Li'l Scavengers

Nice.
Big time nice.
Seriously.
I couldn't have asked for - nor planned, a better Easter day than yesterday.

Mild temperature - almost hot towards the late afternoon.
Everybody came to my house.

I declared pot-luck so we all shared in the joy of bringing something to the table.

Favorite family members gathered around, (including that new baby!).
EVERYone getting along well, enjoying each other's company.
And the kids? Perfect blends of courtesy, curiosity, and cuteness!

I wanted to give my niece a set of those story eggs I blogged about last Easter. I didn't have time, with all the other preparations, to gather everything together for them. Then I thought, "Why not make a game out of it with the kids?" soooo that's exactly what we did! And they really seemed to enjoy the scavenger hunt with me.
That's 'our scavenger list' I've thrown up here, as my reminder, and now, memento, of some of what we did together, yesterday.
Of course, it was during the outdoor portion of this scavenger hunt that my nephew insisted upon introducing me and his little cousin, to a newly captured snake and lizard he and his elder brother had plans in taking back to Minnesota. The reptiles were comfortably confined to plastic containers, thoughtfully arranged with habitat, and stashed under the pine tree windbreak bordering the northern side of the house. I reckon they were about as 'nice' a snake and lizard couple as one could find in the wilds of Nebraska. =)
Once we'd found all the things to go inside the dozen Easter eggs I signed the inside of the carton and asked every one else to sign it too. I wanted the little one to have a keepsake to cart home with her. Then I suggested they look inside the eggs once more, as I read to all, the "story", which goes with them.
After that, my sister boiled up some eggs and set up a couple coloring stations at my table with papercups and cupcake tins to keep them from tipping over. <-(an ingenious grandma suggestion!) They had the best time doing that!
Then when their handiwork was dried and pass around for all to see, it was out to the side yards to play that old hide-n-seek game with the artsy eggs. They went a couple of rounds with my sister and brother - in - law attending.
I don't know if the queenofpanic! ever dug up any of those flowers she'd talked to me about? This place, being origially our grandmothers', I kinda thought she should take any and all that she wants. Someday they'll sell it off. "First one to come up with the money"- is what my Uncle says, because managing it just gets to be too much after so many years accumulation of responsibilities and difficulties. I rent the place from my Mom and her siblings.
I was rocking a sweet little baby to sleep while the hunt for bright eggs was on. I swiped my sister's camera and popped off some photos of the kids. Hope those turn out. I'd just love to do a pencil profile of that baby and image it with her sister, too.