Easter

I love Easter. Besides Christmas, it is my favorite holiday of the year. I love the newness of everything this time of year. The sweetness of flowers, blossoms, and everything turning green. The Earth wakes up at Easter time and it wakes me up from the long winter months.

Our Easter weekend was lovely and low-key.

We colored eggs. . .

 Sam likes to be naked.

 Egg salad sandwiches . . .

 Showing off the eggs.

Sam has decided that he likes photography. You can tell which pictures he takes. I also have about 1000 Sam selfies on my phone.

 Gathering together as a family before hunting for Easter bunny treats. I love my people.

 As you can tell, I'm taking about 10 shots in an attempt to get everyone smiling. It doesn't work.

 Cheeser . . .

 Eating jelly beans. . .

Charlie did awesome gathering eggs for the first time. It was so sweet to watch him. In other news, he spits out jelly beans. Just like Sam used to. Kids are weird.

Naomi had a rough morning. She has had a cough, and ended up coughing so much on the way to the Easter egg hunt at the park that she threw up. So, she wasn't really feeling up to playing. This was her after we got home. Snuggling/sleeping on daddy.

Egg glasses. . .

The Easter bunny brought us sidewalk chalk. I'm not sure what happened, but Sam used to just draw scribbles, now all of the sudden  he is drawing pretty realistic pictures. This was a "monster". The picture is light, but it had arms and legs, ears, and even fanged teeth. Silly old me is pretty impressed with this three year old. I know these things happen every day, but it feels so special when it's your own kids growing and developing.

Snuggles from Naomi at the park. Like I said, she didn't feel like gathering eggs. I handed her one and she just cuddled with it next to me. But, it was a good thing Charlie and Naomi had help from mom and dad at the Easter egg hunt, because Sam froze under pressure and only got one egg. We were shouting from the sidelines for him to pick up more, but I think he was nervous and scared. I know it won't always fly, but we were grateful that younger siblings didn't care and were willing to share eggs with their big brother.

 Egg glasses as prizes from the egg hunt. :)

We started a new tradition this year for the evening before Easter. There is a blog that I follow. (She had 5 children via IVF--two sets of twins, so you can understand why I love it). Anyway, on it she shares some of her family's traditions for the week before Easter. It really spoke to me. Her family has special traditions to mark some of the important parts of the Savior's week before his eventual Resurrection.

This is not something we traditionally do as Mormons. At least, it wasn't something I did growing up in my family. Yes, we celebrated Easter, but I felt impressed this year to mark our Easter with something deeper and more meaningful. On Saturday night we made some lanterns out of mason jars, rice, and tealight candles. Nothing special, but one for each of our family members. Maybe next year I'll dress them up if I have time. We hung them in our tree in the front of our home when it grew dark. As we did, we spoke about waiting for Christ and the Resurrection of Easter morning. Kind of our own Easter vigil. We read this scripture: "And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ." 2 Thessalonians 3:5

I know our children are young. They won't remember this. But, it was a sweet experience. To wait for Christ (symbolically) and his Resurrection. I thought about that. That where once the world waited for Christ, now He waits for us. He waits for us to set aside our sins, to come to Him in our grief and sorrow. He waits for us because He loves us. He has atoned for it all, and now He waits for us to take the gift He has given us. I know that He Lives! He is our Savior and Redeemer. I don't often touch on religion here, but it is such an important part of my life. Of me. God loves each of us. He knows us. I know that our Heavenly Father loves us just as much as He loves Christ--else why would He send His son? I am grateful for this knowledge, and for my Savior. Happy Easter!