Easter is one of the holidays that are a lot more fun with kids around. Especially if they are someone else's kids.

I have found through the years that every holiday with candy involved is a banner holiday for uncles.

It gives you the opportunity to fully enjoy all of the fun of having children with none of the consequences.

There is nothing like wiring my niece and nephew up on Cadbury Eggs and watching my poor sister chase them all over the Florida panhandle.

Now that there are two of them it is a much bigger challenge for her.

Things have slowed down a bit with my nephew Reed turning 8.

He is finally starting to learn that everything that Uncle Rick says to do may not be such a good idea.

I have helped him get into "timeout" more times than I can count, but he has finally wised up.

Then there is my niece Quinn.

If it will get her into trouble she will do it.

You can usually get her to do your evil bidding by offering her a cookie or some sort of sweet treat.

Candy is her life.

She was so excited last Halloween that she woke up at 6 a.m., put on her Halloween costume, and walked from room to room trying to wake people up to take her trick or treating.

It's almost like she has some sort of sugar radar.

By the time they found her last Easter she had beaten everyone out of bed and attacked her basket.

She had also gotten into the baskets of others.

So as long as she has that sweet tooth I know I can count on her to give my sister fits.

This year I plan to go all out. I want to see just how much candy these kids can hold.

I plan to do a little Easter shopping throughout the week so that I will be fully armed when I head down to Destin Saturday.

Saturday I will give them both huge chocolate bunnies to kick things off.

I don't mean the hollow ones either. It's going to be solid chocolate.

As small as they are they should be feeling it by the time they finish the ears.

If they make it to the body of the bunny they will be hanging from the ceiling.

That's when I sit back and watch the carnage.

Sure they will get in trouble for a little while, but I can always play the uncle card.

For those of you who don't know about it, that is where you tell your sibling that you never get to see the kids and it isn't right for them to be locked in their rooms when you have driven so far to visit.

It usually works pretty well.

By Sunday afternoon the kids are absolutely insane.

That is when Uncle Rick makes his exit.

I usually have a pretty good laugh all the way home. I also usually get a few dirty phone calls from my sister.

By the time the next holiday rolls around all is forgiven.

I have been lying low since our Christmas celebration with the kids that caused the destruction of a few items around my mother's house.

Now that the kids have had a chance to forget how much trouble I got them into at Christmas it is time to play the heroic role of Uncle Rick again.

I should be able to stir up enough trouble to keep me unwelcome in Destin until Quinn's birthday in July.

Since I know that my sister will read this I will issue a warning right now.

Pack a lunch and get some helmets for the kids…Uncle Rick is coming.

Rick Couch may be reached at

383-9302, ext. 132 or

via email at rick. couch@greenvilleadvocate.com.