Easter weekend

This isn't Kent's first Easter, but it's one where he's old enough to understand what we're talking about (if any of us can understand the Resurrection, truly), and it's one where he's old enough to do some activities. Reading the local papers, I couldn't believe how many community egg hunts there were! It seemed like every business or organization was doing one. (And don't get me started on pictures with the Easter bunny. No, no, just no.) One local library had 1,000 eggs for the 0-3 year old playgroup. One of my friends went and she said it was total chaos. All the eggs were found in TWO MINUTES.

On Saturday, I organized a little play date with several of my friends and their kids. It was mid 60s and we all got a little too much sun on our faces, but that's a good problem. First, the kids just played outdoors with our roller coaster, ride on toys, stumps, soccer balls and sand pit. It was fun to have my friend groups meet.

We also had an egg hunt. The eggs were filled with skittles, butterfinger eggs, crunch eggs, crackers, bandaids and coins. The bushes were a perfect place for the eggs. So were daffodil plants.

I had to add some "obstacles" to hide more eggs, so we brought out the camping chairs. Turns out, toddlers walk by them whether they are hiding behind something like a table leg, or whether they are in plain view. Hahah!!

Ready, get set, run!! And run by all of the eggs :) 

There was plenty of coaching, but they figured it out and even helped each other!! Toddlers helping toddlers... nothing more adorable!!

I had an optional make-your-own-pine-cone-bird-feeder craft, but we didn't get to it because outdoor play was so engaging for the kids. Everybody brought their own lunch and we had a picnic.

That afternoon, we scrambled to get everything ready for the French exchange students' arrival. There was still so much in the air as they were in the air coming our way. In the end, it all worked out and we are hosting two 15 year old boys in our house for 10 days. They are really eager to connect with our students, socializing with them and having good conversations. We played tour guides all day Sunday and Monday.

On Sunday, the school hosted its annual faculty kids egg hunt. We went last year and it was freezing!! Kent found ONE orange egg, opened it, the candy dropped in the grass, and then he opened and closed it the whole time until the hunt was over. He had a blast just wandering around and watching the older kids and being outside. This year, he knew what to do and he distinctly understood "candy" and "chocolates". So he got plenty of eggs, still with a bit of coaching and help from parents and other kids. His basket was overflowing. Sheesh! There were 3 golden eggs with $5 in each of them. I'm glad the older kids found those. They were really on the hunt for those (maybe that's why Kent got so much candy!). Here's the group picture!

When I gave Kent his Easter basket, he asked "is it my birthday??" Here's what was in it:
Bandaids, fruit snacks, a chocolate bunny head from a local chocolate company, bubbles, spring themed punches and a grass growing plant. There was also a search and find book that we got in Canada that didn't fit in the basket.

I found it difficult to really get the point across about the meaning of Easter since everywhere we look are bunnies and chicks and flowers and eggs and candy, but hopefully I'll be able to teach Kent the truth and still be able to have some of the secular fun like egg hunts and Easter baskets. On a side note, our French friends tell us that "Easter baskets" are a new concept to them. Instead, their kids wake up to chocolates eggs hidden around the house because "the bells passed by". On Good Friday, the church bells stop ringing, they remain quiet all of Saturday and they start up again on Sunday. In France, the bells are responsible for the chocolate treats, not the Easter bunny.