Green Grass Eggs

We cracked a dozen eggs today to fill with little seedlings so we may have grass eggs by Easter.  We attempted them last year and planted a few days too late, so our grass eggs were more like little balding eggs, with just a few hairs sticking out of the top of its head.  But Darby said today was the day to get perfect little grass eggs in time for Easter, so what do you know, I actually timed it right!  Trust me though, the timing was pure luck and had nothing to do with any sort of organizational skills on my part.  Here are the step by step instructions on how to grow your own grass eggs, which I'm sure would still be nice and pretty for Easter if you get your seedlings planted this weekend.

They're pretty darn simple to make.  We use regular potting soil and just about the cheapest seeds we can find.  I let the kids fill the eggs, never minding the mess.  Good hand eye coordination and dexterity practice filling those tiny eggs with soil.

 Making silly faces in between is a must.  Smiles are given by Taylor only by request; she is always so serious.

 Once you have your egg cups filled 3/4 of the way with soil, sprinkle some seeds on top. 

 This is Syd's very serious face by the way.  He required me to get a picture of it.

You don't have to top the seeds off with soil, but Taylor wanted to sprinkle just a bit on top.  Either way it's fine I'm sure.  Then just sprinkle some water on top and keep in a sunny place.  Water every day and that's about it.  If my grass grows nice and pretty this year, I plan to use these as place holders for Easter dinner.  I'll make cute little name flags on toothpicks and stick them in the grass.  We shall see.

I wish I could say that this project went perfectly smooth and both kids were very sing song happy all the day long.  But we struggled in the beginning, middle and end.  In fact the last month has been an up and down roller coaster ride with these two.  Their temperaments have been so sensitive and at times a bit volatile.  Taylor seems to be going on fourteen at times and Syd has these fits that sometimes last an hour.  To say our patience has been worn thin at times is an understatement.  We seem to always go through this right before their birthdays, a phenomenon often called disequilibrium.  These mood shifts pretty consistently happen on a 6 month cycle and we just do our best to ride it out, but man is it tough. 

On top of this consistently tough time, I am adjusting to being home more and trying to find my groove, working just 3 days a week.  It may sound strange, but I am having to kind of retrain myself in being back home.  Planning our day, doing the chores, finding that balance between activity and downtime, making sure to slow down and remember it doesn't have to be all about business and the routine of dinner, bath, pj's, story, bed.  I'm also learning how to reconnect with my kids.  It's still a little inconsistent because I'm not fully home, but each day Syd asks, "where am I going today, who is coming here?"  When I say "Mommy is home with you today", he is happy, but still asks if he can see Marin or go to Nana's house.  It's going to take some time to rebuild that relationship of me as their primary caregiver, but hopefully not too long.  If anything it reassures me that they were and are happy with their caregivers when Mommy isn't home.  I have that to be very thankful for.

One last thing, I just had to share a picture I took of our eggs last year.  I am proud at how much my photography has advanced since I started really trying to be a better photographer.  I still have so much to learn but am happy to report that I always shoot on Manual now.  I am no longer afraid to leave the safety and comfort of the green "auto" button :)

Have a great day everyone!  And get crackin'