Extreme Egg Hunting

When the kids get older, the stakes just get higher. See, we always do Easter with my parents and my sister and her family. My sister and I take turns hosting every year. Now, between us there are six kids, ranging in ages from 10 to 21. So, this year, the "big kids" opted out of the egg hunt, being "too old." That, and last year D#2 took a little flak for body-slamming her 11-year-old cousin. It was an "accident."

When they were all little, it was just a free for all - kind of "ready, set, go." Then when there were older ones, and really little ones, we'd stagger the start times.... letting the babies out first so they stood a chance - otherwise all the big cousins are whizzing by snatching up all the eggs and the babies are just standing there without a clue.

So this year, in the interest of safety, all the but the two youngest opted out, like I said, which means we have probably close to NINETY eggs spread all over the backyard for TWO kids. Still, they run around like chickens with their heads cut off, trying to get the most.

It's just too funny - I mean, look at the picture.... his basket is nearly empty because he's dumped his loot twice already into a large paper bag, there are really very few eggs left to be found, as evidenced by the empty grass, and he's still going full tilt. This is serious business.

Well, it was too painful for the big kids to be left out, so next year we decided we'll up the ante, blindfold them or something. An idea that got a lot of votes was three legged race Easter egg hunting. You know, tying two kids together. Oh yeah, this is an excellent idea. I can see it now, The Bud dragging one of his little cousins all over the yard... and there'll be some kind of discussion about who has to be tied to the "uncoordinated one." This should be good.

You see, they just won't let any of the traditions fade away. We still have to do ALL the stuff we did when they were little. We have to have colored boiled eggs, candy-filled eggs, deviled eggs, and Jell-O eggs. I tried to "accidentally" forget about the Jell-O eggs this year, but No... they wouldn't let me. Not to mention all the chocolate eggs. Why, because "it's just what we do, Mom."

And, we have to have the "bunny cake." And we have to have the marshmallow treats with the Peep heads on top (sis makes those....and, where are all the Peep butts, may I ask?).

Truthfully, I wouldn't trade any of it - traditions make for memories, and it's all part of being a family, and that's important. The kids will do some (ALL) of the same things with their families. Because "it's just what we do." They never really grow up.