easter 2021

easter sunday is always a huge celebration in our house, because grandma makes it so. obviously easter is about the sacrifice of the saviour, first and foremost - and that's what we focus on, as we spend our day at church, celebrating his resurrection, then we go home and have our annual egg hunt.

things haven't been great for grandma this week, we went to the temple on thursday, then friday she told doug her feet were hurting, by yesterday she said she really wasn't feeling the best and then said today she was going to stay home from church and rest. she did ask doug to drop by after church though to pick up the (hundreds) of hunting eggs she always buys for the kids so we could still go ahead with our hunt. she wanted photos and videos so she could watch later. done!

the kids got their eggs from "the easter bunny" when they woke up, i would always get a humpty dumpty egg when i was small and i love that they still have them, so that was an easy choice for alex. iron man is joseph's absolute favourite so i was thrilled to see a big chocolate iron man head in coles a few weeks back - and madeline was very matter of fact that she wanted a caramilk egg. so easy this year.

i mean look at that! it shakes when it rattles, so fun!

and let's be honest, there are very few people who chocolate can't make happy.

my favourite part of the day is getting to hide all the eggs. it's usually still quite hot though, so we have to be quick so the don't melt before they are found

alex loved our easter egg hunt and kept bringing them back to pop on the picnic table, but may have eaten quite a few in the meantime. 

maddie did her usual and owned the hunt, she's so quick on her feet with a keen eye, so she found a lot of them.

alex got in on the action with a little help from nannaleah and uncle taui

and the loot was excellent. this was just madeline's haul and she was stoked. we had a lovely day. it was sad that grandma wasn't here with us, but we are hoping she feels better soon.

 

easter 2020

easter this year was a little different... i cannot remember once in my entire life not going to church on easter sunday - yet here we are. in fact, i can't remember ever missing more than one or possibly two sundays ever and this all still feels so foreign to me! yet we are doing what we've been asked, following instructions to keep ourselves and everyone else safe!

but in the important way, it was still the same. a celebration of the day that christ broke the bands of death and rose from the tomb. what a wonderful blessing for us all! how grateful i am to know that my saviour lives!

so this easter sunday was a little different! we watched the sunday morning session general conference (as it was last week in the u.s.) broken up a little to help with the kids concentration by breakfast haha, then after it was done we had our annual easter egg hunt!

the kids think it is the best thing ever and still race outside the minute we tell them it is time - they can't wait to get into it!

the best bit was seeing alex loving it this year. he's finally old enough to get what's going on and was reaching for everything and then trying to shove them in his mouth.

yelling at me to give him chocolate instead of taking his photo hahahaha!

plenty of chocolate was found

and the kids were happy!

it was a different day, but a good day. this staying home thing isn't so bad. i am loving moments like this.

happy easter everyone! 

easter 2019

we had the best easter sunday with our little family today. it was obviously alex's first one and i think he absolutely loved it! dom took this lovely photo of us after church and i love it! so rare to have all of us looking and smiling, what a legend!

the kids woke up early (ummm at 5am... at which time they were promptly sent back to bed, but too late, the baby had been woken and i was up for the day! ugh) to find malteaser packs and sloth socks, which they loved and put on immediately, with a humpty egg for alex... just because that's what i always remember mum getting for me!

there were also chocolate bunnies from nanna and grandad, so of course we had to pose for a photo with those too.

madeline was so funny. she had left a note out for the easter bunny with some carrots and of course expected a reply, but was very irritated to see that the easter bunny's hand writing looked very similar to mine. bahaha. i explained to her that there is no way a rabbit can hold a pen because they don't have opposable thumbs (which of course i then had to explain to her). after rolling her eyes at me, she finally decided it was okay that he had told me what to write and went on her way happy. she is a seriously smart girl and i don't think for a minute that she's actually convinced that any of these characters exist... but she's choosing to be like her mama and believe in anyone that brings presents. that's my girl. she did enjoy my quip about the leftover carrot pieces being magic though and was very happy to see them grated into the carrot cake i made for dessert.

i let alex have his first taste of chocolate, by sucking on my malteaster bunny... he was pretty pleased and i don't think he was keen on letting go of it.

we had a lovely church service, with beautiful hymns about easter. i had actually been asked to sing this year and chose to sing an arrangement of "i know that my redeemer lives" which went beautifully. i am so grateful for music and love being able to sing, especially for occasions like this.

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.

He lives to grant me rich supply.

He lives to guide me with his eye.

He lives to comfort me when faint.

He lives to hear my soul's complaint.

He lives to silence all my fears.

He lives to wipe away my tears.

He lives to calm my troubled heart.

He lives all blessings to impart.

He lives, my kind, wise heav'nly Friend.

He lives and loves me to the end.

He lives, and while he lives, I'll sing.

He lives, my Prophet, Priest, and King.

He lives and grants me daily breath.

He lives, and I shall conquer death.

He lives my mansion to prepare.

He lives to bring me safely there.

He lives! All glory to his name!

He lives, my Savior, still the same.

Oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives:

"I know that my Redeemer lives!"

He lives! All glory to his name!

He lives, my Savior, still the same.

Oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives:

"I know that my Redeemer lives!" 

after church, we had our easter egg hunt in the back yard like we do every year... i can't wait to watch alex out there running with them next year!

madeline was out like a shot, rounding up her share of the chocolates, complete with the egg catchers we found at kmart a few weeks ago for just $2. she had so much fun with hers and had us in fits grabbing away at everything including baby alex.

maddie complained that the hunt had been too easy in past years, but imagine her horror when she realised the final bunnies couldn't be found. she was so annoyed with us for actually making it harder. mate, parents can't win can they! they finally, with a lot of hints, worked out they were in dad's dart cabinet, then joseph was annoyed all over again, because he couldn't reach his! oh my word.

what a haul!

we had roast lamb for dinner, which we do every easter. easter lamb roast is the best! i feel a need to showcase these veggies, because they looked so good...

our table looked amazing too, with easter cookies at each place made by my friend jen and roses from another friends garden, that smelled like heaven.

and here's our carrot cake ready for dessert, made with those magic carrots.

a perfect day with our little family. ♥

easter eggs: an easter lesson

as part of our new sunday meetings in relief society, we hold a council meeting on the first sunday of the month. but because easter fell on the first sunday of the month this year, i made an executive decision and decided we were having an easter lesson instead... which seemed to make the sisters in our ward pretty happy, especially when i busted out a huge box of easter eggs to pass around after the lesson. 

you may recall these eggs from last easters fhe with the kids, but i totally used them again (and mums lovely friend has even now made me my own set which i am thrilled about!) and they were just as good with adults as they were with kids, especially seeing as half way through the lesson, the sisters started to participate and make comments! yay!

here are the scriptures and contents for you if you want to make your own set:

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

****************

i also wanted to share something i read online last week (which i have seen numerous times before, but this seems an awesome place to post it...) about the burial cloth in the tomb. It's a lovely read.

Why did Jesus fold the linen burial cloth after His resurrection?

The Gospel of John (20:7) tells us that the napkin, which was placed over the face of Jesus, was not just thrown aside like the grave clothes. The Bible takes an entire verse to tell us that the napkin was neatly folded, and was placed separate from the grave clothes.

Early Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. She said, 'They have taken the Lord's body out of the tomb, and I don't know where they have put him!' Peter and the other disciple ran to the tomb to see. The other disciple outran Peter and got there first. He stooped and looked in and saw the linen cloth lying there, but he didn't go in.

Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there, while the cloth that had covered Jesus' head was folded up and lying to the side. Was that important? Absolutely! Is it really significant? Yes!

In order to understand the significance of the folded napkin, you have to understand a little bit about Hebrew tradition of that day. The folded napkin had to do with the Master and Servant, and every Jewish boy knew this tradition. When the servant set the dinner table for the master, he made sure that it was exactly the way the master wanted it. The table was furnished perfectly, and then the servant would wait, just out of sight, until the master had finished eating, and the servant would not dare touch that table, until the master was finished. Now, if the master were done eating, he would rise from the table, wipe his fingers, his mouth, and clean his beard, and would wad up that napkin and toss it onto the table.

The servant would then know to clear the table. For in those days, the wadded napkin meant, 'I'm done.' But if the master got up from the table, and folded his napkin, and laid it beside his plate, the servant would not dare touch the table, because...The folded napkin meant, 'I'm coming back!'

He is coming back! ♥

easter sunday 2018

i've often been asked by people not of our faith why our church does not have any crosses on top of, or within the building. the answer is simple, we worship and celebrate the living christ! so easter sunday is especially wonderful as we celebrate his triumph over death.

he is risen! he is risen!

tell it out with joyful voice.

he has burst his three days prison;

let the whole wide world rejoice.

death is conquered; man is fee.

christ has won the victory.

before dinner we had our egg hunt with the kids and dougs parents... 

they still love it as much as the first time and it's so much fun watching them round around getting into everything. 

♥

happy easter to you all! 

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!

♥

easter 2016 ♥

oh easter sunday! the day every year when i feel like my entire family and most of my life should be featuring pastels. when you see the pictures above and below (one of the outtakes... haha) i'd say we nailed it. woo.

oh i love that girl. her zest for life is so infectious :)

madeline and joseph were given beautifully wrapped easter eggs after church from their pinkers and were so thrilled with them, in fact, joseph managed to tear his open and start eating it on the way home. he's a determined little thing, that's for sure!

oh those eyes!

dougs parents brought over a pile of different mini eggs and chocolate treats and once we got home from church and had lunch, we had an easter egg hunt in the backyard. the thrilled looks on their little faces made my life. it was so fun!

joseph hunting for eggs.

comparing loot afterwards. oh how i love the two of them. 

i am so grateful as always for the blessing it is to know the true meaning of easter. to know that jesus christ, the son of god and our older brother died, and rose again allowing us the chance to have eternal life. what a blessing it is and how loved we are... to know of a life to come. ♥

i know that my redeemer lives

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

he lives to grant me rich supply

he lives to guide me with his eye

he lives to comfort me when faint

he lives, to hear my souls complaint

he lives to silence all my fears
he lives to wipe away my tears

he lives to calm my troubled heart

he lives, all blessings to impart

he lives my kind wise heavenly friend

he lives and loves me til the end
he lives, and while he lives i'll sing

he lives, my prophet, priest and king

he lives and grants me daily breath

he lives and i shall conquer death

he lives my mansion to prepare
he lives to bring me safely there

he lives! all glory to his name!

he lives my saviour still the same

oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives

i know that my redeemer lives!

he lives! all glory to his name!
he lives my saviour still the same
oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives
i know that my redeemer lives!

i had the opportunity to sing in church for easter sunday - "i know that my redeemer lives (lds hymns 136) and i stand all amazed (lds hymns 193)" there is nothing i like more than having the chance to sing and offer praises through music... i honestly agree with the old quotation that said "there are very few ways to draw closer to the lord than through music"

i am thankful each and everyday for the sacrifice that our lord and saviour jesus christ made for us, but try to remember especially at easter... when so many forget and focus on the other things. i am eternally grateful for the chance to be forgiven for my sins and to live again and pray always to be so.