my mother and my "adopted" brother, Larry. (He's really adopted my parents and I love him for that.)

The first unfortunate crab

(note - this was a catch and release program. no crabs or little boys were injured in this activity.)

Ashman the Bucket Boy

The Crab Catchers (and Bucket Boy)

Larry and Mom

(yes, she put on lipstick to go out on the beach to catch crabs in the dark.

It's a rule - never leave the house without lipstick on.)

Friday night after crabbing, Larry wanted to go to Paradise Cafe down the street where they were having karaoke. I was game. No one else would get off the couch so I participated in my first ever karaoke night. (When I say participate, I mean watch everyone else get up and sing like fools while I laugh until my sides hurt. I can't carry a tune in a bucket.) About midnight my bio-brother showed up. He walked up to me and says "mama sent me down here to bring you home".

I laughed.

He wasn't kidding.

Yes, I'm 46, not 16.

He then promptly went to join Larry and the rest of the singers in a round of Jimmy Buffet favorites.

We all three left about an hour & a half later.

It was the most fun I've had with my brother ever.

The next day Larry geared the nephews up for a sand sculpture. I suggested a snake and they though that was a great idea. (I love being the cool aunt.)

Then time sitting on the beach with my dad and husband watching Uncle Larry wear out the nephews (or vice sersa).

Saturday night was much more subdued. Mom, Dad, Larry, Dave and I went to the Sugar Shack for dinner...which pretty much did us in for the rest of the night.

Sunday morning, Mom, Larry and I went to the sunrise service on the beach...something we've done most of my life. It's always wonderful and feels like coming home.

When we got back to the house, there was the usual breakfast rush and Easter Egg Hunt.

Then everyone packed it up and headed home. Dave, Shelby and I were last to leave. It's surprising how quiet and big that house gets once that last truck pulls out of the driveway. I used to only enjoy the quiet but now that I can participate I've grown to like the chaos.


Mama was right - it is what you make it.

Grateful Weekend

This weekend was spent, as every Easter weekend, at the beach house. It was wonderful - the weather, the family, the nephews.

Look at these two peas in a pod.

On Easter morning, my mom and I always get up early and head to the peir for the Sunrise Service. For 20 -25 years, it has never rained...it's been so cold, we thought we would freeze to the sand, but no rain. This year was no exception. A bit cold, but beautiful.

Dave and I took off just before lunch so we could get home for another celebration of short. We had tickets to the tour opener of The Dead in Greensboro. He'd never been to a Dead concert so it was an experience for him. The festival in the parking lot was on as usual, which is always fun. (We got to walk around and see just how normal we are in the grand scheme of things.)

The concert? Well...it was beyond great. It'll never be the same without Jerry but it was pretty darn good.