Easter

 Like the last couple years we celebrated the whole week of Easter.  We started on Palm Sunday and reenacted Jesus coming into  Jerusalem with the crowds yelling "Hosanna!"  We read scriptures and stories throughout the week.  We talked about Jesus cleansing the temple, the parable of the 10 virgins, Judas' betrayal, the Last Supper and the Atonement and crucifixion.  We watched a couple clips from mormonchannel.org and tried to help out children really think about Jesus and His love and sacrifice for us.  I found "The 10 Commandments" at the store and so over Saturday and Sunday we watched the whole movie.  The kids really loved it.  They complained every time it was time to take a break.  We had to take a few breaks since it is about 3.5 hours.  I can't see us watching it every year, but I am sure they will want to watch it again, just like I loved it growing up.   

 Decorating eggs is always crazy and fun.  The kids love making "their" eggs.  They are pretty territorial about them.  Greg made his token egg, he even managed to put "Easter on you Keester" on it some way (it is family thing). 

 Easter Morning we talked about the Resurrection and more of how Jesus loves us so very much.  THEN we got to go find our Easter baskets.  Our kids are done with the Easter bunny so they were excited to see what Greg and I put in their baskets.  Not much, but enough to be all sugared up all day.

 Trying to take Easter pictures outside is always tough.  It is sunny and the grass looks awful, but you can kind of see my cute clan.  Goofy as usual.

 

 

 

 

 I made my traditional Lamb for Easter.  That is what my family did, and I love it.  I made those cute little bunny rolls for the first time and I think they will be a cute tradition. 

  Luckily the weather was beautiful so after dinner we went outside and played.  Basketball, hulu hoop, magformers, rubix, bocce ball and frisbee.  I think there was even a little soccer.  We were lucky enough to have Uncle Devin, Uncle Jeff and Aunt Bri come join us.  The kids are always way excited when people come over.

 

 

 I thought it was a beautiful night to take pictures with my favorite people.  Can you see my sunburn?  Ouch!

 

 

 

Warm Enough For the Park

 It was finally warm enough to go to the park.  Annabelle even rode her bike the whole way.  That is a really big accomplishment.  Callie rode in the stroller while I ran next to Annie, worried that she'd fall along the way.  It was a gorgeous day and we even randomly met some friends there.  We stayed outside for most of the day and unfortunately I got a bit sunburned on my neck.  Today is a cloudy and cold day so even though my neck hurts, I would take the sun back in a heartbeat.

Getting Along

 Here are some random pictures I took one day when I wasn't feeling that great and the kids were awesome and got along great.  I love when that happens.

 

 

House Guests

 This last Monday thru Friday we were lucky enough to have my childhood friend Anne and her family stay with us.  They arrived just in time for dinner on Monday night.  The kids played and played, well, the boys hid and the girls played (they have 3 girls).  We all got to have a fun Easter family home evening with plastic eggs and yummy cadbury cookies.  Then all the kids went to bed and us adults got to catch up.  Over the next 4 days my older kids would get up and go to school before our house-guests would wake up, and then would go to sleep before they would get back from their days' adventures.  Callie and I got lots of time with them in the mornings, but my older 3 never saw them, until the last night when again my boys hid and Annabelle was SO excited to join in on all the fun.  During the mornings I loved watching Callie play with these girls.  Their mom and I had been friends since about junior high, maybe earlier, and had even roomed together in college.  We painted, had a picnic, played a ton and chatted until later hours than I am used to.  One day they went to BYU and got new BYU shirts.  They all wore them the next day so Callie insisted on changing and wearing hers as well.  I loved seeing Anne and catching up on the many years it had been since we had last seen each other.  We loved housing their family and Annabelle and Callie can't wait until we see them again.