Easter 2014

Each year we have a Neighborhood Flashlight Easter Egg Hunt where the kids get to go our after dark and search for eggs with flashlights.  This year the girl who usually heads it up was in Hawaii (I am pretty sure the trip was planned purposely so she could get out of feeling responsible to head this up again because her kids are all getting too old for it anyway, but she's the kind of person who would still feel obligated to do it anyway).  So we weren't going to do the hunt but then a couple of us agreed to do it instead.  (Don't ask me what the heck I was thinking.) But it turned out to be a success. 

Here's a picture of the field after we put out all the eggs.

And here are some of the kiddos later that night with their flashlights waiting for it to be completely dark before starting the hunt.

Allison, Celeste, Matthew, and Melia

Melia had a fun cute little egg hunt at preschool, and because I helped out with it, Evera got to be there for it all and help me hide the eggs too.

 Melia and Claire searched together most of the time.

 Hutch was a cutie and was helping find eggs for Melia.

 Evera had fun climbing on the rocks while the kids hunted the eggs.

 He also had fun jumping on the tramp.

 Melia even shared some eggs with him.  :)

 At the party they also got to dye Easter eggs and Melia was pretty proud of her egg.  :)

She brought me in a "bouquet" of dandelions and was so excited to give them to me.  When I wanted to take a picture of the dandelions, then she decided she wanted to set up a whole scene with her egg and the dandelions because that'd be extra pretty!  ;)

We also dyed our own Easter Eggs at home with some of the neighbor kids.

 Evera just kept trying to crack the eggs as fast as he could so he could eat them.  He was LOVING them.  Melia looooved dying them though.

 I was especially proud of the rainbow egg I made.

Melia was ESPECIALLY proud of this egg of hers.  She wanted to leave it out for the Easter Bunny.  Unfortunately we turned our back for a second right after these pictures were taken, and Evera ate it.

One of our favorite Easter traditions is Grandma Place's Easter Egg Hunt.  She does the hunt every year and the kids love it.  She hides grocery bags full of eggs all over the yard and the kids have to find each of the bags and retrieve an egg from each bag.  Each bag has a different kind of egg with a different prize or candy in it.  My mom pairs up the kids into "teams" of two, putting the oldest child with the youngest child and then the 2nd oldest with the 2nd youngest and so on. 

 My favorite part of the hunt is watching the older kids interact so cute with the younger kids.  Mike and Melia made a great team!

 Spencer and Kali were paired up.

 Matt was paired up with Ashley.

 And Brayden was paired up with Evera.

 Could this picture POSSIBLY be any cuter?!

I love how this tree of my parents' blooms at easter time.  It was always my favorite.

We also have a fun easter egg hunt each year at Grandma Morgan's.  Not only do the kids look for all the eggs, but there are two special eggs, well hidden, called Big and Little Bertha.  Little Bertha usually has $5 or $10 in it, and Big Bertha has $20.  The kids, especially the big kids, LOVE that part!  :)

 Some of the eggs were super well hidden.  This isn't one of the "Berthas" it's just one of the regular eggs.  Can you find it?

 Evera had fun searching for eggs, but had more fun throwing the football!  :)

 For a 2 year old, this kid has got some serious skill!

Annie was very interested in the eggs. :)

 Spencer was the lucky one who found Big Bertha!

 Mom and Dad have this gorgeous tree in the back yard, but I've never seen it bloom quite like it did this year.  Isn't it GORGEOUS!

Melia and I got our hair cut just before Easter, so these next pictures are after the haircut.  Haircut post coming soon.

Easter morning was a success.  Melia was so thrilled with her new Unicorn Flashlight Friend.  

 I love watching Melia get excited about showing Evera all his presents and explaining them to him.

 Evera loved his new monkey pillow and was right ready to take it back to bed.  :)

 Don't I just look gorgeous!  ;)

Their serious bunny faces kindof crack me up.

Easter Morning for breakfast I made "He is Risen Rolls."  You take a marshmallow which is to represent Jesus Christ. You roll it in melted butter and cinnamon sugar, then wrap it up in a crescent roll and roll that in butter and cinnamon too.  Melia helped me make them.

After all that, we baked them just like we would regular crescent rolls, but when you bite into their cinnamony goodness, you find that the "tomb" is empty because, "He is Risen."  The kids LOOOVE that tradition.

I love my little Easter bunnies!

 The Easter Bunny also left eggs in the back yard after church.

 Some of the eggs were quite well camouflaged.  :)

 Later that evening we went to Grandma Morgans for Easter dinner.  The kids had a lot of fun playing in the back yard with Anne and Rhodri!

 We're so lucky to have such fun loving family.  My kids adore the Purcells.

 Evera fell sound asleep on cousin Caylie.

 

When we got our pictures with Fotofly they were offering a free 10 minute session at Thanksgiving Point with their bunnies.  The shoots was called "Tulip Bunnies Photo Sessions."  They turned out stinking cute.

Here are the pictures I took during the shoot.  The kids thought the bunnies were so cute and they thought the photographer was so funny--he put a bunny on his head to get them to laugh.  :)

And here are all the professional photos.

 This picture CRACKS ME UP.  They told Melia to pose with her hand on her hip, so Evera did it too.  LOL!  Mike says this picture will be good for future blackmail.  Hehe!

 Oh my goodness, I kindof adore them!

Happy Easter!