This Easter was the first Easter Geno’s been home!  Sounds crazy but so is the life of the Army.  We are just glad to have him home. We have come to terms that the Army’s needs come first so if they need him we must say our goodbyes and let him know that we support him in every way.

Saturday (day before Easter) Geno, Xavier and I headed up to Raleigh for my md appointment.  On the way home we stopped at a new upscale outdoor mall in Raleigh’s “North Hills” area. It was a beautiful area and Geno and I decided to visit again without an almost 3 year old for lunch and a movie, possibly.  After looking at several of the shops there we headed to Jordan Lake.  I have been wanting to stop at the B Everett Dam, hoping it was like Alum Creek Dam in Ohio (it was not).  I took some nice pictures though. 

We headed home and while Geno took a nap, Xavier and I also cleaned out the nasty neglected fountain. To our surprise a black widow spider had set up a home in it. Lucky for me after finding a dead slug I didn’t stick my hand in it again - that could have hurt.  So Xavier and I got the spider spray and set out on a mission to get the spider. After about an hour of searching, spraying, and flooding the fountain we finally found her and ended her residency in the Lolli garden. Each morning since Xavier’s gone to the fountain and asks if there are anymore spiders in there.

Easter morning started with Xavier and Derrick getting their Easter Baskets - basketball oriented for Derrick and dinos for Xavier.  We then headed to church. Geno has agreed to go to church with us twice a month, once at my church and once at his.  Easter was celebrated at his church.  We then came home and to our surprise while Xavier was helping me with a load of laundry the Easter Bunny came and hid Easter eggs in our front yard - sneaky bunny!  After Xavier found every egg (both plastic and hard cooked) we headed inside.  I did make sure Geno knew the count of the hard boiled eggs so we could make sure Xavier got all of them.  I do remember (barely) back when I was younger I was searching for eggs in our livingroom (a tradition we had) and my mom couldn’t remember the number of eggs she hid.  Needless to say a couple weeks later the last egg was found - phew!  While the boys played video games I cooked a “traditional” Easter dinner - ham, dressing and rice, greenbean casserole, and a cheesecake recipe given to me from an old friend.  Dinner was eaten, belly’s stuffed and naps taken - naps for everyone but Xavier and I…. We vegged out on the couch and watch “Yo Gabba Gabba”..

Yesterday we went to Lowe’s to look at flowers. We didn’t take the truck so getting mulch and flowers were out of the picture.  So we looked, I picked out the flowers I wanted and was disappointed that they didn’t have any black mulch - only red.  We decided we would go back today with the truck and get the garden things. We headed back home and relaxed by watching a movie (Valley of Elah) before heading to get Xavier.  The minute I stepped outside I knew something was wrong.  I smelled fresh laid mulch!  I couldn’t believe it!  Picerne (our housing people) sent a newsletter stating that if there were any foreign objects in the flowerbed then it wouldn’t be touched. Well, turns out they were wrong.  I was almost in tears - ok, I did tear up a little.  They were so quiet we didn’t even hear them!  So needless to say we went to Lowe’s today and just got flowers. I thought about pulling all the crappy mulch they put down but then decided it would be to much work - and take to much time and money.  It still looks nice… Xavier helped dig the “tunnels” for the flowers, plant them and water them. Tonight after he goes to sleep I’ve got to go out there and get the lights that work and put new lanterns in place of the ones that don’t.

So that’s about it for the last few days…. here’s a few pictures of Xavier looking for Easter eggs and eating cheesecake batter…