Easter 2013

Here is a rare picture of the girls in pony tails...they just won't keep them in for more than an hour or so no matter what I try...so I just don't very often any more.  But they look so cute...if only I could convince them:)

Easter 2013 Egg Hunt at the farm
We managed to get most of the cousins and all of the second cousins together for this, which was so much fun!  It was a little chilly, and some eggs were even hidden on the snow, but nobody seemed to mind!

Here is a picture of all the second cousins together (minus the 2 newborns who weren't officially involved in the egg hunt yet:)!  From left to right...Allis, Olivia, Emmeline, Liam and Mollie are 3 years old (and are the 5 that were born within 3 months of each other)...then Sam and Ellie are both 5 years old right now.

And they were off!  So many eggs you wouldn't even believe it...so no worries that anyone wouldn't get their share!

 They were hidden in rocks...

 In the snow...

In trees...

By the chicken coop and under the bushes and in the mailbox and in window wells and on window sills and in flower beds and ALL over the yard and around the house...What Fun!

When all were found everyone went back inside and worked on getting a tummy ache.  Much candy was consumed:)  There was evidence of chocolate all around.  Below is our new nephew Will, who is now 1 month old, and niece Allis.

Sam and Ellie played and played.  They only see each other once or twice a year, but absolutely love to play together.  Sam had no problem playing Barbie's with the girls.  He was so happy to have a fellow 5-year-old to play with!

On Easter Sunday, we woke the kids early and made it to a Sunrise Easter service that started at 6 am.  It's a memory I have from childhood and something that always makes Easter extra special in my mind.  Luckily my family is willing to go along with it!  We had breakfast at church and then came home for a little down time after all of the Easter activities.  The kids actually FORGOT to ask about their baskets, which worked out well because I was having my grandma and uncle over for lunch and wanted them to be able to see the kids find their baskets.  So once our guests arrived, I reminded the kids about their baskets and they were off on a search again.

Here is Emmeline with her basket.

  Sam with his basket.

 Mollie with her basket.

 Enjoying their loot!

The kids are all so excited to go swimming this summer.  The Easter Bunny must have known this because he gave Mollie and Emmeline new floaties.  They were so excited that they pretended to swim on the rug for quite some time!

I tried and tried to get a nice picture of these monkeys in their Easter outfits, but it was just so hard for them to sit still.  It must have been all the candy:)

Check out Ed's attempt to keep the baskets away from the kids for awhile.  I told him it wouldn't take Mollie long to figure out a way to get them and sure enough, just look at her.  If left alone for a few more minutes I have no doubt she would have succeeded!

Finally, this morning's activity of opening all the eggs from the Egg Hunt at the farm.  Yikes!  We have WAY too much candy and may just have to save our teeth and tummys and donate some to those who were not blessed with an over-abundance of chocolate!

It was a memory and candy-filled Easter:)