A Baby in Salem: Leading up to Easter

David had Monday off of work for Patriots' Day, so we went to the PEM to celebrate Hanami, the Japanese art of enjoying flowers.

Avonlea Jane with her samurai lion mask

Helping Daddy to make a cherry blossom

Taiko drumming by Odaiko New England

Shishimai, the Lion Dance

Cuddling up with Will on a rainy afternoon

Saturday was the Salem Athenaeum's Easter egg hunt. Even though it was raining, all of the hardy New England children were undeterred.

Searching for eggs

Getting some help from Joe

After the first couple minutes, finding eggs was difficult because of the stiff competition with seven and eight year olds.

Avonlea Jane was thrilled to see Joe and Carolyn today. Every time we saw a basket this month or mentioned Easter, she would tell us she was going to go find eggs with Joe, which she did last year. We were amazed she was able to remember.

Enjoying her chocolates with Carolyn

Splashing in puddles on the way back to the car

Mommy staying dry under Avonlea Jane's umbrella

Coloring eggs

Grandma and Grandpa R got back from Croatia on Thursday and were in town through Saturday, so we did Easter baskets a day early. Here, Avonlea Jane is looking for hers under the couch.

After not having any luck finding hers or Will's, Daddy decided to encourage sniffing it out.

Will looking at one of the toys from his basket

Checking out the loot

Reading her new Thomas the Train book while wearing her new strawberry necklace

Decked out in her new fancy hair bow, which Grandma thinks she should wear to watch the royal wedding next week

Grandma is showing Will one of his new toys. We had originally thought that putting stuff in Will's Easter basket would really just be for show, but he loved everything he got.