Our Annual Easter Tradition

Every year our family celebrates Easter in a wonderful way.  It's become a tradition, and our party of the year,.....and it's almost all about the kids. As I was scanning through this year's pictures I couldn't help but 

Lori and I will make a diet "eggception"
this one day

take stock in how much of our lives is built around the four that we raise and the community (or village, if you will) of people in their lives.

Our Grace as the Easter Bunny
and her support group.

 Maybe it's just we are growing older. I'm sure that the company we keep all feels the same way in regards to how raising kids has changed our comprehension of what makes a really good party.  I'm OK with that and even appreciate that a "good time" for us is so much different then it was twenty years ago.

Ted stuffs the eggs with tickets
to redeem prizes.

So as I was uploading pictures and thinking that this years downsized hunt was one of my favorites, I actually got a bit emotional seeing how all of the pint sized hunters have changed year after year.  My own oldest is six feet and we had started this tradition when he was in preschool.

Saturday's weather cooperated for us after several days of rain. The morning was actually fun as neighbors and friends came to the house for last minute setting up and hiding eggs in the woods behind our home.  Neighborhood kids mulled around the yard scopeing out the golden eggs that Ted stuffs with prize tickets.

Friends arrive...

At 12:15 the parade of minivans arrived. Not even exaggerating.

 The hunt was on followed by several kid's games and activities and a fantastic pot luck lunch, (man, our friends can cook). But my favorite activity year after year continues to be the last game of the party, the egg toss.  You have to be an adult to play (usually the prize involves a nice bottle of wine), and surprisingly almost every adult joins in.  The kids line up the sides of the driveway to cheer on their parents and we give every couple one egg (who doesn't want to throw an egg at their spouse once a year?  After each egg toss to your spouse, those with eggs intact increase their distance.  At about ten feet we are usually down to five or six couples with good throws and softly gloved hands. It's hilarious watching every one competitively trying to catch a raw egg and the antics that typically ensue. The best part, for once we are not watching our kids; they are watching (and enjoying) our less then grown up behavior.

After putting away the bins of eggs last night, power washing the driveway, and cleaning up our yard, I asked my husband Ted yesterday how long he thought we could drag this tradition out. He looked surprised.   "End? Why would it end? Someday we will all have grandchildren".