Easter Festivities

So when we weren't celebrating birthday we did actually do a few Easter related activities.

On Saturday we went to a church Easter egg hunt/party. They did an egg race, the kind where you carry the egg on a spoon. Ella lined up at the starting line and I explained to her that she needed to go slowly so as to not break her egg. Well, I think she took me a bit too seriously.

See all the kids heading the opposite direction as her? That's because they all went down to the end and back before she'd gotten five feet from the starting line. Though she made it all the way without breaking her egg, unlike other kids.

She's so cute.

Then the kids did a ring toss. Both of them cheated.

It looks like Ella got this one on, but it actually bounced off. She had no problem picking up the ones she missed and tossing them again until she got it.

Alex just didn't bother with the tossing.

He walked right up and stuck them on. Super cheater. I guess they take after their mother.

Then it was time for the egg hunt. Ella understood it much better this year than last. She needed no encouragement.

Run, Ella, run!! She managed to fill her basket in good time.

She loved shaking the basket to hear all the candy rattling in the eggs. This would cause half the eggs to fall out of the basket. So she actually spent more time re-collecting her own eggs than picking up new ones.

Alex did really good too.

Though he needed encouragement to actually put the eggs in the basket.

He would much rather have opened them all immediately and eaten all the contents.

After the hunt the kids sat down with dad to check out their haul. They ate every piece of candy in one sitting.

And if all that candy wasn't enough, they served lunch that consisted of hot dogs, chips and...

cookies!! My kids were so sugared up they wouldn't nap later. Even though Ella seems to have been all pooped out while we were still at the activity.

That night we went to a BBQ at our friends' house. Lots of good food and socializing. Then back home for the traditional egg dying. Usually I get into dying eggs like I do carving pumpkins. But this year we just didn't have the time nor the energy. I made up four colors of dye and boiled 12 eggs (though only 11 made it to the dye). The eggs were done in about 5 minutes flat.

Ella also managed to spill the blue dye in about 2 minutes flat. That would be why she is wearing no clothes. But the eggs turned out pretty in the end.

The pink egg carton was the perfect backdrop.

What more could you ask for?

Anton and I have had an ongoing dilemma since we got married about how to deal with Easter. We both hate how most of the traditional Easter activities relate in no way to the true meaning of Easter, Christ's resurrection. So we are still trying to fine-tune our traditions. This year we tried out the basket thing. Unfortunately we tried to squeeze it in before 9:00 church. Not the best idea. It was all rushed and we were late to church. But the kids loved getting more candy.

Look how pleased. I got them each a coloring book, a little bit of candy, and some goldfish.

Not too much stuff. Ella helped pick out the coloring books, so she knew what she was getting. But she was excited anyways.

I didn't hide the eggs we dyed because the humidity here will make the colors run onto whatever you've hid them near. So I hid 8 plastic ones, which they only found 6 of.

After church, before they could ruin their clothes completely, I snapped a few pictures.

Can I tell you how much I love having blond children? Perfect Easter coloring! Ella was much more cooperative than Alex so I ended up with more pictures of her.

She loves the camera.

Then later as the sun was going down we were out in the backyard and I snapped a few more.

Is he not the cutest thing ever? Are you all tired of me saying that yet? I loved the backlighting.

She's growing up too fast. And this next one is my absolute favorite of all!!!

If your heart isn't melting then you aren't human. Look at those dimples! He is such a little stud!! Look out ladies. In 16 years he's going to be a menace in the dating world.

However, just to show you that my children don't always look so darling, I got one of Ella in more of a natural attitude.

Picking her nose while talking on the phone. Classic.

So that does it for Easter for us. Hope you enjoyed the ride!