But we went through the motions one more time -- perhaps for old times sake.
The Easter Bunny had hidden the baskets around our family room - the only room on our first floor not saran-wrapped against the dust of the construction and replastering.
Here in our part of the world, the Easter Bunny gives gifts as well as candy. One year, the Easter Bunny gave our children only candy and then Henry went off to school the next day and came home wondering why the Easter Bunny gave his friends Lego sets and Nerf guns. Why indeed, I asked?
Since then, the Bunny and I have reached an agreement: one toy and the rest marshmallow cream eggs and chocolate bunnies (with starburst and sweet tarts for the allergy kid).
The children still wonder why the Easter Bunny is so darn stingy.
This year, our friends Janet and Kevin invited us to their house for Easter Dinner and I was assigned to the dessert. I love to make dessert because it means that I can make what I like and it guarantees that the hostess won't be serving something disappointing like a fruit platter or anything whose main ingredient is a lemon. yuck.
This year, I decided to make a chocolate torte for the grown-ups and a cookie platter for the kids (and grown ups like me who like to throw all dieting to the wind on major holidays).
The girls helped me make chow mein noodle bird nests:
Janet planned an egg hunt and egg decorating at her house, so we skipped our own egg hunt in the morning.
Josie found the first egg and was reaching up high to get it when....
Older child snatched it right out from under her - well, over her.
Look at that face!
Even moments later, Josie was still glaring:
But she did manage to get a few eggs in her bag:
Boy, do kids love a good egg hunt:
In the end, I had Kevin take a family photo so Gordy and I could remember that we were there when we look through our photo albums when we are old(er):
Inside, Janet had spread out a heap of egg decorations and egg dye kits:
It was such a treat to spend Easter with other people - thanks, Janet, Kevin & boys!