Easter Egg Hunt 2008

Grace Lutheran Church had an Easter Egg hunt put on by their youth group last Saturday. They "hid" several thousand eggs for the small children. Sammy was a bit shy with all the people around, but he survived...

If you listen carefully, you can hear other kids crying and screaming...

The Easter Bunny meets Sammy...

The day before Easter, we awoke to a winter wonderland. A local church had an Easter egg hunt with a guest appearance by the Easter Bunny, so we took Sammy (video to be posted later). Sammy was not too thrilled with the Easter Bunny, an aversion based perhaps in the relentless attacks made by the local hares on Paul's landscaping.

It looked more like Christmas than Easter...

Is this the rabbit that ate our flowers?

A compromise, Michele sits between them...

Duelin' ukuleles...

Sammy imagines himself on a album cover...
...notice the religious tattoo on his hand...
...which he received at the Easter Egg Hunt...

Later on in the day Sammy helped Michele & Aunt Diane colour eggs...

Sammy jamming to Johnny Cash...

Last weekend Sammy put on yet another show for us. This time to Johnny Cash singing "Johnny Yuma". Notice how he checks his reflection in the bookshelf doors to make sure he looks good.

Sammy jams...

Conversations with Sammy...

Sammy's Grandpa & Grandpa R. sent us some half-moon cookies for Easter (thanks!). While Michele was working tonight, Paul took out a cookie and shared it with Sammy. The following actually happened:

SAMMY: Daddy! Look! Look Daddy!
PAUL: Huh? What Sammy?

(Sammy points to Paul's shirt where there are now several small chocolate fingerprints. Sammy's face is covered in chocolate.)

PAUL: Uh, yeah Sammy I see it.
SAMMY: Look Daddy, Look!
PAUL: Thanks for pointing it out.
SAMMY: OK.

The Return of the "Lumberjack"...

He swings through that tree,
with the greatest of ease,
that half crazy man,
in my neighbor's elm tree.

Seven months later, the "lumberjack" has returned to finish cutting down our neighbors elm tree. Paul managed to catch a short clip of him high up cutting sections down in a very safe manner.

Notice how he uses the chainsaw with one hand...

3 Surprises for Grant...

If I had $1,000,000
(If I had $1,000,000)
I'd buy you a green dress
(But not a real green dress, that's cruel)
---Barenaked Ladies

The day after the birthday party, Grant had to work. While he was there, Michele and Anne bought Diane a green dress (along with some accessory bags) on the sale rack at JCPenney to surprise Grant with. Sammy was so excited that he wanted to surprise Grant when he returned home.

Surprise #1 - A green dress (but not a real one, that's cruel)

An unsuspecting Grant returns from work...

Sammy and his Aunt Annie prepare to surprise Grant...

Surprise #2 - Sammy surprises Grant from above...

Sammy gets ready to surprise Grant as he gets out of the elevator...

Surprise #3 - Sammy surprises Grant again...

Grant, Diane, the un-real green dress,
Sammy, and the green bag they got Diane...

The February Birthdays Party...

When we were up at Grants we had a big meal and birthday cake. Meatballs and (home-made) spaghetti of course. Desert featured a cake decorated by Sammy himself (with help from Grant & Diane).

The multi-person birthday cake...
...each candle represents 7.76 years...

Anne, Mike, Jayd, Paul, Vanessa, Brian...
...and what's left of dinner...

Chris serving dinner...

Some of the February birthday people blow out candles...

Sammy gets his birthday tickling from Grant, Diane, and Anne...

Vanessa and Brian (he really is smiling)...

Chris and Molly...

Chris and Molly...

Sammy cake...

Sammy cake, Sammy cake, bake me a cake,
bake me a cake as fast as you can...

A few weeks ago we went up to Grant's place in the cities to celebrate the "February birthdays." A surprising number of people in the family were born in February. A highlight for Sammy was getting to help make the birthday cake with Grant and Diane.

Putting the icing on the cake...

Sammy showing he knows his ABCs...

Grant gives Sammy's work a thumbs up...

Michele and the birthday boy...

A cake decorated by Sammy...

Sammy's 2nd Year Birthday Tour: Celebration

While Sammy was back in New York for his birthday, his great Aunts and Uncles came to visit him and celebrate Great Grandma's, Poppa's (Grandpa R), and Sammy's birthdays. Here are a few photos...

Having your cake and eating it....

Aunt Brenda, Sammy, and Uncle Chris...

Uncle Jimmy in the partying spirit...

Aunt Susie & Uncle Ron...

Aunt Susie, Great Grandma, and Grandma

Uncle Andy and Sammy sharing a laugh...

Sammy teaching his Aunts to dance...

Aunt Diane and Sammy...

Aunt Diane draped in curtains...

Uncle Jim, Great Grandma, Paulie, & Uncle Andy...

Group Shot...
Aunt Susie, the remote control, Great Grandma, Grandma...
Uncle Ron, Grandpa, Sammy, Aunt Diane, Uncle Andy...

Sleepy...or ice cream headache?

Sammy's 2nd Year Birthday Tour: RIF (Reading Is Fun)

One of the great honors Sammy can bestow on someone is asking them to read to him. While back home for his birthday tour, he asked just about everyone to read to him.

Grandma and Granpa read to Sammy...

Grandpa reads a book about Elmo and Ernie counting...

Aunt Susie reads the "Wheels on the Bus" to Sammy...

Chris, Sammy, and the Wheels on the Bus...

Aunt Liz the "Wheels on the Bus"...but is she singing it?

Uncle Jim likes the Wheels on the Bus too...

Aunt Brenda and Sammy have a good time with a book...

Sammy's 2nd Year Birthday Tour: Arriving in NY

After going to Massachusetts first, Sammy's next stop was in New York state to see his grandparents and the rest of his family there.

Sammy's Grandma & Grandpa R. ...

Sammy tells a joke...

Sammy with his Grandma R, Michele, and aunt Jaime....

What could they all be looking at?

Sammy "flies through the skies" to the Wiggles song..
...or perhaps he is demonstrating how we got from Minnesota to NY...

Sammy sleeps...