I did make it to the store to buy Easter candy and basket things. The last stop I made was to the Dollar store and I found myself wondering why I hadn’t thought to stop there first. It was a treasure trove of small cheap things.

I picked up a package of carabiners, large magnifying glasses, playing cards, small measuring tapes, calculators, pencils, pens, tiny notebooks, and the biggest hit… slingshots that shoot these little foamy balls.

I was up well past midnight cutting the plastic off of all the toys and stuffing the tiny plastic eggs.

This was the first year that my oldest two sons declined running around the yard to find the plastic eggs filled with candy.  I knew the day would come, but thought maybe the lure of candy would keep them at it anyway.   And while a small part of me is tempted to say, “awwwww,” and feel slightly disappointed with this whole growing up thing, I love watching the way that they interact with their younger siblings.

I love how they cheered them on.  I love how they get excited for their siblings.  I love the knowing looks that pass over their youngest siblings head, the looks that let me know they are enjoying their role as keeper of the secret.  The looks that show me they think it is pretty cool to be on the other side of the tradition.

Of course none of their newly revealed maturity stopped them from laying claim to a percentage of the candy from the eggs.