Easter Egg Roll

      The week after Easter my family held the 24th annual Easter Egg Roll.  Held at my aunt and uncle's house on one of the few sunny days we've had around here, it was the perfect setting for the roll.  They have land with a huge swing set, sand box, and lots of open space for all the kiddos to run around.
      Competing on the original wooden track back from when I was a child, my little family of five really brought it this year.  I tried a new way of boiling eggs, which I am not revealing considering members of my family read this blog.  At first, I thought the new method may be a flop as I was knocked out in the first round.  As all four members of my family went on to win, marking Mike's first win EVER, I began to think that maybe we'd do okay after all.    And when the quarter finals rolled around, Mike, Kiwi, and Mason were all still in the running (Little Man got knocked out in the third round).  Here's how it went down from the quarter finals on.
      The first round of the quarter finals had Mason and Kiwi facing off causing their big brother quite the dilemma about who to root for.  Kiwi knocked Mason causing him to shed some tears (wait, I think he may have been crying before the roll so it may not have been related).  Actually, for his first competition he did very well especially considering that somebody else dyed, named, and rolled his egg.  Just think what he'll be able to accomplish next year.
      The next quarter finals round was my dad against Mike.  The original winner of the Egg Roll back in 87, with his egg Hard Hat, my father stuck with the construction theme and introduced us all to Road Grader.  Every time, he would roll Road Grader, he would start to chant, "Road Grader, Road Grader" with anyone who would root for him. Little Man especially loved this until his Grandpa was matched up against his daddy at which point he switched his cheers to Mike.
        Mike's egg smashed Road Grater launching him from egg rolling obscurity to the finals in one year.  His triumph was bitter sweet, however, when he realized he'd be facing his rosy cheeked pigtailed daughter and her purple egg, Scribbles 2, in the finals.

I love how excited all the little kids (and my Uncle Doug) are in this picture as they watch.

        As the finals started,  I think most were rooting for Kiwi including her opponent Mike.  Wooden slats were pulled, spectators looked anxiously on, contact was made, a crack was heard  and  Scribbles 2 was the only egg of the original thirty left uncracked.  Kiwi was pronounced the winner for the second time in her three short years of competing which is unprecedented in the Egg Roll's history.

2011 Egg Roll Champ!

Little Man getting ready to roll

This is the best shot I got of Little Man cheering during the event.  He had this level of enthusiasm and more for every single match up.  

      Watching Little Man was a highlight for me this year.  He looked forward to it all day and asked me again and again when it was going to start.  When my Uncle Doug called for everyone to come over, he was the first when there ready to go.  He was front and center for every match taking it all in.  He watched the bracket like a hawk and even caught it when a match up almost got skipped (Kiwi was awarded the paper bracket to take home and the next morning he wanted to just look at it with me going over it all again).  He raised his arms and cheered when he won, jumped up and down for every match, and took it in stride when he got knocked out.  They way that he handled losing and the genuine excitement he had for his sister is what made me the most proud of him.   I sure love my little guy and how much excitement he has for everything in life.

My dad doing his road grader chant.

Kiwi rolling Scribbles.  The trophy in the background is now proudly displayed on a shelf in Kiwi and Little Man's room.

At home with his and Mason's egg

Playing in the sand box shortly before her championship showing.

Josh and Mason playing inside (with Mal crouching behind to catch any falling babies).  Mason was pretty sad most of this afternoon due to teething and a weekend of missed and shortened naps, but he did like this little bouncy horse thing for a few minutes.