Making memories with our kids doesn’t have to be extravagant.
Sometimes it’s about buying a jumbo bag of Easter eggs for a couple of bucks and scattering them around the yard, then turning the kids loose for the hunt.
This took so little effort compared to many of the other more complicated activities I’ve done with the kids… and yet this is the one that they have not stopped talking about and thanking me for. (How sweet is that?!)
I thought it would be a cute craft activity to make some bunny ears with the kids for them to wear during the hunt. Not only did the kids love dressing up with their home-made bunny ears, but it was a good way to build a bit of excitement and anticipation before the big event. Sometimes that sweet anticipation is the best part!
I found this free printable for bunny ears online, printed them out, let the older two cut theirs out, then placed strips of double-sided tape on the lower section of the ears and wrapped them around a thin headband to secure.
The kids looked so adorable with their big floppy ears!
One particular little bunny decided she just couldn’t wait to open her chocolates!
Once she discovered the trick of egg-unwrapping, it was all over. Every time I turned around, the smallest Bunny could be seen stuffing another chocolate into her little mouth.
The face of a busted bunny. (A very self-satisfied one, I might add!)
So many of you expressed support for Allegra after my recent post, so I wanted to update you on how she’s going. As you can see in the pictures below, her eye is still outward-turned a lot of the time.
At other times, it briefly looks really centred – I have one photo on my phone where it looks completely normal and perfect – but then it seems to wander out again more often than not. We meet with her ophthalmologist again in another three weeks to ascertain whether she’ll need repeat surgery. Your prayers are much appreciated for the best possible outcome for our little bunny.
(If you missed that original post, Allegra’s issues are a bit more complex than a lazy eye, which is what you might assume from these pics. It’s a bit too complicated to explain here, but you can read all about it here if you like.)
Meanwhile, the big-brother bunnies had a bit of a mini-chocolate-fest, and then all remaining eggs (which was most of them, truth be told!) were put in the treat basket out of reach to be used as bribery for the next month or more. 😉
But wait a minute… isn’t that just mean?? We have a policy that whenever the kids get a big stash of sweets (like a party bag, for instance) they get to have a couple straight up, and the rest go in the treat box, to be dispensed bit-by-bit as rewards. It’s what our kids are used to, so we don’t get any complaints about it – so far, anyway. They’re still pretty little, and definitely lacking any sort of self-control button when it comes to sugary substances. Based on past observation, I’m pretty sure they would happily eat chocolate until they threw up. And then immediately eat some more chocolate to make them feel better.
All of which begs the question – at what age do you let your kids gorge themselves silly on their haul of Easter chocolate as and when they please? I’m curious. Is there an “age of reason” where you trust that they won’t just make themselves sick? (Or an age where they nag you so much that you don’t care if they do?)
Any other easter-egg chocolate-hiding mums out there? Is an Easter egg hunt a tradition at your place?
My grandparents always made Easter a big deal, not just searching for eggs but presents too. My grandparents are either deceased or live far away now, so I'm sad my little one won't have the same kind of fun memories I do, but we're going to do a similar (much smaller gift) version at our house this year. Hopefully she'll still have great memories and enjoy!
My grandparents always made Easter a big deal, not just searching for eggs but presents too. My grandparents are either deceased or live far away now, so I'm sad my little one won't have the same kind of fun memories I do, but we're going to do a similar (much smaller gift) version at our house this year. Hopefully she'll still have great memories and enjoy!
I Iove that you have such sweet memories of Easter with your grandparents. Sounds like they went to a lot of trouble to make the day special for you. And how cool is it that we get to consciously create memories for our kids? I'm sure your daughter will love the surprise you have planned. xo
I Iove that you have such sweet memories of Easter with your grandparents. Sounds like they went to a lot of trouble to make the day special for you. And how cool is it that we get to consciously create memories for our kids? I'm sure your daughter will love the surprise you have planned. xo
I can not see myself ever giving my children the 'lot' at once… I have no self control and I want them to learn it at an early age!! We are on a special behaviour diet this year so a couple of milky bar treat,a beanie and a special book this year. I always let the kids have the lolly bags but take the sugar out and give them the junky toys in them.
As a child we always received awful cheap chocolate and I ate it because there was SO much … so I am more about quality than quantity now.
Hi Karen, loved the bunny ears and your question about when do you trust them with their own chocolate without gorging themselves silly? The Swedes have an interesting answer to your question. My nieces live in Sweden and they are just like most Swedish children… lolly crazy. The Swedes handle their lolly addiction in a different way. They promote the idea Saturday is lolly day. So… you save all your lollies and eat them in one sitting – on Saturday. The idea behind it is one sitting of lollies isn't that damaging to your teeth because you can clean them straight afterwards. They believe it's far worse to eat them throughout the week because you're far less likely to brush your teeth after a few lollies here and there. Maybe it works, less tooth decay and slightly more self control because they have to wait until Saturday to eat their treats. My nieces enjoy a whole bowl of lollies, they saved up for the entire week, sit down in front of the T.V. and gorge themselves silly (one time, every week).
That's great, Karla! So true about quality rather than quantity. (Those cheap rubbishy compound chocolates are the worst!!) I too would love to teach my kids self-control, and I know that as a kid, mine was woeful! I really like your idea of using other presents instead of all chocolates.
That is fantastic – I love it! What a unique idea. I've never heard of anything like that before. But gee, it makes a lot of sense. Saturday lolly-day – wonder if I can sell that one to my kids. Hmmmmm….. you've got me thinking! 🙂
I can not see myself ever giving my children the 'lot' at once… I have no self control and I want them to learn it at an early age!! We are on a special behaviour diet this year so a couple of milky bar treat,a beanie and a special book this year. I always let the kids have the lolly bags but take the sugar out and give them the junky toys in them.
As a child we always received awful cheap chocolate and I ate it because there was SO much … so I am more about quality than quantity now.
Hi Karen, loved the bunny ears and your question about when do you trust them with their own chocolate without gorging themselves silly? The Swedes have an interesting answer to your question. My nieces live in Sweden and they are just like most Swedish children… lolly crazy. The Swedes handle their lolly addiction in a different way. They promote the idea Saturday is lolly day. So… you save all your lollies and eat them in one sitting – on Saturday. The idea behind it is one sitting of lollies isn't that damaging to your teeth because you can clean them straight afterwards. They believe it's far worse to eat them throughout the week because you're far less likely to brush your teeth after a few lollies here and there. Maybe it works, less tooth decay and slightly more self control because they have to wait until Saturday to eat their treats. My nieces enjoy a whole bowl of lollies, they saved up for the entire week, sit down in front of the T.V. and gorge themselves silly (one time, every week).
That's great, Karla! So true about quality rather than quantity. (Those cheap rubbishy compound chocolates are the worst!!) I too would love to teach my kids self-control, and I know that as a kid, mine was woeful! I really like your idea of using other presents instead of all chocolates.
That is fantastic – I love it! What a unique idea. I've never heard of anything like that before. But gee, it makes a lot of sense. Saturday lolly-day – wonder if I can sell that one to my kids. Hmmmmm….. you've got me thinking! 🙂
Such precious pictures! And you are so right, so many times it's the simple things that seem to rock their world! Thanks for the update on little miss! She has been on my mind a lot!
Such precious pictures! And you are so right, so many times it's the simple things that seem to rock their world! Thanks for the update on little miss! She has been on my mind a lot!
Thank you so much, Kathy! It means a lot that you've been thinking of her. xo
Thank you so much, Kathy! It means a lot that you've been thinking of her. xo