Easter was eggs-traordinary!! (I know, I know..cheesy. I couldn't help it.)
On the Monday prior to Easter, we had a special Family Home Evening about the Atonement and the Resurrection. We talked about why Jesus Christ died for us, and how we can repent and be made clean because of this perfect and eternal sacrifice. We made this simple craft, too.
The girls loved making these...they were so easy to cut, color, and paste together that the girls did them all by themselves. They also crumpled up brown paper bags and used them as stones to roll in front of (and away from) the tomb. I wanted to talk more about Christ and less about candy this Easter. And so we did.
Then, on Good Friday, I took the kids to see the Easter Pageant. David had to host a swim meet that night, so we braved the crowd on our own. The kids were so well-behaved! I know, Ella doesn't look so happy in this particular picture. She bonked her head right before the shot. But this particular picture is the
only particular picture from the evening. Blurriness, red-eye, and all. (Dear iPhone, could you please try to take better pictures at night? Geez!)
But, in the end, they were really great. They sat still, and were as reverent as a little 5-year old, 3-year old, and 5-month old could be. I really think they could feel the special spirit that is always present there. We love the Easter Pageant.
Over the course of the weekend, the kids also went to Grandma Ruth's house to dye Easter eggs and have an Easter egg hunt. They loved playing with their cousins and going to the park together.
On Sunday morning, the girls found their Easter baskets in the living room.
They were very disappointed to have to eat breakfast before having any chocolate.
Then, we went to church. David spoke in Sacrament meeting. He always does such a fantastic job when he speaks, but this was really special. He spoke about the Atonement in such a poignant and personal way. I know I've said this before, but I really hit the husband jackpot with this guy. He's such a great dad, and has such a deep commitment to the gospel. He's so fun to be around, and not bad to look at, either. What a lucky lady I am! It's always fun to hear him speak in church, so this made our day extra special.
So, here's the after-church picture. I know I keep giving a disclaimer about these pictures, but really... it needs to be said. Three hours of church, sun in the eyes, and some gusty breezes do not a pretty picture make. Oh well. It is what it is.
But I do love how cute the girls are posed. Way to redeem the picture, ladies! :)
More pics at home. I was trying so hard to get the money shot. The kids had had just about enough at this point.
At least Dallin was a trooper. Look at that smile!
This was a shot I snapped of him in the Mother's Lounge at church. I LOVE HIM!!
After church, we started preparing our Easter dinner. We had my parents, and my sister and her family over to dinner at our home. We had ham, cheesy potatoes, Jell-O salad, green beans with almonds, and rolls. It was pretty delish.
Here's the table before everyone arrived. The weather that afternoon was perfect, too. Sunny with a light breeze.
And Easter Sunday was my dad's birthday, so I made him a special cake. I forgot to get a picture before we started serving it, but...well, you get the idea. YUM.
The cake was a hit with Ava.
So, that was our Easter! Phew. Now I'm ready to kick my feet up and celebrate May. Mother's Day, our 8-year wedding anniversary (including the "surprise" weekend getaway that I totally already know about), and Memorial Day Weekend at the cabin are sure to make for a very fun month.
Now, what to do with all this candy that is still lying around?
Last Tuesday, David and I celebrated our eighth wedding anniversary. It was a really great day. We went to a really nice steakhouse for dinner. He treated me to a dinner of melt-in-your-mouth filet mignon, garlic mashed potatoes, grilled portobello mushrooms, and for dessert, a coffee cheesecake with drizzled chocolate and toasted almonds. Wow. Just thinking about it makes me happy all over again. To celebrate our special day, I made him a video with pictures of our family over the past eight years set to music. Eight years! That means our ten year anniversary is right around the corner. Which means... Paris is right around the corner.
You see, I've always wanted to go to Paris, ever since I was a little girl, when I had posters of the Eiffel Tower hanging in my bedroom. I could see myself eating breakfast outside a lovely little cafe, visiting the Louvre, and stealing a kiss with my sweetheart in the world's most romantic city. Throughout my youth, this dream eluded me time and again. So, when David asked me to marry him (and after I said yes and kissed him a million times), I said in jest that he had ten years to take me to Paris or else I was going to leave him. I was kidding, of course! This became a running joke between us (...for our first anniversary, we went to Vegas and went to the top of the "Eiffel Tower" at the Paris Hotel. He asked if that counted. I said NO.) But, over the years, what started as a joke has turned into a real promise, and David has spoken time and again of our running countdown, and our upcoming trip to the City of Lights.
