TKers: Six threads under and still killin' time....

[JOCAmom]

Ok, fine. I get them. But I can never use them. Except for this last one I got. And one a couple of years ago. But they never send me the one I want or let me combine them to make my trip practically free. I swear they just don't like me.

I want your super special secret pin code.

 

[D&DDisney]

I thought you didn't get any pins? Is it a good deal? I would not use it anyway...my deal is much better...free board and many free meals! Free park tickets too!

So what is this super secret PIN code????

 

[M&N]

 

[D&DDisney]

 

[MagiKitty]

Good morning ladies! I see everyone was chatty last night.

LITC...what a beautiful baby! I can't wait to hold him! His eyes are so expressive and those cheeks....MWAH! Hope you and DH are doing well and that spring is in your neighborhood.

Just tell me what to bring (or get nearby) for the picnic. I'm coming in on that Wednesday and leaving Saturday, whatever those days are.

Woo-hoo! Doing the dance of joy! My friend Edward got his student visa! He's no longer illegal and can apply for a work permit at the same time...I was so worried that he's be deported and give up everything he's worked so hard for here.

I had received a letter from Verizon, my Tv-internet-phone provider that I was eligible for a better package rate. I was dubious at first, but I figured calling and asking didn't hurt. I did get a better package! I got $15 off/monthly plus a bulk minute rate for my international calling...rather than paying per minute. I'm going to save so much money!

I'm going to call DirecTv today and see if I can get more money back.

Ok, BF and I are having a strange discussion on the origins of the Easter traditions. My Easter traditions are Catholic in nature....dress up for Church, maybe get a chocolate cross. Watch old religious drama movies on tv. So, what's the deal with the Easter bunny? Why does he hide the eggs? How does the chocolate come into play?

We're talking about these things coz we're in baby negotiations and I want to know why we would/may do things if there was a child involved somewhere along the way. I think he's sold me on Halloween...and I like Easter chocolate, but I'm leaning more towards a religious Easter. If he can present his case for the Easter bunny, then I may reconsider.

We're both lost on the Tooth Fairy thing. Not sure if we're going to do it. I guess its a celebration of growing up and losing baby teeth?

It was a really weird funny conversation last night....

 

[MagiKitty]

Oh, I had made some picks for March Madness, and I got beat yesterday. I think a lot of people did. It was exciting to see some of the big teams stumble. Its going to be a good tourney!

 

[Pikester]

There are so many traditions out there that sometimes it's hard to know what to do. Sometimes I wished I hadn't started certain things.

My parents went back in forth between the religious and commercial aspects of Easter. A little confusing. I think you can celebrate both at the same time.

Christmas was the same way. We went to church on Christmas Eve and celebrated on Christmas morning with gifts from Santa.

Halloween is interesting. We always did trick-or-treating and dressed however we wanted. There was a lady at the church who was really against dressing up like a witch. I guess that was a no-no.

Tooth Fairy is one that I wished I never started. I'd still give money for a lost tooth but I would just do it from me and not the TF.

I guess you just do what you and BF want to do.

 

[JOCAmom]

Morning! Another beautiful day. I find it so amazing how quickly the weather changed again. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it stays like this.

MK, I have no idea about the history behind the Easter Bunny or the Tooth Fairy. We've always followed those traditions, so I guess I never questioned them.

I will say that I think the gift giving on these occasions seem to have gotten completely out of hand. I've seen some people discuss giving $20-25 for each tooth lost. Insane. I remember getting a half dollar coin. My youngest 2 get whatever we have laying around the house but never more than 5.00.

Easter has also become a "I have to do better than everyone else" holiday. Ipods, concert tickets to the biggest shows, tons of toys, etc. It's like Christmas all over again. I get each of my kids a small basket, that they can reuse for something else, and fill it myself. Each one gets some of their favorite candy, jelly beans, and peeps. And then a small gift or 2. And I'm talking sidewalk chalk or bubbles for the younger 2 and gift cards for the older ones.

 

[MagiKitty]

This is really interesting...I feel like I can better balance the Christmas/Santa thing. Its starts to early and I feel like I can tie in the Jesus being a gift from God, the Three Wise Men (we also celebrate the Epiphany in my house) and the spirit of giving and receiving. It also helps that I love the Manger scene and its a prominent part of my holiday decor.

I love Easter candy and like the idea of an Easter basket. When do you give it? On Easter morning? Like the kids wake up and their baskets are at breakfast?

I see/hear of so many parents getting out of control when it comes to gift giving to their kids. I totally get it. You want to make your kids happy and make those special memories. And kids are so jaded these days, they are so aware of everyone and everything in the world.

I just noticed my keyboard is dirty. It looks like little paws were on it!

 

[MagiKitty]

I just looked up the Easter Bunny on Wikipedia. Really interesting! Apparently eggs used to be forbidden during Lent (didn't learn THAT in Catholic school), so come Easter, there was an abundance of eggs.

Both eggs and bunnies are based on fertility and rites of spring.

The Easter basked tradition is from eastern France/Germany. Children would put out baskets the night before Easter, and if they were good, the Easter bunny would leave items for them. Very Santa Claus-like.

Not too thrilled with the Easter fertility theme, but I'm on board with the Easter basket now that I understand what its about...

 

[JOCAmom]

Yes, we put the baskets out the night before and they are there when they wake up. We also hide the eggs the night before. We had to do a little quick thinking one year when DD8 asked us why the Easter Bunny hides our eggs instead of his own. We just told her that it would way too hard for him to carry all those around with him all night so to make it easier, he hides the ones we painted along with one special one for each of them. For that one, I usually buy one of the larger plastic eggs and fill it with some change.

But the thing is, you don't have to do extravagant gifts to make your kids happy. Once they find the eggs the first time, DD14 will hide them again and again because the little ones love to find them. When they are bored with that, we take the new outside toys out and we all play. So many people think that the biggest and best toy is the only thing that will make their kids happy.

 

[Pikester]

I've done different things for Easter. We always leave out the small chocolate eggs for the Easter Bunny to hide so that the kids can look for them the next morning. No worrying if the kids find my stash since I buy them for the Easter Bunny. I've done baskets with candy(have to have a chocolate bunny), outdoor toys, DVDs, books,etc. There have been a few times that I've gone overboard so I've tried hard to scale back. This year it will be a book for each kid, the chocolate eggs to be hidden, maybe a DVD (not sure) and a chocolate bunny.

We have dinner at my inlaws and they hide large eggs for the kids filled with money that lead to their hidden baskets.

Sometimes my Mom sends them a card with money in it and sometimes she doesn't. All depends on how she is feeling.

 

[M&N]

You can do the Easter bunny and religious--just like Christmas and Santa. My religious views were not messed up because of these traditions. Of course, I never got an overflow of gifts at either time. Easter basket appeared Easter morning plus a stuffed bunny. I loved stuffed animals. I always loved egg hunts too...We used little plastic eggs.
You could do a tooth fairy big deal with the first tooth and then say it's up to parents to reward for lost teeth from now on...tooth fairy said you were going to be loosing lots of teeth now and has no time to visit us that much and asked if you would take over. That way discussions with other believers would not hurt their beliefs. You just took over for the TF to reward. My parents told me the store Santa really wasn't the real one but others didn't always know that.
It's neat to be thinking of these things ahead of time.

 

[JOCAmom]

What you listed this year doesn't sound over the top to me. My kids will get more candy than that but I don't really buy candy all year round. So holidays, it's a real treat for them. And I've done the "OMG, I have to get this, this, and that" for them. I think now I just try to spend our money more wisely

 

[M&N]

found this from ask.com:

Easter bunnies---also other Easter things like from other countries, decorating eggs, recipes...:
http://www.holidays.net/easter/bunny1.htm

Cho Easter bunnies
http://ezinearticles.com/?How-Did-Chocolate-Easter-Bunnies-Come-About?&id=3927643

 

[MagiKitty]

Thanks for the links M&N...I always like to know quirky little things. This Easter trivia is right up my alley.

JOCA...you are giving your children wonderful memories as well as teaching them the most important things in life don't necessarily have a big price tag. That's the best thing ever!

 

[DL55]

The Tooth Fairy only gave me a quarter. She gave my DD a dollar.

We had to look for our Easter baskets Easter morning. They hid the eggs one year I remember. We always got a new Easter outfit..new dress and hat, sometimes shoes. I still remember those hats.

We are going to be in Hersey June 21-24. Probably 2 days at the park and wander around the other days. The 23rd sounds like a good day to meet. Darn..someone beat me to the chips.

 

[D&DDisney]

Morning,
I'm babysitting my 2 yr old niece today and I thought this was going to be tough cuz my boys at age 2 were sooooo active and into everything.
She is so laid back and easy. We played with a bunch of plastic Easter eggs and a basket all morning. Then, when I told her it was time for nap she gets her blanket and says "night night" I wanna have a baby girl.

This is really interesting...I feel like I can better balance the Christmas/Santa thing. Its starts to early and I feel like I can tie in the Jesus being a gift from God, the Three Wise Men (we also celebrate the Epiphany in my house) and the spirit of giving and receiving. It also helps that I love the Manger scene and its a prominent part of my holiday decor.

You should do what whgrn does. She gives her kids 3 gifts and ties it into
the 3 gifts the wise men brought to baby Jesus. I really liked that idea.

Yes, we put the baskets out the night before and they are there when they wake up. We also hide the eggs the night before. We had to do a little quick thinking one year when DD8 asked us why the Easter Bunny hides our eggs instead of his own. We just told her that it would way too hard for him to carry all those around with him all night so to make it easier, he hides the ones we painted along with one special one for each of them. For that one, I usually buy one of the larger plastic eggs and fill it with some change.

But the thing is, you don't have to do extravagant gifts to make your kids happy. Once they find the eggs the first time, DD14 will hide them again and again because the little ones love to find them. When they are bored with that, we take the new outside toys out and we all play. So many people think that the biggest and best toy is the only thing that will make their kids happy.

I know what you mean about some parents going overboard. DH and I were having a discussion the other night on how to keep our kids grounded and centered. How can we keep them from becoming like these other kids who feel they are entitled to everything and get EVERYTHING??? Heck, DS7 has a bunch of kids in his class who all have cell phones. REALLY?? C'mon...why does a 7yr old need a cell phone???
In DS11's class, they not only have cell phones but I-phones. Fancy apps on them and now he's coming home complaining that he doesn't have one.
I told him, when he gets a job and makes the money to pay for the phone and the monthly bill, he can have one.

 

[D&DDisney]

Our Easter traditions:
Get up and find baskets filled with candy, trinkets, chalk, cars, bug catchers, and 1 chocolate cross. Nothing fancy and no "presents" (per se).
We decorate eggs the night before and the bunny hides them. He also hides a few plastic eggs filled with pennies, a quarter, or other small change.
We go to church, come home and dine on ham and polish sausage. Have a butter lamb for our Easter bread (which is multicolred) and I make deviled eggs from our decorated ones.

Tooth Fairy:
Tooth Fairy comes and leaves 2 gold dollars for the first tooth and 1 gold dollar for each tooth thereafter. She also leaves a trail of glitter or pixie dust on the rug and DS's pillow.

Chirstmas:
Kids go shopping at Dollar Store and buy gifts for the family. They wrap them and give them out on Christmas Eve. This is the day we concentrate on the "giving to others" part.
On Christmas Day we get up early to see what Santa left. Always looks like a ton of stuff but actually we stay in a budget of $150 per kid max. Santa picks a few gifts from their lists and wraps them in special paper and puts them under the tree. We go to church after breakfast then visit family in the afternoon. We end the day having a nice "formal" fancy dinner in our dining room.

 

[Pikester]

Just a quick stop to let everyone know that DS12 is fine. Turns out he is one of the lucky few that gets extra symptoms with Strep. He has "strawberry tongue" and a rash.