Pre- and Post-Gaming Easter with Chicks

 If you read our last post, you probably feel like our Easter celebrations were plenty sufficient.  And you would be absolutely right!  For better or worse, we still celebrated both before and after Easter Sunday.  I think the baby chicks got us in the mood.

Chicks, you say?  Isn't impulse buying four tiny baby creatures a bad idea.  Welllllllll, probably.  But in this case, it worked great.  We reached out to Grandma Susie's neighbor, Robin Earl, and learned that her family was looking for chicks to repopulate their chicken coop.  They even let us know what type they prefer.  (Golden Sex Link, in case you are wondering. Apparently they are great layers.)  So our family had the privilege of providing love and temporary shelter for the chicks until they found their way to their forever home in Hyde Park.

Out of all the kids, Eli was probably the most nurturing Mother Hen.

At one point they all had names, but unfortunately I've forgotten all but Goldie.

Talia seems pretty excited.  Just like her little sister, this gal is an animal lover at heart.

Chick pile, all huddled under the heat lamp.

Later that day we brought the chicks over to Justin and Brianna's house so that Violet could meet them as well.

While there, Brianna spoiled us with a pre-Easter egg hunt.  I'm pretty sure that the eggs were so well-hidden that the big kids never found all of theirs.

Bundle up! April can be chilly.  As a Hyde Park native, Susie's pretty well-accustomed.  Not so much for the Phoenix dwellers.  Good thing Ben and Christy were in Utah all winter.

Time for more fowl play.  This chick seems ready to fly the coop!

Easter itself was so action-packed that we never found time to dye Easter eggs.  With dozens of boiled orbs waiting, we finally got around to the job for Family Home Evening the day after.  Callie and Adam hosted us at their home, Kenny.  Fortunately the weather cooperated and we moved the adventure outside.

For me, the best part of dying Easter eggs is the brightly colored dye.  The colors make me so happy!  However, the dye is also the scariest part--it definitely stains.

Task complete--at least until next Easter!

To wrap up, a little more chick love.  These peepers were so fun that we kept delaying their trip home to Hyde Park.  At first it was just going to be a weekend, then a week.  In the end, I think we kept them for almost two.

Magnatiles make for great obstacle courses.

Annika and her friend felt like they might enjoy the horse stables as well.

Growing up!

Last but not least, thanks to Eli for providing a great shoulder to roost on.