Here we are …

Here we are on Easter Sunday … three generations of shining faces.  That’s my mom and my two daughters with me, in case you are new to MSJ.  We are an international crew.  Grandma and Larisa born in Canada. I was born in the USA and Nora in Colombia.  And we’re okay with all that.  Free trade and all that. “All that” really does include a lot of passports/fees/paperwork/fingerprinting…. and it’s all good.

Family dinners are a joy to behold.  Lots of laughter.  Lots of thankful hearts.  Not only for the resurrection of our Lord, but for the family with whom He has surrounded us. 

Favorite quotes from this year’s Easter dinner:

Seven-year-old nephew, when asked what he wanted to drink, “I’ll have rootbeer.  But if there’s no root, I’ll just take the beer.” (We are not a drinking family, so it was quite amusing!)

Eight-year-old daughter, after her father said, “There are E G G S around the R O O M.  We will H U N T after C H U R C H.”  “Hey, I think you guys spelling so I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

My pound-dropping husband, “This is the leanest and greenest Easter dinner I’ve ever eaten!”

He is risen indeed!

Pink Foamy Rollers!!!

Yes, Nora was initiated into the pink foamy roller beauty treatment last night!  It was her first time ever having curlers in her beautiful, long black hair.  Her hair has some natural curl to it, so it held the curls all day without spray.  The real deal was…. we were practicing for Easter.  I didn’t want an afro on Easter Sunday for my darling Colombian princess.

Growing up, my sister and I wore these foamy pink wonders every single Saturday night… so we, along with all the other girls at Sunday School, mirrored Shirley Temple with bouncy ringlets to show off our mother’s talent at rolling hair.  My sister reminded me that she always sat and watched the Lawrence Welk Show while her hair got rolled.  I just remember Dippety-Do and staring in the bathroom mirror until the rolling was complete.  Being a Crosby, I discovered that my sisters-in-law also endured the pink foamy wonders… but theirs were topped off with a kerchief to hold the rollers in place all night long.  Great idea.  I found a 1980’s rock star bandana in Rick’s drawer and tied up the rollers for beddy-bye-time.

Nora asked LOTS of questions regarding this styling technique.  Did YOU wear them?  Did LARISA wear them?  Will the boys laugh at Nora?  Nora is supposed to SLEEP with these in???  And on and on.  She did tell me, “Ma, you is good at dis.”

This morning, some of the rolled hair was still damp, so we waited until noon to take them out.  Nora was VERY impressed with the results and decided that curly hair would go nicely with her new Easter dress that Grandma got her! (Side note on the dress selection: Nora was picking racy looking dresses of shiny polyester with gathers across the middle, glitter on the fabric, sleeveless and mini skirts!  Egads!  Grandma was holding up nice cotton gingham dresses with butterfly pockets……thankfully Nora settled for cotton and some butterflies… but no gingham.)

Here is the latest in Shirley Temple look-alikes.

That was right after the curlers came out!  The rest are after a whole day of playing!

Easter Surprises!

For Easter, I always have some theme gift for the kids’ baskets.  Past years have included: underwear, bubbles, toothbrushes/floss/toothpaste, comic books, pjs, etc.  THIS YEAR I found mini Chia Pets in the craft store at 50% off!  What a screaming deal.  The duck, elephant and frog were purchased.  My daughter, who is 16, is the only child who has embarked on her Chia Pet journey so far.  This morning I arrived in the kitchen to find her Chia Pet had “pony tails”…. well, isn’t that WHY you have Chia Pets???? To do their hair????  Then she told me that she has cut the hair twice already!  See!?!  Fun Fun Fun… all for $2.50! 

Yes, those are real shoe laces.  What would a Chia Pet be without shoe laces?  Yes, it’s true.  I never had a Chia Pet as a child, and I didn’t want my children going through life like I’ve had to…. Chia-Pet-less.  Making memories… that’s what this is all about!