Here Comes Peter Cottontail!

Here Comes Peter Cottontail!

Easter is one of those holidays when many things stay the same while many things change. Since the date is dependent on moons and tides and such, it can be as early as late March and as late as mid-April, which makes it very challenging to know how to dress. In the pictures with snow on the ground the temperatures are actually milder than in some of those with bare ground. Noah is wearing Grampy’s vest because he was freezing during the egg hunt; he could barely pick them up through the shivering.
Each year the day after Easter I hit the usual bargain stores: Target, WalMart, Walgreen’s, the supermarkets, etc., and stock up on the plastic eggs and any other Easter-related “stuff” that will hold up for a year. Today Chuck and I sat with 15 prefilled eggs and 96 empty plastic ones needing filling. We put quarters and a variety of candies in each; mostly I tried to find the stuff unlikely to be in their own baskets at home, such as Smarties and bubble gum. One year I bought little toys and stuffed animals which I thought looked small enough to fit in the larger eggs, but none did, so I abandoned that idea. It is costly enough for what we do put in, but they love the egg hunt. Oh, and one year in my efficiency I placed them outside about two hours before the kids were due, and the squirrels had a wonderful time. They were able to worry them open and dig out the goodies. FYI, they preferred orange jellybeans! Now I wait until we are within a half hour of lift off, and then stand guard, ready to shoo them off with my broomstick should they approach. Quite the picture, huh?
We provide plastic bags for the children, and a very strictly enforced limit. This year with 11 participating (our nephews, 12 and 9, join us for this holiday), and 111 eggs, each will be allowed 10, and I have no idea what to do with the extra one, except that we rarely find them all anyhow. The older children obviously are much more adept at hunting them out, so they then help the younger ones.
Among the traditions we have are the lamb cake (made in a cast iron mold, handed down from Great Nana), and the bunny cake, wildly decorated by the children in whichever home it is being made that year. As the oldest child present, Drew gets to claim the lamb’s head. All are eager for him to either reach adulthood or decide that this nonsense is beneath him, whichever comes first.
Because the weather is totally unpredictable until a day or two before, we never know if we are going to spend the bulk of the day inside or out. Last year it was mild enough to be outside, so we had foam rockets to launch and bubble wands to twirl. Sidewalk chalk is a great choice too. Usually the kids are dressed up, so we don’t want to roughhouse too much and ruin their clothing. Sometimes they bring a change of clothes, particularly if it is going to be warmer. It is difficult for this many children to remain cooped up and behaving in our comfortable but not overly large home, so we try to plan ahead for activities to keep them happy and us sane.
Most families have traditions about holiday meals, and one of ours is that we all eat at the same time, if possible. The children get their meals first, but they know there will be no dessert until everyone is done, so there is no point to hurrying. Sometimes they eat on the picnic table on our (now, finally!) heated four seasons room, and sometimes they crowd around the kitchen table, while the adults populate the dining room. Yes, it necessitates lots of jumping up and back and forth, but, on the whole, it works. The cousins love being together, so it truly doesn’t matter to them where they eat.
One of the pictures included here is of Great Nana holding one of the twins. We did not know at the time that this would be her last Easter with us, and we are so glad we have this picture to show Ryan some day. The last 3 years of her life she was in an assisted living facility, and we would go to great lengths to enable her to be with us on holidays. It was well worth it. She loved the children unconditionally, and boy, did they know it! What a gift to give them, a family circle, filled with love and laughter and, of course, delicious food!

Tip #16: Think ahead to plan activities for the children who are sharing the holiday with you. Whether you are inside or outdoors, having things for them to do will make everyone’s day easier and more pleasant. Try to gather as many family members as you can as your grandchildren will remember long after you are gone that love and laughter happened at your home.