Here Comes Peter Cottontail

Happy Easter! My kids, who love to play Easter year-round - hiding and finding their little, plastic Easter eggs all over the house - finally got a chance to have a hunt in their new backyard.

The weather was perfect (almost 80) and for once dry, meaning no snow or rain. They woke up early or rather one of them did and then woke up the other one. I heard four little feet pad along the hall and down the stairs until they found their Easter baskets heaped full of candy. I know better than to over do it since that's my mom's job and she will have Easter baskets for them filled with toys, videos and clothes. Each year she picks out a new basket for them so my job as the Easter Bunny is to simply pick one of the many personalized baskets she has given them in previous years and throw in a few candy items.

After all of the excitement over the baskets, they wanted to get dressed so they could start the hunt in the backyard. They do so quickly and Austen takes off running around the backyard like it is timed. News flash, my hunt is not a race! There are no prizes for finishing first. Still Austen sprints around the yard tumbling down our small hill as his feet moved a little faster than his body at one point. Slow down, I tell him, but in a matter of minutes he has found all 12 of his eggs and has moved on to helping Peyton find hers. Peyton stands in the center of the yard and surveys the area, looking for eggs and then running to get them. Different approaches for different kids!

After all the eggs have been found, we take off for our next hunt at Grandma's house. This one is a competition with rules, partners and prizes. There are eight teams of two with younger kids paired with an adult or older kid (even Hailey participated being carried by her partner in her car seat).  Austen's team takes first, Peyton's second, and mine third. The prizes are gift certificates for Starbucks, movies, etc. Grandma's hunts keep getting better, especially when you win!

The kids then went on to their other Grandma's house where they participated in their third hunt of the day. This one comprised of clues and giant cookies at the end! 

There is no question though - Tom and I have big shoes to fill when we are grandparents. Not just on Easter but on every other day of the year.