Granddaughter Overnight & Easter

Last night our granddaughters spent the night with us for the first time!  We made two different Easter crafts (headbands and sugar panorama eggs), shared two meals, played with the ducks and the chickens, read bedtime stories, and watched a Shirley Temple movie.  Today we finished the fun with our Easter Egg hunt (their brother and parents came over for that).

We used to spend the night at their house when we'd visit, but since we've moved near them we never see them at bedtime anymore!  Yesterday was the first day of their spring break so Rhiannon & I planned an overnight.  Declan, 3, wanted to stay also - he was disgruntled when he was told not to bring his blanket.  He's ready to spend the night, but not ready to do some of the intensive crafts I did with the girls.  Declan did stay for dinner while Mom & Dad went out for sushi.  We had grilled salmon, asparagus, cheesy macaroni & cheese, grapes, and sugar snap peas.  Eliora had thirds of mac & cheese, Nayeli had seconds of salmon, Declan ate lots of grapes.  While Marty and I were finishing getting dinner ready they checked on the ducklings new accommodations  - they've been moved out of the terrarium and into the bathtub!

After dinner we started making Easter headbands.  Declan wanted to make one, also (so sorry, Declan!)  Here are pictures of the process, and their creations.  We used ribbon that will match their Easter dresses (their flower girl dresses from Amanda & Mac's wedding last October), and they added flowers, eggs, chicks, and beads.

After we created the headbands the girls got ready for bed quickly.  I read them two stories, and Marty joined us for bedtime prayers.  Nayeli & Eliora slept in the library guest room, and Brielle slept in the playroom.  She plays in there so much since we babysit her that she is very comfortable in that room.  I wondered how it would go, whether they'd be up all night, but we didn't hear a peep from them until early the next morning (6:45).

For breakfast I made raisin bread french toast with berries, ham and orange juice.

Then we were fueled and ready to start our big project!  When I was a little girl, my next door neighbor, Marge Hamlin, taught me to make sugar panorama Easter Eggs.  I've made them a few times in my life - a couple times when Rhiannon & Calvin were little; and once about 15 years ago to give away for presents.  I also used them as a sermon illustration when I was preaching about Children's Outreach, giving the example of my neighbor who befriended me, taught me crafts, and prayed for me.

Friday I prepared the sugar shells.  3-1/2 C granulated sugar, 1/2 C powdered sugar, 1 egg white.  Beat the egg white frothy, add food coloring, pour the egg white on top of the combined sugars and mix until it feels like damp sand.  I use the beater to finish mixing the sugar.  Pack them into the molds, cut off the end with a piece of string, cover that end with foil, put them in the oven for 25 minutes at 200°.  Hollow them out and let them harden for 4 hours.  I made a blue shell, a pink shell, then combined the hollowed out sugars and made a purple shell.

When the girls and I were ready to start our panorama eggs I had them look inside the ones I had made - one from 15 years ago, one from 30 years ago (or more)!   I explained they'd be making a scene on the bottom half of the egg.  I had them pick from little figures, fuzzy chicks, eggs and other items to make their scenes. 

In the meantime I started making royal icing.  I made it with Wilton's meringue.  I never quite got the consistency right.  At first it was too thick, and I couldn't squeeze it through the icing tip.  Then it was too thin and wouldn't hold the shape right.  I think I'll go back to egg whites for my next effort.  However, it didn't matter to the girls!  I put green leafy nests in the bottom of their eggs and they arranged the scenes.  Then I added vines and leaves to the ceilings and they added flowers.   I glued them together.  They watched Shirley Temple in "Curly Top" while I finished decorating the outside.

The three new eggs in the middle.  30+ year old egg on the left, 15-year-old egg on the right

That was a big project, but so much fun!  Great memories!  Next time I'll figure out the icing better, and I told Nayeli I'll let her help me make the sugar eggs.

Then it was time to get their shoes on so they could go on a walk with Grandpa and Sandy while the Easter Bunny hid their eggs and baskets!  Jason, Rhiannon and Declan got here just as they were returning from their walk.  A few eggs were in the front yard and on the patio.  Many more eggs were scattered on the back patio and porch.  A few items were in the chicken coop, of course.  One basket for each grandchild was hidden in the house (they each had their own room to search).  A total of 40 plastic eggs, one dozen hard boiled eggs, 8 other items and 4 baskets.

And the hunt was on!  Declan spotted the one in the tree immediately.  I only hid 14 eggs in the front yard, to keep chocolate out of the sun.

Soon after we started looking in the backyard we had to take an emergency break to treat Eliora's hand.  She plunged her hand into a hairy cactus plant.  We had to pluck the tiny spines out of hand.  A soaking of the hand in the spa seemed to improve her spirits.

By the time we got to the coop, two hens were occupying the nesting box where Declan's prize was!  He was very brave with Nayeli's encouragement, and got his treat away from the hens.

Success!  Two hens in one nesting box with one Easter treat!

When we were done outside (only one plastic egg short), we moved inside.  First Declan looked in the garage for his basket.  He had to get through his own bungee cord trap to get to his basket.  Brielle had to look hard for her basket in the corner of the playroom.   Eliora's was pretty easy to find in the   living room.  Nayeli's was the hardest to find in the library.  Baskets included science items or special toys, pens and/or pencils, necklace charms, character socks, hair things for the girls, crackers, fruit snacks, apple sauce, granola bars, and some candy.

One basket for gathering eggs, and one loaded basket each.

I thoroughly enjoyed having the girls spend the night.  When they said their goodnight prayers they eached thanked God for spending the night at Grandma's house and for making Easter headbands.

We had plenty of time for our art projects, and we also had some good quiet times. 

This was a great kick-off to Easter.  After we recover a little bit, straighten up some and pack, we are off to Visalia for Easter with our littlest grandchild!