The Easter Season

I love the Easter season. There is so much symbolism that can be found in nature: the baby animals being born, the new life bursting forth in green leaves and blossoms on the once brown trees, the earth coming alive again just as our Savior did. I always finish Easter feeling like I could have done more to help my children feel the true spirit of Easter but at least they are developing a love for the holiday and know what it is really all about. A couple weeks before Easter Tanner's mom did a palm Sunday celebration with us. The kids had a lot of fun waving their "cloaks" and palm leaves and shouting Hosanna. 

We dyed Easter eggs because I'm a fun mom...but really I kind of dread this each year with little kids. But they did really well...no big messes. 

 Easter Sunday best.

 About a week before Easter Mariah saw this umbrella at a store. She immediately began telling me how badly she needed it and that I should buy it for her. I realized it might be a fun Easter gift and tried to distract her. We left the store without the umbrella and she was not too happy. I suggested we could go back to the store with her birthday money but she said she wanted me to buy it. Needless to say, I wasn't too happy and it took a lot of love for my daughter to go back and get that umbrella. But at only $4 a pop I couldn't pass up on the good deal. 

 All the while through Mariah's breakdown Chet was saying, "I'm not crying about the umbrella mom..." 

 The belt Chet has on was mine as a little girl. He really loves it and insisted on wearing it. 

 And then there's this sweet thang, who wrestled me all through Sacrament Meeting. We're at that stage...

This picture makes me giggle. We told Mariah she couldn't bring candy into Sacrament Meeting and this is the face we got for pictures. I promise she really is a happy girl most of the time. 

We had Tanner's parents, Serge, Isis and Rob over for Easter dinner. And I didn't take any pictures. But it was so nice to have family and friends here. 

This family picture was nothing short of a miracle. After naps I changed the kids back in their clothes and Tanner even got back in his dress clothes because he loves me. We put his phone so the kids could see themselves and they actually had real smiles. I am so grateful for my Savior and the knowledge I have that he lives and because of that we will live again too.