So, I got this phone call on Thursday from Rob's mom. "Katie, have you got the girls Easter candy yet? Because I just realized that I bought way too much, so you don't need to buy any, ok?" um, ok. I had planned on being a mean Mommy and only getting the girls toys this year, because we still have Halloween candy left. but, since we all know how I feel about candy, I wasn't about to turn it down. Love me some chocolate.

She wasn't kidding. Way too much. She didn't even bring me all of it, but wow. I've got to pull some out of Ally's basket, because she'll never decide what kind to pick if she has that many to choose form. Thanks Darra! That means I'll get to eat a bunch of it too. yum.

So Anyway, Saturday during nap, we put all the candy in plastic eggs (for hiding the next day) and gathered all the stuff we had bought for the kids. Then I realized that we would need some BIG easter baskets, so I had to dump one of the baskets that regularly holds some of Ally's toys and requisition it for the job. (See flickr.) There were bubbles, books, sand buckets, chalk, fingerpaints, stuffed stuff (mostly rabbits), this weird little chick that chirps when you hold it, and more. Ally was thrilled. Anya's basket, of course, had a ball in it. She loves balls of every kind. Most of the stuff I got for them was carefully picked out by them at Dollar General a couple days before. not a surprise, but guaranteed to be wanted. What was my point? oh yeah, Big baskets!

Sunday, we started the day off with some candy. Just a piece or 2, and it wasn't really a big deal. We went to Grandma's house and dyed eggs. And then some peeps were eaten. Ally and Marley went outside afterward and hid and found for quite a while. It was very cold, but they didn't seem to mind. My uncle Steve went with them. The kids took turns with him hiding and them finding and vice versa. Everytime they hid them, he'd come out and say something like "I wonder where they could be" and one of them would run to an egg and yell "I found one!" well, duh. you just hid it there 30 seconds ago. LOL Very funny! They played outside until there hands were about frozen. Ally ate practically nothing at lunch. She played with her cousins and had a great time. Anya was busy chasing the dogs around if they came inside. And just generally wandering around. She actually managed to get an entire plastic Easter egg in her mouth, so we had to outlaw them. She has a big mouth! Ally utterly failed to have a nap. instead, she went for a walk with Rob and his mom out in the "deep, deep woods" (which was mostly empty field, I think.)

I learned to make the crocheted names myself, and we took a 4 generations picture and had to leave. Ally had some more candy before we left. (Does anyone see where this is going?) She asked for another peice when we got home. I gave her one and told her it was the last one until she had a good supper. She asked me again, and I repeated myself. lather, rinse, repeat. I told her to stop asking. If she asked again before she had eaten a good supper, I would throw away a peice of candy. So she asked me. And I threw one away. She was shocked. I explained myself and reminded her that she doesn't get treats when she doesn't listen. blah, blah blah.

So, then for supper she eats her chicken, but not her corn. Said her tummy was full. I warned her that she didn't have a good supper. We talked about it and she wanted down anyway. 10 seconds later, what does she ask me? You guessed it. So I threw away another piece of candy. It broke her heart. She started bawling. Ran over to the couch and threw herself down crying. Oh my god. So I explained again why it happened and that she needs to listen when we tell her things. Then I had to go put Anya to bed, and Rob talked to her about it for a while. Since he's not the one who did it, she listened to him a little more and I think understood. She calmed down at least. We made sure she went to bed early that night.

Some people that I have told about this seem outraged and think that I've lost my temper. (which I didn't. I told her the cnosequences and when she didn't listen, I followed through with them calmly) Others told me I was being a good mom. I don't know which is true, but I think it was the right thing to do. I know that it made me feel like shit. I hope that I won't have to do it again.

*And Darra, I'm not blaming you for this at all. I only mentioned your part in bringing it because I thought the phone call was funny. I'm actually really really enjoying the chocolate. It was the holiday and the mood that Ally's been in lately, and the no nap. Please don't misunderstand.