My Easter Bunnies

I have always loved Easter. I love it that it is a holiday that the general population still celebrates. I like it that I have a very focused reminder, every year, of my Savior, who died specifically for me. I find more and more that I feel the weight of Good Friday, and I'm thankful for this. I don't know that I will every fully experience it, but with every year that passes, it hits my heart a little more closely. I think it's part of growing older...having kids...remembering all of the piles of ashes I have created as I burned my blessings to the ground, and then watching Him make them beautiful again.

It's so interesting to try to teach all of these truths to my kids. I tried to find every opportunity during the Easter season to talk about them, and hopefully some of it stuck. Either way, we'll keep yakking about it. It's one of the things we do best around here - we never stop talking. There are times when I get so tired of my own voice, but with two chit-chatters at my heels, it doesn't look like it'll be slowing down any time soon.

This little girl really loves her brother.

I really love this little girl.

Here they are, out in the cold, without jackets, before we left for church.

I am telling you, she can't get enough of him.

We remembered late on Friday night that we had not given any thought to Easter baskets. I got this gene from my mom. We rustled something around on Saturday and presented it to the kids after lunch on Sunday. This was not really planned, but I liked the fact that our Easter Sunday began with church and this came after the fact. I think it is a tradition I will continue; that is, if I don't entirely forget the baskets next year.

After a fantastic potluck at Aunt Donna's house (someone brought that cheesy broccoli and rice casserole and it made my day), the whole brood drive 2 miles down the road to our house, for the big Easter egg hunt, which was planned and executed entirely by Cory's cousin, Kelsi. All we did was show up. To our own house. Oh, I made some treats, but I'll save that for tomorrow.

This is Calvin and his best buddy/cousin Jake - off and running!
Note 1: Calvin initially came down dressed in a tank top and basketball shorts. I told him he had to have long sleeves and pants on. He trudged back upstairs, and re-emerged in pajama pants, topped in pajama shorts. Then he put on his church shoes, which really completed the outfit. Apparently we're taking slapdash dressing to a whole new level. After lunch, I was able to convince him that his basketball shoes would help him run faster for the egg hunt.


Ruby loved her first hunt, too!
Note 2: Scroll back up to the top of this page to witness the progressive expansion of her hair. I love it every step of the way, but it really is quite amazing!