Easter Time

We had a very nice Easter holiday this year. More low key than last year as far as activities go, but still very nice.

On the Monday before Easter we spent some time as a family watching videos about Christ and why we celebrate Easter. Even though the Easter bunny, eggs, baskets, and candy are all very good and fun, we want our children to remember and cherish the true reason we celebrate Easter. We talked about it more throughout the week, more so than usual.

On Good Friday the girls and I baked and decorated Easter sugar cookies. We love having that be a tradition with each major holiday, even if it does make a monster sized mess! Ryan is happy to take care of the baby for me so we can accomplish our task at hand. 

After dinner we decorated the cookies. I let the girls do theirs on their own, and decided the mess was worth it. They both did such a cute job and watching them concentrate on each cookie was pretty adorable. I didn't end up using my icing piper this time around, so I don't think they turned out as pretty as other times, but they still taste yummy! I used my Honey Sugar Cookie recipe again. I love how the shapes stay looking the way they did when I put them in the oven.

After all of our hard work, we had to taste test the result! Thumbs up all around.

On Easter morning the girls ran into our room at 6:45 to show us their favorite thing from the Easter Bunny: a writing board. It's kind of like a magna doodle but with ...a green line. I don't know to best explain it, but it's cool! They also each got a book, new sandals, a big chocolate bunny, and an Easter egg filled with candy. 

Dallin got a stuffed giraffe, sunglasses, a couple of new snacks to try, and a book. He slept a little later than the girls (!!).

When he woke up he was pretty happy to dig through his basket!

For breakfast we had amazing crepes, sausage, and fried eggs, compliments of Ryan. My parents came over and joined us for that meal. It was wonderful!

After breakfast Dallin went down for his morning nap and then the girls scavenged for the Easter eggs around the house. It was too cold to do it outside this year. They found all of the eggs, and it was so fun to watch them. I think it's funny how they will find a group of eggs but take only one.

After the egg hunt we watched General Conference (it was a big year for announcements! President Russell M. Nelson was sustained as our new prophet in the Solemn Assembly, the High Priest Group and Elder's Quorom was combined to one group, home teaching and visiting teaching were retired as we know them, and 7 new temples were announced!) and did hair.

We basically skipped lunch because of the big breakfast we had. Right at 2 PM our friends, the Cooks, came over (I really need to take some pictures of them...) to spend the afternoon and have dinner with us. My parents also came back to join us for dinner. 

It was a great Easter Sunday.  I am so grateful to my Savior for His sacrifice that has allowed us all to repent and live again. Easter is one of my favorite holidays because of the reminder it is of the blessing of the Savior and of what He did for us.