Easter Egg Hunt

Easter egg hunt is a big deal for me. I'm not a very competitive person am the time, but there's something about easter egg hunt that presses my buttons just right!

Last year we had not wanted to go to egg hunts with too many people so little miss Haana and I set up our own egg hunt, and had Jinu aunty, Kirthi aunty and Varam over. That was a fun day! This year we thought we can hit up an egg hunt in our town, very close to us. On the day, I asked miss Haana to retrieve our egg baskets from upstairs, one for Bobby, one for her. And then prep up Bobby boy so he doesn't let me down during the egg hunt! She demo-ed to him how he was supposed to grab the eggs and put them in his basket. It was hard to say but it looked like he got the gist.

We had our breakfast and all of us were off for the egg hunt - Nana, Nani, Miss Haana, Bobby, Papa and I. The egg hunt was in a super small park that had a gazebo in the middle and eggs all over the grass. We waited at the flag with baskets ready and Bobby chomping on the bit to go. Soon the hunt began. This one was for ages 1-4. And in stead of ages 1-4, all parents jumped all over the eggs and flooded the tiny park. I was scared to loose him. Thanks to little miss Haana we managed a fair share of eggs.  One of the eggs had a coupon from a nearby candy store. So we headed there to spend my money. Since the egg hunt finished so quickly, we headed to the nearby rose garden. It was a good day, and we played around eating candy we just bought. 

But my itch for easter egg hunts was not sufficiently scratched. Next morning,  on Sunday,  a soon as I woke up, I started looking if there were any suitable egg hunts we could still go to. Not too big, not too small, just right. I found one egg hunt in the nearby church, but it was going to start at 945. It was kind of early for us. But it would have to be, I thought. It is now or next year. So I sprung into action. Little miss Haana was already up. Made her her morning milk. Then started on swift breakfast of egg sandwiches for everyone. Raj started on the eggs. We all cut corners to get ready in a hurry and get to the car. Nani stayed at home. We reached the egg hunt barely 5 minutes before starting time, ran from the car, and made it to starting line with 2 minutes to spare. Bobby boy started dutifully putting eggs he could reach into his basket. I told him "Not yet Bobby!", we hadn't started yet. At that, he moved the eggs from his to miss Haana's basket!! 

Soon they rang the starting horn, and I egged Bobby boy to grab more eggs and put them in the basket. He was moving at glacier pace, but he still got his basket full. Miss Haana who was swift as a bunny by now, returned with her basket full too. Satisfied, we headed to the petting zoo. Bobby and I patted the sheep, llamma and the bunny. Bobby boy spoke at length to the goose, saying "Hi goose" repeatedly. Miss Haana held little chicks in her hand! They were so cute! 

It was a good egg hunt, and we had a lot of fun! Now it was time to head home and open our stash of eggs!

Easter Egg Rewards

Easter egg hunt is a serious affair at our house. Mostly for me. Remember a few years back the egg hunt had not been all that smooth? Read about it here and here. Luckily in those egg hunts the organizers had folks doling out eggs to kids who's baskets were empty, to ensure all kids leave happy -a very smart move indeed! We were saved by doled out eggs. I realized hence forth, I shall need to take such important affairs into my own hands-to ensure adequate amount of pressure has been created and that little Miss Haana has been sufficiently psyched up for such events! Certainly parenting at its best!

So, couple days before the egg hunt, in perfect parenting mode, i reminded Miss Haana what the Easter egg hunt is all about - fill the basket with many eggs as she can! Rrruunnn, jump over the hurdles (we all know who they are!), grab the eggs, secure them in the basket and runnnn again!! I repeated for good measure. She was with me!

The day of the hunt came, and little Miss Haana and I placed ourselves on the white line in the field, looking out at the field full of colorful, candy filled eggs, waiting for the hunt to begin. At 5 minutes before the hunt, little Miss Haana needed a bathroom break. I could barely believe it! But then, we turned around and ran towards the restrooms. I thought that was the end of our egg hunt. They'll probably start while we are in the restroom, and all the eggs will be gone in seconds. 'Oh well', i thought to myself. But miraculously we returned just in time, seconds before the count down for the egg hunt. Little Miss Haana's buddy Maurya joined us too.

The hunt began and all the kids were running around grabbing eggs. I followed Miss Haana with my gaze and laughed at how incredibly cute and hilarious these kids looked. Maurya's mom and I laughed enjoying ourselves in the spring sunshine. The egg hunt was a success afterall, both kids returned victorious with numerous eggs. They both sat on the grass, opening their prized eggs, fishing for candy from inside. I made a mental note to make the candy suspiciously disappear once we get home. For now, Miss Haana and Maurya ran around in the sun, there was jumping  at the bounce houses, more running around, more candy eating, ice cream, and the world's tiniest donuts (for which we were in line for a good 30 minutes). Finally, it was time to head home. All with a basket full of eggs; a sign of a very successful and rewarding egg hunt 😊. Happy Easter everyone😊.

Easter Egg Hunt -take 1

It's that time of the year again! A very special time. One of my favorites! Easter egg hunt is here.

Last weekend was an Easter egg hunt in the neighborhood and things were brimming with excitement! I had been telling little Miss Haana how much fun the hunt was going to be. She was looking forward to it, mostly because several of her friends were going to be there as well. I was looking forward to a big basket full of loot, er, eggs!

As it turned out, I had some other plans that day, and little Miss Haana was to go to the hunt with her daddy only. Somehow we all got dressed, fed and out of the door in time for the hunt. 

I bid her a bye with happy dreams of a big basket full of colorful, candy-full eggs waiting for me upon my return. I had planned to actually prep her for the hunt, but somehow didn't find time for that. Last year I had prepped her before the hunt, told her how to dart out as soon as the hunt starts and race down the field towards the eggs and grab as many as she could and land them in her basket! She had not disappointed. Last year our big basket was full of proud, bragging-rights eggs! 

Surely she remembers last year, I thought. She was looking forward to meet her buddies..

When I came back home, I peeked into the basket, down at the bottom of the big pit were a few eggs! 'What? Just a few?! Maybe she has been playing with the eggs elsewhere', I thought. She was sleeping, so I let the matters lie.

Later that evening, I enquired, what happened to the eggs? Daddy told me, Gugu and her girl friend were strolling down the park in cool composure, while the other kids were busy grabbing eggs from all directions! She found 4. Of course there were logistics to blame too. It was too cold, too crowded, too few eggs, too small.

I was still horrified! 4 eggs? 4? 4??? Just. 4?

Luckily, there's another egg hunt this coming week. We have some fixing to do! ;-)

Easter Redemption

It's easter time again! And just to refresh memory, here's what had happened last easter: http://roadtohaana.blogspot.com/2014/04/easter-egg-hunt.html. It's still fresh in my mind like it happened only yesterday. So I was looking forward with anticipation and anxiety this Easter, to turn it all around this time!


We'd decided little Miss Haana and two of her best buddies will do Easter egg hunt this weekend. I ran to the store to get us a befitting eager basket - last time we forgot to get (or buy) a basket to the egg hunt, and borrowed (borrowed without returning=stealing) a tiny basket from the event's pancake breakfast table. So, for this time, I ran to the store in the morning to grab a basket. I debated about getting a small one or a big one. What if (like last time) we manage to get only 1 or 2 eggs? Should I get a small basket after all? But what if this time was different, and we're able to get lots of eggs but can't fit them in the basket? Finally after much internal debate, I went for the bigger one. Here's to hoping!


I tutored little Miss Haana this time, what she was supposed to do. "As soon as they say start, rrrrruuuunn and get as many eggs as you can and put them in the basket." We had gone through this routine a couple of times at least. When we got to the egg hunt field, there were scores of kids with parents lining the soccer field full of colorful eggs!


When the hunt started, I resisted the urge to grab a few eggs and throw them in the basket. But I need not have worried! The little fiery girl was all over the field, running, grabbing eggs, tossing them in the basket. Then running around some more and tossing more eggs and candies in the basket. I was amazed and impressed! In no time our big basket was full of colorful Easter eggs and candies. Easter was a roaring success!!!!


Once all the eggs were collected, we soon met up with Miss Haana's buddies and their parents. Miss Haana shared a few of her eggs and candies with her buddies. Collectively we all laughed at our success and my tutoring. I laughed too, but also was extremely proud of my go-getter. :)

Easter Egg Hunt

Thanks to a dear friend of mine, we had the agenda to go Easter egg hunting and attend the pancake festival in a nearby town this perfect springy Saturday morning. I had mentioned the words "pancake" and "breakfast" in a sentence together to Miss Haana and she was super excited! Indeed she has read the story of curious George, the good little monkey helping make the pancake festival in their town a huge roaring success. So there was no way we were going to miss our very own, real-time pancake festival! From Friday night, the wait was on.

On Saturday morning, the clock was ticking. We got to the festival and headed straight for the pancakes first! All you can eat pancakes! All of us ate to our hearts and stomachs' content. Once stocked up on breakfast we proceeded to enjoy the festival.

Petted the petting zoo animals, got on the fire tucks, got a kitty cat in face painting, played with bubbles. Until finally, it was time for the Easter egg hunt.

There were different fields for different age groups and we were in line for the 2-3 year's field. We stood at the starting line and out there at a distance was a field full of colorful Easter eggs. Each kid was accompanied with one adult parent. It was our very first Easter egg hunt. I tutored the little girl on what to do- run to the field and grab as many eggs as you can and fill your basket.

Once the fire engine horn blared, all the kids were off. I couldn't believe the speed with which the swarm of parents with kids in tow got to the eggs. Miss Haana and I ran, but hit a momentary snag with a shoe coming off. Once that was fixed, we continued running. But by the time we would reach the area with eggs, they were being wiped out by zealous parents and kids! I looked at our basket. It was empty! I looked around- the eggs were going fast. Something needed to be done. 

I ran ahead looking for eggs. I locked my eyes on one just a couple steps ahead. I flew over a couple kids reaching into an egg to grab on to the one I had eyed just ahead. Just then, from the corner of my eye, I saw a little kid reach out for the same egg. Only, I was faster. I snatched the egg just as the little kid reached close enough. The parents of the kid in tow, were already consolidatory - "Oww, it's ok! We'll find another one." Sure! This one is going in our basket! And we landed our first egg. We got another one a few minutes later. But as we were running for more, I turned around and saw Miss Haana had dropped both of them while running to grab other eggs. Of course those eggs were grabbed before they even hit the ground. The swarm of parents and kids were now to the far end of the field grabbing the few remaining eggs. 

A volunteer came by us, with a huge basket full of eggs and filled ours' with as many eggs as our little pink basket would  hold. We were victorious afterall! 

Miss Haana guarded her egg basket with her life from that point on until, well, right before calling it a day and hitting the bed. I met up with my friend at the park and we laughed about the new depths I have recently sunk into - grabbing an Easter egg from another kid! It's a slippery slope from here, I realize!