Easter at Our House

Most of our holidays are spent, at least in part, at the home of either my parents or Justin's. Easter, however, has always been our turn to host. I love the excitement that this time of renewal brings as we celebrate our risen Savior!

 

Our first Easter in our Garland home was also Jake & Mallory's first Easter. These cute, bald sweeties in matching sailor outfits didn't have a clue what was going on, but they had fun anyway. I think Jake even tasted banana pudding for the first time that day, thanks to Pops. We had just moved into our house a week prior, and both sets of grandparents spent the holiday with us in our new home.

Each year, my babies have come downstairs to find baskets filled with goodies, donned their Sunday best, and worshipped with our family at Prestoncrest Church of Christ. Rain or shine, we've hunted eggs, although the indoor hunts get trickier as they get older.

The beautiful liners in the kids' Easter baskets were lovingly made by their Grammy, and they're so excited to pull them out each year. Beau was only about six weeks old on his first Easter, so he fit nicely into his basket!

Whether it's smocked sweetness or matching bow ties, I just love buying Easter outfits each year!

We've been joined by many friends for this holiday over the years, as well as our family. I truly love having people into our home and gathering around a table.

For the past several years, our children's minister has put together a sweet little program for the kids to participate in. They get excited about being on stage and are proud to recite their lines and sing songs of praise to our Lord.

I think Nana & Papa have been here for every Easter since the kids were born. What a treat to have them with us!

Though we will make new traditions and new memories in the years to come, I will miss these that we've established in this house.

Dyeing eggs is always a must!

So today, we posed for one more family Easter picture in this place we've called home for seven years.

We hunted eggs once more in this yard, and we celebrated the empty tomb as a family at Prestoncrest.

Easter will look different next year, and that's okay. I'm learning that change is a part of life, and God does some of his best work in our hearts during times of change. From our family to yours, Happy Easter!

Happy Easter!

Easter morning arrived with baskets of goodies lined up on the stairs.  Mal was beyond excited to receive Tangled on DVD.  She's been heartbroken ever since Netflix removed it from their instant video list.  Jake's movie was Rio, which they seem to like after watching it yesterday.  He also loves the kangaroo that came with his book & named it Rio.  Yes, we're very original.

Give Beau a ball & he's in heaven!

Boys in bow ties - cuteness overload!  And their sister is pretty cute too!

 

We really didn't stage this picture to look quite so official, but we both laughed that it looks like Justin is running for office or something & this is his perfect family.  At least we can occasionally achieve perfection in a picture.  Not so much for real life!

Papa & Nana with three giggly kids

After church, Easter lunch was filled with lots of yummy food: ham, deviled eggs, green bean bundles, salad, pineapple casserole, rolls & the finished product of Mal's cookie decorating.

After lunch, the hunt was on!  Beau was just thrilled to have somehow made off with Mal's barbie toy from her basket.

 

"Mommy, I can't find any more!"

 

The little man has a love for heading toward the street.  It keeps Mommy on her toes!

Easter's not just for kids - these crazy people had fun too!

 

 I hope your family had a happy Easter as well!

Pre-Easter Festivities

Jake & Mallory have had fun getting ready for Easter to arrive.  Beau thinks that throwing plastic eggs is fun, but he doesn't have a clue what Easter is.  Next year for him!

Filling eggs to take to school

Cute kids on Thursday morning before their egg hunt at school

 

Mallory helped me decorate sugar cookies shaped like tulips, butterflies, bunnies & eggs today.  I'll go ahead & confess that letting her help wasn't my original plan.  I was going to make "pretty cookies" by myself, but the icing sort of flopped so I decided to let her make some beautiful in her own way.  Shameful of me, I know.  Her concentration look bears a striking resemblance to mine.  I know of one other female in our family who shares it as well.  We come by it honestly!

Beau knows to stick close to Papa for a few icing taste tests.

 

Me & my sweet girl

 

Then it was on to egg dyeing!

A little color-mixing lesson from Nana

So proud of their creations!

 

And though there are no corresponding pictures, we have taken lots of time over the last several weeks to talk about the real meaning of Easter.  So much more than bunnies & pretty eggs, I want them to understand just how awesome & exciting it is that Jesus rose from the grave.  I love hearing them exclaim, "Jesus is alive!"