Easter Stories

After both coming back to Waterloo from a wonderful Easter, both Jamie and I have some family filled stories that we would like to share with you. We hope that your respective Easter Weekends were blessed as well!

Jeremy and the Elusive Risk Egg
Once upon a time, Jeremy and his cousins would have Easter egg hunts at their Oma and Opas during Easter. Big surprise. However, as the grandchildren got older, the treasures found in the backyard looked less like chocolate and more like loonies and toonies inside plastic eggs. This was welcomed by the children as a few extra coins for coffee or laundry are always appreciated. One Easter, Jeremy, being the imaginitive and fun character that he is, made a fun suggestion that was co-created and supported by his older cousin Robin. This was the suggestion of the implementation of the Risk Egg. Every year, everyone would dump their bounty into the middle and all of the goodies would be divided evenly. While when the kids were younger, this was a nice way for them to learn to share, however, Jeremy's new knowledge from university kept telling him that this was somehow communism. Hadn't we worked so hard to change the system? How could he let this happen. So Jer and Robin suggested that before we cracked open all the eggs, each grandchild would take 3 risk eggs (we all would end up getting around 10, so this was hardly a sacrifice). The idea had some serious opposition, especially from Jeremy's sister Emily, however, his persuasive nature and Robins gentle words ushered in a new era of The Enns Family Easter Egg Hunt. (I always benefited from the risk eggs due to my excellent selecting abilities)

Although the new era was flourishing, this past year, Robin was in Holland at school and I was asleep at the switch. Before I knew it, all the eggs were opened and the chance of the Risk Egg was crushed. I was bummed. However, upon counting the number of Eggs collected, it appeared as though 2 were still out in the Wilderness. Also, this year the Easter bunny had put a few 5 dollar bills in a few of the Eggs. Two $5 bills were missing. The Risk Eggs had returned. Anyone brave enough to hunt would find a reward far greater than the risk. So, naturally, as I was helping Opa do a few things outside, he was sharing with me where the Easter Bunny had hid everything (Opa and the Easter bunny are good friends you see). Making a long story short, the risk of climbing ladders and tables for Opa turned into the greatest reward of the day. Not only a crisp $5 bill, but a chance just to hang out with Opa, a man who has been a huge insipration and source of wisdom for my life.

So that my friends, is the story of the Elusive Risk Egg. Not quite elusive enough for this champion Easter Egg Hunter.

Jamie and the Un-Eluded Kids.

After reading about Jeremy's fantastic Easter I was so happy to hear that he also, had an excellent time with the family. Mine was great too, Greek feast by the hands of the infamous Yaya, and a great time spent with the cousins. Only my time with the cousins, was slightly more... how you say... energized.

let me explain.

Imagine the Easter bunny and the Energizer bunny made a baby that laid an egg, and out of that chocolate egg hatched a supercharged hyper active bunny. Eventually, this hyper active bunny lays its own border-line plutonic chocolate eggs. It would have been this chocolate that my two cousins were chomping on all day.

And i'm afraid that by the time I arrived, it was already too late.

These are the two suspects: Ethan (7) and Maya (5)

Before you fall victim to their cuteness, be warned. that look in their eyes isn't merely child-like content. No, it is careful and strategic planning. The plan? To exhaust every last ounce of energy from their big cousins Jamie and Michael.

(Note: clearly they have been scheming for months as it appears to christmas)

We arrived to them playing in the backyard. I was greeted by a 7 year old sprinting jump hug and a shirt pull from maya. This is when i knew- The festivities had begun.

Dodgeball was the first game, followed by Tag (which is literally non-stop running in case your memory is foggy) then basketball, and skate boarding. after that, the game was running. literally, Running. ...in circles. I was truly astonished. As soon as it was time for playing blocks, My heart leaped at the possibility of a stationary activity. How could I have been so naive!?

while I admit an hour of uninterrupted couch lying would be a fools dream in that house. I allowed myself to dream.

I snuck down to the couch in the basement and shut my eyes...

...approximately 13.5 seconds later...

JAAAAMMMIEEEE! lets play Blocks! then the sound of the entire tub of blocks being poured out, half on to the ground, half on to me.

apparently blocks are only fun if at least some part of your body is sitting, resting, or leaning on your older cousin. still, I could not help think,at least we are not running.

we played blocks, hung out and actually talked (which is a surprisingly rewarding experience to sustain dialogue with a five and seven year old) these days ethan's into science, and maya is still all about princesses.

Then don't ask me how, but all of a sudden, a tickle/wrestle fight broke out. I'm not one to point fingers, but Im going to have to blame the kids. After all, they set the rules; Eth and Maya was allowed to attack, i was allowed only to defend. "I could fake hit, but only for fake". This presented a very difficult fight for me, especially considering it was two vs. one, and they were employing all the classic tactical tickling manoeuvres, getting me under the arms, and under the chin. They were good.

My only saving grace was that one divine word in times like these. just as I was about to go down howling, I summoned all of my strength and yelled "T". They stopped immediately. God bless the kid who invented timeouts. With this technique at my disposal for the rest of the day, I made it through the entire Easter with the kids able to love every minute.

Thinking back, man i really love those kids. and if i wasn't run to exhaustion I would't be the same.

And to the family, please next year- let's give them coins, and spare the chocolate. Besides risk eggs sound way too fun.

Happy Easter friends.