As far as Easters go the last two have been pretty special. Easter 2022 was spent settling in at home as a family of four after Darcie made her arrival on Good Friday. This year we spent Easter Sunday as a family at my mums with my sister, her partner the children. Watching the children play together so happily and contentedly in the spring sunshine really made it perfect for me.
For weeks leading up to Easter, all Rupert had been talking about was his pending Easter Egg Hunt with his two favourite little friends, Hetty and Barnaby.
Rupert had been ensuring that he got some egg hunting practice in before the big day, he had been setting out his own hunts at home everyday after breakfast for about a week. Without any eggs to hide he improvised hiding any food he could get his hands on, mainly fruit, then running about the house with his basket telling me we were going on an egg hunt and to close my eyes until he had hidden them, it was then my turn to hide the “eggs from him”.
Come Sunday, thankfully the weather had improved from earlier in the week. The sun was shining and everyone was in good spirits.
Hannah and little Hetty were the first to arrive after us, and Rupert was ecstatic to see her and took to running around like a loon before going into the house to rummage in my mums pantry pulling out and offering Hetty a carrot of all things.
On the lawn I had put out a blanket and created a craft area where the children could decorate bunny ears I had cut out the night before. I thought they could use bits from around the garden in their decorating.
When Stuart arrived with Barnaby a short while after we had begun crafting away, we had to have a giggle over my non existent health and safety concerns. On the blanket along with PVA glue there was also gorilla glue (the PVA glue was not proving to be strong enough for the task) and garden sheers. Stuart took one look at the set up and said what’s that Gorilla glue? I am sure I fixed my kitchen with that last week! Oh and garden sheers?! To which Hetty (9 years old) tongue in cheek joked I had a lovely time, I glued my eyes shut and chopped off my fingers!
With the ears finished it was time for the adults, (except Chris, who had prioritised a gym session over helping to set out the egg hunt), to hide to copious amount of eggs on the yard and in the barns.
This time it was Hannah and Stuarts turn to forgo any heath and safety concerns, hiding eggs so high that climbing and clambering across uneven surfaces was involved (children ages of 3, 9 and 11). The children thought this great fun however.
Once the eggs and clues were set out, the three bunnies with their flowery, and by this time somewhat floppy ears, were keen to start, however they were disappointed as we were still awaiting the arrival of Chris who we half expected to arrive as the Easter Bunny.
Rupert threw himself on the floor in despair having waited eagerly for weeks for this day to arrive.
Chris finally arrived and three enthusiastic bunnies hopped off out to the stables to begin their egg hunt.
Darcie found a few eggs to her delight and enjoyed a nibble on her way around.
We can always rely on Rupert for the entertainment. At the end of the hunt he had us all in stitches as he said wee wee and before any one could act on it and reach him, he pulled down his trousers, and went for a wee in the middle of the yard. We will bring these photos out on his wedding day.
Stuart made sure none of the eggs were forgotten as he had been taking photos of them all as he hid them! Once all had been found and checked off of the list, it was lunch time and we headed back to the house where Mark my stepdad had cooked a delicious paella that could have easily fed the 5000.
Bubbly was passed around, sparkling elderflower for the little ones.
The house was full of cheer and laughter and the garden full of chaos with children and the dogs running wild and free making their own fun.
At the end of the day when it was time to head home for Stuart and the children, all three children were a sad to be saying goodbye to each other. Rupert sat down on a stone dog as he waved them off, threw his arms in the air in a sad gesture, sighed and said nothing to do now.
Before leaving ourselves, Chris and I took the dogs for a run up the fields, whereby Winter ensured that I got just as grubby as the children. She jumped up at me after walking through the stickiest, muddiest of puddles in fear of getting zapped by the electric fence as had happened a few days earlier.
Back at the stables, I asked Chris to make something light for the children to eat while I settled the horses for the evening. My thought process was that they would be so tired they would sleep on the way home and could then be transferred to bed leaving us to have some time together.
Rupert did not even make it to the car before falling asleep, he had nodded off on the sofa curled up in dalmatians.
A simple and laid back Easter Sunday whereby all of our cups were well and truly topped up.
I hope you too had a wonderful Easter break with your loved ones.
Love Emma x