Tuesday, April 26, 2011

The Gratuitous Easter Post

Most of you know I went "home" for the long weekend. Home is a relative concept isn't it? I've never lived in the house my parents live in now but I always say I'm going home. I guess home is where the people you love are.

When my family gets together it's loud. Everyone talks at once. We're all sarcastic. Anything goes. Case in point at one point my Dad played this song and told my sister that this was her theme song because basically she'll do anything to get out of cooking.



There's shouting and laughing and teasing and eating and drinking. Yep- my family can pretty much make a celebration out of nothing so you can imagine what actually goes on when we do have something to celebrate.

So with Little P visiting his great grandparents house  for the very first time my mother spent days child proofing the house and within 5 minutes of arrival little P had found her best crystal, a lamp with dangly glass beads, a vintage vase and the keys to the front door. Been a while since you had munchkins in the house Patty?

Little P  also discovered wheel barrow rides are a lot of fun. Grampy discovered children don't care if you've raced them round the garden 100 times and are on the verge of having a heart attack. They scream "More" regardless of your imminent demise.  This picture is blurry because I was laughing so hard and alternately almost wetting my pants the poor child would be flung to his death.


Father of Pyjamas kept us well supplied with cocktails , which made for a pleasant if slightly fuzzy weekend. I don't care - I enjoyed myself. I think...


Some of us enjoyed more than our fair share....and were slightly piggy about it.


Miss P realised if you're going to party hard with the big girls the night before you better start the next morning with a lot of coffee.


Little P kept us all amused with the screeching out of everyone's name every three minutes. My sister is now known to all and sundry as LeeLam. 10 bucks to the first person who can tell me what her real name is. (Marg - you're excluded because you already know) We have all starting screaming LeeLam at her because  she finds it bloody annoying.

Mr. P channelled a cocky



Dumbarse of the weekend goes to LeeLam who watched Little P paint and then had a heart attack when he toddled towards her looking like this because she thought his brain was leaking out of his head....


Bella did some painting too...before breakfast, hair brushing or doing her teeth. Attractive. The things you do for grandkids.


The boys did the manly thing and went hunting and gathering. We girls went shopping. Much more civilised.


They caught about 2 million yabbies and everyone had to pose for yabbie conqueror shots.


We had an easter egg hunt and found 400 chocolates scattered round the garden. Little P subsequently ate 399 of them and was cranky for the rest of the day. I bet we find some we forgot when we go hunting next year.




And Patty kept us fed with wonderful food. I put on 2 kilos. Damn you Patty.

Calamari with Chinese 5 Spice and Szechuan Pepper (I stole the recipe because this was really good )


Bacon , Eggs and my Mum's famous potato cakes


The genius at work in the kitchen lovingly caressing the chicken into tenderness.


It was a wonderful weekend but I'm not sure my liver could take that level of fun every week...


Just as a matter of interest has anyone ever heard a child say "I don't like chocolate"? Hope your Easter was restful and relaxing and that your cocktails were as nice as mine. I'm off to detox.



18 comments:

Kirsten's Cooking said...

Now I think this was my favorite post of yours! My absolute favorite picture (besides all of the ones of your absurdly cute grandson) is the last one - with you and Miss P - you both are beautiful!

I loved your description of entertaining a toddler - isn't it true that they don't know when it's socially acceptable to be "over something"!!! Your dad is adorable and looks to be so patient!

Your mom caressing the chicken is hilarious -

Mr P looks to be really concentrating on something important -

And the one of LeeLam chugging out of that whatever is was is hilarious!

So glad you had a great weekend at "home"!!!

Thanks for all of the pics - you're awesome!

Quiet Quilter said...

Now if you could put that Easter weekend in a quilt, it would win a prize! Lovely family. Thank you for sharing your experiences..

thea said...

So glad you had a wonderful weekend at home, even without your sewing machine. your family looks like great fun .. and the food. I'm sure it was worth the weight gain ..

LeeLam .. hmmm. Lisa? Nancy? Rita? I'm trying to think like a two-year old but my brain isn't working.

Sara said...

We have a pet yabbie called Monster, but that goes no way at all to answering the question of your sister's name....

Although I'm no longer a child I find I've gone off of milk chocolate, and when it comes to dark chocolate, I don't like to eat as much. I've eaten maybe a half dozen of the nearly-real-sized chocolate eggs this easter, and some cherry-ripes that came in one of those box set thingies. Other than that my only other source of easter chocolate has been the vast amount of choc chip hot cross buns I've eaten over the last two months.

I find myself to be a massive disappointment.

Paulette said...

It sure looks like you had loads of fun! Ours was pretty low key. Dad asked if he should bring wine for Easter luncheon and I actually told him no. What was I thinking?! (Perhaps that I didn't want to have to nap the afternoon away.)

Elizabeth said...

a) Your parent's garden is lovely.
b) Little P is one cute little dude.
c) Mr. P is still quite handsome, funky rooster bedhead notwithstanding.
d) I'd love your mum's potato cake recipe.
e) That Fast Food song was hilarious.
f) You are gorgeous. Love your hair.

That is all.

xo -E

AnnieO said...

Nothing like documenting "real" family gatherings! Thanks for the behind the scenes clips. Hope Little P recovered from his chocolate overdose quickly :)

Elizabeth said...

g) I did not like chocolate when I was a kid. Seriously. Until I was like 10 or 11.

That is really all.

xo -E

Anonymous said...

Great post and fantastic family pictures. Your poor dad lol, children never know when we are about to pass out from their demands. LeeLam, hmmmm... Leanne? I have met and disbelieved a child who does not like chocolate - until we offered her some Galaxy... it seems there really is a chocolate out there for everyone, you just have to find the right one. The cocktails look fabulous too... hope you are recovering and detoxing ready for the next big bash :0)

Marg said...

Absolutely loved this post. I promise I won't let slip LeeLam's name, love the photo of her, I suspect I'm going to remember that for a very long time!!!
I hope Grampy has recovered fully from his ordeal.
Mr P, channelling a cockatoo, hilarious.
Exactly how many cocktails did you consume over the weekend, I thought you had sworn off drinking, lol!!!!
Lovely photos Shay, I especially like the last one of you and Miss P.
Bitchypoo didn't like chocolate when she was younger, she does now!

Leanne said...

I would say Leanne as that is what I get called Sean calls me LeeLan all the time. Looks like a lot of fun was had.

Helsie said...

What a fun weekend - your family sound like they are all as crazy as you and heaps of fun! I'd say you certainly know how to party!!
You have us all wishing we were there too.
Cheers
Helen

seabreezequilts said...

Squid doesn't really like chocolate and every year we have a fridge full of the stuff, but this year she is doing her best to change her mind. Looks like you had a great weekend with the family.

Kate said...

Lovely family and great pictures. Glad you had a wonderful Easter. I'm in awe that you managed to get some sewing done in the middle of all the family festivities.

Michelle Ridgway said...

Your Dad's song is my new theme song. I hate cooking. My hubby is "grampy" too. Love your post sounds like you had a blast. You'll need another long weekend to recover. I agree with the "no again" I have had a sore neck since Sunday from carrying the baby grandie and chasing the other grandie at the same time. It was fun at the time. I bet your Dad and Mum are still resting on the couch.

Kirsten said...

So good for you you had such a wonderful time. I loved the pictures in the post and it made me realize how much I miss a real family...
Oh well. Little P. seemed to have a blst with all of you...what a perfect weekend.

Helen McNaught @ AuntyHennys said...

I want those potato cakes!! I must have those potato cakes!! No, I don't want the recipe (like I'm going to actually make them!!)... you'll just have to send your Mum up here!!! Your Dad can come too, as I gave up riding around in wheelbarrows last year:-)

Loved your post....

Hey, the stupid bunny didn't stop here! I might have to get to your parents place and hunt for those stray eggs!

Baa-Me Kniits said...

Your Easter looks like it was fun and your parents are going to collapse on the couch and wonder which cyclone just went thru their place after you have all gone :-)

Chocolate, I thought everyone liked chocolate!