What a wonderful Easter!! I was very excited to host Easter this year. I was anxious for the kids to do their Easter egg hunt out on the farm and give everyone a chance to get out and walk around if they wanted to. Of course, part of that plan meant that the weather would have to cooperate, and it did. It was cooler than the day before but still very nice. So the weather was not an issue and it looked like it would be a great family gather. . . but, about 20 or 30 minutes before everyone was supposed to show up, Zelda decided to add some excitement.
I was carving the ham in the building when Aaron came in to tell me that Zelda had a skunk on the north side. We both went and looked out the window and there was Zelda with a dead skunk in her mouth, just rolling around with it so that it looked like she was wearing a fur stole around her neck. She would stop occasionally and start to gnaw on it. I thought surely it can’t smell too bad or she won’t be holding it in her mouth. But then, Ruth was out by Zelda and he the just rolling around, standing up again and doing that dip with the head into the ground, then sliding her side and back along that same spot in the grass to be sure she’s getting whatever smell it is all over body from head to tail. I told Aaron to go get Ken. My next thought was, we won’t be able to do the Easter egg hunt outside because it will smell so skunky . . .yuk. But Ken went out, picked up the skunk barehanded and put it in a feed sack. It must have been dead for a while because he said it didn’t stink too bad. Crisis averted:)
Ken sent Kalie and Aaron on a mission to put up a sign for Gabi. Ryli is taking drivers ed and that brought back memories of when Gabi was learning to drive.
We had a great meal, as always, plenty to eat and lots of leftovers. Bubba made her first pie and brought it, blueberry peach with a lattice top. She did a darn good job and it tasted great. She and Mason are building a house in Bennington. Glad to hear they’re staying in the area.
Gabi and Addie came down from Vermillion, Chad, Barbie and crew came from Sioux Falls and Jaci, Evie and Colin drove from St. Louis. It’s great that so many are willing to drive a few hours for an afternoon of good food, family and hopefully some fun. I know with kids especially, it can be a lot of work. I think everyone was very glad to see Aaron, Kalie and Emma. It took her a little while but she warmed up to a few people. She intently watched the other kids and did a pretty good job of eating too.
We had heard that Berkleigh didn’t like being held by anyone but her Mom, Dad and babysitter. Dennis and Carol couldn’t even hold her without her wanting Mom or Dad. So . . . it started, Steve brought her around the tables just chatting with people. He stopped at our table and I took her for a bit. She kept looking at me and then she started to cry. She went back to her Dad and then he moved on. A little later, here she was sitting on Evie’s lap. I think she had been held by Bubba and Gabi. Before the afternoon was over, Carol was holding her too. That worked out pretty well!!
The Easter egg hunt went great. I had bought all the kids, except Ryli, a sand bucket with a shovel for an Easter basket. I had gotten a pinwheel and a bottle of bubbles for each one and Aaron and Kalie helped me out by filling them with the candy and peeps. They also filled the eggs that we hid with jelly beans and robin eggs (malt balls). The first time Emma held one of the pinwheels she smelled it like it was a flower.
Colin helped Emma look for her eggs and then he shared some of the ones he had already found for himself. Such a great kid. After Evie found her basket and eggs she went back to playing with the animals and petting the horses. She really wanted to go horseback riding, but we told her we could do that when they come back in September for the Steele Family picnic.
Clean up was quick and easy with everyone’s help. Even Emma helped. And many thanks to Aaron and Kalie for helping us out. We really appreciate it!
I love having the Party Barn . . .