Easter 2014

Just like last year, celebrating Easter as a parent did not disappoint.  At. all.  I just love love love experiencing holidays through Ruby's eyes!

We kicked off Easter this year with a pre-Easter egg hunt.  The in-laws are members of a local Elks club, which hosts an annual hunt for kiddos.  They had an Easter bunny, of course, and in spite of her usual fear of strangers, Ruby was OBSESSED.  We had to pry her away, so that other kids could take their picture, too.

After a nutritious lunch of hotdogs and chips, it was time for the Easter egg hunt.  They had sections separated by age, which I was happy about.  Didn't want my little lady to get overrun!

It was safe to say, she had a good time!  The highlight of the egg hunt for me, was when she and another girl both went for the same egg.  Ruby got there first, then looked at the girl, and dropped the egg into the girl's basket.  So sweet!

Also of note, this place was crazy.  The older kids' eggs had some with hidden notes in them saying the kid won a bike.  A bike!  There were about 30 bikes there, of varying sizes, and I'm pretty sure that every kid that was old enough got to take one home (helmets, too).  Ruby was sad and confused that she wasn't old enough to "win" one.

The Elks egg hunt was the weekend before Easter, so we got to spend actual Easter at home.  The Saturday before, we did some good old fashioned egg-dying.  Of course, Ruby was most into the stickers. She told me, "Doin' stickers goin' pretty good!"

Then I got to play Easter bunny.  I love doing her basket!  Here's a shot of her loot this year:

Coloring things, an amazing tambourine (from @loveleemusic on instagram), a new Camelbak, bunny socks, new jammies, bunny toothbrush, a pack of hair clips (@minalovesbows on IG) and a bunny bracelet (@cagedbirdblog on IG), squeeze bubbles, new sunnies (good thing, because we lost her beloved yellow ones the week before), and Little White Rabbit by Kevin Henkes.  Not pictured was candy (yes, candy), and Annie's bunny crackers (of course!). 

She was pretty excited!

I did the best I could to be festive with breakfast.  She was satisfied with a bunny pancake!

Then it was time to get dressed in her Easter pretties and do an egg hunt.  We don't have a yard, so we just made do with the area in front of our townhouse - which turned out to be kind of perfect for an egg hunt!

Braidy tried to get in on the action, too.  AKA, eating the bunny crackers.

SO excited!!!

After the egg hunt, we just chilled at home.  Which was awesome!  I love having a low-key holiday.  After Ruby took her nap, I thought she might like to do one more egg hunt, since she really seemed to love them.  I emptied all her plastic eggs and just re-hid them empty.  Well, I put one jelly bean in one egg, to make it a special egg.  She was a little bit miffed that there was no candy in the eggs, but she got over it quick because the hunt was fun.

"Mommy, no candy inside!?!"

We ended the day with more relaxing, and eating too much candy.  Just the way Easter should be!