We held a little Easter egg hunt with some of our friends Saturday morning. It was a blast and we had a great turnout, probably about 50 people were there. We had a brunch first, and there were lots of great things to eat...breakfast casseroles, sticky rolls, muffins, little sausages, fruit and the 4 dozen cinnamon rolls I made the night before. While we were finishing up eating, the kids played at the park and some of the dads went to hide the eggs. We had so many eggs, we told everyone to bring 8 eggs per child who would participate, but I think we had some extras. On our count, the kids were off, to find the eggs. They love it, and it was fun to see the kids helping each other. After that, the parents visited some more and the kids played some more. We couldn't have asked for more beautiful weather! It was so nice!
After that, Emma's friend Erika came over to play. We played Easter sticker tag in the backyard and the girls dressed up, did makeup and danced. Then she went home and we played outside and rode bikes and Emma roller bladed. Then we went over to neighbors Tony and Angie's house to play on the swing set. They are such sweet neighbors. In fact, they brought little bags full of candy and activities over to the kids the other day too, and are always spoiling our little ones. Dave and I went on a date that night, while the kids played at some friends. We did a little shopping and went out to eat. Then I finished the Easter dresses, I had to just finish making the sashes and the headbands for the girls.
The kids woke up (not too early) on Easter morning and went straight to their Easter baskets carefully set out by Emma the night before. The kids got a few sweet items, but mostly just a toy. Emma got "girl" legos, Cal got a water balloon pumper machine thing, Lucy got a Talking Tom stuffed cat, and Cov got a Little People truck and Easter book (since he couldn't have candy). They were all pretty excited, but Cal was sure that Lucy's Tom cat was his and that the purple basket should be his because he had always wanted one and he wanted to trade Lucy toys. Then we read our last of our scripture and sang the song from our Easter countdown calendar that was featured in the friend. We ate cereal for breakfast (fancy, I know!) and leftover cinnamon rolls and while we were talking, Cal looked out the back windows and said all excitedly, "Look! Flying eggs!" We all looked and then Cal busted up telling us he was just kidding and made us look. He thought he was pretty funny, he's quite a crack-up!
While I was getting ready, I overheard the kids talking about Easter and the Savior. It was fun to listen to them and have them not think I was listening. They were talking a little bit about what Jesus did for them. "Lucy, Jesus REALLY died on the cross." It was sweet the way he said it, with conviction and faith. In his world of make believe stories and movies, I think it blows him away that it really happened and it really affects him.
Our church service was beautiful. The choir, speakers and soloists did a wonderful job, and I played "He Sent His Son" on the piano for the Primary children, who sounded so amazing! In Primary, we sang lots of songs about the Savior. I love how well they are all learning "I Stand all Amazed". They truly sing their little hearts out and believe what they are singing!
We took a few (and by a few I mean like 50 for every decent one where everyone is looking) pictures before church, and then went after church since we ran out of time to take any of the kids. We went down to the train station to take the pics of the kids. They were all done being good and still though after three hours of church, so it was like pulling teeth to try to get them to take pictures. I should've known, he he! But they all looked so cute in their new Easter dresses and clothes. Emma helped pick out the material and the pattern for her and Lucy's peasant dresses, I think she has a good sense of style! And she even helped sew a few straight lines on her dress! I made the boys bow ties as well. I'm all about the matchey matchey!
We went home and finished getting ready for our Easter dinner. Em and Lucy made a little Easter door hanger craft. Our dinner was ham, baked potatoes, fruit medley salad, maple glazed carrots, and bunny rolls (which the kids said looked more like kitties - meow!). Yum! We had cheesecake for dessert. Emma put jelly beans on a piece or two, ha ha!
Then we let the kids go hunt for Easter eggs. Dave hid empty plastic eggs in the backyard (excuse the ugliness, we are going to be doing grass and some other things to beautify it soon!) and let the kids go at it. "Do these eggs even have anything in them?!" Cal asked a few times. Lucy was being stubborn and was throwing a fit about her shoes and didn't want to come out until Emma and Cal had found almost all of them. So then she was sad. So they got in and opened the eggs and weren't very amused that they were empty. But then we went in the house and talked about how the candy and little toys are fun little gifts, but the best gift of all was the empty tomb, because it means that we can live again, like the Savior does. But to make it up, we played a little jelly bean pictionary game. We used the following cute poem. Then we took turns drawing what each of the colors of jelly beans represented, and then everyone who guessed what it was got a jelly bean in that color.
It was a wonderful easter. Truly, He did die on the cross! He rose from the grave on the third day, and because our Savior did this, we can live again with Him and our families forever!
