Happy Easter Everyone. What a beautiful Easter we had, too. After church, we took some pictures and then headed home to cook and prepare for friends to arrive for an Easter meal. The Malones came over and then we invited another family, Amy and Jeremy Pedigo and their son Hank. Amy just had a baby girl a few weeks before and was still getting the hang of a newborn so unfortunately she and baby Charlotte didn't make it, but Jeremy and Hank did. We really had a lovely day, and it was nice to get to celebrate with friends while remembering and celebrating the wonderful sacrifice that Jesus Christ made for us.
Don't all Easter mornings start with going thru baskets before church and shoving your face with chocolate and jelly beans before your mom has a chance to stop you??
At church we sat next to our friends Paul and Paula...and Keagan made himself at home between his two favorite people Rush and Molly Parker (P&P's kids). These two kids are wonderful and I love how much my children idolize them. As parents I think we always hope that our little ones will find good kids to emulate, and I couldn't be happier with them looking up to Rush and MP. And they genuinely enjoy being around my boys.
After church pictures :)
After church we had our own little egg hunt. The boys were so excited that the Easter Bunny laid eggs all in our backyard!! Hehe!
After a big Easter meal, comfy clothes are on and the kids and dads went to play outside....
Easter is such a joyous time: Spring has arrived, flowers and trees are blooming, the world is awakening with color...and it all leads to the celebration of Jesus' resurrection. I have never really correlated the act of dying Easter eggs with Jesus, except that maybe the beautiful colors of the eggs goes hand-in-hand with the celebration of Jesus Christ. So I did some research...and really found lots of "answers" as to the whole tradition behind dying eggs. It is a tradition that dates back to the 13th century but there are many possible reasons why this tradition began. Check them out here.
Coloring Easter Eggs has just been something we have always done...I remember doing it as a child/teenager and so we continue it on with our boys. There is just something remarkable and fun about watching stark white eggs be transformed into brilliant colors. It never gets old for me, and I would say from the looks on my boys faces (and Josh, too!), it never gets old for them either.
I got a kick out of the egg that appears to be hatching. The boys thought it looked like cheese was exploding from it.
Easter is nearly as big in this house as Christmas is...yes, it is a very important day in our Christian faith (and I have truly LOVED watching my boys soak in Jesus this time around...) but it has gotten super exciting for the boys in the whole gifting/Easter basket arena. I don't know that they understand the Easter Bunny...but they certainly understand the Easter Grandparents. Both sets gifted the boys with all kinds of goodies and fun-filled eggs! (and so much candy that even after re-gifting 90% of it we have more candy than anyone in this house will ever eat...take note, dear grandparents! Take note.)
First up was baskets from Gama and Poppy. Though my boys really don't "want" for anything, they become so excited when they get goodies. Something fun that both sets of grandparents do is give quarters in some of the Easter Eggs. I love this idea...and so do the boys! They absolutely adore filling their "Money Pigs" with money.
Though he looks as if he may be shocked by what he is reading on the nutritional label, trust me when I say he is not. He ate an entire sleeve of these pure-sugar, chick-shaped puffs without blinking an eye. And I allowed it. Because that's the mom I am.
And then Grandma sent a fun little package from Texas. The boys are starting to recognize her packages. It really cracks me up because they saw this one, and immediately asked me was it for them!!! So I video'd them opening it because I wanted their Grandma to enjoy them opening it from afar. So enjoy my Mom-voice and shaky video. But Finn's expressions are hilarious as he opens stuff up...
While we were at Wal-Mart the other day the boys found some egg-shaped break-and-bake cookies. And they were being so good (a first in Walmart) that I bought them. So we made them and decorated them...they love to do stuff with me in the kitchen. Real Men Cook. (and bake)
Something I noticed right off the bat was that not only are my children's personalities and attitudes night and day, but so are their organization skills during baking. Note Keagan's tray of cookies: perfectly organized, straight, and even in a pattern. Finn's tray of cookies might as well have just been thrown into the oven from the package. No finesse or care about how it works. Just get it done. I think he probably also took a couple bites out of the raw dough. Hilarious. Their cookie making is much like their personalities...
Note Finn in the background licking his fingers. Classic. And Keagan, making his cookies just perfect. Bless.
Finn did manage to mash a few sprinkles into the frosting...then lick his fingers. Then repeat. Then eat a handful of sprinkles.
Like I said before, Easter is a big joyous holiday for our Christian faith, and our family really enjoys all the celebrations and vibrancy that surrounds this day. But more than anything, I have loved watching my boys (Keagan especially) begin to understand that this day is all about Jesus...and that He died on the cross to save us from our sins. I have allowed Keagan to watch a little bit about Jesus' crucifixion (on that Bible miniseries on t.v. right now) only because he was truly interested. I censored a lot, but I allowed him to see more than I ever imagined he could absorb. And he was struck but the sight of Jesus on the cross...but it did not scare him. It opened up a whole lot of questions, and I have really enjoyed talking with my 4 year old (in simple terms, of course) about our faith and Jesus. It is helping me to strengthen my relationship with Christ, as well.
"Amen. Amen. I'm Alive. I'm Alive. Because He Lives."
Easter Egg Hunts are all the rage 'round here. There is nothing better to my boys than hunting for eggs that contain candy. Church...school...home...Easter egg hunts are all the rage this time of year. Usually egg hunts take place outside and usually at this time of the year the weather is somewhat warm. Unfortunately during the first egg hunt it was something like 37 degrees! And, yes, I didn't put coats on my kids. Denial at its finest.
These pics are from the egg hunt at our church. I have said it before, and I will say it again and again: we are part of an amazing church that does so much for children. The seeds are certainly being planted... (like my 2 year old singing "Hallelujah! Hallelujah! We're Going to see the King!" at a Mexican restaurant tonight)
Unfortunately Josh had to work this weekend so he missed out on the fun, but luckily Gama and Poppy came down to help and participate in the fun. And thankfully, because I am only one person (with one camera!) and the boys went to separate areas, Stacey took some pictures of Keagan hunting eggs since I went with Finley.
Finn taking his Poppy out to where the eggs are...
Finn is so funny...I mean serious personality in this little package. He would pick up an egg, "Ooooh" at it and if he liked it he'd put it in his basket. Or he throw it back on the ground. And like King Kong he would walk on the eggs, crushing and cracking them. And then once he finally got the hang of what he was supposed to do, he was trying to take eggs from the little babies. All in all he had a great time!
And then there's my big boy. He was in it to win it, according to Gama. She said he filled up his basket quickly. And then he was done. (Side note: at his school egg hunt a few days later, he asked me to send a bigger basket with him so he could hunt more. Haha! I think he's figured this out...) Keagan got to hunt eggs with his buddies Annie and Reagan...their parents actually put jackets on them...
Because of the cold the egg hunts were fast...there was no dawdling outside for too long. Kids were back inside checking out their loot in no time! And this year both my boys found a "Golden Egg" ticket and got to pick a prize.
Malone Family and Stacey's parents
Oh My. These babies are getting WAY WAY WAY too big. Look at them!! So sweet.
I love these boys so so much.
And I love this beautiful woman...its so fun to enjoy stuff like this with her and her family.
