Easter 2011

This year, Easter found itself embedded in the chaos following a crazy month of March. I had all of these elaborate plans, and even started early--building our Easter Bunny House over Spring Break. Regardless, it was Brooke that ended up coloring eggs with the kids (thanks, Brooke) and making the resurrection rolls while I was helping at my Mom's and finishing up plans for our family dinner. Oh, and the incredible scripture lesson I had carefully prepared and placed in Easter eggs....still sits uncracked. All ready to go for next year. Yes....Mother of the Year Award, right?

Regardless, we did still find ourselves completely enjoying the actual day. Easter is always such an amazing day! At church, the hymns were amazing and the messages were so uplifting. I love dressing the kids up and Don loves trying to get them to pose for pictures even more ;) right..... Our friend, the Easter Bunny, came and left the kids some baskets full of wonder at the end of a trail of jellybeans. He also hid all of the beautiful eggs that the kids colored. It was such a fun morning!

We were celebrating my Mom's birthday as well, so we hosted the family here at our place and enjoyed a wonderful Easter/birthday dinner together. All of my siblings were here except for Greg and his wife Julie (they were so missed!) Sydnie thrilled in her opportunity to host the cousins, and set and decorated a kids' table all by herself....complete with gift bags. She was pretty proud ;) (I promise, I do not encourage the perpetual need to hostess....it truly comes naturally for her. She loves it!)
Afterwards, the kids hit the grass looking for eggs. There were many, many eggs to find this year. I think each cousin ended up with a literal bucket-full of candy. Add that to the gift bags from Grandma Wendy and Nana Judy and I truly think we had enough sweets to last for months. The kids were so thrilled. It is so much fun having these cousins all together!

At the end of the day, the kids collapsed--in spite of the sugar intake. They said beautiful prayers expressing thanks to Jesus--and the Easter Bunny. We hugged our family, took one more breath of that fresh Spring air, turned to rain, and all of us went to bed with smiles on our faces....and visions of jelly beans dancing in our heads.