Easter 2013

Easter was spent enjoying family and friends. I feel like I just didn't reflect enough on the meaning and sort of dropped the ball with preparing my heart and my kids' hearts. And I have no good reason for it other than I just have felt too busy and overwhelmed this past few weeks and I am working on finding a balance. I want my kids to see authenticity in me with my relationship with Jesus not a "pretender!"

Thank goodness we go to a fantastic church who never lets us down on bringing the message, every week I might add not just on the "special" holidays; but it isn't their job to lead my children its mine and Chad's, they are just a support system.

On Good Friday we made sugar cookies with Auntie Meg and took our annual "Good Friday" Bunny picture. I almost forgot, see very focus on the important things of Easter like photo ops! HA! Leighton is in this weird photo taking phase where she acts a fool in all the pictures. If she isn't clowning for the camera then she has this awkward weird face--kind of like the Princess Diana look--downcast head, but "shyly" looking up.

{FUN FACT: Last year we took 664 Easter photos, this year just 332! HALF! How crazy is that?!}

Friday night we had the Easter bunny drop by early. Chad had to be at church by 7a Sunday morning for tech stuff and there was no way we would be up by then and of course I didn't want him to miss it! Thank goodness that bunny is flexible. Lo was thrilled. The bunny went a tad over his usual budget for Easter...not that these items break the bank, but we the Easter bunny usually likes to keep it simple...coloring books, books, art stuff toothbrushes, chocolate goldfish you get the idea. BUT Lo has been DYING for a doll carrier and I the Easter bunny couldn't deny her especially when there was an "excuse" to buy it! So of course MW would need a "big" toy too! He LOVED that truck and promptly put his baby in it to push around--finally a boy stroller! HA!

Then it was off for our annual Easter bunny breakfast. It supports our local gymnastics team at the Y and our friends, so win win!

This pic is so horrible of me, but MW is terrified of all these costumed beings. {Santa, Easter bunny, Chick-fil-A cow!} So this is what I get for rolling out of bed and not making myself presentable for public! HA!

 PANCAKES! MW ate all 4 practically by.himself!

Milkstache!

For brunch we celebrated with my side, ate ham sandwiches off pinterest and dyed eggs...naked. It went way better than last year.

Easter service was Saturday night for us--it was weird not going Sunday morning, but we are Saturday nighters now and LOVE IT! The 4p was PACKED, I think it had something to do with the Moses special on that night, or maybe it was the WSU game...;) so we opted for the 530p!

For the first year since I was 12 I got myself a little Easter dress and coordinated the whole fam...go me! ;) Chad was just thrilled to have a new shirt! Poor guy only has 35 in his closet...{I WISH I were joking...}

Family photo op!!

{Sibs} Lo doing her "Princess Diana" look...and since it is all dead outside we worked with what we had. Spring are you coming?!?!? As I type this is is sleeting a bit...

FAMILY!!!

Chad and I NEVER take pics together anymore, the last we have are from our wedding day! And I really don't like those...where was Ginger or Gina when I was getting married?! 

OH! I LOVE THIS BOY! 

My beautiful daughter!!! O how I love her!! 

My two favorite guys! 

Unfortunately Lo was acting weird in hers with daddy and so we got nothing. :( 

Saturday night after church I FRANTICALLY remember the Resurrection Cookies {again with the important things! sheesh!} They went over well story wise, with Lo at least, but they were a total flop. I didn't let the egg whites stiffen up enough and so no tomb was made...but the lesson was given and I suppose that was the real point!

{note: when giving each child a wooden spoon to crush the nuts, be responsible and make sure they don't beat each other...although, I just turned it into an object lesson on how Jesus probably felt when hit.}

{Sunday}
Easter fun at Grandma Rachel's!
MW was really into the egg hunt this year. I love the last pic of Lo trying to cart in all her loot!! HAHAHA!

They each got new backpacks! MW LOVES having a backpack, proud as punch!

They also got these cute "Now I lay me down to sleep..." pillows. Again, a tad obsessed about the pillow!

Then another photo op...when she does act normal she takes FANTASTIC pictures...this may spell a bit of trouble for us later... these are the same photo just different editing filters...can't decide which I like better. 

Goof balls!

Sibling love. Be still my heart.

It was a fantastic Easter with BEAUTIFUL weather. A far cry from last weekend when there was snow on the ground! I hope you all had a blessed Easter weekend and did better than me remembering why we celebrate!