Easter Sunday

Our Easter Sunday was cold and rainy. As such, I didn't get a cute-outdoors-springtime family mini photo session like I had pictured in my mind. I just wanted to get some cute shots of the kids in their new Easter outfits that Jon and I made for them, maybe even with their Easter baskets. Instead, we set up the tripod in our living room after church, and it was perfect!! Curls were falling, kids were worn out from nursery, and still everyone looked at the camera and smiled. I don't think it could have turned out any better!

I didn't decorate the house or get a Spring wreath. I kind of thought I would have time to make a garland, but it didn't happen, and that's ok! Instead I was able to make breakfast for our family and spend the morning with them and serving in my ward calling as part of the Relief Society presidency. :) It was perfect.

I didn't post anything on social media about Easter morning, (except for a quick look at our bunny pancakes with "carrot" strawberries)
























and I didn't ever decide on the right words for talking about the Savior's loving atonement and sacrifice for us, like I had thought I would. Instead, I had the most spiritual Easter Sunday during all three hours at church that I've probably ever had. The talks were wonderful, I sang in the choir, and our Sunday School lessons were perfect. It was uplifting and touching, and exactly what Easter should be about. :) It was holy.

I did get a couple pictures of Kate's hair and dress right before church as she was showing off her chocolate egg:

hair clips and curls by Steph

dress 100% handmade by Jon

With the help of friends and family, Jon and I were able to put together great Easter baskets for the kids!

I even stuck our new family Easter book, and some Easter books from Nonna and Papa in with Jon's basket ;) He got two Easter eggs: a Cadbury one, and a Lindt one (that seemed more "grown up" haha)

The kids got wonderful little Easter baskets in nursery too with play-doh and CTR rings!

During the day we made popovers, resurrection rolls, had a family lesson on the atonement, and watched this adorable video of Claire Ryann singing Gethsemane. The kids were mesmerized!
Jon and Kate were able to skype with Nonna and Papa while Edwin napped, and we ALMOST forgot to start Easter dinner in the crockpot, but thanks to some fast action by Jon, it got done and we were nearly still on time for church!

I didn't get any pictures of our dinner, but we shared it with my mom and some friends. Everyone brought food, and it was busy, and talkative, and happy!

The kids told me they had a GREAT Easter, and it was probably one of my most favorites of all time. We didn't go see the Easter bunny, we didn't have an egg hunt, we didn't get "professional" level pictures of our entire day, and I wasn't even worried. To be honest, I'm not always that great at keeping up with Instagram and Facebook posts anyway. :) It's been joyful to spend the time with my family, and not worry about anyone's expectations except my Heavenly Father's. We had a holy day of worship, and I even got to see some friends who just had their first baby, and hold their 3 day old daughter. Score.

That is what Easter is all about. The love that our Savior had for us, to suffer and die, and the celebration of his resurrection on the third day, overcoming death and allowing us all to have the same blessing of resurrection after death, and live again with our families forever!

All of my personal and societal expectations aside, Easter was amazing. All of those other things I thought I would get done didn't even matter. I'm so glad that Easter Sunday got the true attention and focus from our family that it deserves. :) Just like Christmas, it is not about the "things" or keeping up appearances, but it is about the true dedication of the day to Jesus Christ. It is the most holy of holidays, and should be celebrated always! Because of Him, we can have eternal life, and all things are possible. That is the message that I hope Kate and Edwin took away from Easter this year. I know I did.

Easter Sunday

In all the latest excitement, I totally neglected to post about our Easter Sunday!

Easter had great timing this year, being right in between Edwin's 1st birthday and Jon's 30th birthday. Because of this, and a well timed mission reunion in SLC, Jon's parents were able to come visit us for a few days and spend Easter Sunday at our home in Idaho :)

We also went to the Museum of Idaho with them and drove up to the Targhee National Forest. I guess we should have taken a few more group pictures! haha

Kate's Easter basket

(98% non-candy!)

Jon's Easter basket

(100% total candy)

Edwin's Easter basket:

Coloring pages for Kate:

Edwin had a blast playing with leftover balloons from his birthday lunch the day before:

Kate reading "The Littlest Bunny in Idaho"

Kate got to color Easter eggs with Papa!

Showing off Easter eggs to Nonna:

I was busy the week prior to Easter sewing up outfits for the kids, and since I didn't get a new Easter dress this year (but we had leftover fabric) Jon made me this skirt!!
Yes. He 100% made this all by himself:

Dress I made for Kate
(Jon picked out the owl buttons)

Jon got a matching bowtie, and I also made a matching vest and bowtie for Wynn
(buttons were saved from an old cardigan of mine that died years ago)

Oh my gosh, he looked SO handsome!!!

Together, I just can't even handle the cuteness. Kate picked out her own hair flower:

We had General Conference that day instead of regular church, so we all wore our outfits again the week after.

Edwin crawled around the house like a fiend while we listened to the conference talks and Jon and I worked in the kitchen. Then he crashed HARD.

but like, SO cute.

Kate helped me make deviled eggs to go with dinner (hence the EXTRA paprika)

Nonna brought her famous homemade sugar cookies all the way from California for our whole family!

Edwin was THRILLED

Our family on Easter Sunday
(it was SUPER windy)

Well, after a fantastic dinner, carrot cake, and watching Big Hero 6, we were wiped out!

The best part of it all was spending this incredible holy celebration at home together. While Christmas has so much build up and hype, it almost seems sometimes like Easter is skipped over. We celebrate spring, and dress up all fancy, but the real reason we do it all is for the love and appreciation of our Savior.

image from mormonartist.net

I am so thankful for the atonement, and that we can teach our children about the real love our Savior has for us. The suffering he went through so that we all can return to our Father in Heaven was a REAL experience.

Our family celebrates this day and testifies of Jesus Christ, that he lives!

We are part of the most incredible plan the universe has to offer, and Easter Sunday marks the most significant day in human history: Christ's resurrection. His overcoming death made it possible for us all to do the same, a blessing for which I am eternally grateful.

To learn more about Jesus Christ, his ministry, and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, check out LDS.org.

Happy Easter, everyone!

Easter Sunday

We had a fantastic Easter Sunday as a new family of four!

Since baby Edwin is still so little, Jon and I took turns going to church so that we could trade off with the kids. I joined my parents for sacrament meeting at 9am and Jon went to our ward at 1pm. We spent the rest of the day at home with Jon's family and also visited my family in the afternoon. Jon's sister Beth is back for a few weeks before she starts her master's program in Arizona and we love having her around. It's so nice to have everyone close by to celebrate the holidays with our kids!

I had a lot of fun putting together Kate's first Easter basket. (Last year she was too little to really know what was going on.) I made it a non-candy basket since we knew she would get enough sweets from the grandparents. I filled Kate's basket with all sorts of things she would love :)

Bubble necklaces shaped like carrots (bubbles are one of her most favorite things in the world), color drops for bathtime (her favorite part of the day), her very own Laffy Taffy flavored chapstick (because she always borrows my Burt's Bees), a 20inch beach ball (we played with one at a friend's house and she thought it was amazing), a toddler sized garden rake (there is an old plastic one in the backyard and she loves to dig), and a mini coloring book of The Easter Story that I put together with the wonderful help of Jon (to help her learn the true meaning of Easter and why we celebrate).

The mini book has little descriptions and scriptures that talk about Palm Sunday, The Last Supper, The Resurrection after the atonement in Gethsemane and crucifixion, and then baby chicks with Easter eggs and a basket explaining the celebration of new life that we're given because of Jesus, and the symbolism of Spring.

Kate especially loved her chapstick and just wanted to eat it :)

While chewing on her new garden rake, I was able to get a picture of the kids in their Easter best :)

I made Kate's dress from scratch and Jon helped me applique Edwin's tie on a onesie with some of the scraps. Kate's dress turned out so beautiful! I was very happy. I knew right when I first saw the fabric come in at Beverly's I wanted it to be Kate's Easter dress, but the shape and design came along as I made it. Pink tulle gathers out from the bottom and the bodice has 4 front pleats with cap sleeves. The bodice ended up having somewhat of a wide boat neck as well. It was very elegant, almost "off-the-shoulder" and Jon said it reminded him of the Rory dress :) All you Gilmore Girls fans know what I mean:

Jon's parents gave Kate her very own purse for Easter, so we immediately put a book in it to complete the Rory effect ;)

Baby Edwin got a fun newsboy style cap, but since he is still so little he will wear it more this Summer.

I didn't get any other great pictures of Wynn's fancy Easter onesie because he was so sleepy the rest of the day!

Kate and I had a fun time coloring and talking about Easter while everyone was at church. I was also able to get pictures of her pink flower hair clippies which I made to match her dress.

I just loved watching Kate sit in her chair at the table in her Easter dress with Margo begging for some graham cracker nearby :)

After visiting my family (where Kate and Edwin both received Easter books, treats, adorable cards, and Kate got a soft pink bear) we had dinner with Jon's family. Lamb, ham, scalloped potatoes, grilled veggies, and jello jigglers made by AnnMarie.

That evening we played outside and hunted for Easter eggs!

 

 

 

It was the most magical first Easter Sunday with both kids that I could imagine.

I just want to end by sharing my faith in our Savior.

Through all the fun activities, projects, games, Saturdays, play times, dress ups, and holidays that we participate in as a family throughout the year, it ALL comes down to the real life of this extraordinary man. Jesus is not just a story. His atonement is central to our lives and our Heavenly Father's purpose. I am so thankful for my knowledge of Him and the opportunity that I have to raise amazing children and teach them of this truth.

I know that my Redeemer lives,

Triumphant Savior, Son of God,

Victorious over pain and death,

My King, my Leader, and my Lord.

Hymn 135

As Jon and I talked about yesterday, Easter is really the most important Christian holiday there is. Without Easter, Christmas would just have been the birth of another baby. What makes Christmas so special and important is that it is the birth of God's son, who sacrificed everything for us to have it all, and was resurrected on Easter to make it possible for us to have eternal life. For that, I will be forever grateful.

I know that these things are true, and I hope that you also find the peace that comes with this Easter season. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.