The day before Easter, it snowed. All day.
Traditionally, the egg hunt is always chilly … snow, however, is a different (and new) issue altogether. So when MP started asking — with more than a touch of concern — how the Easter Bunny would hide eggs, my answer was, he just hid ’em in the house. Like Santa.
By late afternoon the snow stopped, and began to melt fairly rapidly. Together, MP and I checked the forecast online. It didn’t look good. We did the only thing we could do — we played it by ear, and held out hope that Mama Nature would cooperate.
By nightfall, MP was tucked in all snug in her bed, while visions of jelly beans danced in her head.
By 10:30, although a quick check proved most of the snow had melted, the forecast predicted a high of 23 degrees at 9 a.m. A high of 23 … but it would feel like 15. It was clear that Peter Rabbit would be making the rounds INDOORS this year.
It didn’t seem to matter to MP. An egg hunt was an egg hunt. And when she got his message painted on a plastic egg, bright and early at 6:00 a.m. (ugh) … it was on.
And then I remembered the eggs.
The eggs that had so carefully been colored two nights before.
The eggs that were still sitting IN THE REFRIGERATOR.
My heart sank. A quick and sickening wave of panic came over me and settled in the pit of my stomach.
It’s really not as bad as it sounds … there were 25 PLASTIC eggs filled with candy hidden around the house. But I had promised MP I wouldn’t forget to leave the real eggs out. And I did.
About 10 minutes into the hunt, I told her the news. She took it well. She took it incredibly well, and reassured me it was okay … they would’ve gone bad and gotten stinky if we’d left them out all night anyway. (Have I said how much I love this kid?) I said if it warmed up, we could have our own outdoor hunt with the real eggs later.
As luck would have it, Mama Nature showed us a little smile, and, later that afternoon, while MP waited inside Grammy and Poppy’s house, I hid two dozen REAL eggs around the property.
Since this year was all about improvisation, I thought I’d try something new. Instead of a straight up, regular old egg hunt, I took photos of the egg locations, printed them out, and handed them to MP as clues.
She said it was better than the Easter Bunny.
And quickly changed her mind.
But said it WAS pretty great.
Mommy Pie 
Wow…so fortunate to be a child in your family.
and yeah, disappointing a child is the pits….but it must be comforting to realize they’ve learned understanding and forgiveness….already.
Awww, sounds like your hunts actually turned out much better! =)
Love it love it!
The pictures makes it into more than a hunt….it becomes a TREASURE hunt:)
Good work, Mommy pie!
What a great idea!
I was sick (of course, still, always) so GRANDPA hid the eggs (about 6 dozen!) Sunday morning before we got over there. That has NEVER happened before. The kids don’t know, of course, but it was a very sentimental Easter morning for their mom. Good job, Mommypie!
That is so darn cute! Love the picture idea. I may have to steal it next year.
This blog is starting to remind me of my old married days. At the begining, everyday was thrilling, exciting and different. Then after awhile, even though each post is still thrilling and exciting, the frequency is …. less. Oh, well…such is life with women. Think I’ll go have a beer and watch a ball game.
Nag, nag, nag. Sheesh — I might as WELL be married, with you around!
(Get me a beer while yer at it, would you dear?)
There’s a party in the kitchen…would ya care for a cup of tea instead?