School Easter Egg Hunt

It's Easter time! Our house is filled with plastic eggs and bunnies and flowers and animals and all the signs of Spring. The boys have been very excited for the Easter Bunny to visit them and for dyeing eggs and all that Easter goodness. We have also made it a conscious effort this year to be sure they know that Easter is the day that Jesus rose from the dead. We will make a lamb cake and Eli already knows that the red cake represents the blood of Jesus and the white frosting represents how we are washed clean by the blood of Jesus. Candy is great - but the real reason for Easter is so much greater and more powerful!

This first Easter related post is of the boys' Easter egg hunt at their school. The actual hunt lasted all of 10 minutes, but they had a great time!

Photo 1: Eli about to nab an egg.

Photo 2: Brady finding eggs the others have left behind.

Photo 3: Brady talking to his friend, he doesn't understand yet the intensity it takes to get a proper amount of candy filled eggs before your friends do. :)

Photo 4: Brady finding an egg in a bush. The "garden" he is in is usually full of flowers and beautiful plants, but it hasn't rained here in about 2 months, so everything is dying. It is so sad.

Photo 5: I just love this little face!

Photo 6: Brady showing off his haul. However, he did have to share with some classmates since they only had 3 or 4. That's my boy!

Photo 7: Brady's Penguins class, pre-K age 2. Sadly, I don't know the kids in his class, but you can see him front and center showing off his egg. His teachers are Miss Hala on the left, and Miss Evelyn on the right. They were WONDERFUL! Brady really loves them and we will miss them next year.

Photo 8: Can't get enough of this precious face.

Photo 9: It was pretty easy to follow Brady around and get pictures, but following Eli was a different story. By age 5, they understand that it is every man for himself out there and there is a mad dash for the eggs. I was able to get a couple of pictures of Eli, but almost as soon as I tried to take a picture, he was gone. Eli is in the red shorts and white shirt.

Photo 10: Eli counting his eggs. Each child was only allowed to have 12, so he was sure he was following the rules. Of course, he got well more than 12, so we had to put some back out in the field for other children to get.

Photo 11: Eli showing off his eggs.

Photo 12: Our family, Eli, Rachel (28 weeks pregnant with Major), Bill, and Brady. If anyone is wondering where my hair went, I got it all cut off last Thursday for Locks of Love, and organization that accepts hair donations to make wigs for children who have lost their hair due to cancer. This was my 5th time to do it!

Photo 13: After the egg hunt, the boys enjoyed playing the in the water fountain in the church courtyard.

Photo 14: Eli's Bears class, pre-K 4. It is hard to name all the children, but you can see Eli in the back row right next to his teacher, Mrs. Drake. Riley is in front of him with the pink dress, with the bow on the front, and blond hair. You can see his best friend, Max, in the back right center in between the two teachers. The other teacher is Miss Nermine. Eli had wonderful teachers this year as well. Eli is always coming home and telling us the things he has learned...the life cycle of bugs...the planets in our solar system...different books they've read...just such a vast amount of knowledge for a 5 year old! He can even sight read many words. They are beginning the reading process that will be completed in kindergarten. Eli can't wait to start kindergarten next year and I know he'll do great!

Photo 15: "Hear dat, Daddy?"

Photo 16: Best brothers after the hunt.