Easter

We had a wonderful and simple Easter this year. My parents went to Michigan to visit my Grandma, so it was just us this year. I was feeling a bit ba-humbug about the whole thing and very overwhelmed with everything going on, so thank goodness for Kendall and his preparations.

The Easter bunny did visit us this year and brought the kids butterfly nets, hid the eggs and then built a barricade so that the kids couldn't peak into the living room before the egg hunt began. Do you remember last year's barricade?
Well, we go through yogurt rather quickly these days and so it was a much larger barricade this year:Yup, it really was as tall as the piano. The kids had a BLAST breaking through it. I think it is going to have to be a tradition since it is the highlight of their entire Easter celebrating.

The Easter Bunny even brought me a new pink pocket knife for my keychain, since mine was falling apart. Kendall and I got camp chairs for the whole family and they are a huge hit. Guess we need to plan a camping trip now. :)
Bed-head Sadie with a mouthful of candy, of course.
We also had a very special treat. A few weeks prior to Easter Grandpa found this cacoon in his bushes as he was trimming them. He put it in this container and we kept it in our house for quite a few weeks. We figured it had probably died.
But late the night before Easter out emerged... a giant silk moth. It's wing span was about 6 inches and it was really beautiful!
Everyone (that wanted to) got to hold it. This picture makes me laugh. Talmage wasn't so sure that he liked it. And as soon as it moved he KNEW he didn't like it.
But Avri is our little nature child and loved it, of course.
Even Rigdon tried to eat it. But I didn't get a picture because I was too busy trying to get it away from him. And Kendall of course had to get in on the action. The kids thought it was pretty hysterical.It hung out in the house for a few days while its wings dried out enough that it could fly. Then we let her go.

On a more religious tone, I was really amazed at how much the kids understood about Easter and the reason that we celebrate this wonderful holiday. I was teaching Sunbeams on Easter and so I put quite a bit of work into planning some activities that would help them grasp the Christ-centered aspects, rather than the candy aspects and my own kids loved all of that stuff as well. I was so proud of my children and their smart little answers to all of the questions about the Atonement and the crucifiction as well as the Resurrection. I have such a testimony that Jesus Christ is our Savior and that he died for us and atoned for our sins in the Garden of Gethsemane. I know that he was resurrected and that he lives today and that he loves each and every one of us and feels our pains, as well as our frustrations, big and small. I am so grateful for this knowledge in my life and I hope that I can pass this love on to my children and that they will never question my faith or testimony.