hoppy easter

cheesy.

I know.

but it absolutely fits this here post.

easter happens in parts here.

as tradition goes, we have our hunt for treats the day before easter, trying to keep the focus of what easter is all about, entirely for the sabbath.

but there are two other hunts at grandmas’ houses, so there are 3 hunts for these kiddos.

I try to cut out on the candy, try being the operative word, and give more toy type stuff.  I also try to make as much of it as I can.

I usually make pajamas, but got a steal of a deal from disney online on some darling princess nightgowns.  so, I can save all of my pajama making energy for some later date..  and well, let’s be honest, ever since the 4 year old bed buddy has started the trend of hijacking my bed again, my neck is jacked.  no sewing can really happen with a jacked neck.

but crocheting can!

it’s perfect.  I have my yarn, my tools, my pattern, and my heating pad, on my neck, and I go to town!

I get e-mails from lion, and got one for cute, last minute easter ideas with this darling bunny as one of them.  it was easy!!

of course I made them in each of the girls colors, because that is how we all stay sane around here, and I think they were on to me.

I can’t decide which I love most…

their cute faces:

their sweet little pom-pom tails:

or the apparent fact the the girls love them:

(peyton has already named hers baxter.  quite appropriate if you ask me.)

as I was finishing them up, a whole other reason to love them came to mind.

my grandma taught me how to crochet.

she passed away 4 years ago.

I love her so much.

I miss her.

but I am so thankful for this easter season, the constant reminder that I will be with her again someday, and incredibly thankful for the life she lived, for the many things she taught me.

happy easter.

Easter Sunday & Hunt #3

We enjoyed a special breakfast together as a family Easter Sunday and then the girls got their Easter skirts.

That deserves an explanation.

SOMEONE bought Easter dresses for three little girls before I plugged it in that Easter Sunday was also on conference Sunday.  Wanting to save the dresses for church, I decided to make them skirts to wear on Easter.

There, I admitted just how blonde I am.

We had to wait to get out to mom and dad’s where there was some actual green poking through to take some pictures.

We enjoyed lunch with the family (Merrill missed-out, he had to go fill in at the hotel because Todd got sick).  I love sitting around with my family, being able to talk about anything and everything, but love most of all the gospel oriented discussions we have.

(It doesn’t hurt it any either to have a couple of cute baby girls to hold either..)

Mom and dad did away with the hunt, and gave every family Easter gifts.  We all got toys and games for our families to enjoy together outside.

Boys got mitts and baseballs, the girls got hula-hoops, everyone got a kickball/four square ball, and dad made all the girls their own hoppy-taw.  He is too cute.  They hunted EVERYWHERE for them, and couldn’t find them, so he made them.  Then they went to one last store for something, and there they were!  The girls all got one of those too.

 

Ashley got really good, really fast at hula-hooping..

I love how every Easter, I come away feeling so blessed, having an even greater understanding of the atonement and the resurrection of Christ.  He truly has saved me in many ways.

I hope this year, to live worthy of all that He has done for me.

Hunt #2

We had our second hunt for the day at home.  It was inside (again) due to our typical, ever-changing, freaky Utah weather.

I like to have the “Fun Side” of Easter on Saturday, the day before, so we can focus on the real meaning of Easter on Sunday.  Sure, there is the left-over candy, the fun toys, and the new dresses to take our attention still, but I try to have the focus of the day be on that greatest event, the resurrection of our Savior.

The girls also get less candy in our own little family hunt.  I know they get it from both Grandmas, so we chill out just a wee bit on the sweet stuff.

(It also helps that Easter candy is my FAVORITE and I already have a few large stashes around the house..  I really don’t need to buy anymore!)

I have to admit, it does look more like Christmas.

Peyton’s favorite:

Her slinky!  She even went to bed with it.

I made the girls a few new things, pajamas being one of those things.  I hid them as one of their Easter gifts.

I wanted to have a little more symbolism to go with them, something about how Christ rose from the slumber of death and so shall we, but I think it went over their heads a little bit..

 

They went to bed, excited to have the next day, staying at home, watching conference, playing with their toys and eating treats and going to Grammy’s for one more hunt..

Hunt #1

During our first break from conference on Saturday, we went up to Merrill’s parents for our first Easter egg hunt.

It is always highly anticipated because the girls get to be with their cousins, and there’s lots of candy.

This year it was held indoors due to the very un-springlike weather outside.

Merrill is usually rather camera shy.

These are the type of pictures I am used to getting with him around:

But his cousin Matt was there, got Mer-Bear to loosen up a bit and I managed to get a few good ones.

Isn’t he cute?

A lot has been going on here...

A lot of scrapping that is..
Two Easters, now all caught up on that fun springtime event!
Oh.. and there's one in there about my garden.. it's a re-do, after Christie introduced me to templates, and saved me and quite literally my sanity..


Easter 2008:

Easter 2009:


That puts me at 18, just for this post! That's not counting the printings of the digi ones.. that would be 18 more. :)
36 ain't too shabby!
WooHoo!!!

The Best of...

It was such a good day yesterday!! Beautiful, in many ways...
Here's the best of hundreds of pics snapped..
Does anyone know if I can photoshop dried boogers OFF a toddler's face? :)
We stopped at the cemetery.. realizing this is our first Easter without Grandma.
What a blessing it is to know that, like our Savior, we will ALL be resurrected, we will live AGAIN!
Our Heavenly Father loves us...
Hope you all had a great Easter!!