Easter egg hunt

It was our first and I wasn't too sure whether he would get it or not, but the moment we stood at the edge of the field at Golden Eagle Park in Fountain Hills, Ander wanted nothing more than to go pick up those brightly colored eggs on the grass (Um, no, those aren't capris he's wearing, seems we've gone through a growth spurt and mom didn't quite realize how short these were until this photo...).

Basket in hand, he waited oh so patiently, looking up at me every few seconds ask if to ask, "Now?" The countdown began and a good hundred or more kids counted and prepped to spring...5...4...3...2...1 -- the firetruck's horn went off.

At which point Ander got scared -- I mean, with the horn and the rushing kids and all -- and grabbed my leg.

"Go get the eggs!" I encouraged him. "Go get the eggs!"

That was all it took. He ventured onto the grass and started gathering the closest eggs.

When the 10 seconds passed for the last of the 12,000 eggs to be claimed by the children, he showed me his take, a total of 6.

We promptly sat down to investigate. Each egg contained a small piece of candy and a toy of some sort. The tootsie roll filled the mouth, the plastic ring went on the finger and we were on to opening the next egg.

"No, Ander, we don't eat gum and tootsie rolls together." The life lessons continue.