We aren't a religious family. So it was all about celebrating a Hallmark Holiday, as people like to call it, but really, it's just an excuse for some family fun and creating memories.
Dean is just starting to learn how awesome candy and chocolate is. He hasn't been too much of a fan of junk food until recently, although he rarely gets any so that may have been why he wasn't too interested in it.
But this morning, Dean woke up to eggs hidden around the house, filled with a few M&M's and fishy crackers. We made a "trail" of them from his bedroom, with them tucked off to the side or in corners so it wasn't too easy. When we handed him a bucket and showed him the first one and suggested putting it in his pocket, he picked up on what to do very quickly from there. He found almost all of them on his own, following from one hiding spot to the next, though he needed a few hints when there were a few out of sight that he couldn't quite find. We also put out a few Hot Wheels cars, still in their packages, out among the eggs for him to find.
He loved finding the eggs and putting them in his bucket. And then when he found out they open and had food inside? His life was complete, angels sung and the clouds parted and the sun shone down. Food is the way to this kids heart. Seriously.
After a fun Easter egg hunt in the house, and enjoying his M&M's and fishy crackers before even eating breakfast (*gasp* the horror, I know) we enjoyed a nice, homemade, family waffle breakfast and got ready to hit the park.
Queens Park, in New Westminster, just across the bridge from us, has a nice Easter set up that I attended many times as a child. They hold many fun holiday events there (Canada Day, Easter, Thanksgiving pumpkin patch etc) and the people in the community are great - I used to nanny out there before Dean was born and LOVE the area.
Dean loved exploring the park. We went a bit early to search for some Geocaching (more on that on another post!) but unfortunately the two we checked for were both Muggled (slang for stolen) and so it was a bit of a flop. Dean did find some awesome pinecones for his pockets and bucket though. We headed towards the playground and popped by the petting farm to visit them at the fence as it wasn't open yet. Dean LOVED petting the goats and was so excited (though was also startled a bit when a sheep did a very loud "baaa" when he wasn't expecting it!) We played at the park and Dean spent about 20 minutes just going up and down the ramp and stairs there. Why play on the slide and teeter totter and play structures when he could spend the time on the stairs?!
We wandered around a few of the tents in the park that had different activities - Police men, basket making, crafts, obstacle courses, scavenger hunts, photos with the Easter Bunnies (due to the outrage of Santa four months ago, we avoided them) Dean loved doing the Bunny Hop obstacle course. There was no line up so he went half a dozen times or so.
It started to get busy so we headed towards the Petting Farm to go visit the animals before we left. Dean was very excited - I was wondering how he would feel about the animals up close, in a busy area with so many of them. But my child doesn't seem to have much hesitation about crowds or animals. He was right up there, letting the goats lick his hands and putting his fingers through the fence of the hungry chickens pen (yikes!) He liked looking at the bunny rabbits and saying hello to every. single. goat. (There's a lot of them!)
By the time we left the park, he was throughly covered in dirt and his feet were soaked from a few puddles leftover from the night before and walking on the wet grass. We stopped at the fire truck outside and he got to see it up close - and even sat on the front bumper, which he was excited about until sitting on it. I tried to snap a fast photo but he was fidgeting and trying to escape so it ended up blurry. Phooey!
It started to get busy so we headed towards the Petting Farm to go visit the animals before we left. Dean was very excited - I was wondering how he would feel about the animals up close, in a busy area with so many of them. But my child doesn't seem to have much hesitation about crowds or animals. He was right up there, letting the goats lick his hands and putting his fingers through the fence of the hungry chickens pen (yikes!) He liked looking at the bunny rabbits and saying hello to every. single. goat. (There's a lot of them!)
By the time we left the park, he was throughly covered in dirt and his feet were soaked from a few puddles leftover from the night before and walking on the wet grass. We stopped at the fire truck outside and he got to see it up close - and even sat on the front bumper, which he was excited about until sitting on it. I tried to snap a fast photo but he was fidgeting and trying to escape so it ended up blurry. Phooey!
Overall, we had a great Easter morning as a family. I'm looking forward to when he's a bit older and we can do an Easter egg hunt at a park, without fear of him getting trampled by bigger kids. Each year we'll create more memories and enjoy the day together.
I'm hoping we will get him to the Bear Creek Park train in Surrey, but we will have to see what the weather is like tomorrow. They have a train you can ride on to an Easter egg hunt. We went on Friday but the line up was insane (last minute idea, showed up an hour before it closed) so we didn't go on the train but explored the trails and played on the park. It's only open until tomorrow though.
I hope everyone had a great Easter! What did you and your kids get up to this weekend?
I'm hoping we will get him to the Bear Creek Park train in Surrey, but we will have to see what the weather is like tomorrow. They have a train you can ride on to an Easter egg hunt. We went on Friday but the line up was insane (last minute idea, showed up an hour before it closed) so we didn't go on the train but explored the trails and played on the park. It's only open until tomorrow though.
I hope everyone had a great Easter! What did you and your kids get up to this weekend?