About a week ago Rylee, Avynlea and I headed over to the mall so that I could get a swimming suit. While we were there I saw that the Easter Bunny was available for pictures. I asked the girls if they wanted to go meet the bunny and while Rylee was all for it, Avynlea showed some hesitations. She told me that she really didn't want to go and sit on the Bunny's lap. I told her that was fine but I asked her if she could stand close enough to it so that I could get a picture. She agreed and off we went. The guy at the place told me I could take only two pictures with my own camera and that I had to stand back by his stand. OK whatever. Rylee was fine with sitting on the Bunny and Avynlea stayed true to her word and stayed as far away from the Bunny as she could. She did not act scared about it, I think she just doesn't like costumed animals. I have to admit the whole concept of sitting on the Bunny's lap is kinda weird. I mean with Santa Claus at least you have a purpose. You tell him what you want and he is able to converse with you. With the Easter Bunny you just sit. They did get a fun little Bunny toy along with a chick mask and bunny ears so I guess that was fun for the kids.
On Easter Sunday I got up before the kids woke up and hid their Easter baskets. This was something my Mom used to do for us and I always thought it was fun. I don't know why I have never done it before but it is never too late to implement a new tradition. We had Stake conference that Sunday so Kefford was home with us, that was really great. I had the kids get up and get all ready for church and then we headed downstairs and made them eat some oatmeal. I want a little bit of something healthy in their bodies before they get ahold of all that junk food. After that we were gathered around in the Family Room and I told them maybe we should wait till after church to do baskets. Rylee heard that and decided she was going to play some Barbies since she had to wait. She walked over to her doll house opened it up and found her Easter Basket! That made me laugh because she wasn't even looking for it. With that all of the other kids took off searching for their baskets. Avynlea found hers second in the coat closet. Kenedy found Rykers in the bathroom, gave t to him and then found hers in the oven.
After we got done with Stake Conference we came home to get ready to go out to Keffords parents for Easter dinner. I called Alison a couple of days earlier to ask what she wanted me to bring for dinner. She told me I could do whatever I wanted and so I let her know that we would bring cupcakes. I have a fun Cupcake decorating book and I got most of my ideas from it. Rylee and Avynlea helped me with the egg cupcakes and the flower cupcakes and Kenedy helped me with the Duck cakes. The egg cupcakes only had 3 entire egg shells while the rest were all broken. I had a hard time getting the chocolate out of the molds and only 3 survived. The Duck ones were taking a long time to put together, they were not as easy as we thought they would be and we quickly got tired of doing the, so we quit after we made about 12. That was fine because there were plenty of other cupcakes that we had made to bring. On the way out to the farm Kefford got a little crazy with his driving and so the cupcakes did not make it in one piece. they looked like they had just got done with an Easter war. Oh well, they still tasted good and the girls and I had fun making them.
We wanted the kids to keep the spirit of Easter and to remember what it is all about and so in addition to the daily Easter Week reading we did out of the scriptures, on the way out to the Farm Kefford put in the animated movie about the resurrection.
We kept all of the kids in their Sunday clothes so that once we got out to the farm we could take a picture with all of the Grandkids. There are 13 grandkids on the Peterson side of our family and for this picture taking session all of them cooperated except for one, poor little Asher did not want to sit for a picture. It's all good though it gives the picture character.
top row: Bailey. Qiana, Isabelle, Brielle, Ally, Rylee and Ryker
bottom row: Brooke, Avynlea, Audrey, Kenedy, Mikayla and Asher
After the picture taking and after dinner Kenedy did a little family home evening lesson about Easter with the 12 Easter eggs thingie. I was going to take a picture of her doing it and when I got up to get my camera I saw that she could use some help keeping her eggs organized and keeping little hands away from the eggs until it was their turn to open them. I am not sure if any of the little kids got anything from what she was doing but she did a good job and was really patient with her little cousins. She is definitely a good oldest cousin and really treats all of her little cousins with love and patience. During the lesson Kefford and some of his siblings hid the goods out in the yard. Alison split it up this year and had the kids Kindergarten age and up go first and then the little kids got their turn. Those poor little kiddos had a hard time waiting, they were really anxious to get out their and hunt for some eggs. Among all of the treats and goodies Alison had confetti eggs for the kids. They are just an egg filled with confetti. You are supposed to make a wish and then crack it open on your head. Avynlea had loads of fun with hers. All of the kids enjoyed their Easter Egg hunt and I am really grateful for Alison being willing and happy to do this each year. The kids all LOVE it and it is a fun memory maker.
