Egg Hunt!

Our family has so many traditions involving the holidays.  When the kids were small it felt as though those traditions would just last forever...I never really thought of them ending.  Getting too old.....But with Matthew approaching ten, I'm seeing that there will be a day that all of this changes!  ~ To be replaced with new traditions, I'm certain.  So it just causes me to pause and savor these moments even more.



We poached Shannon's egg hunt again this year.  The kids have so much fun doing this together.  Her family is very much a part of many of these traditions that we love ~ our kids started them when they were so little that they have always had these memories together.



I snapped this as I was taking photos of the kids. 

I planted some spring bulbs last year with my helpers.  One of my helpers thought they should be planted in a line rather than in natural looking clumps. :)



Heading down to the egg hunt.  The kids were running ~ so excited!



This is the last year (sniff) that matthew qualifies for the day hunt.  Ten year olds do a hunt at night with flashlights!  Hannah made that transition this year.  Andrew and Claire were in with Matthew.  Big kids!!



Kitti and Grace were in the field for the middle age group.  I clearly remember bringing Kaitlin down here at just 2 months in her stroller.

 

My boys love the Sturgis girls.  I sometimes wonder what it will be like when Claire and Hannah start dating!  There will definitely be some roads to navigate in the future.  :)



Dan has lost a lot of weight and is looking so good!!  An acquaintance didn't even recognize him at the baseball field the other day!



Dan has never been this thin since I started dating him.  It's great seeing him getting healthier.   I'm really proud of him ~ he's been really disciplined.



I laughed at this photo.  I think I will look back at this picture some day and remember this phase of Andrew always l e a n i n g over the boundary...and being called back in, only to....



cross the line again.  But seriously, who can be mad at that face?

Okay, I can sometimes.

But never for long.

 

The countdown finally came and they were off!!

 

They were quick, and of course Matthew had a strategy and ran out farther where there were fewer kids to compete with. 



Shannon was in with the little girls taking pictures...



The baskets were full in no time!



Of course there's the family photo....



And Shan & I ....



And our kiddos....



I love this picture of the kids.

Shannon's girls are like an extension of my own.  I just adore all of these little ones so much.  I know I say these things all the time in this blog...but it's true and worth repeating.

And while I'm nostalgic over them getting so big, it's fun that they will actually sit and smile for a photo!