We're Going On A Hunt...

There was no way I was going to leave Easter treats in the boys room for them to find in the morning – not even way up high, like on top of their dresser for example, because they have gotten far too wily of late – so I placed their Easter buckets in the hallway just outside the door to their room.

In the end, I decided to go low-key and just wait for everyone to notice the buckets filled with loot. I figured Seth would notice in a heartbeat since one of his nicknames is "eagle eye", but no dice. We went through our entire morning wake-up routine with the door open and the buckets on full display and no one noticed anything out of the ordinary.

As a last ditch effort as I was taking the not-so-fresh diapers out to the kitchen to dispose of them I made a big deal about leaving the room a la, "OK, I'm heading out the door now... the door that is over HERE".

*sigh*

Fortunately, my not-so-subtle hint worked and before I returned I heard some little voices saying, "NEW! NEW!". 

I pretended to act surprised of course.

And then I asked my boys what they thought it might be and they paused a moment and then said, "Christmas!".

Except, of course, it was nothing like Christmas because they both looked happy and excited about getting into their loot. 

After we gave the bucket contents (a little chocolate, the animal cracker cookies I'd made, some bubbles for outdoors and the BEST THINGS EVER (!!!) in the form of new cars) a good going over I "happened" to notice the first clue the Easter Bunny left and read it out loud. 

Their comprehension is quite excellent, so they understood that we needed to go to the front door but once we got there everyone seemed a bit mystified. After a bit of prodding, Seth eventually noticed the next clue card nestled between the new fire engine boots Gamma Rita sent for Easter while somehow not noticing the boots at all. 

These boots always been here, right?

At this point I was starting to have my doubts about this Easter hunting business and very much considering revoking Seth's "eagle eye" status. 

Still, they were pretty excited about the boots once I pointed them out and everyone wanted to wear them right away. Nate was especially keen to get going and watching them walk from one end of the house to the other in those boots was absolutely priceless. 

Of course I think it's pretty clear from everyone's expressions here that they still have no clue what's going on. 

The clue card said to look under a chair - the one they're standing right in front of actually. It's the only chair in the room that you'd have to stoop to look under to see if something might be hidden there, but getting anyone to check it out was like pulling teeth. At one point Seth took a quick peek and when I asked him if he saw anything under there he replied, "the Easter Bunny!".

In the end, I had to spell this one out too – "I think there's a treat from the Easter Bunny under the white chair" – but once I did, they couldn't get down there fast enough. 

Like a light switch turning on. Times two!

The loot was coloring books (with stickers!). Super fun. Everyone had to stop and check things out in detail. 

I'm not sure when (if ever) I should get concerned that Nate's viewing preference with books of any kind is upside down, but I will say that today was definitely not the day for concerns of any kind. And certainly not at this point since the boys were finally getting into things. 

They solved the next clue easily enough (Play-Doh hidden in their kitchen):

At last it was time for the final clue, which was hiding out in MY kitchen and in the only cupboard they're allowed to go into. 

Check out those droopy drawers everyone! 

And just in case Easter 2012 is looking a bit like Christmas all over again with the very serious children – rest assured, there was plenty of this after things got going: 

I saved the add-on to their Fisher Price Farm as the final gift even though I had a feeling either the boots or the cars would be the favored items. 

And even though everyone liked the new farm accoutrements a great deal and the new boots were also a hit, the new cars won out in the end. 

Nate was so excited about the new '66 Chevy Nova, they were inseparable most of the day. Not shown: Seth being equally smitten with the new '67 Chevelle (AKA: "New Chebelle! New Che-BELLE! NEW CHE-BELLE!!!").

- L.