What Are Some of Your #easter #basket Ideas?

Scavenger Hunt

Every year I put together a Scavenger Hunt for Easter. We start at the coffee table, and they get a prize and a clue egg. It might say something like, "Where food is cooked you'll find 5 eggs each and the next clue egg."

They run off to look in the stove, or microwave, but there may be 5 eggs each and the clue egg in the pots and pans area instead. The next clue might say something like, "Rub a dub dub there's 14 eggs in the _____ + a clue egg."

They run off to look in the tub.

I hid eggs in the oddest spots. There's a lot of thinking that's involved. At each spot I try and keep  same colored eggs.

Mica caught me once. I bounced up, and opened and shut the front door. I said, "Mica! You just missed the Easter Bunny. He bounced off down the street! Look he left a huge mess in the kitchen!" I didn't finish my Scavenger Hunt that year. He thought it was so neat he almost caught the Easter Bunny.

When he asked all about Santa Claus I had to come clean because he just had too many questions that year. I told him about the Easter Bunny too. He believed me about Santa, but was surprised there's no Easter Bunny or Tooth Fairy. He didn't believe in a man, but believed in a bunny and fairy! Ha!

What do/did you give to your kids for Easter? 

Usually I try and give them some kind of building thing, like a Lego set and a movie.

Shirts:

I got these shirts (mostly on sale) at Earthbound Trading Company.

2 totally different styles for Isaak:

Mica's obsessed with all things space. The boy watches YouTube videos on scientists talking about space.

This shirt was from Earthbound Trading Company:

This shirt was from Kohl's:

They are getting shorts with them too. I didn't think I'd shoot a photo of those.

Snacks:

The boys eat non stop, so I thought I'd get them some snacks. Annie's makes bunny crackers, so it's perfect for Easter time!

Books or Movies:

I know I'll probably hear something negative about this, but they are getting books instead of movies this year. Mica asked for The Iron Trial and Isaak's all about the Horizon series. He has yet to read this one.

What's Easter without candy?

I wish their favorites were the same things. They'll both eat really anything, but they each gravitate to certain things more than others.

Mica likes jelly beans the most. Isaak likes Peeps a lot. Travis and I could go for anything chocolate, or Reese's. I picked up Jordan Almonds because we all like them.

Clean Up!

One of the clues will be about cleaning. The Easter Bunny really wants them to clean! We don't need a lot of supplies. This should help them.

Since Mica LOVES Quiz Bowl at school, he should get into these Quiz Master games by Goliath.

Isaak has this horrible habit of taking the erasers off the backs of pencils. I'm putting these erasers in some of their plastic eggs.

Other Easter Ideas for Older Kids:

-Money
-Silly Putty
-Slime
-Silly String
-Yo-Yos
-Fidget Toys
-Rubiks Cube
-Wallets or Purses
-Hats

I thought about getting Isaak a felting set, but that so wouldn't be Mica's thing. Of course there's unique things, for different kids.

Do you get excited for Easter?

Disclaimer: I got the Goliath games and erasers awhile back from the companies. I reviewed them already. If you'd like to get the erasers you can get them here. If you'd like to get the Quiz Master Games get them here and here. The rest of the stuff in this post I bought. All opinions are my own.

WW: Bunny {Linky}

It's amazing what can happen in a 20 minute time frame!

What are they looking at?

A scared little bunny!

Our friends have a son that's 4. We were pretty busy all weekend long. He was tired of walking. Mica offered to give him back rides. He gave him multiple rides. You know when you offer once, the offer still stands later on. ;)

Isaak decided that it would be a great idea to climb a tree that was right by a sculpture. When we said, "Get down!" he quickly got down. Then this happened:

Thankfully he only complained about it when it happened, and a few hour duration. It must look worse than it feels.

I'm off a day with Memorial Day in there. I completely thought today was Tuesday. Remember to enter my low entry giveaway, while you're here.

Easter Tips

I know Easter is in the past now, but I got behind in blogging.

Advice to Newbie Parents:

1. Don't go overboard with Easter. Then your kids expect that the Easter Bunny goes overboard.
   
   There was a year I went overboard because I won a lot of things. Now my kids expect it. Quite frankly I'm ready for Isaak to not believe in the Easter Bunny. Then I can sit the boys down, and explain that they won't get the same amount of things every year.
   
   Mica doesn't believe, but he was busy picking out Lego sets he wanted. I said, "Ummm no Mica! You get what you get, and you don't throw a fit!"
   
   Instead of expensive Star Wars Lego sets they got these 3 in 1 build sets that makes a robot, robot dog, and a robot bird. They were in my price range. I thought they were cool because they there's three building options, and they have areas that light up!
   
   
   
   
   
2. Be prepared to ad lib.
   
   If you're caught in the Easter Bunny act like I was when Mica was about 4, or 5 I had to think fast. He got up well past his bedtime to go to the bathroom. I got up, ran to the door, and shut the glass door, leaving the wood door open. Then I said with enthusiasm, "Mica did you just see the Easter Bunny? The Easter Bunny dropped what he was doing, and hopped out the door because you were up!" Mica 1/2 awake woke up really quickly saying, "No I didn't see him!" He thought it was hilarious that he almost caught the Easter Bunny. It was so close that there were 1/2 bags of candy, and plastic eggs all over the kitchen. When he stopped believing in Santa, he still believed in the Easter Bunny because, well he caught him in the act. ;)
   
   We do a Scavenger Hunt every year.
   
   Somehow a clue egg got missed this year. Travis looked at me like it was all my fault. He looked at me like, What are you going to do about it? I yelled out from a different room, "Did you guys see that!?" They were like, "What?" I said, "The Easter Bunny was outside pointing at our mailbox. Go check it out!" There was the next clue in the mailbox. Isaak was standing outside looking up and down the street for the Easter Bunny. Ha!


3. Put stuff in the eggs that is not candy!
   
   Little kids think that finding pennies are like finding gold, I've included small erasers and pencil erasers for school in plastic eggs, costume jewelry for girls, mesh fidget toys, fun pattern socks, small Lego people, Annie's Bunny Crackers - different flavors, fruit snacks (although they are sugary too), nuts, seeds and the list goes on... Then fill the rest up with candy. 


4. Have breakfast made ahead of time!
   
   Kids get you up super early because they are excited to find their loot. I'm tired from staying up to hide eggs. It helps to have something ready to go. It's the one time of year I make Coffee Cake, and some type of egg dish ahead of time. Then I can enjoy Easter morning without slaving away in the kitchen. Other ideas: A Slow Cooker Oatmeal Dish, Breakfast Cookies (these are our favorite), No Cook Protein Bites ( I have pinned board of them), and a Quiche (you could make it crustless if you're gluten free).


5. Don't keep things quiet!
   
   We've always kept things kind of loud when the kids sleep. I vacuumed when they were itty bitty, we watch TV, and Travis grinds metal down in the garage. With Easter it sucks trying to hide eggs if it's oh so quiet. If you're getting eggs ready to hide, do laundry at the same time. Then they can't hear anything, but the washer going. 


6. Make them think!

Like I said earlier we do a Scavenger Hunt. It's not a family tradition. I started it, and my sister liked the idea, so she followed. Ha! The Easter Bunny starts at the coffee table always. He has a clue egg, and others hidden around it. The clue egg may say something like, "8 eggs and the next clue egg are hidden where Mom puts her computer bag to go to work." That was the trunk of the car. Another was, "12 eggs and the next clue egg are hidden where dishes are kept." They looked in the dishwasher at first, then the cupboard where they are kept. The hiding spots are getting harder as they get older. If they are really young - don't hide them at all, and help them with the clues. I did, "Rub a dub dub. 10 eggs are hidden in the ______." Then I just set eggs in the tub area. 

Do you have any tips for the Easter Bunny?

We Got Caught!

Saturday afternoon:

• I went grocery shopping.
• I made Dirt Brownies. The boys were so excited about the gummy worms! 
• I spent some time making wrist bands and handkerchiefs for the boys. They loved the the wrist bands and could have cared less about the handkerchiefs.

I kept looking at the time. It was getting late. Dinner needed to get done, so I make these yummy veggie chicken nuggets. I used fresh spinach and carrots instead of frozen mixed veggies. I also make my own bread crumbs. The boys gobbled them up!

I spent most of the Saturday evening making a cheese/veggie tray. It was for our big lunch with extended family on Easter. I was crazy and cut out cheese with a bunny and carrot cookies cutters I have. That took awhile. What took even longer was cutting out the flower radishes. I cut out thin strips of celery to mimic grass. Everything looked very pretty. Guess what? I forgot to take a photo! I just want to slap myself in the face for that!

I also made a coffee cake. Not something I normally make. Easter comes only once a year. I messed it up and only did the first part. Daddy said, "Just let us eat that!" I'm like, "No!" I made it right. Yep I can be stubborn!  He said, "Let's just eat cereal." I said, "No!"

By the time the cheese/veggie tray was put together, dishes were done, coffee cake made and laundry was done it was 11 pm. Daddy came up from working in the garage and thought I'd be practically done with everything, hunt and all. I said, "NOPE I haven't even started the hunt!"

He started helping me. I sent him off to make bunny foot prints on Mica's drawing that he left by the front door.

I thought they were pretty good and believable for Easter Bunny prints!

Plastic eggs were all over the kitchen floor and the hunt was started. I came up with the clues and Daddy was stuffing eggs like mad. We had stuff everywhere.

Daddy was in the process of hiding some outside on the front porch.

THAT'S WHEN IT HAPPENED...I heard Mica walking down the hall!

I have to say that Mica and Isaak are SOUND sleepers. They only wake up if they are sick or having a bad dream. Well Mica was having tummy issues. Needless to say, I was not expecting him to wake up!

I'm so I'm quick with fibbing! Not that I practice lying on a regular basis!

Mica looked my way in the kitchen and said with a glow in his eye, "Mommy why are their eggs all over the kitchen floor?"

I said, "Well Mica you almost caught the Easter Bunny! He left that mess there because he heard you get up! He didn't know what to do, so he hopped away." Daddy actually had to chase him out the front door."

Mica went back to bed. We hurried to get done. We were almost done anyhow. 

One of the last clues said, "Gee wiz Mica, you almost caught me! Your Daddy had to chase me out of the house. Please pick up the mess I left in the kitchen. ;) Find your final prize where you keep the towels."

In the morning Mica bought everything. He was so excited that the Easter Bunny left prints on his drawing. He cleaned up all the eggs the Easter Bunny left all over the kitchen. ;)

Next time I'm pouring all the eggs and candy out on our bed. I'm locking the door to. That's what I did last year. I was in such a hurry, I just wasn't careful enough.

Wordless Wednesday - A Trip to the Easter Bunny

The boy's went to go see the Easter Bunny on Sunday. They were super excited!

Isaak thought he could tell the Easter Bunny what he wanted like he did with Santa Claus. His only want is, "Play-Doh."

Mica was surprised that he didn't talk. We mutually decided that the Easter Bunny is a boy because he wears a bow tie. We also decided that he both hops and walks.

The boy's got an Easter Bunny mask to wear. I think they look creepy, but a funny way.