#EasterValue #CollectiveBias

Older brothers are the worst, and mine is no exception. As kids, he was always a Couch Commando stealing the remote control from me, always had that smelly boy scent that is a cross between wet dog and dirt, and even worse, as teens he never let me date his friends. See, he was the WORST. However, as time goes on, if you are really lucky,those awful big brothers slowly turn into your friend  and you realize he’s not so awful. And while he still controls the remote on holidays and finally has that stinky thing under control, the best part of having a brother is watching our kids become the best of friends. If you ask my kids who is their “bestest” friend in the whole wide world, they ALWAYS answer “our cousins!” Even though hundreds of miles separate them, it never dampens their bond. So that’s why holidays that we can’t be together are rough on all of us. To cheer myself and the kids up about not seeing their cousins/best friends on Easter, I suggested we send cards that tell them how much we miss and love them. Lucky for me, Hallmark Value cards are adorable and the right price. No need to break this Easter Bunny’s wallet!

Since I knew that our Walmart has a huge selection of Hallmark cards, I unleashed the kids on the greeting card aisle and let them pick out a handful of Hallmark cards for their cousins. My apologizes to the good people at Walmart. I swear I tried to put the cards back in their rightful place.

They took their selection process very seriously! Since the Hallmark Value Cards were only ¢97, I didn’t mind that they picked up a few extras for their grandparents and friends. Plus if you are a member of the Hallmark Rewards Program, for every card you purchase at Walmart, you earn rewards.  So go ahead, kiddos, grab a few more!

When we got home, they couldn’t wait to personalize each card.

When the cards were done, it was time for a little show and share. Even though the cards would be delivered in a few days, the kids couldn’t wait to show off their handy work. The easiest way to keep in touch with their cousins is to Skype, and they always want to put on a show for their captive audience.  So before our Skype session started, we put together the easiest and cutest Easter craft.

They didn’t stop with a puppet show just for their cousins. They even performed for their biggest fans, their grandparents.

The cards were supposed to be a surprise, but they couldn’t resist sharing what special surprise would be coming in the mail in a few days.

Even though the kids can’t spend Easter with their cousins, I know that little things like sending cards and performing puppet shows over Skype are great ways to help the kids stay connected until they are all together again.

Make sure you check out connectionsfromhalmark.com to sign up for Hallmark rewards, and to see great content from other bloggers. Be sure to join the #EasterValue conversation on Twitter!