Easter, like many other “minor” holidays, has been in flux a bit over the past few years as the kids grow up.  Easter baskets are harder to fill as the kids lose interest in tchotchkes and really just want candy.   This year I didn’t add jelly beans because I didn’t get around to buying them, and when I asked the kids if they noticed anything missing they said, “Yeah, there were no jelly beans. Just like last year.”  Oops.  Good thing we already ate a bag of jelly beans earlier this month!  :)

Both kids were indecisive about coloring eggs this year, so we bought one box of dye and a dozen eggs and I got things started yesterday.  They halfheartedly joined in and colored a few eggs each.  I did most of them.  This morning I hid the eggs outside while they were playing MInecraft, then made them turn off the computers and go outside to find them.  That turned in to a lot of fun, with many rounds of hiding and finding.  The sky was threatening the whole time, but the rain held off.

And they’re off!

Alan joined in on the fun too!

We had lots of places to hide eggs, and a variety of boundaries.

Do you see the green egg?

This one is my favorite picture. The trees are blossoming! I can’t wait to find out what these flowers are going to be!

Hunting for Easter Eggs in a construction zone! Not the safest of ideas, but we had fun.

The final round was down in the pit. The kids each found six eggs, so they decided to rock/paper/scissors for a winner. :)

Can you guess who won?

Now we’re going to settle down for some dinner and a Spider-Man movie.  Very traditional celebrations around here.  :)

On a tangentially related topic, I’ve been thinking a lot about Grandpa and Grandma this week.  It started when I drove by a cute house in the neighborhood with colorful eggs hanging from a small tree and a cute Easter wreath on the door.  It made me think of a grandma house.  Later in the week I stood behind an elderly man at the grocery store with a cart full of Easter candy and small toys.  I guessed he had grandchildren coming and baskets to fill.  I was reminded of our visits to Grandpa’s house and all of Grandma’s little decorations, several of which I have now, but it’s not the same.  We were there one year when the kids were small and Grandpa and Grandma hid so many eggs and filled them with so much candy that both of the kids threw up!  It wasn’t funny at the time, but it sure is now.  And long, long ago wearing Easter dresses and hunting for eggs in the park in Northport.  For some reason Easter in my head is a grandma holiday.  Or just an excuse to eat candy and play hide and seek with colorful eggs.

(Apologies for my lack of religiousness in this post.  I know Easter has a much bigger meaning that chocolate and eggs, but that’s how we celebrate around here.)