Easter Part One: Traditional

**Warning** Looooong post and MANY photos to follow.  Grab a drink and a snack and settle in! **

On Sunday, Riley and Leighton woke to find new Easter Baskets that the Easter Bunny deposited while we were sleeping.  Leighton will be very quick to tell you that he learned from a friend at school that if you don't go to sleep, the Easter Bunny doesn't come!  I am not sure Riley got this memo, however, because after a few days of amazing sleep at night, she decided to cut a new tooth and has been up countless times every night lately.  I am one tired Mama.  And my camera skills, or lack there of, during Easter Basket opening time are proof (and for your information, I can find a way to blame ANYTHING on teething)!

For the past few years, the Easter Bunny has come and left Leighton (Riley was still too young last year) some eggs outside to hunt for.  This year, we were excited to have a larger outdoor space for the egg hunt, and I figured with a bigger space, it would be even more fun to have more kids hunting for eggs.  We invited our new-to-the-USA and Jewish neighbors/friends who are enthusiastic about introducing their children to all things 'American' and my newest mommy friend, Douniazed (from Morocco), and her husband Luke (born in Jamaica) and two children. 

While Leighton twitched with excitement waiting for all his friends to meet on the driveway before storming the back yard, we did some sidewalk chalk.  I am not sure what Roy did or said to become 'ROYWOW' though!

I think I have previously admitted to dressing my children according to what food they might come in contact with, so I can tell you that I certainly hesitated before putting Riley in this beautiful white dress.  I knew she'd likely have some strawberries and cantaloupe.  I knew she'd most definitely dump bubbles all over herself (and she did!).  And I knew she'd probably end up sitting in the dirt.  I even asked Roy if I should change her into a darker colored dress (he looked at me like I was crazy, by the way).  But then I decided she'd never end up wearing the dress if I was worried about it getting dirty!  And, luckily, my VERY generous friend Shannon has provided hand-me-downs from her daughter Jolie for Riley and we have more than enough pretty dresses for any further occasions that may arise, so the pretty white Easter dress it was (it's in the washer as I'm typing this so the verdict is still out on whether it's stained or not)!

The Easter Bunny did not disappoint his 8 little egg hunters and found his way to our yard with approximately 200 plastic eggs filled with balls, bracelets, stickers, balloons, pretzels, Goldfish, dried apricots, and some Easter treats - Cadbury Mini Eggs (we need to see if the Easter Bunny can source his chocolate from Canada next year since the Canadian ones taste better!), pastel m&ms, and jelly beans.  Leighton was eager to show off his Easter Egg hunting skills and was the first to have a full basket! 

I had done some baking, made lemonade, and cut up some fruit so that there would be something to balance the chocolate and candy consumption.  I made the same lemonade recipe that I posted about a couple weeks ago.  I also made the maple oatmeal scones again, but this time they were triangles and not circles.  I also made a lemon blueberry yogurt loaf, zucchini muffins with and without chocolate chips added, and banana coconut muffins.  The others brought along yummy food to share as well, including a traditional Passover dish.  We all spent some time eating and chatting.

I set up an art table with Easter coloring sheets, coloring utensils, stickers, and glitter glue.  Who can resist glitter glue?!?!  Ronit, our neighbor from next door, brought some Easter cookie decorating kits that were a big hit too. 

 

We also set up the bouncy house/castle after the eggs had been hunted, the treats had been discovered, and the art had been colored and decorated .

It was a super fun time, and the kids and parents all enjoyed themselves.  It was really fun to introduce the egg hunt and share our Easter traditions with everyone.