Easter

We had such a beautiful Easter this year! At the end of the weekend, Ben and I sat back with full hearts, feeling so thankful for our Savior, our family and the beautiful life we share. The whole weekend was full of family time and just the right balance of fun holiday memories and sweet lessons about Christ.

Several years ago, we started observing Holy Week. We start the Sunday before Easter and read the scriptures for each day of the week leading up to Christ’s death and resurrection. I love this tradition. It really sets the tone for the holiday and keeps it centered on what is truly important.

The Saturday before Easter we celebrated with the Smiths. My job was to bring the bunny cake, which I do every year. I don’t know why I love it so much, because I’m not really a cake fan. This year I made it out of carrot cake and it was delicious. We had a fun Easter egg hunt with their cousins and a really beautiful, delicious dinner, and I neglected to photograph anything except the cake I made!

Saturday night I set the table with the fine china my aunts got us for our wedding. I hadn’t pulled it out since we had kids, but I think they are old enough now that I’m going to do it more. Chase loved the story behind it and both boys really appreciated the special touch it added to our delicious breakfast (strawberry shortcake biscuits courtesy of Ben). 
   

     

The boys were delighted by the chocolate eggs Nana got them! Davis devoured his right away, but Chase and Hudson both had field trips at school coming up that week and both wanted to save theirs to pack in their sack lunches for their field trips (I’m shocked they made it!). 

  

  

 We tried to do pictures before church, but sweet Lila had other plans and refused to cooperate. Luckily I grabbed a picture of her after church when she was feeling happier because she looked so darling in her little dress! Our Easter service was really beautiful. We hadn’t been to church on Easter for three years (thanks to Covid stuff) and it felt so good to be back!

Easter Sunday was actually beautiful weather after we had SNOW earlier in the week! We spent sometime outside on Sunday afternoon and it was glorious!

I was responsible for bringing dessert to our Hugo family party as well- and I made this coconut cake Chase had been begging to try. It was intense for me- a lot of baking, but it turned out super delicious and he’s already requested it for his birthday next year.

We did another egg hunt at Hugo’s and the kids got SO MUCH CANDY! I didn’t take any pictures of our Easter dinner there either, but it was a good time!

Here are a few more pictures of Easter morning. The kids all woke up so early, so in my efforts to let Ben sleep in a little I corralled them downstairs and we cuddled up on the couch and read all our Easter picture books. Then the kids got to hunt for their baskets.  Davis always takes the cake on stuff like this- he literally squeals with delight over the tiniest things and makes us all laugh! Lila quickly downed a whole bunch of chocolate and then refused to eat breakfast with us- instead she “did the dishes” (played with water in the sink). The whole day was just so easy and relaxed and fun and sweet. We did a little lesson on the first Easter morning to finish up Holy Week and just basked in the beauty of Easter together.

Not every holiday weekend works out like this one- sweetly and without much stress and lots of happiness- so I just want to savor  what it was this year!