easter 2017

to me, easter is more than just eggs and a rabbit. it's a time when i remember jesus christ, the prince of peace who died for each of us. i am grateful today and always.

easter is such a wonderful time of the year. it is when we celebrate the resurrection of jesus christ, after he gave his life so that we may live again. each year the church releases a video about easter and as usual this years one did not disappoint... please go and have a look at the prince of peace video available on youtube here.

our day started with an egg hunt and breakfast with dougs parents at our house... 

i love hearing the squeals of laughter as they race around the backyard trying to beat each other to the little coloured eggs. so cute!

cutest kid everrrrrrrr

i'd say they did pretty well!

church was great, with some fantastic talks about easter and musical items. what a blessing it is to be part of such a great church! i feel lucky every single day, but especially at times like this. 

then off to my mums for dinner, where we celebrated not only easter, but this little monkey jonas (my brother aarons little boy) who turned 3 on friday. they arrived yesterday to spend a few weeks with the family over easter, so cupcakes were on the menu at tonights family dinner. 

madeline is besotted with "baby" felix and wanted to carry him everywhere and shower him with kisses. can't blame the girl.. i wanted to as well. he is adorable!

♥

scripture eggs

for family home evening this week, we got to do something a little different that was super fun and easter related... a friend of mums made her a carton of actual "easter eggs" as in they contained easter scriptures and items related to them inside. we had a great time opening them and reading the scriptures together and explaining how the contents related to the scripture. it really helped our kids, small as they may be, to think about what easter is really about.

i would totally recommend making a set if you have small kids, (or even for big kids and adults!) for a lesson during the easter season... so here are the scriptures and contents for you:

1. matthew 26:15 30 silver pieces

2. 3 nephi 11:11-12 & matthew 26:39 sacrament cup

3. matthew 27:24 small chunk of soap

4. mark 14:29-31, 53, 66-72 mini chicken

5. matthew 27:28-29 red fabric

6. alma 11:42 piece of rope

7. john 19:24 dice

8. matthew 27:51-54 rocks

9. john: 19:39 rosemary stem

10. luke 24:1-10 round white pebble

11. john 20:25-26 nails

12. matthew 27:59 & matthew 28:6 white fabric

because he lives

i love easter. i love the extra long weekend, the time with family... the hot cross buns and especially the malteaser bunnies (i could easily eat a dozen in one sitting and probably not even feel bad...) but easter means so much more to me!

easter is a celebration of the living christ. who died and rose again, for me and for you. who suffered in gesthemane so that we could have a second and third and twentieth chance at getting things right. how grateful i am, how lucky i feel, to know that i can try again each day.

we went to church, where there was an easter program with some lovely talks and two musical items - including one from me "i know that my redeemer lives" which in my opinion is a perfect song choice for easter... thankfully it went well and i felt pretty good about it afterwards.

we even managed to snap some cute family photos outside at the end. how i love my little family and our sundays together. at least we always get one day a week together.

look at this sweet face. i am such a lucky mama.

our kids were so happy to have their easter treats and were happy to show them off for pictures. we spent the last few weeks explaining to madeline what easter eggs represent and thankfully she told us all this morning as she spied them what they were. boom. parenting done right. she also told us about the tomb and how jesus died and they rolled the big rock in front of it before he came alive again. thank goodness she listens. :)

♥♥♥

so until next year...

i know that my redeemer lives, what comfort this sweet sentence gives

he lives, he lives, who once was dead... he lives, my ever living head

he lives to bless me with his love, he lives to plead for me above...

he lives, my hungry soul to feed, he lives to bless in time of need

-lds hymns 136