Easter is just days away, and my kids and I have been busy creating festive holiday crafts to decorate the house for our big family celebration. My daughter insisted on making a cute and decorative wreath for the front door, so we came up with this fun and easy Easter egg wreath paper craft.

If you don't want to create your egg shapes freehand, I made a basic egg template that you can download and print onto colored paper. Get it here.

To make this craft you'll need:

• Paper plates
• Paper Easter grass, multicolored
• Pastel colored paper for the eggs
• Glue

Old fashioned coconut cake is an Easter favorite. We decided to give this classic treat a kid-sized spin and made a fun mini cupcake version.

These light and sweet little cakes with a marshmallow-like frosting are great for parties, playdates, and get-togethers, and of course as dessert on Easter! Sure, you can use fresh toasted coconut on the outside, but we love the old-school white flaked sweetened coconut from the grocery store's baking aisle.

This recipe makes about three dozen mini cupcakes. You can use it to make regular-size cupcakes, too, but of course you'll need to increase the baking time by a few minutes.

Easter is only a week away, so it's time to start planning for egg hunts, breakfast with bunny and other special events. My children love this time of year when the flowers bloom, and the Easter Bunny hops into town. Part of the fun is celebrating spring and the Easter season with a traditional egg hunt, and there are Easter egg hunts scheduled at communities throughout Marin County. Here's our list of fun Easter egg hunts and events taking place in Marin and other locations in the Bay Area. We'll update this list as we find out about additional events. If we've left out your favorite Marin Easter egg hunt, please let us know and we'll add it to the roster.

Easter Bunny Photos

While your kids are waiting for the big day, they can visit the Easter Bunny and have their picture taken with him at his whimsical spring house at Northgate in Terra Linda. He'll be at the Macy's wing starting on March 15-30, 2013, Monday–Saturday from 11 am–7 pm and Sunday 11 am–6 pm. The Easter Bunny takes the following breaks: Monday–Saturday 1–1:45 pm and 4:30–5:15 pm and Sunday 2:15–2:45 pm. For more info, visit their website.

Belvedere

• Easter Bunny Brunch
  Belvedere Community Center
  Saturday, March 30 from 10 am–noon
  There will be a brunch, Easter crafts, music, face painting, carnival games, and an Easter egg hunt. Easter egg hunt will take place in the playground after the brunch and the children will be grouped by ages. To purchase tickets, call the recreation office at (415) 435-4355. For more info, visit their website.

This spring and summer, experience some of Marin's natural wonders at the spectacular Martin Griffin Preserve. Run by Audubon Canyon Ranch, Martin Griffin Preserve is a 1,000-acre preserve near Stinson Beach and Bolinas that's home to one of the West Coast's most important nesting sites for Great Egrets. These large and majestic wading birds nest in the redwood trees that surround the preserve, and can be observed every year from mid-March through mid-July.

While on our last visit the birds still hadn't arrived yet (they're due there any day now), there's still plenty for families to do. It's a fun place to spend a Saturday or Sunday, and you'll find hiking trails, scenic overlooks and observation points, ponds, a display hall, a bird hide, a picnic area, and plenty of enthusiastic and knowledgable volunteers who are happy to help children and parents and answer questions.

Marin Mommies presents this week's guest recipe from Nicole Cibellis, Marin mom and author of the blog A Family that Eats Together, where she shares meal plans and recipes that will please foodies and children alike. Nicole is also the creator of the new Little Froglet line of children's activewear. Here's Nicole's meal plan for this week.

Mexican food is a favorite around our house so much so that I am constantly looking for new ways to reinvent it for dinner. This is not only a quick and easy recipe for a weeknight dinner, but can be adapted to fit everyone in the family by offering them their favorite taco toppings. The use of marinated chicken thighs, gives the meal a juicy and intensely flavorful touch. I even made extra chicken thighs to use the following day for sandwiches and to top my salad. Quick, Easy and Delicious!

These cute and clever bird's nest cookies are the perfect treat for Easter. Light and airy coconut-filled meringues really look a lot like birds' nests—you can complete the illusion by adding a few egg-shaped Easter candies. We like the Cadbury mini eggs, but malted milk eggs or even jelly beans will work equally well.

The kids love to help make these, and of course love to eat them. These treats are a great addition to Easter baskets, too. Give them a try, and you'll probably find that they earn a spot in your spring baking repertoire.

Ingredients

• 4 egg whites
• 1 cup sugar

Coloring Easter eggs is a fun spring tradition, but do you really know what's in those commercial dye kits that you pick up at the supermarket? Dying your Easter egg dyes with your own homemade natural dyes is easier than you think, and the results can be really beautiful. There are plenty of recipes and formulas out there, some of which work better than others.

Over the years, we've experimented with various mixtures and figured out a few that really worked well. You can make these plant- and food-based dyes with many of the things that you have on hand in the pantry or refrigerator, or can pick up at the farmer's market, so why not give it a try?

When we do this our kitchen becomes part art studio and part mad scientist's lab. The process is similar for each dye: mix up a natural color source with water, white vinegar and salt, simmer it to extract the color, and dip in your hard-boiled eggs. The results take more time than your standard Easter egg coloring kits, so patience is a virtue here. Our kids always spend quite a bit of time hovering over the dye bowls wondering if they're ready yet. "Not yet" is usually the answer.

Spring is in bloom at Ring Mountain Open Space Preserve near Tiburon. The wildflower display is simply stunning at this time of year, and the views of San Francisco, Mt. Tamalpais, and the entire Bay Area are equally spectacular.

We took a family hike there this week and were amazed by the variety and amount of blooms on view. If you haven't been to Ring Mountain, it's definitely worth a visit. Make sure you bring a camera—it's a great place for a family photo.

This preserve on a hill above Tiburon was saved from development back in the 1990s, and is home to a number of rare plants, like the Tiburon Mariposa Lilly, which is found nowhere else in the world. Large boulders and rocks are scattered throughout the hillside. You'll even find remnants of Native American settlements here in the way of petroglyphs and a grinding rock.

Here are our picks for great events and activities for children and families this weekend. Find more events for the whole week in Marin and throughout the Bay Area in our Family Events Calendar.

Friday, March 22

• Sing-Along with Sara Sonnet
  San Rafael Public Library
  Friday, 10:30–11 am
  Come for a delightful selection of books, motion songs, toys, finger plays, lullabies and rhymes for children aged birth to 4 years old. Location: 1100 E Street, San Rafael. For more info, call (415) 485-3322 or visit their website.
• Easter Bunny Photos at Northgate
  Northgate Mall, San Rafael
  Friday & Saturday, 11 am–7 pm & Sunday, 11 am-6 pm
  The Easter Bunny will be at arriving at Northgate Mall on Friday, March 15. Bring the little ones out to visit the Easter Bunny for photos and a free gift! The Easter Bunny is located in the Macy's wing. Photo hours: Monday–Saturday, 11 am–7 pm (Break: 1–1:45 pm and 4:30–5:15 pm) and Sunday 11 am–6 pm (Break: 2:15–2:45 pm). For more info, visit their website.
• Marin Primary & Middle School Presents: The Odyssey
  Showcase Theater, Marin Center
  Friday and Saturday, 7 pm & Sunday, 1 pm
  It’s a timeless story of action, comedy, and danger suitable for the whole family. Triumphant from the ten-year Trojan War, the hero Odysseus attempts to return home but is thwarted by the angry god Poseidon. Aided by the goddess of wisdom Athena, our hero must survive encounters with the monster Cyclops, the witch Circe, and the alluring, deadly Sirens. Tickets: $15, 8th grade and under $10. For more info, visit their website.
• Spring Cabaret: Pirates of Penzance
  Mill Valley Middle School Gymnasium
  Friday, 8 pm, Saturday, 1 pm, Sunday, 8 pm
  Don't Miss the Mill Valley Middle School Spring Cabaret: Pirates of Penzance with a twist! This year's Cabaret will follow the story of Gilbert and Sullivan's Pirates of Penzance, accompanied by a live orchestra. Woven in between scenes will be talent, music, circus and dance acts, hosted by MVMS storytellers! Performances will be at the theater in the MVMS gymnasium at 425 Sycamore Avenue in Mill Valley. Tickets available at the door: $15 for adults, $10 for MVMS students and younger children. Baked goods and flowers will be for sale at the show.

Saturday, March 23

• Spring Eggstravaganza!
  Mill Valley Community Center
  Saturday, 8:30 am–noon
  Join Mr. E. Bunny for a breakfast from 8:30–10 am. Dine on a special springtime breakfast, and take a photo with Mr. E. Bunny (don’t forget your camera). After, get ready for the annual egg hunt. Mr. E. Bunny will start each hunt: 10 am for ages 2 and under, and 10:15 am for ages 3–4 and ages 5–8. Egg hunt is free, but tickets required for breakfast Tickets available now for the breakfast at the Community Center and Aquatics/Fitness Center, adults: $6, children: $4 (2 and under free). For more info, call (415) 383-1370 or visit their website.
• Marin Country Mart Farmers Market
  Marin Country Mart, Larkspur Landing
  Saturday, 9 am–2 pm
  Enjoy the best local and organic produce, flowers, pastured meats, seafood, organic cheeses, yogurt and milk, breads, baked goods, pasta, confections, olive oil, and brunch and lunch offerings! Kids can take a pony ride and visit the petting zoo (10 am–2 pm), try out some arts and crafts (9 am–2 pm) and listen to family music (9:30–10:30 am). For more info, visit their website.
• Giant Indoor Yard Sale
  Corte Madera Community Center
  Saturday, 9 am–3 pm
  Lots of stuff at bargain prices! All kinds of household items, toys, games, books, clothing, jewelry, accessories, linens, collectibles—you name it! This is the Corte Madera Women's Club's annual fundraiser for scholarships and community projects. Doors open at 9 am. Cash and checks only, no credit cards. Location: 498 Tamalpais Avenue, Corte Madera.For more info, visit their website.
  
• Fling on Ring in the Spring
  Ring Mountain Preserve, Tiburon
  Saturday, 9 am–1 pm
  Come to Ring Mountain for a day of environmental education and community service, helping to remove invasive French broom to restore native grassland. After lunch, volunteer naturalist Bernie Hale will present “Skins and Skulls," focusing on the diversity of Marin’s wildlife. Bernie has a wide variety of pelts and skulls and tells stories that bring these objects to life. The terrain is uneven and the work is moderately strenuous but suitable for volunteers 5 years and older. The presentation is geared toward children but entertaining for all ages. Dress in layers, wear sturdy shoes, and bring water. For more info, visit their website.
• The Very Hungry Caterpillar Day Party
  Chronicle Books at the Metreon
  Saturday, 10 am–noon
  Bring the kids to the free Eric Carle Day celebration at the Chronicle Books' Metreon location. The celebration commemorates both Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar and the release of the My Chronicle Books line of personalized items. Children and their parents are invited to make this party a blast. Complete with cupcakes, drinks, art activities, and a sneak preview of the new goodies, this event is going to make everyone remember their fond childhood memories of Eric Carle’s unforgettable art and stories. Location: Chronicle Books at the Metreon, 165 4th Street, San Francisco. For more info, visit their website.
• Marinwood Children's Toy and Clothing Sale
  Marinwood Community Center, San Rafael
  Saturday, 10 am–4 pm
  Marinwood's semi-annual children’s toy and clothing sale takes place this Saturday. Get there early to get the best bargains on children's clothing, toys, books, baby equipment, and more. The Marinwood Community Center is located at 775 Miller Creek Road in San Rafael. For more info, visit their website.
• 8th Annual Easter Egg Hunt
  Sonoma–Marin Fairgrounds
  Saturday, 10–11:30 am
  The Petaluma Sunrise Rotary’s 8th Annual Easter Egg Hunt at the Sonoma Marin Fairgrounds in Petaluma starts at 10 sharp. Free for children 12 and under. There will be an Easter egg hunt, children's activities, beverages and snacks, and a visit by the Easter Bunny. Location: 175 Fairgrounds Drive off Washington, Petaluma. For more info, call (707) 763-0931 visit their website.