The Smith Family In New Orleans: April 2010: Easter, Soccer and Strawberries!

April. What an incredibly busy month. I can't think of anything busier in recent history. Except for maybe May and we're only one day into the month! Between Easter, the end of Joey's soccer season and many fun family activities, we barely had time to catch our breath. Here are the highlights...

Easter
We kicked off Easter with our pierogi making, of course. But our activities soon moved on to Easter egg hunts with our playgroup, an Easter party at Joey's preschool, a crawfish boil with the neighbors on Good Friday, another crawfish boil with friends on Holy Saturday and finally Mass and Easter Brunch at home on Easter Sunday. The only thing that I would change was remembering to arrive at Mass super early. Since we go to church every week, I always forget how packed church is on Easter... third row back standing room only. Ugh! Thinking ahead to next year, there's now an entry on my 2011 calendar on Easter Sunday that says "leave for church EARLY!"

Our playgroup before the mayhem of a dozen toddlers hunting for candy-filled Easter eggs began.

With our friends, the Griffins for their Easter crawfish boil. What better way to kick off the Easter egg hunt than by wearing their baskets?

How many can they find?

More Easter egg hunting. This time, at home on Easter morning.

What did the bunny bring?!

The Smiths - Easter 2010

Mandeville Soccer Club

Joey's first season as a soccer star came to a close the week after Easter. During the season he met many goals that any 4-year-old soccer player may have. He did somersaults into the goal, he stood on the dirt pile just beyond the field, he shared Gatorade with his buddies, he picked grass, and he flew around the field as Buzz Lightyear, Space Ranger. But in all seriousness, Joey's first experience on a team was great! He had his share of preschooler moments and was a bit distracted, but if you compare his first practice to his last practice, you wouldn't believe the difference. Now, we don't have the next David Beckham on our hands, but he did start kicking the ball and chasing after it. All season long, Joey was a great sport, cheering on his teammates, helping them up when they fell, high-fiving the other team when they scored and generally having a great time. He went from wanting to play soccer because he would get a uniform and spiky shoes to really enjoying the sport and his teammates. I'm so proud of Joey!

The first day of soccer - Joey and his biggest cheerleader

And the last day of soccer - Receiving his trophy from Coach Brian

Pizza party!!!!!

#9 from the Mandeville Soccer Club U5 Saints

Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival

Yum! We joined the hordes of folks that crowded downtown Ponchatoula for their annual Strawberry Festival. We enjoyed strawberry filled beignets, strawberry smoothies, an overpriced carnival game to win two sad looking stuffed animals for two very happy kids, a ride on the teacups, a half a flat of strawberries, and a bottle of strawberry wine (to go). We saw (but did not partake in) deep fried strawberries and deep fried Oreos. While tempting, something just seemed wrong about deep frying fruit, so we moved on.

We got back home exhausted and had strawberry shortcakes for dessert that night. For the next couple of days, I cooked up a strawberry feast starting with a pie, moving on to jam and finally topping a spinach salad with strawberries. Thank God we didn't buy the full flat! LOL. Dave and I enjoyed a glass of strawberry wine on the sofa that evening and for the next week Deanna Carter's "Strawberry Wine" was stuck in my head. So now I'm officially done with strawberries for awhile... I think I'll move on to cherries now. LOL