Easter Bunny Picture 2010

My Mom never asked for much. She never wanted for much either. She was completely content just having healthy kids, a fun life partner, and a happy family. Seriously....  the only material thing she EVER ask me for EVER (well, other than grandchildren) was for each of us three kids (me, mindy, and matt) to get our picture taken with the Easter Bunny and Santa each and every year. So, there we were...  16 years old HORRIFIED to be seen at our local mall sitting on the bunny's lap, so we would drive to other towns. I thought she was insane...  and yet, I will beg my children every year to do the same for me. These pictures are classic. They show exactly how we were at that moment in time. Who I was dating or friends with (because you know I drug them with me to random out of the way malls because I was not about to stand in line with a bunch of little kids alone). They show us. And, seeing a picure of kids with an easter bunny or santa will ALWAYS remind me of how happy simple things made my mom. Man, I miss her. In her honor today (as we do twice a year) I grab anyone around and force them to the mall....  today I felt lucky to have My Busia (my mom's mom), my girls, my brother Matt, and Kim - a wonderful friend of our family who is here from Germany on a Rotary Exchange (she is staying with us this week). It was fun. It was simple. It was expensive (but they gave me the photo on a little flash drive so I can upload it - very cool). And it was a tradition. A tradition I am happy to say I will never break. Man, I wish my mom was here for us to give this to.
And, I hope I never forget how simple things can make someone very, very happy.