Saul Loeb / AFP - Getty Images

President Obama posed with the Easter Bunny.

Thousands of children and their parents dotted the South Lawn of the White House on Monday, joining the Easter Bunny, President Obama and dozens of celebrities and professional athletes for the annual Easter Egg Roll.

Jonathan Ernst / Reuters

First lady Michelle Obama sings and dances as she, Al Roker and Anne Burrell cook pasta with pesto.

The layer of fog that greeted the first wave of excited guests quickly lifted to reveal a brilliant sunny morning. Obama noted the weather as he welcomed guests.

“It was a little shaky this morning, but all of you did a great job sending a message upstairs,” he said.

More than 35,000 guests from all 50 states received timed-entry tickets to the daylong event that features egg rolling, live music, cooking stations, sports activities and storytelling.

Jason Reed / Reuters

President Obama and his family watch as singer Jessica Sanchez sings the Star Spangled Banner alongside Marian Robinson.

Just before the president and his family walked out of the White House to greet the crowd, the Easter Bunny appeared with Robby Novak, who plays the “Kid President” in a series of YouTube videos. The 9-year-old Tennessee resident, who filmed a promotional video for the Egg Roll earlier this year, helped introduce the first family.

Related: Kid President helps White House pull April Fools' prank

After thanking Novak, Michelle Obama encouraged her guests to have fun.

“We want you to run around.  We want you to go over and see the White House Garden.  We want you to learn about making tasty, healthy food,” she said, also noting the other activities available. “But overall, we want you guys to have a good time and keep moving and be healthy.  And, kids, eat your vegetables, okay?”

Jason Reed / Reuters

Joined by the Easter Bunny, the Obamas watch the Egg Roll festivities on the White House lawn.

With his dog, Bo, sitting obediently next to him, President Obama narrated the popular children’s book, “Chicka Chicka Boom Boom,” a story about letters of the alphabet climbing up a coconut tree.

“Clearly, the alphabet is full of a bunch of troublemakers,” he said.

The president also took a shot — 22 of them, actually — on the lawn’s basketball court. He failed to make a free throw during various attempts, until he finally handed the ball to a boy and asked for help. The boy successfully made the layup.

"He couldn't make one. I had to help him out," said Kahron Campbell, 10, of Landover, MD.

Saul Loeb / AFP - Getty Images

President Obama and Michelle cheer on children as they race to roll eggs at the White House Easter Egg Roll on Monday.

Elsewhere, Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson also was on hand, one of many professional athletes promoting the year’s theme, “Be Healthy, Be Active, Be You!” as a tie-in to the first lady’s campaign to fight childhood obesity by encouraging physical activity.

“It’s very important, especially with our young generations, to get those kids used to eating healthy, being more active, and getting outside the house and being active. It really helps with daily life,” Peterson told TODAY’s Al Roker as the two spoke from the South Lawn. “I feel like it’s very important what the first lady is doing with the ‘Let’s Move’ initiative to get kids more aware and get adults more aware. Because I remember when I was 13, 14. I wasn’t inside playing … I was outside.  I can see where it helped me.”

TODAY

The egg and Al: TODAY's Al Roker reports live from the White House Easter Egg Roll.

“American Idol’’ stars Jordin Sparks and Jessica Sanchez topped the lineup of musical performers, while celebrities tapped to read stories to the crowd included NASCAR driver Danica Patrick, Oscar-nominated child actress Quvenzhane Wallis, and characters from "Sesame Street."

Earlier this month, the White House seemed to hint that the annual event was in jeopardy of being canceled due to spending cuts, but quickly shot down that speculation and confirmed the celebration would go on as scheduled.

Each participant left the event with a souvenir hardwood Easter egg emblazoned with the signatures of President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama. The eggs come in numerous colors and can also be purchased for $7.99 each. Those who buy the full set online will get a bonus egg featuring Bo, the first family's dog.

Jason Reed / Reuters

Children during the 135th annual Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House.

Read more:

Obamas to host celebs, athletes at White House Easter Egg Roll

Bo hunts Easter eggs for White House Egg Roll

This story was originally published on Mon Apr 1, 2013 8:31 AM EDT

Brendan Smialowski / AFP - Getty Images

President Obama helps a young participant during during the 134th annual Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House last year.

Famous athletes, celebrity chefs and a pint-sized president will all be part of the festivities on Monday when President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama host the 135^th annual White House Easter Egg Roll.

A crowd of 35,000 representing all 50 states and the District of Columbia is expected on the South Lawn for the largest annual public event at the White House. A special guest will be Robby Novak, better known as Kid President, the 9-year-old YouTube sensation from Tennessee whose stated mission is to make the world less boring. Novak helped film a promotional video for the White House earlier this year to let his peers know about the Easter Egg Roll.

In addition to rolling Easter eggs on the lawn, there will be live music, sports instruction, cooking stations and storytelling. “American Idol’’ stars Jordin Sparks and Jessica Sanchez headline the group of musical performers, while those handling storytelling duties for the children will include NASCAR driver Danica Patrick, Minnesota Vikings star running back Adrian Peterson, Oscar-nominated child actress Quvenzhane Wallis and characters from Sesame Street.

Food Network stars Ann Burrell and Ina Garten will be among those cooking up tasty and healthy eats for the attendees, and a host of professional athletes will be on hand to teach kids fun ways to stay fit as part of this year’s theme of “Be Healthy, Be Active, Be You!”  There also will be a “Yoga Garden’’ for children.

More than 300,000 tickets were requested from people from across the nation, and a lottery was used to determine the 35,000 recipients of invitations, according to the White House. The White House seemed to hint that the annual event was in jeopardy of being canceled earlier this month, due to spending cuts, but quickly shot down that speculation and confirmed the celebration would go on as scheduled.

This year’s souvenir Easter eggs will come in purple, blue, yellow and pink, bearing the signatures of the President and First Lady. There also will be a commemorative teal egg available with a paw print of Bo, the Obama family’s dog.

Read more: 

Kid President helps President Obama spread word about White House 'Egg Roll' 

Bo hunts Easter eggs for White House Egg Roll

White House: Sequester won't stop Easter Egg Roll

This Easter, one billion peeps will be produced (enough to circle the globe), and will find their way into 70% of the candy-filled baskets across the country.

So, where do they all come from? Weekend TODAY anchor Dylan Dreyer went to the source — or the roost, if you will — the Just Born factory in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, which has been home to Peeps since the very beginning.

Peeps came into existence 60 years ago, but the process behind the sugar chick has evolved quite a bit from its early days, when each chick was made by hand and making one took more than 24 hours.

Back then, the marshmallow mixture was squeezed out of a pastry bag by hand to form the signature Peeps shape. These days, the factory produces more than 5 million chicks every day, using "one of a kind" equipment — and lots and lots of sugar.

Slideshow: Holy Peeps! Elaborate candy creations hop to silly heights

See the most creative Peeps of the year, as candy fans turn the sugary treat into works of art.

Launch slideshow

"We use a little bit of granulated sugar, liquid sugar, and some corn syrup, and then at the end we might add a bit more sugar," explained Mark Wright, the director of operations at the factory, as he walked Dylan through the operation.

Peeps get their signature granular texture from a systematic dusting of white sugar once the marshmallow has been aerated, Wright demonstrated, showing Dylan that a bed of white sugar is placed on the conveyor belt where the marshmallow lands to give it that sandpapery coating.

And before a Peep makes it off the line, it has to pass inspection: no crazy eyes, crooked beaks or improper peeps allowed.

As Dylan quickly observed: "Easter depends on this."

Related: Peep show! Creative ways to dress up your Easter candy

Hot chicks! At 60, Peeps more popular than ever

Brit + Co.

By Brit Morin, Brit + Co.

Ready to take your Easter brunch table to a totally adorable level? Follow this simple tutorial on how to turn a paper napkin into a bunny and you'll be an instant hostess with the mostess.

Materials:
Paper napkins

Instructions:

1. Start by unfolding your napkin and folding it in half so you have one really long side. 

Brit + Co.

2. Take each end of the napkin and fold over the front at an angle.

Brit + Co.

3. Now, fold each bottom corner up towards the middle of the napkin.

Brit + Co.

4. Next, fold again on the side at a slight angle, like you see in the photo.

Brit + Co.

5. Repeat on the other side as well.

Brit + Co.

6. Flip the whole thing over and fold the larger part of the napkin up to the center.

Brit + Co.

7. Flip back to the front and turn the whole thing so that the top of the triangle is pointing up.

8. Now, fold in one side and then the other, so that the second side fits into the little pocket that has been created.

Brit + Co.

9. Now you've got a little bundled up bunny. Pull out the ears and tail, and you're done! 

Brit + Co.

We're loving how sweet these little bunnies look with our egg-cellent table setting.

Want to see more DIY tutorials from this morning's Easter segment? Check out Brit's wrap up on Brit + Co.

More: Creative Easter baskets: More than just jelly beans!

Photos of cute bunnies: Our readers hop to it

Peeps, the sugar-coated marshmallow chicks and bunnies, have been an Easter candy tradition for decades. But Peeps dioramas, statues and other decorative art using the sweets have become popular over the years, making the treats more than just a holiday basket-stuffer.

New York chocolatier Jacques Torres first developed a taste for the gooey chicks and bunnies when he moved to the States from his native France. “I discovered that Peeps have a deep part in people's heart," Torres told TODAY.com. "It's a very American thing. It's a part of the Eastern tradition."

He decided he wanted to find a way to combine Peeps with his chocolate-making profession, telling his store managers he was planning to coat the candies in chocolate and other costumes. "People looked at me like I was crazy," he said. But he went ahead with the plan, dipping Peeps in fine chocolate and dressing them up in tuxedos with white-chocolate buttons and bow ties. "We had a big success with them. They sold very well."

Rebecca Davis/TODAY

Torres uses white chocolate to make 'buttons' for his tuxedo-wearing Peeps.

Torres's tuxedoed chicks aren't the only decorative route Peeps have taken. For nearly a decade, newspapers like the Pioneer Press and The Washington Post have held annual contests calling for creative diorama submissions using Peeps. Each year, they're flooded with miniature marshmallow snapshots of everything from classic literature scenes to political satires to famous works of art.

"One of our favorites, 'Eep', was based on the the movie 'Up,'" Tracy Grant, the editor in charge of The Washington Post's Peeps competition, told TODAY.com. "It was a balloon that lifts the house up, and the balloon is all made out of Peeps."

Other recent submissions included a parody of the Occupy Wall Street movement dubbed "Occupeep DC," a diorama featuring 2011's trapped miners in Chile, and a mock-up of the Roman Colosseum. Grant thinks making decorative work out of Peeps has turned into an artistic community effort. "People are very, very creative," she said. "I would say most of our entries are team entries of people working together. Offices work together.  It's turned out to be an incredible testament to the ingenuity of people." This year's contest winners will be featured on the newspaper's website on March 27th.

Deb Lindsey / For the Washington Post

This finalist in the Washington Post's Peeps contest, titled 'Peepius Maximus,' shows a marshmallow-populated version of the Coliseum.

Publications aren't the only ones getting in on the decorative Peeps game. The Carroll County Arts Council in Westminster, Maryland has been holding a popular PEEPshow for the past 6 years, featuring full-scale sculptures and dioramas made out of the candy. Arts Council Executive Director Sandy Oxx says the show, which will run at the Carroll Arts Center from March 28th through April 7th, has received some clever, and occasionally massive, submissions over the years.

"Someone did a whole prom dress, full-sized," she told TODAY. "We tend to get really big monsters and cartoon characters." Oxx says some of her favorite submissions have been simple designs with titular plays on words. "Someone did a horseshoe-shaped magnet," she said. "They called it a 'chick magnet.'"

Oxx thinks Peeps' popularity stems from the candy's long-standing tradition as an Easter basket standby. "Everyone has a Peeps story," she said. "When I was growing up, the fact that they were big and took up a lot of room in the basket, parents could spend $2 and make their baskets really big. If you're Christian, Jewish, like to eat them, hate them, everyone's got Peep memories, so it's a really easy product to base an event around."

Rebecca Davis/TODAY

For Peep-decorating beginners, Torres recommended an easy approach like dusting the chocolate-dipped candy in shredded coconut.

Grant says that annual contests have given a whole new meaning to the holiday treat. "It's a very nostalgic thing," she said. "In a very high-tech world, [the dioramas] feel very old-fashioned and very sweet. It's a real tradition."

And Torres says he hopes to put out even more fun chocolate-covered Peeps creations in the future.  "This year, I want to do a Pope Peep," he said. "Don't get offended about that one."

More: New York City bakery sells $1000 Easter egg

Confessions of a real-life Easter Bunny

Slideshow: Awkward Easter: Some really scary bunnies

awkwardfamilyphotos.com

A hysterical selection of candid photographs of people getting into the spirit of Easter.

Launch slideshow

This year, think outside the Easter basket! The Easter Bunny is getting creative and delivering more than just chocolate and jelly beans.

Lifestyle expert Maureen Petrosky shows off some cute and unique ideas to surprise your kids, friends, and even the dog lovers in your life this year. Try filling up a cute tote bag with goodies like shoes, sunglasses, and even Scotch that last long after the holiday is over.

Check out these creative basket ideas and tell us what you're whipping up for the weekend!

L.A. Burdick

Delicious macaroons from L.A. Burdick are sure to make your Passover meal even tastier.

Passover starts March 25 and runs through April 2, and as Jews around the world prepare to give up leavened bread for eight days and nights, they have more options than ever to fill their Seder tables. Here are some of the most delicious ways to bring haute Hebrew goodies home.  

Gefilteria
These days gefilte fish is the sexiest Jew, next to Bar Rafaeli. This New York-based company makes their fish quenelles with salmon, pike and whitefish caught from the Great Lakes, then gently poaches the loaves in an onion broth. The result is airy, mild and elegant, closer to fine French food than the stuff in jars at the supermarket. It is shipped nationwide and arrives at your door frozen and ready to be consumed on Pesach.

Matzel Toff
Standard matzah isn’t the most exciting stuff. But, cover it in buttery toffee, rich dark chocolate and a touch of sea salt, and you have a treat that isn’t only Passover-approved, it’s year-round delicious. Beloved by celebrities like Martha Stewart and Rachael Ray, this sweet and crunchy treat is sure get your kids to try some matzah without bribing them with gelt (money).

Sarah Durlacher

Ish
Horseradish is always served at a Seder, both on the Seder plate and as an accompaniment to gefilte fish. But now it’s actually tasty instead of overly acidic and sulfuric. Ish makes artisanal prepared horseradish with fresh fruits and vegetables, and it is so tasty that you will never believe it’s related to the neon pink stuff you are used to choking down. From traditional earthy and hot beet horseradish to Asian-inspired ginger horseradish, this really elevates a traditional Seder meal.

William Greenberg Desserts

William Greenberg Apple Macaroon Cake
Though Passover is often a holiday filled with chalky jelly rings and insipid matzo meal cookies, it doesn’t have to be. Legendary New York City bakery William Greenberg (yes, you may have seen Betty from “Mad Men” carrying some of the bakery’s goods to a dinner party) treats Passover as an excuse to roll out the big guns, especially with its apple macaroon cake. This soft almond sponge cake is crusted in buttery pecans and topped with fresh apple slices. The cake ships nationally, but be warned, it might not make it to the end of the meal before guests finish it off.

Vermatzah
Remember the cardboard-like stuff that you are used to? Well, forget it. Vermatzah is here to save the day. This small batch, handmade matzah from Vermont is truly the Cadillac of matzohs. It is made from Vermont-grown wheat, is hand formed and wood fired, and the company prides itself on creating a hearty texture and taste.

Distillery 209 Vodka and Gin
It isn’t only bread that observant Jews must avoid during Passover. Oh no, it’s all forms of wheat other than matzah, as well as legumes, rice and other grains. Because of this, most liquor is not kosher for Passover. Luckily for those of us who need a little liquid courage to get through a night with our families, Distillery 209 has created kosher vodka and gin. The vodka tastes clean, the gin is lightly herbaceous without being too floral, and both go well with your favorite mixer.

L.A. Burdick’s Coconut Macaroons
What is Passover without a macaroon? This year, go for the high-end stuff from renowned chocolatier L.A. Burdick. While some macaroons can taste dry and dusty, these luxurious cookies are anything but. The macaroons are sweet, pleasantly sticky and loaded with fragrant coconut flavor. Dipped in the company’s trademark rich dark chocolate, they will make you wish that the holiday came more than just once a year.  

For more from Sarah Spigelman, visit her blog, Fritos and Foie Gras.

Courtesy Dylan Dreyer

The Dreyer family in Manalapan, N.J., in 1984.

By Dylan Dreyer, Weekend TODAY

With Easter season upon us, we reached out to Weekend TODAY weather anchor Dylan Dreyer to share some of her memories of what the holidays mean to her and her family. Here’s what Dylan had to say.

Courtesy Dylan Dreyer

Dylan and her brothers wait on the stairs in 1993.

On Easter, I’d be the one to wake up first, then I’d go down the hall and wake up my two older brothers. Once I was sure they were awake, I’d wake up my parents. They took forever to get up and ready and the three of us kids would have to wait on the stairs until they were.

We’d slowly creep down, one stair at a time, but would never dare to go all the way downstairs because we knew our dad would kill us! We’d pass the time by trying to sneak a peek in the reflections on the pictures on the wall to see if we could spot a colored egg. Eventually our mom and dad would walk past us on the stairs, but then they’d have to go to the kitchen to make coffee, then find the video camera. Even that took a long time because it was one of those old-fashioned film cameras that took forever to set up, even though more modern ones were certainly on the market.

Then they’d go into the living room and say “Nope! Guess the Easter Bunny didn't come this year!” That was our cue that we could run into the living room and start the hunt. It was the same old lie that was told to us every year. We knew the Easter Bunny always came to our house!

The whole tradition would begin the night before, when my mom would hard boil a couple of dozen eggs while we were at church. She had plenty of time to do it, because the Easter vigil is a long Mass! My poor dad had the task of keeping three kids focused and awake through the whole thing.

When we got home, the Paas egg-dying kit would be on the table and I’d measure out glasses of water and vinegar. After we dropped in the magic dye tablet, we’d all grab clear crayons and start decorating our eggs. It was always fun setting them in the dye long enough for them to turn into the most brilliant colors, and of course then we'd see how sloppy our invisible egg drawings were. But it was a clear marker of whose eggs were whose, so the Easter Bunny wouldn't mix them up! 

Courtesy Dylan Dreyer

A very young Dylan Dreyer tastes some candy at Easter in 1983.

When it was time for bed, I’d leave out some carrots and water for the Easter Bunny, then I’d try as hard as I could to sleep through the night. I had to get some sleep because the next morning started around 6 a.m.

We’d each have our own room to hunt in: Jamie got the living room (he’s the oldest, so he got the biggest), Mike would have the dining room, and I’d have the little sitting room off the kitchen. I was the youngest and those were the breaks.

Now finding our colorful eggs hidden in the most obvious of places was great, and finding the giant Easter basket full of candy and little presents was even better (mine was always hung from a hook on the ceiling). But the best part was breakfast. We’d take two of our newly discovered eggs, peel them, and mash them up with mayo, salt, and lots of pepper. My dad would make a pile of buttered toast and a plateful of bacon and it was the absolute best breakfast ever. It was Easter breakfast, which was more predictable and traditional than what we ate for dinner. (Come to think of it, I’m not even sure what our standard Easter dinner was. Ham I assume, but don’t quote me on that.)

After breakfast, I had to go check out if the Easter Bunny ate his carrots. He always did, and there were always two perfect, huge marks of bunny teeth proving he gnawed away at them!

Courtesy Dylan Dreyer

An elated 8-year-old Dylan with her Easter basket in 1990.

As time went on and my brothers moved out, I was the only one left waiting on the stairs on Easter morning. But right on schedule, my dad and I colored eggs the night before, they were hidden away on Easter morning (only now with everyone out of the house, I got the biggest room!), the Easter Bunny ate his carrots, and we’d eat our egg salad with toast and bacon. Age wasn't a factor: teens, 20s, 30s.

Even just a couple years ago, my dad visited me in Boston for Easter and we colored eggs after church, I waited on the stairs the next morning, the eggs were hidden, then found and eaten. 

That’s why I love holidays. It’s the family tradition, the familiarity of that season that comes each year, the childlike excitement, and the genuine laughs and smiles that bring you back to your youth. My brothers have passed those same traditions on to their kids, and I will someday too.

Until then, Mr. Easter Bunny? You can now find me in New York City. And I’m sure my dad and I will have those eggs colored for you! 

Dylan Dreyer is weather anchor for Weekend TODAY. She's a native of Manalapan, N.J.

More:

Spilling the beans on the Bunny: A father's Easter quandary
Which came first? The Easter or the egg?
Where was Dylan Dreyer during the blizzard?
Meet Weekend TODAY weather anchor Dylan Dreyer
Pets, Pictionary and pie: Anchors share holiday traditions

courtesy of Dave Blackmer

Dave Blackmer: PR by day, Easter Bunny once a year.

Most of the time, Dave Blackmer does PR for a medical billing company in Taylorsville, Utah. But  once a year he takes on a very special side job: dressing up as the Easter Bunny.

He first stepped inside the suit a few years ago, when his mother told him the neighborhood was organizing an Easter egg hunt. While the homeowner's association had the money to put on the hunt and procure a bunny suit, "they hadn't found anyone willing to don the costume for an hour or so,” Blackmer told TODAY.com.

courtesy of Dave Blackmer

The worst part of being in the bunny suit? The sweat, says Blackmer.

So he stepped up and accepted the challenge, agreeing to wear the costume. Before he tried it on, he tried to come up with a voice that would help him get into character. “I eventually settled on something that sounded like a cross between Kermit the Frog and Stitch [from Lilo & Stitch],” he said.

When he first got into the costume, Blackmer couldn’t believe how physically challenging it would be. The bunny suit — fur lined with latex — was quite warm, and he couldn’t stop sweating underneath it.

“After anybody hugged the Easter Bunny, there was an audible SCHLORP as the latex pulled away from my sweat-soaked face,” he said. “I felt dehydrated and thirstier than I'd ever been before. I still danced and hopped, but a little less. My goofy Easter Bunny voice was getting slightly hoarse.”

courtesy of Dave Blackmer

Blackmer says being the Easter Bunny is tiring, but he enjoys the experience.

Though he got tired from hopping around, jumping, posing for photos, and interacting with the kids, he kept it going when he saw how much fun people were having. Luckily, there were other Easter-themed activities to keep the kids occupied, and he got to take some breaks and relax while the kids dyed eggs and played games.

Just when Blackmer was about to change out of his costume for the day, one last family arrived, disappointed that they were too late to take part in the fun. He agreed to say hello to the kids and take pictures with him, and someone let him know that one of the children was deaf.

Courtesy of Dave Blackmer

Blackmer loves dressing up as the Easter Bunny to put a smile on kids' faces.

“I only know the basics in sign language, and it's next to impossible to sign while wearing fluffy white bunny mittens, but I knelt down and managed to sign 'I love you,'" he recalled. “Her eyes lit up and she threw her arms around my neck in the most endearing, genuine hug.”

The experience opened his eyes to the power of being the Easter Bunny, and Blackmer soon found himself committing to future wearings of the suit, despite the sweat. “I immediately informed my mom that I wanted to do this again the next year,” he said.

While being an Easter Bunny may be a demanding — and hot — job, Blackmer admits he’s hooked. “It's always more effort and more physically demanding than I anticipate,” he admits.

So why keep doing it, year after year? “The rewards are equally astounding, every time. Seeing a child's face light up with joy is one of the greatest things in the world.”

Sugar and Plumm

A New York bakery has created this $1000 specialty Easter egg.

If you want to be the first one to buy a $1,000 chocolate Easter egg from a New York City chocolatier, there’s still time—as of this writing, Sugar and Plumm had not yet sold one of its Giant Egg Showpieces, which went on display in the store on Friday. 

Even though it stands at nearly 3 feet tall and weighs 22 pounds, the egg is still very fragile, according to a company spokesperson, so it’s available for pick-up only, at either the store's Upper West Side location or its branch in Paramus, NJ. 

It takes 30 hours to create the giant egg out of dark, white and milk chocolates, and the whole thing is edible.

“I wanted to show the world the work of art and creativity that [we] could come up with,” says company founder Lamia Jacobs. “This egg is one of our masterpieces.”

The whimsical-feeling Sugar and Plumm, a bistro, bakery and chocolatier, specializes in over-the-top creations, such as its “Earthquake in a Fishbowl” dessert ($17), which is a bowl full of three slices of cake, a slice of pie, three types of ice cream, oh, and butterscotch pudding.

If all that sugar goes to your head and you find yourself contemplating shelling out for the $1,000 egg, you may want to turn your attention to the smaller Chicks-n-Egg, available for a mere $95. 

More from TODAY:
Easter crafts bonanza! DIY eggs, baskets, and more
Photos of cute bunnies: Our readers hop to it!

Looking to make an Easter basket or decorate Easter eggs before the holiday? Look no further! TODAY brought in the experts to help with all your Easter craft needs.

Martha Stewart's artistic Easter eggs

Whether you're looking for an elegant centerpiece for an Easter brunch or colorful eggs to decorate with your kids, Martha Stewart shares a few of her most egg-cellent decorating tips.

Creative Easter crafts: baskets, cupcakes and more!

Soleil Moon Frye, founder of MoonFrye.com, shares some of the Easter crafts she enjoys with her daughters, including hand-decorating Easter baskets and adorable Easter-themed cupcakes.

6 creative Easter baskets under $20

Deborah Stumm, founder of SuperMom360.com, shows how you can make colorful and creative Easter baskets with fun themes for kids who are sports fans, aspiring gardeners, or enjoy pampering themselves.

TODAY

White House spokesman Jay Carney has assured that the 135th annual White House Easter Egg Roll on April 1 will go on as planned despite a memo last week indicating it could possible be cancelled due to looming spending cuts.

The looming sequester crisis will not stop the Easter Bunny from visiting the White House for the 135th straight year. 

The annual White House Easter Egg Roll, hosted by President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, will go on as planned on April 1 this year after a memo sent out by the White House last week indicated it could potentially be cancelled due to spending cuts. White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters on Tuesday that the event is still on. 

"I just want to be clear that we are currently planning to proceed with the Easter Egg Roll," he said. "Because we distributed tickets to the Easter Egg Roll far in advance of the actual event, we alerted all ticket holders that this event is subject to cancellation due to funding uncertainty, including the possibility of a government shutdown." 

The event on the White House's South Lawn is expected to attract 35,000 people who won tickets via a lottery system. In the White House invitation sent out last week, it notes that “by using these tickets, guests are acknowledging that this event is subject to cancellation due to funding uncertainty surrounding the Executive Office of the President and other federal agencies. If cancelled, the event will not be re-scheduled.  We will notify you if there are any modifications to this event.”

"Again, the language that got attention on the Hill and was reported duly by the press was prepared well in advance, and it had to do with the potential for at least the possibility of a government shutdown should there not be a resolution on the continuing resolution,'' Carney said. "It was not about sequester principally.

"So having said that, I want to be clear that because it certainly looks like there is progress being made, and nobody expects a government shutdown, that we have every expectation that the Easter Egg Roll will proceed as planned.  I hope that settles the matter."

That led to speculation that the event would be a victim of spending cuts if a resolution is not reached to prevent a federal government shutdown. Carney had previously reassured a crowd last week that the Easter Egg Roll would go off as planned. 

The White House seemed certain that the event would survive when it released a promotional video on Monday of the Obamas' dog, Bo, prowling for Easter eggs on the White House lawn. 

More: 

Could sequester shut down White House Easter Egg Roll? 

Bo hunts for White House Easter Eggs

Kid President helps Obama spread the word about Easter Egg Roll

This story was originally published on Tue Mar 19, 2013 1:53 PM EDT

Here, Ray Isle, executive wine editor of Food & Wine, names his top picks for wines under $15 to celebrate Easter and Passover.

Passover Wines under $15
2011 Barkan Classic Chardonnay ($12.99)
Barkan, Israel's second largest winery, makes this Chardonnay in a lighter, more Chablis-like style. It's crisp and citrusy, making it an ideal accompaniment to lighter dishes like soups—like Passover matzo ball soup.

2012 Segal's Fusion ($14.99)
This Merlot-based blend from Israel is full of lively berry and currant notes.

Baron Herzog Old Vine Lodi Zinfandel California ($14.99)
A lot of people suggest Cabernet with chocolate but personally I think if you are serving a dry wines with chocolate, red Zinfandel is a better answer; its juicy dark fruit and plush texture work well with the bitter-sweetness of chocolate. This one is from a prominent kosher wine producer in California, Baron Herzog—it's great with kosher for Passover chocolate macaroons. 

Easter Wines under $15
NV Sciarpa Prosecco ($12.99)
Easter dinner is usually either ham or lamb (at least here in the US), and for my part, with ham—which is salty—I think an affordable sparkling wine is a great choice. Prosecco is hugely popular these days; there are a lot of good ones out there for under $15. One example is this wine from Sciarpa, which is crisp and citrusy, and awfully good for $13.

2011 Yalumba Y Series Shiraz ($11.99)
If you're headed towards Easter lamb on your menu, go for red—particularly Syrah (or Shiraz, as the Australians call it). The gaminess of lamb and the peppery richness of Syrah were made to go with one another. Yalumba, an Australian producer that's been making wine since 1849, makes this terrific Shiraz—really juicy and delicious, with lots of blackberry fruit—that's ideal.

Fonseca Fine Tawny Port ($14.99)
Finally, you need something sweet for the adults to go with all the candy the kids are eating, or else they'll never be able to keep up with them. My suggestion is tawny port—it has a nutty, candied citrus character, and is ideal for sipping after a big Easter dinner, with or without Peeps or Cadbury eggs. Serve it a little bit chilled.

More from Food & Wine

• Fabulous Easter recipes
• Beautiful Easter desserts
• Best Passover recipes ever
• Amazing Passover desserts
• More Easter recipes

Could politics shut down the White House Easter Egg Roll?

The annual event, along the same lines as the hokey White House tradition of the Thanksgiving Turkey pardon, will celebrate its 135th anniversary this year — unless the partisan battle over the sequester gets in the way.

A memo released by the White House last week is causing a stir, as it seems to hint that the sequester could shut down the Egg Roll.

The White House invitation to the event, which went out to all members of Congress, notes that “by using these tickets, guests are acknowledging that this event is subject to cancellation due to funding uncertainty surrounding the Executive Office of the President and other federal agencies. If cancelled, the event will not be re-scheduled.  We will notify you if there are any modifications to this event.”

More than 35,000 people are expected at the festivities on the South Lawn. The 2013 souvenir eggs come in purple, blue, yellow and pink and include the stamped figures of the president and first lady, according to the White House website. The five-pack "Collector’s Egg Set" also includes a commemorative “Bo” egg; commemorative eggs become part of the tradition in 1981, under President Reagan.  

But if you’re a Congressperson — or one of the lucky regular folks who won a ticket via the lottery system to the 2013 Easter Egg Roll on April 1 — you can breathe a sigh of relief.

A staffer at the White House Office of Legislative Affairs told TODAY.com on Monday that a cancellation of the event is unlikely.

“I wouldn’t worry about it,” he said.

On Monday, the White House seemed to anticipate that the Egg Roll would go off without a hitch, as it released a promotional video of Bo Obama hunting for Easter eggs on the White House lawn.

Press Secretary Jay Carney also reassured a crowd last week that the event would happen as scheduled.

More: Bo hunts for White House Easter Eggs

Kid President helps Obama spread the word about Easter Egg Roll

This story was originally published on Mon Mar 18, 2013 6:52 PM EDT

The Obamas' youngest family member is on an important mission — to find Easter eggs!

To get folks into the pastel-hued spirit, the White House has released a video of America's favorite pup, Bo, scouring the South Lawn for official White House eggs in honor of the upcoming White House Easter Egg Roll on Monday, April 1.

More than 35,000 attendees will get the chance to join the first family in search of blue, purple, pink and yellow souvenir eggs tagged with the president and first lady's signatures.

Also on the agenda: Games, stories, recipes and exercises to celebrate Michelle Obama's "Let's Move" campaign. 

White House / YouTube

More on TODAY:

• Surprise! President and first lady greet unsuspecting White House tours
• Bo Ho-Ho! First dog inspects the White House holiday decorations
• Happy Birthday, Bo Obama! The first dog is 4

June Tantillo

Trix are for bunnies!

Rabbits get a lot of love in literature: There's Peter Rabbit, the Velveteen Rabbit and the White Rabbit, to name a few. But what about those less famous bunnies, the ones that keep you company at home?

To give them their due time in the spotlight — and celebrate the coming Easter holiday — we asked for photos of your charming bunnies to share with others. And oh my, did your adorable photos come pouring in.

We have bunnies in baskets, shoe boxes, cardboard castles and more. Take a look at these little ones in the photos below:

More:
Want a pet with spunk and character? Bunnies have it all!
Water rabbit: Heidi heals with hydrotherapy

Slideshow: So hopping cute! Bunnies around the world

EPA

In honor of the Easter holiday, we rounded up some photos of the floppiest and fluffiest bunnies we could find.

Launch slideshow

TODAY

Send us pictures of your pet bunnies, and they might be featured on TODAY.com!

As spring approaches, ushering in warmer weather and the Easter holiday, our thoughts turn to a creature particularly well-suited to the season: the bunny rabbit. With the coming thaw, we’ll be seeing a lot more of those baby cottontails bouncing around outside (and oh my, are they ever cute).

 But let’s not forget those pet bunnies you share your homes and lives with — the ones who’ve kept you company with their antics and, well, adorableness. In anticipation of Easter — the bunny’s biggest night in the spotlight — we want to see your pet rabbits in all their furry cuteness. We’ll be featuring our favorites in the coming week for all to admire.

Please share your own photos here: 

Slideshow: So hopping cute! Bunnies around the world

EPA

In honor of the Easter holiday, we rounded up some photos of the floppiest and fluffiest bunnies we could find.

Launch slideshow

White House / YouTube

When President Obama wants the attention of the nation's kids, he knows exactly who to turn to: Kid President.

In a promotional video for the upcoming White House Easter Egg Roll, the president calls on Kid President Robby Novak to inform his peers about the event. 

9-year-old Novak gained national attention — even paying a visit to TODAY — for his series of YouTube videos, in which he portrays a Kid President whose aim is to make the world less boring.

According to Recreation.gov, the White House Easter Egg Roll is a tradition dating back to 1878 and has grown to become the largest event held on White House grounds. The Egg Roll not only includes the tradition of having children roll eggs on the White House lawn, but now also features live entertainment, sporting events and interactive cooking demonstrations. 

The free tickets for the White House Easter Egg Roll will be given out through an online lottery system which opened Monday morning. The lottery closes Feb. 25 at 10 a.m.

More on TODAY.com:
'Kid President,' 9, is on a mission: To make grown-ups less boring
Boy, 8, donates his $1,000 prize to little girl, 2, with leukemia
18-year-old gives $40,000 scholarship to other teens

Pornchai Kittiwongsakul / AFP - Getty Images

Thai couple Ekkachai and Laksana Tiranarat make a new world record for longest continuous kiss at 58 hours, 35 minutes, and 58 seconds during an event n Pattaya, southeastern Thailand on Feb. 14.

Narong Sangnak / EPA

Ekkachai Tiranarat kisses his wife Laksana during an attempt to break the Guinness World Record time for longest continuous kiss in Thailand on Valentine's Day. The Laksanas were eventually successful by beating nine other married couples with a time of 58:35:58.

Narong Sangnak / EPA

Ekkachai Tiranarat and his wife Laksana cry after they achieved the new world record for the longest continuous kiss.

After 58 hours, 35 minutes and 58 seconds, Ekkachai and Laksana Tiranarat of Thailand were the last couple still kissing -- beating the competition and holding the new Guinness World Record for world’s longest continuous kiss.

The competition which began Tuesday in Pattaya, Thailand,  pitted nine married couples in a contest worth more than $9,000 in cash and prizes.

The milestone must still be verified by officials from Guinness World Records.

Related links:

• Slideshow: Guinness World Records 2013
• Earlier in PhotoBlog: Thai couples attempt to break world record for longest kiss

Slideshow: Valentine’s Day around the world

Majdi Fathi / Corbis

From San Francisco to Sri Lanka, China to Cuba, love and romance know no boundaries. See the many ways Cupid's favorite holiday is celebrated across the globe.

Launch slideshow

Love is in the air this Valentine’s Day as the TODAY anchors get in the holiday spirit, sharing what they love most about one another.

More on TODAY.com:
Willie Geist: Nearly 10-year marriage is 'very special'
Isn't it bromantic? Willie and Al share a Valentine's smooch 

NBC News

Women are more prone to romantic jealousy spurred by Facebook posts than men, particularly if they think other people can see that their relationship may be in trouble, a new study suggests.

During the study, 226 heterosexual college-age men and women were asked to imagine that they had discovered a photo of their significant other with a person of the opposite sex on Facebook. In the hypothetical scenario, the study participants could view the privacy settings of their boyfriend's or girlfriend's Facebook account (which was still logged in) — and thus could see whether the photo was visible to others on Facebook.

Women reported greater feelings of jealousy when they imagined the scenario than did men. Women rated their level of jealousy as a six out of a possible nine, compared to a four out of nine for men.

Both women and men reported the greatest level of jealousy if the photo's privacy settings meant that  the photo could not be viewed by other people on Facebook — an indication that their romantic interest was trying to hide something. If the photo could be seen by other people on Facebook, men's level of jealousy dropped, while women's remained high.

Women were also more hurt by the scenario than men if there were relatively few photos of them with their partner on Facebook.

Together "these findings suggest that the public nature of potential infidelity may influence emotions differently for men and women," the researchers wrote in the Feb. 1 issue of the journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking. "Women may experience more negative [emotions] when they believe that others are able to view lack of evidence of being in a committed relationship," they said.

However, because the scenario was imagined, it's impossible to know whether the findings would translate into the real world, or actually cause a couple to break up. Future research should examine whether a situation on Facebook, similar to the one used in this study, would hurt a real relationship, the researchers, from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, said.

Previous studies have found that people who spend more time on Facebook report greater levels of romantic jealously, and more frequent viewing of their partner's Facebook profile, than people who spend less time on the social networking site.

Facebook also presents people with opportunities to misinterpret information, the researchers said. For instance, the scenario described in the current study did not necessarily provide evidence of infidelity, but it was interpreted that way. "Facebook can be a place where individuals interpret ambiguous information in a non-ambiguous way, producing negative emotions," the researchers said.

Pass it on: Facebook posts that suggest infidelity are more likely to incite jealousy in women than men.

Follow Rachael Rettner on Twitter @RachaelRettner, or MyHealthNewsDaily @MyHealth_MHND. We're also onFacebook & Google+.

• 5 Ways Relationships Are Bad for Your Health
• 5 Reasons Being a Woman Is Good for Your Health
• Myth or Truth? 7 Ancient Health Wisdoms Explained

Copyright 2013 MyHealthNewsDaily, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

It’s Valentine’s Day, and KLG and Hoda are feeling the love! Well, kind of.

“Valentine’s Day is such a wonderful holiday,” Hoda said, before quickly clarifying: “Not!”

TODAY

After joking around about how much fun (read: how awful) it is to watch other people get flowers on Valentine’s Day, Hoda started to reveal the real reason she doesn’t love the holiday of love.

“Valentine’s Day, I’ll be honest with you, is not my favorite holiday of the year, because—”

“Get out the Kleenex, this is sad,” KLG interrupted, leaving Hoda wishing for some liquid courage.

“I wish we had a drink — I'll explain why, then the drinks hopefully will come. I met my first husband on Valentine’s Day,” Hoda revealed.

As the crowd began to “awwww,” Hoda added: “Wait — it gets worse. And we signed our divorce papers on Valentine’s Day.”

Hoping a cocktail would appear to ease the heartache, Hoda looked around for some Fourth Hour-style love. “Do we have drinks?" she asked a little frantically. "Seriously? Are there any? There are none? There are no drinks?"

Luckily, two kind gentlemen showed up on cue with a “healthy” vodka cocktail for the ladies, making this year's Valentine's Day cheerier for Hoda than some in the past.

Meena Hart Duerson is a TODAY.com senior editor who would rather have a "healthy" cocktail than a dozen roses.

Getty Images stock

You can make your love last past Valentine's Day by following these tips.

While love is always in the air around this time of year, couples can struggle with how to keep the romance alive the other 364 days. 

“For couples that have been together for a while, I would suggest they remember that it was probably a lot of small things that got them together, like notes and phone calls or texts that say, ‘I’m interested in you, and you are on my mind,’  so never stop doing these things," said therapist Darren Wilk of the Gottman Institute, also known as the "Love Lab." "After children come along and life’s responsibilities take over, there is a massive shift in couples to focus on the big stuff and this is why only 33% of the couples are still happy and feel connected. They forget to keep doing the things that got  them together.”

The Love Lab's leader, Dr. John Gottman, and his researchers have studied thousands of couples over 40 years, from newlyweds to people in long-term marriages, and he says he can predict with 90% accuracy within the first three minutes of meeting a couple whether their relationship will make it or not. Here are the behaviors he and his researchers have isolated that make the difference between breaking up and going the distance:

1. Start strong to stay together

“Couples starting out must realize that how they start their relationship can predict how they finish," Wilk said. "They are making a long-term investment but do not even know it. Eventually their relationship will rely on these early memories to get them through tough times later on." If you're in a new relationship, get to know your partner now by asking lots of questions.

2. It's OK to fight, but you have to be friends

"In my research, I found that 69% of the time, couples fight about perpetual issues in the relationship that never get resolved. That's OK!" Gottman wrote in a Facebook post. "What matters is not solving these problems, but the affect around which they are discussed." That means even if you're in a disagreement, try to communicate with humor, affection, and acceptance. If things really get heated, take a 20-minute break — that's how much time you need to calm down.

3. The magic numbers are 5:1

Gottman found that of the couples he observed, the most stable relationships had a ratio of five positive interactions to every negative one. That 5:1 ratio is a key indication that a marriage will last — Gottman saw that more negative interactions were more likely to lead to divorce. "Maintain this ratio of positivity during an argument by avoiding the following three statements completely: you never, you always, and anything insulting or superior," he advises.

4. Turn to each other

Couples who look to each other for support, in what Gottman calls making "bids" for their partner's attention and affection, form stronger bonds than those who don't. "In one particular study, I found that newlyweds who were still married six years after their wedding had turned towards each other 86% of the times while in the lab," Gottman writes. "Those who were divorced six years later, however, had only turned towards each other 33% of the time." To maximize your emotional connection, don't take the little things for granted. "It is my philosophy that the small things done often make the most difference in a relationship."

5. Stay positive

“It’s a choice to really cherish your partner, and if your partner really is the right person for you, you have to actively cherish your partner’s positive qualities and think in your mind how fortunate you are to have this person in your life," he advises. "If both people do that with one another, then a relationship can last forever.”

Facundo Arrizabalaga / EPA

Feeling like George Clooney is the only thing missing from your Valentine's Day? If you're in London -- and don't mind your Clooney a little waxy -- you're in luck.

Ahead of the holiday, Madame Tussauds' Wax Museum placed a statue of Clooney on Carnaby Street. Sitting atop a settee, the actor is poised in perfect position to welcome passersby who want to snap a photo. And we have to say, that rose he's clutching s a nice touch, too.

As far as the real Clooney is concerned, it's likely you'll next see him at the Oscars on Feb. 24. He's a producer for "Argo," which is nominated in a total of 7 categories, including best picture, adapted screenplay, and actor in a supporting role, for Alan Arkin.

Clooney's rep didn't respond to comment regarding the actor's alter, waxy ego.

Related content: 

• George Clooney pays diner's bill in Germany
• Clooney is Abraham Lincoln's distant cousin
• Clooney joins Neil Diamond to sing 'Sweet Caroline'