Egg Hunt Trail

Phill and I decided to begin a new tradition for the Easter Sundays that we are here in Virginia. We took the kids up to Shenandoah National Park for an egg hunt. Near Skyland there is a handicap-accessible trail with the name of Limberlost. This also means that strollers are good on this trail as well. The trail is relatively short (1.3 miles) and relatively flat. There is also the bonus of benches at regular intervals along the way.

We told the girls that Phill had to go hide the "seed" eggs, the dozen that I dyed for them last night. The "seed" eggs, 6 per kid that can hunt, are so the Easter Bunny knows where to hide his eggs--the plastic ones with surprises inside. Phill got the real eggs out of the back of the van (along with the hidden bag of Easter Bunny eggs) and headed down the trail. The kids and I stayed in the van.

I took my time changing Finwe's diaper. I tried to get him to nurse (he wasn't interested). I laid out the groundrules about hunting for eggs, i.e. no pushing, shoving, hitting. I slowly had the girls put on sweaters and sweatshirt. It was just 54 degrees F. The girls peed in the grass. We played in the van. And just when the girls asked, "Where is Daddy?" a very tired, wheezy Phill came up to the parking area from jogging the entire trail.

Here they are starting out with baskets. Notice that the baskets aren't the frilly kind only used for Easter? That's because we use our baskets for strawberry and other fruit picking in our back yard. The frilly kind break very easily. Our girls need the rough and tumble kind.

The trail is crushed gravel. We brought the stroller knowing that once Larien was through running for eggs she would need to ride. Inwe can walk the entire trail and more. Plus, at one point Larien put her basket in the stroller because it was so heavy.

Phill, em, I mean the Easter Bunny hid the eggs on rocks, on benches, on trees, in plants, but most were very easy to find. The bright colors were quite visible due to the death of the hemlock trees in this area. It's sad, actually. The trail was originally blazed so people could see the large hemlock forest. During the six years that Phill and I have lived here, we have watched this part of the park die. The end of the trail has some awesome laurels though, and this trail is one we can do with the kids at this age.

Inwe inspects one of the eggs. She had picked it up, shaken it, and put it back down at first. "There's nothing in it," she told us. "Check again," we urged her. She was pleased to find a toy inside it.
Inwe was very good about us constantly telling her to slow down for Larien. The eggs were hidden in pairs (What a smart Easter Bunny!) so that each girl could find one at each hiding place along the first half mile of the trail. Inwe would rush ahead to get both of the eggs. By the fifth pair of eggs she had figured it out. We also had to keep reminding Larien to keep up with her sister instead of lagging behind to tell us about each egg she found. For once our talkative kid (Inwe) was quiet while our less talkative (if you compare her to Inwe) was the loquacious one.

When all the eggs were found, we walked leisurely down the trail looking at the forest and listening to the birds. Well, Phill, Inwe, and I walked. Finwe was riding in the backpack, and Larien rode in the stroller. Phill went ahead with the girls while I stopped to nurse Finwe. Those benches really do come in handy. I remember nursing Inwe while sitting on a cold boulder when she was three or four months of age. When Finwe and I caught up with the rest of the family we saw a deer on the side of the trail. She didn't move; she just kept eating as we stared at her.

On the Limberlost trail, you know you are near the end when you reach the laurels. It was here that the hail began. I stashed the camera and the baskets under the stroller. Phill pulled up the hood on the stroller to protect Larien. I had Inwe pull up the hood on her sweater and checked Finwe's hood. Then, Inwe and I started running. Luckily, the hail was small and didn't get us wet; we just got a tad bit damp. Inwe was so worn out after her jog that she told we when we reached the van, "I have no breath and my mouth feels funny." I pulled out the juice we had in the van. She drank it down in 10 seconds. Not long after Phill and the fully protected Larien joined us in the van. Finwe got to play with the baskets while Inwe and Larien got strapped into the car seats.Larien immediately began checking out her loot. Inwe did as well, but she rested some more before diving in. Inside the eggs were chocolate coins and the candy gotten during the egg hunt at Inwe's preschool. Also hidden in the eggs were these plastic bunnies that you can link up with the ears. The girls had lots of fun playing with those. We grabbed a quick, non memorable lunch on the road and headed home. The girls ate chocolate as they looked at the scenery.

This was an absolutely lovely event for all of us. At home we hid the eggs again for the girls, three times at least. Phill and the girls played outside while I got a nap with Finwe. And, to end the day we had dinner with our neighbors. Maddjones made a delicious gumbo. The girls ate bacon, rice, mac and cheese, green beans, cheese, and pineapple. I think Phill summed it up when he put Inwe to bed, "This was one of the best days I've ever had with you."