Easter Egg Hunt!

Before the hunt - the 7 & up age group and Runs with Spatula and Corky in the midst of the 4 - 6 age group, waiting to take pictures. Note that they are carefully stationed by a tree for safety. It gets nuts in there!

Well, I ended up chairing the Lansing Jaycees Annual Easter Egg Hunt on the Capitol Lawn. Unintentionally. It just didn't seem like anyone else was going to take it on at the first committee meeting. (Note to self: skip the first meeting next year.) This was my third year in a row chairing the event. I have a huge soft spot for this, as this is the first project I ever ran, and I feel it's gotten better each year. This year, with much thanks to a great committee and incredible weather, the project was a huge success. Jim, the gentleman at the Capitol who works maintenance for us for the event, estimated 800-plus people were there, and commented that it was the best-attended he's seen. And on a more personal note, he told me that he's always impressed with how well organized the group is.

And best yet, after several discussions and a little guilt trip on my brother, Jamie, that included me pointing out that I really don't ask him for much at all, which resulted in my brother guilting my nephew, Justin, he brought Justin up to Lansing for the event. Justin had declared to my brother and mom that he didn't like Easter Egg Hunts a week before the event. I knew that at nine years of age he was on the ragged edge of enjoying it, and they weren't able to make it up for the last two due to the blizzards, but I really wanted him to see the craziness that his ol' Auntie Carrie immerses in. I'm certain he got a speech that went a little like this: "Your Auntie Carrie goes to a lot of your swim meets and does a lot of nice stuff for you. She really wants you there. And I think you should do this for your Auntie Carrie." Nice parenting, Jamie! Justin did humor me a great deal. And he did enjoy himself - bonus! Jamie and Justin both seemed shocked at the sheer number of people there. I was excited to have my brother and nephew meet so many of my Lansing friends. And to top it off, my dear friend Kirk and his cousin Bridget also joined us to help out.


Me in my ears with Justin, and Justin with Click-It the Cricket (aka Angela), Jamie and Kirk.

And I know Justin appreciated me bringing the bunny head to Mom & Dad's house for Easter brunch. My godfather died a few years ago, and we remain very close with his family - Donna, his wife, Courtney and Matt, his daughter and son-in-law, and John, their two year-old son. They have spent Easter with us the past two years. Justin put the bunny head on for when little John arrived. What cracked me up the most was when he said to John, "Did I bring you everything you wanted?" while in the bunny head and his AC/DC t-shirt. Just gotta love that kid!


Justin rockin' out the bunny head and Mom and Nancy with some Easter cheer.