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Laura, I hope Brendan is in less pain and that the surgery is simple, easy, and quickly recovered from.

Great pictures, Deena. Aidan and Kara are both adorable, and I love Kara's hair.

We just gave Annabel a spare keyboard to play with. So far pressing the buttons is pleasure enough, though I figure eventually she'll notice hers doesn't make anything happen on a screen and grow dissatisfied with life again.

Susan, hopefully it will take a while. We gave Aidan one that clicked and he was happy with it for a month or two.

I actually went to church this morning, since a very dear family friend was in town, and I always end up at church when she's around. It was not bad - there was a line circling all the way around the block, but we Know People, so we got to arrive just before the service and get escorted in through the side entrance to a spot right in front. I was very entertained about using connections for church. The church is beautiful - 4th Presbyterian on Michigan Avenue in Chicago, right by the Water Tower. The new associate minister is Scottish and has a very thick accent, which led to impure thoughts, but otherwise I was good. Then easter dinner at the home of another close family friend who is a former minister at that church herself. Now I'm home, I've unloaded my sister and her BF back to Milwaukee (they've been here the last two weekends) and I'm thinking about heading to the tub with some of last week's Lush haul.

ETA: Ooh! Matzo ball soup. Maybe that's what I'll have for dinner. I always try to keep some of the mix around since it's so easy and satisfying.

Deena, your babies are sooooooooooo cute, as is your teenager. Can you get on AIM for a quick minute?

Deena, sound her out about a small scrip...I've been taking Ambien for 2 years, and my doc doles it out in 10 pill doses. It may be habit forming, but since the habit is SLEEP (which I can't get without staying up for 20 hours) I'm all for it.

Huh, thanks Erin. I'll try that.

Hi Bitches. My Easter was taken up with playing D&D. The Jack Sparrow-bot (I actually played him more like Kryten) was a great hit. And we wound up fighting real pirates in the final adventure.

Today I got to sleep in, and now I need to clean the house and perform other Errands of Responsibility. Huzzah!

Errands of Responsibility -ounds like there is a possibility of DOOM.

I did not buy Peeps. but when I turned my back , three large peeps ( stuffed animals) showed up on my formalish table.

luckily, we found good uses for them [link] poor kitty ( camera phone so it isn't the best picture)

Laura, best of luck and feel as good as possible vibes and simplest fix and fastest recovery vibes to your DH. And coping vibes for you.

Susan, I hope your arm gives you as little pain as possible. I have three--no, four--different braces for my wrists, and all of them work for either wrist. I have a tendency to strain my right thumb, so that it hurts down into my forearm, so bracing it for a few days helps. You might investigate a brace and see if holding your hand and wrist in one position, preventing you from overuse and resting the wrist and finger joints might help. When I have no choice but to continue to lift, carry, and manipulate things which are heavier or bulkier than my injured wrist prefers, the brace really helps. I bought all mine at a pharmacy. Two have a thumb brace and completely enclose the thumb, reach well up the forearm and have two velcro straps to secure the brace and adjust the fit. These also have removeable bars, one has rigid plastic, the other has a shaped metal bar, that slip into a pocket to hold the wrist completely rigid, or can be removed for a minimum of flexibility. One is simply a wide adjustable strap, and the fourth one is a soft nylon fingerless glove with a reinforced wide adjustable elastic strap to brace the wrist.

I hope you find something that helps. It's terrible to not be able to use the keyboard.

Great pics, Deena. The kids all look like they're having fun--even the older ones.