He is risen, but I am barely awake

4:35am. That's what time Robbie started asking, "Mom! Mom! Can we go find our Easter baskets?" (Note to my own mother: Stop laughing. I know what you are thinking about paybacks.)

Holy hoppin' rabbits, kid, go back to sleep! But no...every 15 (or 10 or 5) minutes, it was more of the same..."Mom! Can we go do Easter now?!"

I held them off until about 5:55am. Then by the time I went to the bathroom, had a good stretch, turned on the lights, it was about 6am, which sounds at least a little more sane.

Robbie was the first to find his basket, hidden behind the blanket chest in the family room. Charlie found his next on the bookshelves. Annie's was in the living room on top of the bookcase, behind the globes. Finally, I found ours next to the couch.

As usual, E.B. did not disappoint. There were mini cans of soda and packs of sugar-free bubble gum, Reese's peanut butter eggs and marshmallow Peeps.

There was an iguana puzzle for Robbie, though it was the small chocolate bunny that got his attention. See the evidence on his face?

Charlie got a Vortex something or other football "autographed" by Peyton Manning. I didn't have the heart to tell him the signature was mass-produced:

Probably the best surprise was that the Easter Bunny found Annie's Nintendo DS that has been missing since November! (Thanks Aunt Betsy for the help!)

Oh, and the Twilight SweetTarts were a hit as well.

In the midst of all the fun, Charlie, who is proving to be a sensitive kid, said something akin to "Daddy is missing out." I haven't said it here before, but Mike is not living at home right now. So I suggested we give him a call. It was about 6:19am.

He was sleepy, but glad to share in the Easter festivities by phone anyway. He'll be here later this afternoon and we'll all go to the 6pm Mass together.

After we hung up with Mike, I put a kibbosh on the candy eating and put all the baskets on the fireplace, declaring it the "no eating zone."

I know, who am I kidding? The only way to keep them from devouring the candy is to lock it away. But I think I am subscribing to the "eat it all and get it over with" theory.

The breakfast menu was cinnamon rolls, hard boiled eggs and smoked sausages. Now we're vegging out and watching Nim's Island. Love that movie!

Looks like it's going to be a pretty day. Hope it is where you are. Of course, regardless of the weather, Easter Sunday is a glorious day, indeed!