Easter 2013

We got a head start on the Easter fun on Thursday afternoon at school with Leighton.  His class was having an egg hunt, so Riley and I went to help and join in.  We were there in the morning for Field Day, took Riley home for a fast nap, and were right back to the school to start hiding eggs.  While we were at home, Leighton had lunch at school - he had requested the chick eggs I have made him in the past. 

Riley was pretty excited that she could get the first look at all the eggs and put her favorites in her basket before all the kids came out!!  At first, I was trying to encourage her to just look and to wait, but once I saw just how many eggs there were and how well she was behaving while I was helping out, I figured she could just choose what she wanted.  Turns out that the majority of the kids didn't care what the eggs looked like and only cared if there was candy inside them, anyway!!

We put out so many eggs and it took 4 of us moms about a half an hour, I think.  The kids came out and scooped them up into their baskets in about 5 minutes!  They were running and squealing.  Very cute.  I laughed because there were 2 egg hunts - the first was when they came out and picked up everything we put out and the second was when their overflowing baskets were causing eggs to drop all over the place and their classmates were running around thinking they were finding new eggs!

After they had gotten all the eggs, we went back into their classroom so they could count and sort their eggs.  And sample a little of what was inside, of course.

There were lots of egg hunts around the city yesterday, but we had a soccer game for Leighton in the morning and weren't able to make most of them.  Maybe next year!

This morning, Leighton woke up before 6am because he was so excited to hunt for eggs.  Luckily he got up with Roy then and I got to 'sleep in' until 6:35 when Riley got me up!  They had fun looking through their Easter baskets (Leighton got some riddle pens and markers and some magnets, Riley got some glitter crayons and a new book for the bath, and they both got some Easter sticky notes, some jewels for art, some bunny ears, and a pinwheel), but it still wasn't light enough out, so we got them some breakfast, got them dressed, and then let them loose outside to hunt for eggs.  I think it was only 8am!

Unfortunately, the ants and squirrels (or maybe our neighborhood possum?!?!) got into some of the eggs (notice that they left the raisin box unopened and just munched on the chocolate!!!).

When we were about to go inside, we realized there were ants all over the kids' baskets - eek!  We managed to sort it out quickly and the kids got to see what was inside the eggs (some m&ms, teddy grahams, nutter butters, and stickers). 

Then it was time to dye some eggs.

And then an Easter lunch.  I had seen some cute ideas on Pinterest, but didn't get myself organized in time, so it was a good thing I had grabbed this box of noodles the other day at Target!

I made some more little chick eggs, too.  This time I made them a little different though.

They kind of looked like snowmen faces though, oops!

Then it was time for Riley to nap.  And Leighton did some art.  He made this cute bunny!

Last year we went for a swim on Easter, but today wasn't exactly swimming temperature in the pool yet ... but the kids were hot and keen to try it out, so Roy opened up one end for them to hop in.  I was busy getting dinner in the oven so missed most of it - by the time I got out there with my camera, Leighton was shivering and Riley was stripping out of her bathing suit!

For dinner, I made ham and scalloped potatoes.  For dessert I made something new: strawberry rhubarb tart.  It was like a cross between a pie and a tart and a crisp/crumble.  Very yummy!  I made a few changes to the recipe, but nothing major.  I made my own crust, used vanilla instead of almond extract, and subbed cinnamon for nutmeg.