Coloring eggs

Thank goodness for the expression, “Better late than never.” because when it comes to our busy household, I often have to cling to that reminder.  I spent a few hectic hours on Easter getting six dozen eggs hard boiled so that we could color them but as the day wore on, I was not feeling up to the task and the kids wanted to go get ice cream.  I had plans Monday night, so we all agreed to color eggs Tuesday night after dinner.  While not the norm, our kids just went with the flow and have been looking forward to it since Sunday. It was amazing how quick they were to help clean up the dinner mess so that we could proceed to eggs!

We had a great time dying eggs, tie-dying eggs, painting eggs, stenciling eggs, using shrink wraps on the eggs, making glittery eggs, and just trying not to crack the eggs!  I set everything out and gave all the instructions in the various methods and set them loose.  Keyan looked at me and said, “What are we supposed to do again?”  It was so cute…apparently my explanation was a little to lengthy for her.

  Our angel friend Grandma Gretta arrived to help with baths and she rolled up her sleeves and pitched right in to help some very excited little girls.  Grandma Gretta than told us that she had NEVER colored Easter eggs!!!  None of us could believe it but it was fun to teach her some of the tricks of the trade.

Several times throughout the evening I had to choke back tears as I watched the kids be creative with their eggs.  This was the fist year that we did not have a cup of dye spill and they were all just a little more independent.  They are growing up so quickly.  It is fun to watch their personalities immerge and come to the fore front in an activity like this.  We had music playing in the background and I loved hearing them shout out what musical or movie the songs were from.  Keyan had a great night.  She had energy and was participating in conversation.  We don’t always get that part of her at that time of night, but she was cracking jokes and obsessively trying to get all of the colors of the rainbow.  It was fun to have her interacting with us all, even if she is a disaster waiting to happen.  The girl does not have a gentle bone in her body so many of her eggs ended up with a few cracks in them.  We were all able to get a good laugh out of her antics! 

 

Jamahl stayed busy trying to get the perfect colors.  He wanted vibrant colors but I have a feeling our dye tablets may have been half a century old so he wasn’t having much luck but he didn’t give up and made sure to try all of the different techniques.

Sidney was very precise in her egg coloring and spent much of the night in deep concentration. She is a worrier and sometimes her fear of failure holds her back so we were so happy to have her jump right in enjoy herself.

McKenzy had a hard time leaving her hands out of the dye.  She couldn’t get used to using the spoon so she just kept reaching in and “checking” on her eggs.  She went thru half a roll of paper towel drying her hands and her eggs.  She wanted to put stickers on hers and was having an awfully hard time waiting for them to dry so instead she left her last two eggs white so that she could use the stickers.  Funny…but pretty ingenious!

Abagayle loved the shrink wraps, glitter, and animal print stickers. She is so into decorating things that this project was right up her alley.  Free reign with arts and crafts supplies makes Abby a very happy little girl. 

I went to bed last night feeling so blessed.  So often, I get stuck on everything that we don’t have but I was reminded tonight, that our lives are so full.  Full of sweet smiles, laughter, kids who are growing and changing, a closeness that is unique in today’s times, and an every growing love for each other.  I am so glad that we found the time to color our eggs this year…it really is better late than never!