Easter 2016

Easter 2016

• 3.30.2016

 ^^Friends and neighbors.  All ready for the giant Easter Egg hunt!^^

I wouldn't say we enjoyed our week long Spring break.  The weather was cold and blustery.  And we all wound up coming down with a nasty case of stuffy noses and coughs.  At least it knocked me out of commission for a full day!  Also, the afternoon I did take the boys out to see a movie at the planetarium, Levi pulled a number of terrible-three stunts.  I drove home thinking, "That was supposed to be fun.  It totally wasn't."  But Jed and Levi did appreciate the slower days, just being able to hang out at home together and play.  And fortunately, Easter weekend arrived as a pleasant bookend to our week.

The fun started Friday afternoon when we, along with a host of other friends and neighbors, were invited to the Taylor's home for a giant Easter egg hunt!  It was probably the highlight of my boys' week.  Not kidding, there were at least three hundred eggs dropped and hidden throughout the property.  I thought the eggs were all going to blow away on the wind, but the kids were fast and quickly grabbed them up!  Then Jed and Levi sat excitedly opening every plastic egg to discover their spoils and surprises.  Afterwards, we adults enjoyed a warm potluck meal and conversation while the kids played on a sugar high.  Good memories.

 ^^Candy enthusiasts checking out their loot!^^

 ^^Both boys found a number inside one of their eggs.  They received a special prize: bubbles!^^

 ^^I'm always amazed at how kind and gentle and interested Jed is in animals.^^

Saturday the weather was actually quite nice!  So we took the family up to Indian Springs for a short hike.  The boys are so much faster than they were last year.  It's a lot of fun to tag along in the back instead.  We reached a spot where we found a bunch of boulders placed close together and took a few minutes to explore. "You see that down there, Dad?" Levi said pointing to the deep gap between the two giant rocks, "That's death!" And he expertly hopped over it to the other side. Haha. Yeah, kid, your parents totally let you flirt with death, but whatever makes you feel like the green invincible hulk, we'll totally entertain for now.

Easter Sunday was actually quite low-key.  The boys went on another Easter egg hunt in our backyard and were more than thrilled with their new Pez dispensers and candy.  I also taught a lesson in young women's about the Resurrection.  I admit, studying for the lesson was probably more beneficial to me than it was for my girls, but I had lots of enthusiastic participation, so it must've hit a chord with them too.  Then my mom and step-dad and brothers joined us for dinner.  My mom brought the pies.  Yummm!  

Finally, my mom and step-dad joined me to hear our stake's annual Easter Cantata.  I played my violin, of course.  The Cantata is a compilation of music about our Savior.  While the choir sings, there are various pictures of Christ displayed on the giant screen up front.  I may have complained about how boring practices were this year (Hello! It's my fifth year.  I have this stuff memorized now.) but for me, the Cantata is always worthwhile.  

I love having the opportunity to reflect upon Jesus Christ and his atonement and resurrection each spring.  Each year, it has strengthened my testimony.  And each year, I have gained just a tad bit more life experience to help me realize the importance of what Christ did for each and every one of us in Gethsemane.  The thought gives me goosebumps and makes my eyes well up in tears.  I know my Savior lives.  I know that because of Him, there is HOPE.  I have faith that somehow, He can make all wrongs right.  There are no lost causes.  Nothing is too much for Him.  And through Him, I can be happy and at peace.  The whole message of Easter is simply beautiful.