One thing I’ve learned from my kids is that they have an amazing memory for “what happened last time”. For example, a while back we had friends over for the afternoon who, sadly, hadn’t been to the house in a while (I’m talking about you Karen!). Logan wanted to know if we were going to throw water balloons against the patio wall with them. I had NO idea what he was talking about until I realized that we did that the last time they came over.

This year, Logan had very set expectations about Easter: baskets to be waiting on the landing followed by an egg hunt and then “big” presents in the basement. I hate to disappoint, but the bunny did a few things a tiny bit different this year…well, not much, just a little.

Here are the boys, pre-Easter, decorating eggs. I found a really cool egg spinner at WalMart that even Brady could do. You put a hard-boiled egg in the spinner, add a few drops of color, put the lid on and press a button a few times to make it spin and spin. Brady wasn’t allowed to wear cloths during the coloring:

They were pretty cool looking! We used these to make egg salad for dinner on Easter Sunday night (new family tradition? I think so!)

I saw these super cool egg holders in Family Fun and wanted to try them. I should have really read the directions as they are for blow eggs, not hard boiled ones! Pipe cleaners are no match for the weight of an actual egg (but they’re cute, right?!)

On Easter morning, the baskets were, as anticipated, waiting on the front stair landing. All the most important elements, according to Logan, were included: peeps (which I will forever think of as “stretchy chickens” thanks to my friend Laura), chocolate bunnies (dark chocolate this year…you know, for mommy…in case the boys didn’t finish them all…) plus just a few little trinkets like bubble blowers and gum shaped like eggs inside of mini little egg cartons – too cute!

Smile and say “peeps”

The Easter Bunny left a note… (he’s not the best at drawing egg shapes I guess…)

I made quite a fuss about cleaning the house before the kids went to bed Saturday night. I have to give credit to the Easter Bunny for noticing the effort and for rewarding the boys for the extra “neatness” in the house. The card had the bunny’s signature “prints” on it…which the boys found on their feet and hands when they woke up.

Brady needed a little help finding eggs, but he was THRILLED about the whole thing!

Logan checked the front porch after finding an egg perched on the door handle.

Aiden, mid hunt:

There was one big egg among many little, candy-containing, eggs. The big egg had a note instructing the boys to follow the bunny’s path: to the playroom, then the pantry (where, it said, he had a snack), then the basement and finally to their rooms (where he hopped on their beds  and kissed them…hence then bunny prints on their hands and feet) and then under their beds.

Here is Brady finding his Easter Bunny surprise under his crib

Wow – it’s the very Thomas train he had claimed the Easter Bunny would bring (how amazing is that?!) It’s “Toby,” whom Brady calls “Tody Train”

Everyone settled on the rug in the big boys’ room to sort through candy and play with the new stuff. Logan got a little trick track set. Aiden got a Leapster letter drawing game (which is, by the way, super cool and teaches kids to write upper and lower case letters along with basic shapes and letter sounds)

Still in jammies, the boys enjoyed a little bubble time out on the patio

Brian’s side of the family arrived around noon for brunch and another egg hunt out in the yard courtesy of Meemaw and Grandpa. The four youngest kids searched for eggs with their initials on them. Again, we had to help Brady find the “B” eggs, but it was really cool overall. Aiden, Logan and Jack not only hunted for their own eggs, but helped each other by yelling out when they found someone else’s egg.

 

The two older boys were totally troopers and helped in the hunt

Max manned the fort!

6 boys…what a joy! Our 7th boy on this side of the family was missing since he lives with Aunt Sara and Uncle Peter in Arizona. Denay’s 1 (and a 1/2!) boys were also sadly absent since San Fran is too far to travel for brunch (oh, but Den…there was some good French Toast and honey baked ham…you so wish you were here!)

Hey, look at that – a picture of us!

The next morning, the boys found some interesting uses for their Meemaw-issued Easter baskets (Brady sat in his and said “mommy…push me!”)

Too bad mommy took and hid the GOBs of candy they got between the eggs and as treats after the hunt. Again I ask…was that Easter or another Halloween? No matter, I’ve been using the candy as bribes for the older boys to go to bed. Hey, it works and they usually forget they’re supposed to have chocolate with breakfast when they wake up the next morning. And, in case you’re wondering, there are still 2 FULLY in tact dark chocolate bunnies…but don’t remind my kids ;)