Sam and Carmin: Easter Egg Hunt

My idea to have an annual Easter Egg Hunt with friends come from the tradition of my family. When we lived in Arizona, we would gather with my Grandparents and cousins for our Easter Breakfast and Egg Hunt. When my family moved to Utah, we continued the tradition by inviting friends over for the same festivities. While we were in Utah this year, Grandma and Grandpa organized their Easter Egg Hunt for grandkids. Lots of us had come to listen to my sister, Shayla, speak in church after her return from her mission, so the Saturday before was the perfect time to have this family favorite tradition.

Alina was perched in her high chair for the picnic. This girl loves her a good meal!!

Some of the pre-teen cousins with a few Uncles in the background.

I had to catch an incognito shot of David, since he was hiding from all the group photos.

I think this was the first day I put Alina in to two pigtails, and I couldn't get over her cuteness. Her chubby little baby self seemed to contradict that full head of hair that barely held in her pigtails, but the combination made me giggle each time I saw her.

Other than Alina, who casually wandered around while everyone else was waiting for the egg hunt to begin, somehow it ended up that David was the youngest in the egg hunt, so he got to be first in line. Thank you, Cousin Ethan, for acting as "bouncer" to all these little kids that were so anxious to get to those candy-filled eggs!

David was being very funny. He was worried that Ethan was going to block them from going to the egg hunt area, and he didn't like it one bit. Ever seen a 6 year old take on a 14 year old? I was getting a kick out of it. Ethan did a good job laughing off the 6-year old anxiousness. Charm is a great way to handle David's intensity, and Ethan nailed it in this instance.

Ready, set, go.

Aunt Capri helped Alina find a few eggs at her level.

As typical for this age, once the candy inside was discovered, Alina was content to sit down and eat her treasure. Rush to find others? Alina found that completely pointless while she savored the sugar in her egg.

She was happy. That was good enough for her and her mom.

David, on the other hand, knew just how to rush to find the eggs hidden all around the orchard.

Alina eventually wandered around and found another egg or two, but each time returned to her spot to sit and enjoy the loot.

After the hunt, David sat and enjoyed his candy with some of his cousins.

This was a sweet freindship that emerged through the egg hung. 9-year old Kambria wanted to win over her cute little cousin, so she helped Alina find one last egg.

Kambria went even so far as to open some of her own candy-filled eggs to give Alina a few more eggs to hunt. Of course, Alina loved the attention and the sweetness of the arrangement.

David moved to the climbing tree to continue enjoying his candy. Not sure what he was saying to me this time, but clearly it was important!

Double the baskets, double the fun, right?

Afterwards Grandma pulled out her dying supplies and some of the many eggs that had been collected over the week from Claytons' chickens . . . fun times!