Looking Back at Easter Weekend-First Egg Hunt & Almost Blowing The Bunny's Cover

Well here we are, another holiday under our belt with so many great memories made this year. Is it crazy that I'm already looking forward to next Easter? Probably. It's one of those weekends that was so good that you can't wait for more. I should probably back up a bit though. Why don't we start with Good Friday.

We started the day off with decorating some eggs. I've shared before that I'm not a fan of the smell of vinegar but decorating Easter eggs still needs to be a tradition. For the past several years we've been using paint markers that have worked out really well for us. We learned from past years that it's better to leave the eggs out for a bit or wipe them really dry so the sweat from them doesn't make the marker run.

We talked about wanting to host an egg hunt for the boys and some of our closest friends. It seems like each month the weekends fill up so fast and coordinating with each other becomes harder and harder. The boys had off on Friday, which most kids did, so we threw the date out there to some of our friends and thankfully it worked for everyone. If you know me or you've been reading this little space for sometime, then you know I cannot resist an opportunity to put any type of party/breakfast/throw out some decorations together–little event on. This time it was no different. I wasn't sure exactly what to expect with putting an egg hunt together since we've only attended them or done a small one for just our boys in the backyard. Now that we have some space to work with, we knew that being able to share in this with our friends and family is important to us.

The boys were so excited to help me with getting things together and couldn't wait to stuff over 150 plastic eggs with some treats and goodies. Although, I'm pretty sure they wanted to have a leg up on knowing what was inside of them. I was onto them, though. I had a little something up my sleeve too and waited until those little buggers went to bed and filled my own stash of eggs with some treats they hadn't seen yet. I wanted them to have some surprises, too.

I knew I wanted to do special seating for the kids and have always loved the idea of a pallet party. You mainly see it done for adults so I had to improvise and come up with a way to pull it off for kids. The key thing is, pallets are obviously made out of wood and I didn't want anyone to get hurt. So how do you pull a pallet table off for kids, you say? Wellll, when you have a husband that's a quick thinker and gets things done, it makes being able to bring your creative ideas to life a little easier. We had an extra piece of drywall in the basement and used that as the table top so the kids wouldn't be touching the wood. We covered it with a basic plastic table cloth and then got out brown packing paper and let the boys draw anything Easter related on there to use as a table runner. I love how it came out and the kids had a blast sitting around it.

We had lunch for everyone complete with carrot shaped pb&j, bunny mac n cheese, chicken nuggets, chicken salad, egg salad sliders and some veggies and fruit as well. Oh, and who could forget some peeps and cupcakes for the kids.

We had such a nice time visiting and catching up with our friends, and it was so great to see the kids having fun hunting for eggs. We had so much fun that we're hoping to make this a yearly tradition.

Saturday we spent the day with our friends that stayed over night with their two little boys. A was supposed to have a tball game but it was rained out. Thankfully the rain only lasted part of the morning and the rest of the time we sat outside around the fire pit, roasted up some peeps (I forgot to get regular marshmallows, or my kids ate them all), and my mom and sister came over to cook and prep things for Easter. Baby C also turned 5 months and I seriously can't believe how fast it's been going.

Easter Sunday is always a special time filled with so much hope and gratitude for the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus paid for us. Ever since A was a baby we made the decision to wait and do Easter baskets after church instead of having the kids wake up and get them. For us, we just want to really try and focus on the important meaning and not have it be all about candy and goodies. We also read some of our Easter stories during breakfast before heading to church.

When we got to church it was such a nice surprise to see they randomly had some animals outside that of course the kids loveeeed seeing. They had a sheep, a few goats, rabbits, chickens, ducks, and a llama with an awesome scarf on.

After church we headed back home to get ready for everyone coming over. I snuck into the house and tried to grab the boys baskets to set them out before they got inside. I usually do it before we leave for church while Eric is getting everyone in the car, but it didn't work out like that this year. I thought Eric was in the basement with the boys while I was upstairs. I jetted across the downstairs with three baskets in hand only to stop dead in my tracks when all of the sudden I hear, mama?? Sure enough I find A standing next to me with a confused look on his face. I didn't realize he ran into the house to use the bathroom and caught me red handed with baskets in tow. I wish I could have seen my face but I know it was a cross between shocked and a what the what am I gonna do now. I quickly said, oh hi buddy! Look what I found in the back room that the bunny must have left you guys! I wanted to carry them over so you can see what's inside. He kind of gave me this look of confusion and then got sidetracked with getting a glimpse into his basket. I let out a sigh of relief and wondered if he bought my excuse or not.

We went outside for some family pictures because the blooms around our house have been beyond beautiful and we couldn't pass them up. It almost feels like a dream when I walk outside and find myself continually giving praise and thanks for where we're at.

The boys wanted to bring their baskets outside which we thought was a great idea because it was seriously the perfect day weather wise.

The rest of the afternoon consisted of eating too much, spending time with family, and actually being able to sit down and relax. That doesn't always happen when you're hosting but this time around it did. And you better believe both Eric and I took advantage of it.

We took a bunch of family pictures together and my grandpop had us cracking up. He's 92 and is one of those people that you can't tell him anything because he's been around so long he somehow knows it all. My dad was taking this picture of us and he refused to look at the camera. He was yelling at my dad telling him, don't you know, it's a rule, all good photographers will tell you to never look into the camera. Come on now, that's old school, you have to look away and capture a candid. Well ok grandpop. I told him he'd be perfect for blogging and then I completely lost him.

Later on that night when I was tucking A into bed, he decided that Easter basket sighting wasn't good enough for his logic. He asks me, mama, how did the bunny know I wanted certain things or that I like baby chicks? He tells me, he isn't Santa and he's not Jesus, so how does it work? Here I am again, practically a deer in headlights trying to figure out how I'm going to save the Easter bunny for this kid. He then says, I think I might know. Now I'm thinking, Oh, thank God, this could be ok. I ask him, what do you have in mind? He says, I think he drops all the stuff off for the Easter basket outside and then you have to carry it all in and decide what we want, but what happens to the things I don't like? Ok, ok, I can roll with this. I go along with his idea and tell him that the other things the bunny drops off that I didn't think they would like we donate to other children who might not get baskets. He then rolls over and says, that's a kind bunny. And you know what, I can't disagree with him ;) 

Some Bunny Loves You

What do you get when you bring three brothers together and an extra fluffy hopping friend? Easter adorableness overload.

Easter week is always a special week for us. It's a time of reflection and thankfulness for the ultimate sacrifice that our Savior paid for us. It's also a time where we create some of our favorite family memories as well. We had a very special visitor this weekend that I think has all of us wanting our own rabbit even more now. Yup, that's right, our friend brought over her sweet bunny, Marty, for the boys to take pictures with. 

If you've been following me for awhile then you know this is one of my favorite times of year to take pictures of the boys. It's a tradition we started 4 years ago now and don't plan on stopping anytime soon. You can see some of our previous years here, here, and here. 

This year was extra special for us since it's baby C's first Easter. He's wearing the same outfit that his brothers all wore for their first Easters. I knew it would be a little big on him but it ended up working out pretty well. It fit him fine in the length and then I just rolled the sleeves to make them work. 

You can imagine the boys excitement when they knew the bunny was coming. It was really cute because A wanted to help me with the setup and backdrop for these pictures. He set out the hay, the eggs, and those extra large carrots. He did find out my hiding place for things though. He followed me over to a closet where I had everything and then said, ohhh, so that's where you keep things. Oops. Time to find another hiding place.

When the bunny arrived the boys were immediately glued and wanted to hold him so bad. He was a little wound up because he was just driving in the car and needed to get some energy out. We thought it would be cute to have him sit in a basket but that didn't last too long because he had other plans. Which was fine. The best piece of advice I could give is, just go with the flow when kids and animals are involved. Both can be so unpredictable.

Even with him hoping out of the basket, the boys loved watching his every move and were still itching to hold him. We tried to switch it up and have little nugget hold the baby but he got so upset when his big brother handed him over. It wasn't because he didn't want his little brother, he just wanted to hold that rabbit so bad.

Look how happy he was once he got to hold him.

Of course we couldn't pass up an opportunity to all get some family pictures and capture these special moments together.

Do you have any Easter traditions you look forward to?

Our Easter Fun

As I'm sitting here writing this, I'm a little annoyed because there is snow coming down outside. Yes it's beautiful and makes everything have a magical feel to it, but enough already. I'm hopeful that it will melt pretty quickly but spring is clearly confused this year and I can't remember the last time she didn't have her act together. Come on girl, you are letting us down over here.

Luckily we did have a nicer weekend to enjoy all of the festive fun. On Saturday we took the boys to a local egg hunt at a church near us. I have to say, they did a really great job with everything. The program was amazing and the hunt was super fun. They had enough eggs for everyone, broke it down for different age groups, and overall it was very well put together. The boys had a ton of fun which made it even better. The rest of the day we spent relaxing and getting the house in order because we were hosting brunch the next day. 

Sunday morning the boys actually slept in and Eric and I couldn't believe it. We did tell them they needed to get good rest so they could have enough energy (like that's ever lacking) on Easter, so maybe that worked? Who knows, but I was loving it.

We headed to church, because first and foremost, that is the most important thing for us on Easter Sunday. The rabbits, the candy, and all that other stuff is fun, but there's nothing like celebrating the gift of eternal life and the ultimate sacrifice that was paid for us.

The boys were excited to see their baskets were waiting for them when we got home. We made the decision to do baskets after we go to church, and it's something we've done with A ever since his first Easter. It gives the boys something to look forward to and we don't want to the focus to be all about the baskets. But let's be honest here, they are looking forward to seeing what's inside.

After their baskets, I headed back to the kitchen to finish up the food prep and get everything ready before our family came over. Note to self, do not try a new recipe on the morning of your event. What was I thinking? I came across a recipe for hash brown waffles, and or course mine came out nothing like what was pictured. Thankfully they tasted ok but the presentation, a total fail. I didn't even take a picture because they were unrecognizable. I would give this another try because I think it could be really good, but I need to come across a few other recipes and find out their techniques and then master my own. If that ever happens, I may just put a recipe post together and tell you all my secrets—because a recipe like that, needs an honest breakdown. 

Hash brown fail aside, the rest of the food was really good and I don't think anyone walked away hungry.

After we ate, we headed outside for an egg hunt for the boys. They were so excited that silly bunny snuck in the backyard while they were eating and laid out all of the eggs. Aka our parents distracted them and Eric and I ran outback placing eggs around having just as much fun as the boys did when they collected them. They also started hopping around like little bunnies and my boys got some major height.

This year we set out two eggs with golden coins in them that they could trade in for a special golden bunny. One night Eric and I caught an episode of Jimmy Kimmel where they showed some Easter pranks on kids and decided we wanted to try one. Eric cut open a chocolate bunny, filled it with broccoli and then sealed it back up. It wasn't as easy as they made it seem (much like my hash brown fail) but it worked. He re-wrapped them, sealed up the boxes, and looking at them you wouldn't have really known. The whole joke kind of backfired on us though because the boys ended up loving the bunnies with the broccoli! We thought maybe they would have gotten upset, or something, but they ate all the broccoli. While we were all cracking up, they decided to put on a show and shake their little booties for us and do some sort of dance moves that hopefully will not carry through with them to adulthood. The more we laughed the more these two little characters carried on.

After some relaxing, cleaning up, and chit chatting, the day was over. It always amazes me how events or holidays go so quickly. It always seems like there is never enough time to fully enjoy them. As quickly as it went, we did have a great one. The boys are already asking about when we can hunt for more eggs, and I'm looking forward to celebrating next year when hopefully the weather will be nicer. I hope you all had a great time celebrating!!

When A Real Rabbit Is Just More Fun

It's that time of year again. My favorite time to take pictures of the boys. If you've been following this little space of mine for awhile now, then you know doing a photo shoot with a live Easter bunny has been my absolute favorite thing ever since little nugget's first Easter. 

We didn't get to have chickens and ducks in it this time around, but the main character is the bunny, after all. Our friend who had been bringing her animals over to us the past two years moved away so our feathered and furry friends didn't get to see the boys this year. 

We did however find a friend of a neighbor who had an adorable mini Rex Rabbit named Jack. We think he had a good time being the Easter bunny for the boys.

Since Easter is so early this year and we still have snow on the ground, I had to move everything inside. If there's one thing I know I'm not the greatest at, it's taking indoor pictures. It was an overcast day with peeks of the sun coming in and out, which also made it hard for me. I am very much a natural light kind of girl. It's my comfort zone and where I know my capabilities are. I do hope to expand that over time and become more confident working with indoor lighting.

On Saturday we were spoiled with a beautiful day. It was only 48 degrees out but the sun was shining and it felt more like 88 degrees. People were out riding motorcycles, driving with their convertables down, and me, well I took advantage of sitting outside and watching the boys play in the yard. I ended up drifting off to sleep in my lounge chair and Eric said he wished he would have snapped a pic of me because it looked like I was sunbathing (not really, don't worry I wasn't in my swimsuit) but with snow still on the ground. Anyway, when I woke up, he showed me this wood wall, contraption, whatever you want to call it, thing that he built. His intention was to use it as a door for one of our sheds outback. I told him not to use it yet because it was the perfect backdrop to take pictures of the boys! I was originally going to use wood pallets like I had years before, but I love how this turned out instead. Gosh I love being married to a handy guy.

I really love how the whole thing came together. I know I've mentioned this before but if I could do this on the regular I totally would. I have so much fun coming up with the decor and putting these little ideas together. 

When Jack arrived the boys were so excited they started jumping up and downing and clapping their hands together. He was such a soft rabbit but an active one too. He certainly wanted to explore our little setup, and who could blame him. 

He had his eye on those bails of hay, and before we knew it, he jumped up there. The boys thought it was the cutest thing and tried to feed him. 

Little nugget was making the silliest faces for us and he definitely knew what he was doing. The more we would laugh and tell him to smile nice, the more he kept doing it. He's such a little ham sometimes and it's so cute to see. Looking at these pictures I just can't believe how big A is getting. He was little nugget's age when we first started this tradition and now he's looking like such a big boy.

Wouldn't know, both of them have now been asking us for a rabbit but they only want one if daddy cleans up the poop. I can't argue with them on that one, but for now, I think we're ok with having rabbit friends come visit.