easter.

my mom and alex were surprised at emma's easter basket- but my dad always made easter a big deal for us when we were kids. this wasn't em's first easter-but the first one where she could crawl around, open eggs, and have just a *pinch* of chocolate!

but even more exciting - em walked today! really walked. all day she was getting up and tooling around 20 steps at a time! hooray!

grandpa's eggs.

since

for one : it's almost easter

for two: it's finally spring (even tho' we have had rain and snow this week)

for three: we are on the verge of getting our chicken brood..finally!

for last and most importantly they belonged to my grandfather about 25 years ago.

these eggs have a special spot in my heart.

my mom brought them on the airplane with her by special request for em's first easter.

when i was a kid my grandfather kept chickens, quail and ornamental pheasant..and even one really wacky polish crested chicken (pierre). as kids we loved going to the bird fairs with him and picking out what kind of eggs we wanted to take home and keep in the incubator until each tiny chick hatched. in my opinion this act of raising the chicks from eggs was made even more fantastic by the fact that my grandparents didn't live on a farm. or in the midwest. or way out in the willies. they lived in the bay area. mowed lawns and sprinkler sets, pools and hot tubs.

but for gramps it was a homemade avairy and a garage full of nesting boxes.