Happy Easter!

Easter Weekend was quite exciting full of birthday partying, college basketball watching, shopping, cooking, Easter egg hunting, eating, and Prison break watching...but would you expect anything less from party-ers like us? So Friday started with a bang! A half day of school for Maya and an ear infection to go with it. Poor Maya she just can't catch a break! Aric and I went to a dinner at church and got home in time to watch disc 3 of Prison Break.

Saturday started with a morning run with Amy, we barely survived 2 1/2 miles in the windy frigid air. But I knew what lie ahead, all that yummy food was my motivation. My mom and step-dad, Joe, came up for the weekend. They dyed eggs with the girls and then we had an Easter egg hunt in my sister's gigantic backyard, the kind you don't find in our neighborhood.


We were also celebrating my niece, Mari's (aka THUNDER LIPS), sixth birthday so we had pizza and birthday brownies...good thing I ran!

Before the girls went to bed, we set out their Easter baskets and set out some carrots for the Easter Bunny.
Sunday morning the Easter Bunny did not disappoint. He filled their baskets with goodies, and for Maya sing star High School Musical, and Eden a Barbie Fairytopia movie. Which I was very surprised about. The girls and I e-mail Easter Bunny to tell him about Night at the Museum. One of his bunny helpers must of switched it up. About an hour later when Aric asked Maya to go get the newspaper she saw a package out in the middle of our yard. When she opened it, she was so thrilled to find Night at the Museum. That Easter Bunny came through after all.

The girls were so darling in their Easter dresses. I made them wear white sandals to show off their cute toes despite the cold rain. I just couldn't bring myself to put tights and black dress shoes on with their sweet springy Easter dresses. They are learning at a young age that sometimes you have to sacrifice comfort for fashion.

But don't they look ADORABLE, it was so worth it!

(If I look annoyed to you, it's because my mom took like fifteen pictures and this is the only one that turned out decent.)

After church we hosted Easter dinner. Aric made the ham...soooooo YUMMY!

We had my sister's family (the Stockman's), my parents, and the missionaries from our ward. Also on the menu was...funeral potatoes, green salad, garlic/parm. roasted asparagus and rolls. For dessert, banana cake. Again...so glad I went for that run!

Edee and Tessa and the little, little kid table. Eden wasn't too happy about this so we pushed the table as close to the big table as possible.


It was a nice Easter Sunday. Our church service was beautiful, the kids sang one of my favorite songs "If the Savior Stood Beside Me". Both of the girls knew all the words but Edee sang especially loud. Maya gave her first talk in Senior Primary (the 8-11 crowd). She wrote it mostly by herself and stood at the pulpit all by herself. Aric and I sat there bursting with pride as our sweet, shy little Maya so bravely stood there and bore her testimony on how "Jesus Christ is my Savior" This is her talk. And these are the pictures she chose to go with it. If you double click on the pictures you can read what she wrote.


Most days I feel like I am failing as a mother. I worry that I am not patient enough, or I expect too much. But most of the time I feel like I'm not doing enough. Then I have a moment like today, with Maya. It makes me realize that on many levels I will fail my kids everyday. But when I hear my shy 7 1/2 year old daughter with emotion and confidence, tell a room full of kids and adults that she knows who Jesus is, and that He is her Savior, it makes me feel like I must be doing something right. And if that is all I do right, that will be enough. I know it will be enough because I believe that Jesus is my Savior too, and He will make up for my shortcomings as a mother and as a person. As long as I do my very best and repent when I fall short, He will be there to teach me, to strengthen me, and to guide me. I am so grateful for the atonement of Jesus Christ. I know that He suffered in Gethsemane and died on the cross for me, He suffered and died for us all. He gave us the gift of eternal life by rising from the tomb. His resurrection means everything. If we turn to Him, He will be there waiting to lead us back to Him and our Heavenly Father.

I am humbled by His love for me and I feel it everyday. I am so grateful for this Easter holiday that allows us to acknowledge Jesus Christ, and remember what He did for each and every one of us. I hope you all had a wonderful Easter!